>color me intrigued

[x] Suspiciously

>>27891060
"How'd you like to suck my dick? 'Cause I can sure as hell tell you which ones more realistic."

>>27891060
>Skeptical

>>27891060
I'm not gonna show my tits so I can get let the fuck out.

>>27891060
Mix of skeptical and suspicious.

...aaaand OP was never heard from again. Show's over, go home.

[x] Confused. After all, who the hell just randomly appears and asks "Hey, want your freedom back?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested, but you mind telling me what the catch is?"

"Somewhat limited in your freedom, admittedly. Think of it like being on parole. You COULD stay in here, or..." He pauses for effect, letting it sink in "... You could work for me. High risk, but your sentence will be dramatically shortened and you'll get paid all the same for doing so."

".... Why me?"

"Why not you?" He answers. "Frankly, you're just the first person I walked across down here. The fact that you're in a high security area suggests that you're extremely competent or dangerous, but the fact that you've been imprisoned means you CAN be caught and controlled." He shrugs, almost disinterested. "Look, if you're nice and cozy down here I'll just go talk to some of the fellows down the hall...."

"Hey, that's not what I-"

"Well now you've gotten me all bored and disinterested in you. Make your pitch then, what can you do? Why shouldn't I go talk to that Dwarf down the way?"

>Basic skill set?
>Note, this isn't ALL you can do, it's just your core skill set. So a Thief would never match a dedicated mage in sorcery, or vice-versa. You could diversify and upgrade later though.

(Major)
[ ] Thief.
[ ] Warrior.
[ ] Mage.
[ ] Healer.
[ ] Scholar.

(Minor)
>As above, but also:
[ ] Bard.
[ ] Investigator.
[ ] Seer.

>One Major, One Minor.

>>27891240

Sorry.

Slow typist, big posts.

>>27891321

Thief Bard.

>>27891321
Warrior Seer.

>>27891321
>Healer Investigator

>>27891321

Thief/Mage

>>27891321
>[x]Theif
>[x]Bard
Stealthy and precise but charming and sociable.

>>27891378
This
Our name is Paul.

>>27891321

thief mage

>>27891321
>>27891382
>Healer Investigator

Mage Investigator.

Cracking locks, tracing magical trails, rooting out the truth. They imprisoned me because I was looking where I shouldn't have.

I let them, because lighting country officials on fire is a good way to attract unwanted attention.

>>27891321
Scholar/Seer
Ivan
Golden Sun!

>>27891321
Warrior/Seer

>>27891321
>[ ] Healer.
[ ] Investigator.

Thief's winning.

So Question is if our secondary is Bard or Mage.

>>27891458

So of course when I post that there's a fucking flurry of votes in between the send and the post.

>>27891458
Bard, definitely bard.

>>27891458
If we're going thief, I'm voting for bad as secondary.

Hijinks and music await.

>>27891458

Bard all the way.

>>27891458

Mage.

Bard would be a cool bonus, but Mage seems more immediately useful.

>>27891488
Bard. I meant Bard.

You probably figured that out on your own. But just so you're sure, I meant bard.

>>27891458
You mean seer?

>>27891458

Magic yo, we be all rolling wit da Wizards and shit now.

>>27891458
Investigator's off the table?

Masturbate in the corner and slowly starve to death as you weep at your pathetic life

>>27891512

When I made that post, there were six votes, and four of them were theif with either mage or bard.

If you wanna change that, feel free.

>>27891531

See >>27891473
>>27891536

I'm honestly willing to dial back on the Thief thing even if people really wanted, I lagged when I posted apparently, and a lot of votes came in right after I hit send.

>>27891536
Sorry, didn't know we could pick Mage as the secondary.

>Apparently, Bard wins.

"I'm a Thief. A good Thief."

"Oh really? What kinda good Thief ends up in prison?"

"The kind that didn't know their Fence was gonna get busted and sell them down the river." You respond with a sigh. "We had a good thing going, and then apparently I stole a ring with an inscription belonging to someone a little too important. They were willing to let him go if he stabed me in the back, and stab me he did."

"Wait, you're the one who robbed Baron Wimberst?" He asks, impressed. "How'd you sneak in?"

"I didn't. I walked right in the front while he was holding a party disguised as a minor but wealthy noble and walked right past. Ate his food, drank his wine, charmed his friends, and left with a lot of his money."

He smiles more genuinely. "Alright kid, I think I like you already. I'll spring for ya instead of the Dwarf."

"Good call, I'm pretty sure he rapes horses." You respond with a stage whisper. He throws his head back with a single bark of a laugh and calls a guard over to lead you out of the dungeon.

As you walk out the front, he throws a loose cloak over your shoulders and begins to talk. "The reason I recruited you, along with several other people you're about to meet, is to fill a gap in the Kingdom's crisis management capabilities. You see, some threats are too big for local yokels to deal with, and too small to justify sending in the army. Random Necromancers, Goblins threatening towns, so on and on." He leads you deftly through the streets as he drones on. "So the Prince, trying to impress his Father with his initiative, commissioned me to form a sort of group of specialized people who hit the right mix of competent and expendable to deal with such problems."

You think, drinking in what he just said. "An Adventurer's Guild?"

"In short, almost precisely that." He points to a modestly sized building across the street. "Our headquarters, used to be an Inn. Just about perfect."

>Any last minute questions?

>>27891865
"Who in the hell am I working with?"
Also, what is our name?

>>27891896

(I was actually planning to do the name/gender/etc as we went.)

"All sorts of folks. We've got a couple of Clerics, former soldiers, a druid, swordsmen, a mage.... With you we've basically got at least one person who can handle any given task we might be assigned."

>>27891939
Sounds good to me. Continue along.

>>27891865
"Right, who else is on this team?"

You allow yourself to be whisked inside, where you see an Elf behind the bar give your new boss a weird look. "Who's the youth, Conrad?"

"Jailbird. Happened to like the tune it sang." He pushes you forward as he cuts a path for the second floor. "Find 'em a bath and a place to sleep, yeah? I need to talk to Murphy."

The Elf merely lets out a long suffering sigh as he motions you towards the back. "Rooms are this way." He says, leading you to a series of doors and throwing one open. "Baths are across the hall from you. They're open, but divided between the Men and Women. I'll have a fresh change of clothes and a warm meal for whenever you're done bathing." He knocks on a nearby door. "This room's yours. Small, but Cozy and private."

"Better than my last bunk."

"I don't doubt it." He responds over his shoulder as he walks back towards the front. "Do try not to make too much of a mess. I don't expect you to sweep, but at least kick your boots before you come inside."

You nod absently as you turn towards-

[ ] - the Men's bath.
[ ] - the Women's bath.

>>27892162
Is this a gender question?

>>27892162
>[x] - the Men's bath.

>>27892162
>[x] - the Men's bath.

>>27892162
[x] the Women's Bath

>>27892162
>[ ] - the Men's bath.

>>27892162

Women's bath.

>>27892162
womens. we ARE a bard...

>>27892162
The Men's bath.

>>27892162
[x] - the Women's bath.

>>27892162

[x] the Women's bath

>>27892162
>Mens

>>27892243
>>27892217 here, maybe we could be heading to the Women's bath because we're looking for a randy good time? (So, basically, a man going to the women's bath because lookin' for some punani?)

>>27892162
> Women's bath

>>27892162

Women's

>>27892162
>The Man's Bath

Closing the vote while I grab something to eat. I'll tally in a minute and pick up there.

>>27892162
>[ ] - the Women's bath.

You walk into the Women's bath, shedding clothes and slowly lowering yourself into the pool.

Yeah, this is pretty much exactly what you wanted after a month in jail. That and the apparently incoming warm meal afterwards. You slowly recline and feel aches and pains you didn't even know were there slowly melt away.

"Hey! What're you doing in the women's bath, pervert?!?" You sink slightly lower and frantically look around for the offending party when a hand grabs your shoulder and roughly drags you out of the water. "Of all the ner- oh shit, you are a girl."

"Yes." You wince. "My arm, ow." The hand releases you, and you sink back into the pool rubbing it. "Alright, I know I'm not super girly or anything....."

"No, I'm sorry." the other woman responds, slowly settling in next to you. "It's just it wouldn't be the first time we've had one of the less 'manly' men drop in for a peep." She sighs, clearly embarrassed at her reaction as you get a good look at her. She HAS to be almost eight feet tall standing, easily dwarfing you, and looks surprisingly womanly despite her strong build. She meets your inquiring gaze and answers the question unasked. "Granda was a Storm Giant. My Dad was a bit bigger than normal too, but apparently the blood's thicker in me." She suddenly starts. "Oh right, sorry. My name's Tish." She smiles a little, almost conspiratorial underneath her embarrassment. "Uh, and I would REALLY appreciate it if you didn't tell Mira about my lapse in manners...."

>Name?

>>27892661
"Oh it's fine, manners don't mean shit to me. Names Clarissa, but freinds call me Clarie."

>>27892661
Keila
First name that came to mind for a thief bard.

>>27892661
Tanya

>>27892661

Just call me Jailbird.

Screw real names, we've got some nasty past behind us.

Mercurial.

Not a real name.

I really should have seen this coming.

You guys want to decide which of these you like best, or just want me to pick one and move on?

Rolled 4

>>27892873

Pick one. Use my dice if you like.

>>27892873
Pick a fake one and move on We chan change it on a whim later.

>>27892779
+1

>>27892779
Seconding.

>>27892708

I like this one. Doesn't have to be real, but it sounds real.

Saying 'jailbird' just makes us sound like a bitch. We should at least have our fake-name be real sounding.

>>27892926

You can shorten it to Jayle. Which sounds kinda pretty.

>>27892779
might as well.

>>27892926

I was gonna vote Jailbird, but this is a good point.

>>27892708
That is a fucking disgusting name

>Going with what looks like consensus.

"It's fine. Call me Jayle."

"Your name is Jail? Like, Prison?" She asks skeptically."

"Heh, no. Like, with a 'y'." You smile and blush slightly looking away. "Then again, I DID just get sprung."

"Oh? What'd you do?"

"Robbed some people." you say, and she frowns. "Rich people who don't care to be robbed."

She gives you a sorta appraising look. "Well, I'll trust Conrad if he thinks hiring you was a good move. Don't think you can get away with that stuff within the team though."

"I won't. Second chances and all, right?" You ask, acting slightly ashamed and hoping she buys it.

She immediately softens and pulls you into her side apologizing for her tone, which you only mostly hear after being made aware that her breasts are almost the size of your entire torso. Thank god that doesn't make you feel self conscious or anything, what with your short hair and your slim build and-

Your misery is suddenly interrupted by a rumbling in your stomach that reminds you that you have a meal waiting outside. You skip too and from your room, quickly drying off and dressing along the way making your way back to the common room.

>>27893161

As you sit down you see a steaming hunk of what looks like beef, breads and cheeses with a mug filled with mead set down in front of you, and a Dwarf in some type of woodland leathers stares at you from across the way. "I'm really not sure we're needing a theif in here, Conrad."

"Darvon, we've been over this. The skill set is too useful and varied to be overlooked."

"Oh yeah? And what are they good for?"

"Sneaking-"

"For cowards."

"Picking locks-"

"Hammer does a good job of that."

"Checking for traps-"

"Throw a hammer. Problem solved."

"And how much will all these hammers cost you?"

"How much does the Thief when she filches everything that isn' bolted down or ON FIRE?"

"Are you suggesting I would spare things just because their were bolted down or on fire?" You interject suddenly. "You insult my work ethic and dedication, sir."

The Dwarf pauses, and gives you a more appraising look. "Tell me lass, how do you expect to earn our trust? Your job, the one you were hired for, requires you to be a skulking sneaking thieving bastard after all."

[ ] With time.
[ ] With Practicality.
[ ] I don't.
[ ] Is there a correct answer?

>>27893177
>[ ] Is there a correct answer?

>>27893177
>[x] I don't.
Can't force a dwarf

>>27893177
[X]Is there a correct answer?

>>27893208
>>27893219

Combine these, it's perfect.

>>27893177

>[X] Is there a correct answer?

therefore

>[X] I don't.

>>27893177
>I don't
Just in it to get outta prison.

"Is there really a correct answer to a question like that?" You ask almost rhetorically. "You're already so disinclined to trust me without even asking for my story or even my name." You take a sip of mead before you continue, timing it to be just long enough that you've got his full attention. "Frankly, I don't. I'm not sure I can. I didn't know I would be joining a group when I got the offer, I just didn't want to spend another fifteen years in jail over a ring a self important Baron left on top of a dresser." You shrug, meeting the Dwarf's eye as you do so. "Honestly, I'm out of jail. I get to make money, and do interesting things. So what if I'm surrounded by people who hate me? Better than where I was, and it's not like I'm not used to it already."

The Dwarf stares at you, expressionless for several moments. You start to feel your resolve waiver slightly when he smiles. A tiny smirk, but a smile. "Alright girl, stones like that I HAVE to give you a chance. Just don't let me catch you doing something you ain't supposed to." He says as he walks over, putting out a hand. "Darvon Treewise."

"Jayle." You answer, taking his hand with the firmest shake you can muster. He laughs and goes to get his own food, as Conrad steps in front of the table.

"Make sure you get plenty of sleep, Jayle." He says, more businesslike than you've seen him yet. "Your first assignment is going to be in the morning, Mira's going to need your help and once you get a job or two under your belt, people around here will be a lot more friendly."

You nod, and eat the rest of your meal by yourself, looking around the room. You see the Barkeep polishing and cleaning, examining various mugs and glasses for cracks.

Tish has also wandered out from the baths, and is eating at a table across the way.

You also see a scholarly looking woman eating with a an elf dressed like a priestess, though neither seems to be talking.

[ ] Tish.
[ ] Barkeep.
[ ] Girls.
[ ] Bed.

>>27893458
[ ] Barkeep.

>>27893458
>Barkeep.

>>27893458
>[x] Tish
Talk to her a bit more, good to have allies.

>>27893458
>[ ] Girls.

>>27893458
>Giant
>More ale
>Interrupt someone
>Sleep

Tough choice.
[x]Barkeep

You wander over to the Barkeep and have a seat.

"Hey Jayle." He greets you, not looking up from his work of polishing the bar. "Have enough to eat?"

"Plenty." You respond with a smile. You hesitate. "I never caught your name."

"Cael." He responds, glaceing your way as he moves to grab the broom out of the corner. "Mostly people just call me Barkeep though. I don't mind."

"Because you're the Barkeep?"

"That and there are worse things they could be calling me. Knife ear, tree fucker, and Outlander spring to mind." He tells you wit a smile. "I'm just enjoying my retirement. It's easier work than you might think, comes with a roof and interesting patrons."

You chat with him briefly as he works, mentioning that the elf talking to the Mage (Mira, apparently) is his daughter along with various rumors and happenings around down. He pours you another mug of Mead after a little while and begins to sweep in earnest as you sip at it and look around.

[+1 local lore]

The elven woman is gone, though Mira remains, apparently arguing with the Dwarf. There's also a large, though not giant, man with dark stony looking skin and amber eyes that almost seem to glow.

Tish yawns and says goodnight as she passes you, reminding you of the warm bed waiting.

[ ] Mira/Darvon.
[ ] New Guy.
[ ] Bed.

>>27893792
>[ ] New Guy.

>>27893792
>[newguy]

>>27893819
>>27893833

I'll third this, just so you don't have to decide.

You choose to approach the new guy, who turns to you with a pleasent smile. "You are a new face. Hello."

"Hi. My name's Jayle."

"Revanki. Rev, if you prefer. I am Rannoch, Stone Born." Your ears perk slightly at the term 'Rannoch'. Tribes of people with a elemental lineage. If this guy's a Stone, he's probably got the strength to beat a rampaging Minotaur down with his bare hands. "A new face.... you must be the Thief that Conrad mentioned then, yes?"

"Yeah..." You hesitate, noticing something odd. "That doesn't bother you?"

"Should it?" He asks, politely baffled. "You did wrong, you were imprisoned for those crimes and the law has assigned it's punishment to you. If you wrong again, that is another thing entirely. Besides, my people have a great respect for people with skills like yours. Our Wayfinders are Scouts, Thieves, and Seers. They help show us the way forward and protect us from the dangers along the way."

"Huh. I'm glad you aren't upset that I'm basically on Parole."

"I will be upset if you break parole." He answers with a firm nod. "Hate the sin, not the sinner."

His honesty and openness are somewhat refreshing, given the types you normally associate with. A small part of you, one you normally ignore out of paranoid habit, can see you enjoying the companionship and the knowledge that they'll have your backs.

The rest of you just grows increasingly weary as the night deepens, and you find yourself wandering back to your room before long, reflecting on your sudden change of fortune.

[+1 Rep. +1 link Rev].

You lay down, and slowly sleep begins to take you....

I'm gonna go ahead and end the thread there, I'll probably pick this up again at the end of the week: Next couple of days are gonna be busy for me.

Feel free to put down any questions or complaints, I'll look them over sometime before the next thread.