[X] Plan Snake Pit -[X] Bond between Friends
-[X] Male
--[X] Name: Eliaz Tanet
--[X] Picture 3
-[X] Phione Council State
Just for a difference. The advanced State could give us more opportunities for study and make it easy to hide on the background. Because, how many different mages do their studies in here? We will be just another one, maybe a bit eccentric and unsociable, but not necessary suspicious. Of course more laws for control science may be a problem... However, complex system of law may be an advantage. It's bureaucracy, no one likes it. So there are have to be ways to take a shortcut, ask friend-official for help or just bribe... Even if corruption here not spreaded, It is still boiling pot of politics, in wich shortcuts and lobbying, shady and dirty games is inevitable.
Well, and third picture just looks good.
A more difficult option, but one that also provides more opportunity. We already have a cover, and as long as we don't do anything noticeable, everything should be fine. Of course, it is difficult to practice necromancy here, but it is also a much better place to study other magical disciplines. Artifactory, in particular, looks extremely useful, and we can create our own equipment.
You let out a sigh as you stepped away from the path of a person with a particular set of long ears, them not reacting in any obvious way from their close proximity with you. Relieved at the rumours of how Elves can detect the negativity from the environtment seems to be false, or at least not as strong as it was claimed to be.
Letting your gaze to continue on the road ahead you can see a plethora of various different races all mixed up together under the evening sky. Most of them human and concerningly Beastkin, but also among them you can occasionally see the rare sights of Elves, Dwarfs, and even a single Scalekin. All minding their own business and for not the first time ever since you got here you wonder what exactly are you doing.
It hasn't been long since you arrived in the city of Mavis. Around a week or two as you recall. It being one of Phione's main city had ensured that here you can at least still enjoy some of Mystogan's commodity without actually being inside the city of mages where all sorts of laws and observation magics are put into place that will restict all kind of research that you will do. Even now you are still isn't sure that you had managed to pull the wool over everyones eyes, but so far everything had gone along smoothly.
Finally arriving at the safe house you had purchased with most of your savings, around a secluded part of the city you absently note, you were just about to open the door when your attention were caught up by a boy around your age running up to you from the house next door.
You observed him. Your initial impression of him was messy. The boy's clothes and green hair was stained with what looks to be oil and he is absolutely covered in stench of sweat and sulfur that makes you want to gag. Just how is he able to breath with that kind of smell all over him? Ironic coming from someone who deals with corpses on a daily basis but still.
If the boy notices your displeasure then he doesn't show any sign of it. Smiling cheerfully as he greets you at your doorsteps. "Hello there Miss! Are you the one who buys this house?"
You narrowed your eyes. "Why do you need to know?"
"Ah no reason." The boy cheekily scratches the back of his head. "It's just the moment I heard this abandoned house was buyed I am worried how it will be used to do some shady business."
You did not like the sound of that. "What?"
"I mean." The boy pause a moment to order out his thoughts. "You know how we Phiones are well known for our mages right? Well I was worried that one of them is going to be my neighbor. My old man always say how mages will do all kind of weird things to do their magic. So I am very relieved to see you to be the one who buy them!"
"I am a Wizard." You say flatly.
"Ah." The boy simply says. His momentum completely stopped until it somehow immediately picked itself up back again. "Well, I know someone as pretty as you would be one of the good wizard around! Right, Miss!"
You just give him a cold stare.
"So....my name is Roy Buckleneer, a Blacksmith. It's nice to meet you miss!" Smiling awkwardly, the boy introduced himself.
"Vecna Iza. Is there anything else?"
"No?"
"Then good evening." You ended the chat. Opening and stepping inside your house without giving him a chance to continue. Slamming the door shut just as he reached his hand out to futilely stop you. Through the door you can barely heard him saying something how he did it again that you choose to ignore.
Coming deeper into your place of residence, you decided to put the memory of the encounter with the supposed Blacksmith at the back of your mind. Instead, more interested at the series of simple furnishing you had ordered to live comfortable while in Mavis. With the warm grey walls as the background and all sorts of wooden furnitures to live up the place, you can finally be able to consider this place somewhat 'homey' after series of back and fort preparing them up for the past week.
Glancing at the door, checking if Roy would have the nerve to come inside your house uninvited, you slowly inch yourself towards the fireplace at the back of the living room. You turn your head left right to make sure there's no one hiding before you fire a small burst of mana to one of the bookcase on the wall. Turning on the spell you had placed on the furniture to make it light enough for you to easily slide it aside and reveal the hidden wooden door to the cellar.
Inside the dim cellar after you slide back the bookcase to its previous position, you took stock at everything that would declare you as a necromancer that you are.
Human skulls, animal bones, series of books containing dark necromantic magic, various kinds of mundane and lower quality magical fruits and herbs, a single dark mana stone of middle quality, and a sack of gold. All and all, not very much. You had spent almost all of your savings aside from the ones for this house to fund your study in the arts of artificing and using sorcery. All of these however are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
There, at the deepest part of the cellar. Lays a white coffin with a panel of glass. A middle quality item with it's only use is to preserve whatever it is inside it as long as mana kept on being supplied into it periodically once per month.
Laying a single hand on top of the coffin, you swept away the haze on the glass to peer into what is inside. Or rather, Who.
"Sister Kas...."
With eyes full of mourning, you sadly gaze at the face of your beloved sister. Body unmoving ever since you put her in. Her long blond hair now different from your short white one. Her smile, the first thing you see of her after your two year of studies, gone just like when you left it. The pain being too much for you to keep seeing her smile on her death. How could you when she looked so happy about seeing you after you abandoned her?
You painfully tore your eyes away from your sister. Walking with a grimace as the negative energy inside you reacted violently to your unbalanced emotions. Stopping near a table with a map of Mavis which lays spread upon it, you give away one last look at the coffin before turning away. You know you could spend hours just standing there thinking about what ifs, and that would only waste precious time. Time that you could use to bring your sister back.
Holding yourself upright by gripping the edge of the table, you close your eyes and recollect your composure. All of this pain you are enduring is what you rightfully deserved. If this is what it takes for you to uncover the secrets of life and death then you will receive it with open arms. Everything is worth it if you are able to be together with your sister again.
You open your eyes with a new sense of determination, and begin to plan.
TURN PLANNING
You will be planning your turn from the combination of Four Type of Actions. Each having their own rules and purpose. There is General Actions, Research Actions, Personal Actions, and as of now unseen Mission Actions. You will have 4 Actions Points or AP for short to freely distribute between them unless it was stated otherwise.
Crits will be on 95-100 range in General and Personal Actions, 19-20 in Research Actions, and when the number you reach are double that of the required DC such as you rolling a 40 on a DC 20. The last part can keep on accumulating as in if you roll a 80 on a DC 20 you will get triple the rewards and 160 on a DC 20 will get you four times.
Crit fail will be on 1-5 range in General and Personal Actions, and 1 in Research Actions.
Actions may need to use up a grade item to actually complete them. Once you had assigned a Grade Item to that action you would not need to assign another one to do that action again unless you received a Crit Fail. You can also assign those grade items to actions that doesn't require them to have a special reward. One such example being assigning a Dark Mana Stone to Portable Undead Action will result in one of the critters having a special ability related to darkness. Beware some rewards are not worth it with the example being assigning a Dark Mana Stone to Mavis Underbelly will only result in some random criminals who will thought of you as guillable and give you more information out of pity. Grade items can only be gained from as of now unseen General Action with high DC, Mission Action, and certain Crits.
Simplified version of the rules above. You have 4 AP you can distribute freely to any of the actions only once unless stated otherwise. Some actions need to be assigned a Grade Item for you to actually do it. Each turn last for 2 Months.
Materials: 100
Reagents: 100
Grade Items:
-1 Dark Mana Stone
Actions that you can only complete with either the assistance of another or a long thought out preparation on your part. Success on getting past a DC with a 1d100+Stats. Will require a cost and usually will serve as a minor point in progress to the Quest. You can only assign a single AP to any of the actions.
[ ] Wolf Among Sheep
Martial DC: 50
A Necromancer is never without a need for more corpses. What you need however is not the usual rotting pieces of flesh and bones that are halfway in on being decomposed. No, you need something that is strong and most importantly fresh, and with soldiers guarding each of the way in and out of the city that you know of, there's really only one possible method for you to get what you want. Cost: 25 Reagents.
(Reward: A good quality corpse for you to turn into an undead and improve on.)
[ ] Lab Details
Stewardship DC: 40
Before you can actually start on experimenting with the arts of necromancy, you will need to first prepare the necesary tools and equipments. Jars, scalpes, saws, and everything else that you will need to properly disect and preserve a corpse. With Phione being a hot spot for mages from all over Altaria, you should be able to find these items with their very specific uses pretty easily. Cost: 20 Materials.
(Reward: Unlock more Research Actions.)
[ ] Security Concerns
Intrigue DC: 60
While you have heard of Phione's security protocols through rumours and hearsays. With Phione's biggest reason to be famous being their mages, you found your existing paranoia in suddenly being discovered to be completely justified. Learning of their procedures and methods in recognizing and dealing with the users of illegal magics would make you sleep more comfortably in the night. Cost: 20 Material and 10 Reagents.
(Reward: Knowledge on how to avoid the guards notice. Certain Intrigue DC lowered.)
[ ] Mavis Underbelly
Intrigue DC: 35
If there is any kind of ally that could exist for a necromancer like yourself then it would be those who you could found lurking behind the dark alleyways and the seedier parts of the city. While it would be difficult to actually meet the core individuals who ran the criminal elements around Mavis, it should be easy for you to learn about what kind of gangs that exist and their group dynamics with each other. Cost: 15 Materials.
(Reward: Knowledge on the gangs operating in Mavis. Unlock more Mission Actions.)
Actions that you will do in the safety of your lab/cellar. Success in accumulating a number of proggress to reach the research completion with a 1d20+stats die. Will have a cost and usually serve as a method to improve yourself. You can assign as many AP as you want to any of the actions.
[ ] Finishing the Basics
-[ ] Drain Life (0/50)
-[ ] Detect Life (0/50)
-[ ] Undead Whisperer (0/50)
-[ ] Bonemancy (0/50)
-[ ] Fleshcrafter (0/50)
Accumulated Learning
If you truly want to learn a spell to ressurrect your sibling without any kind of abnormalities or defects physically and mentally then you will need to learn everything that necromancy has to offer. You can't exactly do that without first learning about every basic spell in necromancy. Cost: 20 Materials and 5 Reagents.
(Reward: Learned a necromancy spell. Unlock more actions.)
[ ] Mark of a Mage
Accumulated Learning
(0/40)
Every mage that is not dead poor would have something to help them channel their mana into spells more efficiently. A Genius Loci created for their personal use. While difficult, you are certain you can make a decent middle grade genius loci if you spent weeks of your time on them. Cost: 20 Materials, 20 Reagents, and 1 Middle Grade Material.
(Reward: A Middle Grade Equipment focusing on Magic.)
[ ] Portable Undead
Accumulated Magic
(0/20)
You didn't like the notion of being totally alone in any part of the world. By carefully selecting the specimens of small undead critters which you could easily conceal on your person you will no longer be short on minions you can use to distract an enemy in mid combat and can now enter some previously impossible places for you to infiltrate due to the critters rather diminutive size. Cost: 10 Material and 10 Reagents.
(Reward: A group of small sized undead. Unlock more actions.)
[ ] Sorcerer's Lair
Accumulated Magic
(0/60)
It's not exactly wrong for you to say that your life is inside your cellar. Not only would you be doomed if somebody found all of the evidence proving you to be a necromancer that is inside it, your dear Sister is also there and you would destroy anyone who would dare to even put a single finger on her. Series of lower to middle quality wards should be able to prevent anyone from noticing it was there. Cost: 20 Materials, 40 Reagents, and 1 Middle Grade Item.
(Reward: Cellar being more secure. Raising the DC for people to discover your identity)
Actions that you can complete by doing it alone without any preparation. Success in getting past a DC with a1d100+Stats die. Requiring no cost and usually will serve as a point of interest to progress the Quest. You can only assign a single AP to any of the actions.
[ ] Meeting the Neighbors
Diplomacy DC: 10
Your first meeting with Roy Buckleneer may have not gone very well, but you don't think he will averse to meet with you again. Getting to know him and the people who lives around your house will do you well if any of them proves to be a threat.
(Reward: Knowledge on any notables in the house surrounding. Unlock more Personal Actions.)
[ ] Job Hunting
Diplomacy DC: 25
Your resources definitely won't last forever and you need a day job to keep up the pretense of being a normal mage. With you being both an artificer and a sorceror you should be able to gain a decent enough job that will give you some fund for more resources.
(Reward: Unlock more Personal Actions. Generates a selection of jobs to choose from that could passively generate resources per turn.)
[ ] Outdoor Foraging
Stewardship DC: 40
When the time is rough you could always go in person beyond the walls to brave in the wild. Avoiding any beast that could pose a fight to you and center your entire focus on getting as many resources as possible. You can assign as many AP as you want to this action.
(Reward: Generates a 3d20 in both Materials and Reagents.)
[ ] See the Sights
Intrigue DC: 15
During the first two weeks of your stay in Mavis you never actually has the chance to entirely explore what the city could actually offer to you. There should be many place in Mavis that would be of use to you beyond being pretty with the Guild and the Graveyard being among them. It is time for you to rectify that and acclimate yourself to the city you will be living in.
(Reward: Knowledge on Mavis point of interest. Unlock more actions.)
Note to self. Having the idea inside your head doesn't mean it would be easy for you to put them into words. This chapter fought me tooth and nail. If there is anything that is too vague just let me know.
Also your character sheet is up. You guys rolled horribly in Intrigue and slightly bad in learning. Your Martial and Diplomacy is good if it were not for the malus that you received with only Stewardship being the only one who get away from it. Your Magic roll however is pretty great fortunately.
As for the interaction with Roy. Just for this once I am going to clue you in on an ncp stats. Your bad Diplo and Intrigue? He somehow rolled worse.
Yes, as you are a Novice Artificer all that you could made with ease is lower grade items. In a two month....I know I forget something! Fixed it. Each turn is two months.
Anyways, with enough preparation and hard work you could create an item which is a grade above what your actual capability can do. They would just need a lot more resources and at least a single graded item. It all comes back to time. In Novice level with lower grade item you can at least make half a dozen of them in a single turn while a middle grade item would need you to dedicate your entire focus into making a single one.
[X] Plan: Newbie to the City of Magic.
-[X] Sorcerer's Lair
-[X] Meeting the Neighbors
-[X] Job Hunting
-[X] See the Sights
Yes, a low intrigue stat "a little" will complicate our life.
So this is a preparatory turn. Get to know the city, get a job, maybe try to find teachers for magical disciplines. And I don't want to make suspicious moves until the hideout is properly defended and we know how we can be found. While Portable Undead sounds useful, it will likely increase the likelihood of being exposed as a necromancer.
[X] Plan offensive magic
-[X] Meeting the Neighbors
-[X] Job Hunting
-[X] See the Sights
-[X] Finishing the Basics
--[X] Drain Life (0/50)
We aren't going to remain hidden for long due to our low intrigue in the magically advanced state.
So, investing everything we can in offensive magic is probably going to be the only thing that will let us survive. It will also help in killing those that will notice us.
And we need those skills soon, because what spells we have now unlocked rely on us being able to remain hidden to work, and we just don't have enough intrigue for it.
Hideout means we won't be found by accident. We can probably avoid detection until we do anything that can draw attention to us. Right now, the ordinary thief excites me more than the city guards. But yes, low intrigue is a big problem. And we should probably avoid doing business with criminals because of this - the chances are high that it will only hurt us. On the other hand, members of this profession are acceptable targets for hunting.
Speaking of combat, we'll have 13 in Martial if we can remove the Weakness trait. Combined with dark magic debuffs and artefact weapons, we can fight well even without necromancy tricks. And because of necromantic madness and aura, we must try to avoid using negative energy whenever possible.
Your first priority in the city full of magic users should be obvious, and it is protecting your Sister with every single mage proof wards that you can create. Frustatingly, you suffered some delays in making the medium grade wards because of how distracted you are to the messiness that is your lab and instead spent around the first two weeks of the project cleaning it all up. You only managed to get the lair mostly half done by then, but at least your lab is now organized just the way you like it.
(35/60) Progress done in Sorcerer's Lair. Lab is now clean and tidy.
[X] Meeting the Neighbors
Diplomacy DC: 10
Roll: 17 + 7 = 24
Two Success!
Your meetings with your neighbors who introduced themself as the 'Crafters Union' had gone pretty well all things considered. Most of them are an unremarkable bunch of people that are barely worth mentioning. However, for those who are, what makes them so interesting in your eyes had seems to led you to a quite fruitful encounter with somebody you didn't expect.
An offer with an equal amount of great opportunity and danger. Should you take it?
To be continued in Interlude: Outstanding Offer
[X] See the Sights
Intrigue DC: 15
Roll: 63 + 5 = 68
Three Success!
Your wanderings around the city had been a complete success. Not only had you located the Guild, the Graveyard, the Mage Tower, and the Temple, you also had discovered three locations of interest that you hadn't known to be even exist in Mavis before.
The first is Mavis City Green House owned by the city pharmacy. A large building made of glass that cultivates all manners of plants, both mundane and magical, from around and beyond Phione. There should be a lot of good Middle grade to even High grade plants inside for you to use as either Materials or Reagents. Now, if only you have a way to get them without getting caught.
The second spot is something that you had found by following a pair of smirking adventurers through a series of twisting path and a very obscure wooden door with a sign that reads Clever Owl Outpost. It is a magical bar that is bigger on the inside. Even with just a glance you can tell that a lot of the bar's patrons are strong. Clever Owl Outpost seems to be a good place for you to do some networking with those who has influence over Mavis.
You wouldn't have discovered the third spot if it weren't for your experience in recognizing it from it's counter part back in Varon. You found it standing alone in Mavis slums with fallen roofs, broken windows, and even a missing bell tower. There is not a single logical explanation for one of the Twin Sister's Church to look even remotely close to what you are seeing. As a Necromancer you should really just avoid this building and hope not a single Exterminator is nearby to lay out any divine punisment to the guilty, but the situation is just far too bizarre for you to ignore.
Locations of seven point of interest within the city of Mavis gained. New actions unlocked.
Random Event Rolls: 5....(Failure)
84 (Success)
97 (Critical Success, to be continued in Mavis News)
"....and that would be all. How about it? Interested?" Asked the middle aged man sitting in front of you. Smiling politely after laying out every benefits and commitments you would have if only you accepted the job. Face showing you nothing of his true intentions at your presence in the room.
You are currently at the end of your talk with somebody belonging to the Guild. Discussing the possibilities of whether you are suitable or not in working with them as a secretary. Somebody who is going to organize, take notes, and filters all sorts of information flowing in and out of the guild. If this is coming from one of the branch guild such as the masonry guild then you wouldn't give it even a single moment of thought, but this job offer comes from THE Guild.
To put it simply, the Guild is a group of people with many different kinds of skills and specialties who all band together to create a system where they all can help each other with their own problems through a private series of informations exchanges which is collected from many different branches throughout Altaria, all completely separate from the nations housing the branches.
The Guild are in possession of all manners of informations ranging from the locations of graded items, a variety of active threats, trade routes used by merchants, ongoing price of items, and even an individual private information. All of course for a price, but as a secretary you would have a free access to those informations! Maybe not all of them, but even the data from around Mavis would still prove invaluable for you.
And this person will give all of those to you with just a couple of scratches on paper.
"....I will think about it." You finally aswered after a long pause. Mind wondering which one of you are actually being robbed.
You may be competent in organizing papers and documents, but the arcane knowledge known as negotiations is still out of your grasp.
Luckily for you, the person who had made this deal even possible seems to be satisfied.
"Hmph! Almost good enough I suppose." She grunted.
Or not.
"Come on Miss Mary. Isn't this actually pretty good? This is almost twice of what I made in a single month!" Pleads Roy. Sympathizing at the man who gives a wry smile the moment he looked at him.
At Roy's claim, the female alchemist, Mary just coughs. "Please. These guys are desparate. They play it big now, but the amount of employers that they have has been decreasing since years. A young talented woman like Vecna is practically heaven sent for them who is on a decline."
Huh, you didn't know that. Is it that different here from Varon?
"Now now. While we do has some troubles in finding capable individuals. We from the Guild are not actually in decline and infact are just waiting for a promising individual such as Miss Vecna here, who is very talented like what Miss Mary had said, to arrive at our humble doorsteps. We promise to treat you exactly what you deserved."
Perking up at the man's promise, Roy began to thank the man but Mary's rebuttal cut him up short.
"Thank you very mu-"
"Just like how you tricked the Michello Caravans with the false trade routes?"
"-ch EHHHH!? It was the Guild who sells that crap to uncle Mich!?"
The man's eyes narrows dangerously. "The trade route we sold to the Michello's are just simply outdated by a couple of days. It is not the Guild's fault that they buyed the information just before we updated them. You better not implying we from the Guild to intentionally endanger our customers Miss Mary."
Mary just raised a single unimpressed eye for a response. "Is that a threat?"
"It is not a-"
"Wait, you're threatening her!? How could you!?"
"No I am not threatening-"
"I won't let you hurt my-"
"We do not condone-"
"-raise your offer or we-"
"-already the highest-"
"-you know-"
"-maybe we can-"
"-this is getting no where-"
"-listen-"
Through all the chaos, you stay silent. Wondering if this death feeling inside you is what the liches has always felt.
***
"I still can't believe they actually dare to swindle you like that Vecna!" Complained Mary. Still miffed at the.....negotiation which took place only an hour ago.
The three of you are currently on the road. Each walking away from the direction of the Guild Hall with varying amount of exhaustion being shown to one another. Not at all being helped by the sun which is mercilessly cooking you inside out from high above your head.
"I am just glad it was over." You softly replied. Wondering whether your decision to ask your new neighbors to help you in looking for a new cover job is the correct choice. Aside from the complications at the last interview everything else is actually going very well.
Letting out a long sigh full of suffering. Roy just gives you a questioning look at your response. "Their offer are still better than most though. They even got my uncle's shop beat. What do you think? Want to take a go at it?"
At that question, you stopped walking to take a few moment to think. Mind already turning back to the event leading to this little excursion of yours with what amounts to two total strangers.
Your second meeting with the one known as Roy Buckleneer had gone well. Very well infact as once you had mentioned how you are also an Artificer the bestacled boy had practically all but dragged you to meet with the rest of the neighborhood. A close-knitted family like community who called themself the Crafters Union.
From what you had understood about them from your short interaction, the Crafters Union is an unofficial group of people in Mavis compromising mostly of blacksmiths and other crafter like jobs who all had banded together under their shared dissatisfaction of how the city much prefers the mages instead of the crafters. They had once showed an impressive united front for the city to change for the better and was then rewarded for their resolution with a small section of the city for them to live in where they can freely practice their craft. They are a group of bright minded people who are proud in what they had made for themself.
You meanwhile think that there are some omitted and down played details in their story.
Regardless of what part do they play in Mavis section of history however it doesn't change the fact that you are being lumped together with them just by being an artificer who lives close to their area of neighborhood. Something the Crafters Union are very much joyous about by how they choose to politely ignore your main status as both a wizard and a sorcerer.
Roy in his rush for you to meet with the rest of the family had introduced you to Mary. A grouchy red headed woman who is the only one to voice out how you are also a mage. She tried to reasons with the other crafters how a pampered and self entitled bitch mage like you has no real reason to be treated like being one of them.
You told her to rot in her grave.
It all just kind of spiralled away from there. Involving a lot of shouting, hair pulling, and a trampled Roy but it all ends up with Mary somehow deciding you are now one of the family and her helping you scouring the entire city of Mavis for the most lucrative job offers around.
How even....?
Roy's uncle tutelage is only one such offer. Though it is the best one beside what the guild had offered earlier. You didn't remember him very clearly, but Roy's uncle seems to be the gruff old man who didn't speak very much during the meet and greet. He says he didn't have much for wages, but he could teach you blacksmithing as a part for your training to become an adept artificer.
Your idle ponderings however were cut short with a slap on the back courtesy by one smirking Mary. Bringing you back to the cruel real world beside the amused red head. Unconcerned by the death glare you are giving her. "Come now Vecna. Don't sleep on us like that! Tell us what you think."
Worried by his friend behaviors, Roy interjected. "You don't need to answer right now. This is something that you need to think a lot before deciding."
You huffed. Unbothered by his concerns. You didn't have time to waste by hesitating. "No, I need a job as soon as possible and it's almost been two month since I arrived here."
"Why do you need one so urgently?"
"Not one of your business."
Mary leaned in at that remark. "Ohhh? Then just what exactly did you wi-"
"Is that you Mary?"
"-sh to hide? Oh dammed it."
The three of you turned. One in irritation and the other two in curiousity at who exactly had intrude themself into the conversation. A question is already hanging from your lips, but you abandoned it to instead froze in terror at the sight which greeted you.
A chiseled jaw, a long curly brown hair tied on the back of the neck, and a pair of eyes colored silver. You may not be well versed in the art of intrigue, but even you wouldn't mistaken the slouching form with arms folded in front of you for being none other than Wilhelm Keyne. The Master of Mavis Mage Tower and easily the strongest person in the city.
Someone who will have no trouble in killing you the moment he knows you are a necromancer.
"What is it do you want then Wilhelm?" Mary, who is proving herself to be an excellence distraction from your imminent panic, asked the Expert Class Arc-Mage without a single iota of respect for his status.
"Is speaking with you not a good enough reason?"
"You wouldn't be approaching me without a plan."
"Heh, true enough."
"Then beat it."
"Just bear with me. I am interested in seeing what kind of company did you have."
Roy meanwhile just glanced back and fort between the two. Face showing an obvious confusion to their interaction. You can honestly say you also feel the same.
"I am Roy Buckleneer. A blacksmith, and you are Sir....?" Roy introduced himself while offering his hand for a handshake. Somehow not recognizing the last line of defense of his own city.
"Ah, pardon me. I am Wilhelm Keyne. That tower at the city center lording everything else belongs to me. A pleasure." Answered Wilhelm with an easy going smile. Accepting the handshake before offering you the same. You emotionlessly reciprocate it.
"A pleasure meeting you as well Sir EEEHHHHH!?" Exclaimed Roy. Finally figuring out who exactly is he speaking with.
Wilhelm himself doesn't seem to mind the blacksmith ignorance. Instead he decided to just give him an even bigger smile showing a little bit of teeth before swiftly turning to look at your futilely trying to blend in figure. Dashing your hope of being forgotten.
"Not Sir Eeehhh. Just call me Wil. All friends of Mary called me that. How about you lovely lady? You are Miss...?"
"Vecna Iza." You stiffly answered. Trying not to show any reaction of your name being known to the city resident expert class.
"Miss Iza. Now what is this I hear about you looking for a job?"
"I am new to the city and was looking for a paying position."
"Me and Miss Mary was just helping her with an interview back in the Guild Hall. Though not without some trouble." Roy added helpfully, before winching at the memory of what happened at the end.
Raising a single curious brow, Wilhelm then asked for the details which then prompted Mary to snarkily also asked him a question. "I guess Miss Mary had a shouting match with them?"
"What is it to you?"
"Let me ask Miss Iza some questions first. You are a sorcerer then? And an artificer as well?" Asked Wilhelm.
"Yes." You answered in surprise and fear. Thinking the cat is out of the bag. Did he also know you are also a necromancer? "How did you know?"
"I have my ways." He mysteriously answered. Receiving an eye roll from Mary and an amazed ohh from Roy for his troubles. "Now, I have a surprise for you Miss Iza."
"....What is it?" You slowly asked. Mind wondering how fast could you run to escape with your Sister. But his next words just almost knocked you over with it's absurdity.
"What do you feel about working for me?"
"I am sorry?"
"To be clear, I want you to join me as one of my Mage Tower Assistant." Wilhelm explained. Almost bugging your eyes out at the sheer impossibility of his proposal. Your reaction however pale short with those coming from the two new acquintance of yours.
"MAGE TOWER ASSISTANT!?" Cry out Roy in surprise. Mary following swiftly from behind to berate Wilhelm who doesn't seem to give a damm.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, Mister! You can't just randomly gave away one of the Tower's position like that to even someone like Vecna. That thing you have there is one of Mavis main line of defense. Just what are you playing at here Wilhelm!?"
"Meh, I have a free spot availabe and I can do whatever I want with it." Answered the Master of the Mage Tower. "As for you Miss Iza. If you accept then your job description will be you monitoring and mantaining the wards engraved within both the Tower and the City Walls while also investigating any magical incident happening inside the city alongside a senior member. You may also be helping us out with a few high priority teleportations spells and odd rituals here and there, but you will mostly be on spell maintenance duty and helpers for the Mage Tower Observators. What do you say?"
You need a couple of blinks to properly take in the literal surge of information coming out of Wilhelm's mouth. But once you do, you practically jumped in shock at the situation you had found yourself in. Immediately you began to try dissuading the apparantly crazy Tower Master how you are not suitable for the job. As rewarding as it might be for you to join as one of the Mage Tower Assistant, it wouldn't matter if you were caught during one of the many deep testing this kind of position should have with it's importance. Yet the being known as Wilhelm Keyne just brush off every single reason that you gave him.
"I can't accept your offer. I don't think I am suited for it and I need a new job as fast as possible. I also don't like being in debt and you even barely knew me." You spluttered.
"Don't worry you will be fine and you could even join in tomorrow! I don't think I need to worry about someone Miss Mary had approved of."
"The necesary testing-"
"You don't need to do it. You will have my seal of approval."
You can only numbly nod at that. Absently noting how Roy and Mary could only stand beside you gaping at how generous/irrational Wilhelm is right now.
"So? Anymore concerns? I insist you accept it." Thus smiled Wilhelm Keyne. Which seems to finally released Roy and Mary from their petrified state. Causing Mary to start furiously questioned Wilhelms of his true intentions and Roy to both congratulate and lamented you from accepting the proposal instead of being a blacksmith with him.
You however ignored all of that to instead think about your choices. Your best options so far from what you had seen is three.
The first is an apprenticeship with Roy's uncle. This option will not give you a lot of reward due to the unpopularity of the products in Mavis. This job however first and foremost seems to be safe as you can't think of a single reason why a blacksmith will need to check your insides. There is also the help to become an artificer adept to consider.
The Second is the job offer of being the Guild's secretary. The pay seems to be pretty good and you would even got access to some important information. Those intel however are those that you can gain by simply forking money and the Guild in Phione doesn't seems to be doing well right now from what you can glean from Mary. They might even renegade on the deals you made or provide inaccurate data if they keep on declining.
And finally there is the Mage Tower Assistant. You sadly doesn't know a whole lot about the Mage Tower beside what Wilhelm had told you. But, one of your duties seems to be assisting your seniors in any magical incidents happening within the city which should include any necromancer sightings that you could sabotage. Wilhelm also didn't mention it, but there should also be someone inside the Tower who you could ask for help in training you to be either an adept wizard or sorcerer. Any kind of secrets that you might uncover from there is also something that should be even private to the Guild. The problem however you will be working very closely with the people who supposed to hunt you down. While you highly doubt they will be as good as a Church Exterminators, there is no guarantee any magical detectors that they have wouldn't just suddenly pinged on you during one of the cases.
Now, after thinking of all possibilities. Only one question remained.
What will be your cover job while in Mavis?
[ ] Blacksmith Apprentice
[ ] Guild Secretary
[ ] Mage Tower Assistant
How the hell did I made a 3k amount of word count interlude when I am barely reaching only 1k a couple of hours ago!? Anyways think carefully of your choices. This will decide a lot of events that will be happening in Mavis.
Also a dramatis personae of noteable characters which had appeared so far in the quest is up on the front page. So check it out.
