>>973449
>>You were trained to use runes for combat. You know how to create runes of fire and ice. You also know how to upgrade equipment with various effects.

>>973449
>>You were trained to create runes that amplify other magical effects. Magical foci like staves, wands, and other such objects are child’s play to you.

Do note that this only determines which runes you start with. You are free to pursue knowledge that lies before you. This does however, dictate your specialty.

>>973449
>You were trained to use runes for combat. You know how to create runes of fire and ice. You also know how to upgrade equipment with various effects.

Oh nice I am going to vote for.

>>973454
amplification.

So far, two votes for combat, and two votes for amplification. I'll roll for it in 10 minutes unless someone votes for either.

>>973449
>You were trained to create runes that amplify other magical effects. Magical foci like staves, wands, and other such objects are child’s play to you.

3 for amplification.
>>973469
>>973454
>>973460

2 for combat.
>>973452
>>973459

Locked in. Writing after a short interlude.

Your library of runic knowledge is large, but your expertise lies in amplification runes. You find it easier to create quality magical runes that increase the strength of other magical effects. A useful talent, especially in the creation of foci. Many mages come to your store to purchase anything from staves to tuning rods. Speaking of which..

You awake from a particularly comfortable slumber. Groaning as you arise from the bed, you reach down and retrieve a blanket that was on the floor. You were always a little orderly, as most inscribers were. Of course, you cut yourself a little slack sometimes. Whether that is because of apathy, laziness, or some other emotion is a mystery. You open the door, and head downstairs.

“Good morning, Balthazar!” a cheery voice says from the kitchen as you descend from the staircase.

You blink twice. This person is your...

>Older Brother. You live with him in this quaint home.

>Younger Sister. She’s had to live with you for a while, as your other family members had to go on a business trip.

>Father. He was the one to teach you everything you’ve known about runecrafting.

> Mother. Although aging, you work while she takes care of the house.

>Imagination. You live alone.

>>973481
>>Imagination. You live alone.

Yes, of course. You live alone. You were up much longer than you had liked last night, working on a particularly difficult project. It’s no surprise to imagine such things. You shake it off and head into the kitchen. After a quick breakfast, you put on a coat and head outside. You’ll have to open up the store soon.

You head down the main street, and take in the cool air. The city is typically deserted at this timne, save for the few people walking to their stores, stalls, or respective homes. Your own store isn’t too far away, luckily. After a quick jaunt, you hear a commotion coming from the side alley.

>Investigate. While you’re no soldier, you can handle yourself in a fight.

>Ignore it and head to the store. Not your problem.

>Write-in

>>973487
>>Investigate. While you’re no soldier, you can handle yourself in a fight.

>>973487
>>Investigate. While you’re no soldier, you can handle yourself in a fight.

You sigh as you head into the alleyway. Inside the alley, you see a young man, likely in his early twenties, desperately fighting off a pair of brigands. The man looks heavily injured, multiple wounds streaked across his body. He appears to be using the range of his longsword to keep distance from the two criminals. One of them has a dagger in one hand, and a pistol in the other, while the man next to him wields a wicked curved blade, reminiscent of a sickle.

You briefly take a moment to compose yourself. You have several methods of approaching this. Your shortsword is runic in nature, magically imbued with energies that make it more durable than most weaponry. Your pistol is of decent quality, but is not enchanted in any way. You do have knowledge of a few offensive and defensive spells, but they’re mostly basic. However, your magical ring amplifies these basic spells into arcane energy not to be trifled with. Still, it might be enough to gain an edge over these two.

They haven’t seemed to spot you yet.

>Shout at the men. Perhaps another person will cause them to leave.

>Draw your sword and head into the fray. This man will likely die without your assistance.

>Draw your sword and sneak closer. A decisive strike will end this battle quickly.

>Draw your pistol and fire at one of the brigands. From this distance, it’s hard to miss, but it will definitely make your presence known.

>Draw your pistol and fire into the air. Maybe it’ll scare them off.

>Cast a spell. (Arcane Blast, Barrier, Telekinesis) Dictate target and method.

>Walk away. Not your problem.

>Write-in.

>>973502
>>Draw your pistol and fire into the air. Maybe it’ll scare them off.

>>973502
>>Draw your pistol and fire at one of the brigands. From this distance, it’s hard to miss, but it will definitely make your presence known.

>>973512
the one with the pistol preferably.

One vote for firing into the air, and other for firing at the brigand with a pistol. I'll roll in 10 minutes or until someone else votes.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>973514
1: Fire into air.
2: Fire at brigand.

You fire a shot into the air, the sound echoing into the cool morning air. Everyone in the alley flinches, and looks in your direction. The appearance of an armed man adds a new piece in this game of battle. You give the brigands a steely gaze, daring them to try something.

“The next shot goes through one of you. Leave.” You say in a low, threatening tone.

Dice rules!

For most actions, you will have to roll a 1d100 for its effectiveness, against a set DC typically hidden from the players. The higher the roll, the better. Special rolls occur during exceptionally high and low numbers, ranging from 97-100, or 1-3.

If all rolls beat the DC, and you land a roll within 97-100, you perform a critical success. This results in a major breakthrough, and may even cause positive traits to arise.

If the other rolls beat the DC, but you land a roll within 1-3, you still succeed, but you took some sort of damage in the process.

If the other rolls fail the the DC, but you land a roll within 97-100, it's considered as a success.

If all rolls fail the DC, and you land a roll within 1-3, you perform a critical failure. This results in heavy damage and is typically a major setback, and may result in negative traits to arise.

There are modifiers, but they are not factored in during critical successes and failures(i.e. rolling 83+10 does not result in a critical success).

>Roll a 1d100+10(+Circumstance)

Oh yes, best of 3. This will mostly be the case, unless you're exceptionally good(or bad) at a certain task.

Rolled 2 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>973527

>>973529
That's not a good sign. Going to need two other rolls, preferably from other ID's. If not, I'll roll in a while.

Rolled 14, 56 = 70 (2d100)

>>973530
Holidays must have people warpped up. Makes sense, shouldn't have run on Christmas. Oh well, that's too bad. Nevertheless, these dice are considered to have +10 on each of them.

>>973536
DC was 60. Writing Failure(with extra). Let's hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

>>973537
And by that I mean Success with damage, as the 66 makes the save. Regardless, writing.

The brigands exchange glances and nod. The gunman speaks up.

“Aye, we’ll leave.” He spits out ruefully.

His hand moves faster than you expected, and before you can erect a barrier or dodge out of the way, he had already aimed his pistol at you. The bullet rips through your side, causing your vision to swim. You grunt and steel yourself; he hasn’t hit anything vital, but it definitely hurt. By the time you had loaded and raised your pistol for a counterattack, they had already run away.

“Are you alright?” the man says as he clutches his shoulder.

You nod. The bullet was embedded in the wound, completely intact. Hopefully, this means you can remove it without risk of wayward shrapnel. You’re still likely to bleed out if you keep it that way, though.

“Thank you for your assistance. I would have been a dead man without your help.”

You nod, and look down at your collective wounds.

>Go to your store. There’s some first aid supplies there.

>Go to the hospital. It’s the farthest away, however.

>Go back home. It’s probably got everything you need.

Additionally, bring the man with you?

>Yes, he needs the help, else he'll die.

>No, you already bailed him out of this situation. You aren’t obligated to assist him here.

Ah yes, there's also the option to

>Treat your wounds here with what little you have, or can find. (Will require a roll)

>>973545
>Go to your store. There’s some first aid supplies there.

>Yes, he needs the help, else he'll die.
walk and talk, find out what the whole deal was about, keep him conscious because that keeps him alive, and probe out whether he's going to raid the store and run.

Rolled 15 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>973545
>>Go to your store. There’s some first aid supplies there.
>Yes, he needs the help, else he'll die.

Had to leave for a while, let see how I'd fare in the last roll

You gesture the man to follow you as you both stumble out of the alleyway. Your wound had ruined your perfectly good coat, now bloody from your wound. The man had the worst of it, however, with multiple cuts, lacerations, and a couple bullet holes, his finery is completely ruined. You decide to strike up a conversation.

“Who are you, and what’d you do to piss off these gentlemen?” you ask as you walk through the streets.

“I am Eli Jeremiah Harriden, and these ruffians just so happened to accost me when I was on my morning stroll.”

...Harriden? That’s one the of the noble houses here in Fiallon, what’s he doing, strolling around in the merchant district?

“May I know your name, good sir?” he asks you.

“Balthazar Grayson.” you say as you arrive at the store. You retrieve your key from your pocket, having long since put away your pistol. When you look at Eli, his sword disappears in a surge of pale blue light.

A pocket dimension. Spatial magic is difficult to master, but then again, when you’re a part of a noble house, you probably have access to the best tutors. You cock your head in the direction of the door, gesturing him inside.

You go through the store proper, and then go through the door t hat leads to the back room. You tell him to take a seat as you retrieve the medical supplies. You knew that these would come in handy someday; after all, a magical accident wasn’t entirely implausible in your line of work.

You hand him a roll of bandages as you treat yourself, wincing as you extract the bullet from the wound. After wrapping the wound in gauze, you turn to help Eli with his own, numerous wounds. The process is mostly silent, barring the occasional grunt or other pained noise.

>Point out that the brigands didn’t seem intent on just robbing him.

>Ask what he’s doing here in the merchant’s district.

>Ask him where’d he learn that kind of magic.

>Ask him what he wants to do about his assailants.

>Ask him if he’s alright.

>Stay silent.

>Write-in.

>>973566
>>Point out that the brigands didn’t seem intent on just robbing him.

>>973566
>>Point out that the brigands didn’t seem intent on just robbing him.
>>Ask what he’s doing here in the merchant’s district.

>>973566
>>Point out that the brigands didn’t seem intent on just robbing him.

“You know, those brigands didn’t seem like they just wanted to rob you.” You say as you swab some antiseptic on one of his larger wounds.

Eli frowns and makes a pained expression. You’re not sure if what you said affected him, or if it was from the pain of the antiseptic. He eventually speaks up.

“Mm, yes. These fools probably thought it best for me to disappear, as most of my peers do.”

That’s... disconcerting. Everyone knows that the Harriden family was having a few problems with coin recently. When the bandits moved into the land surrounding the city of Fiallon, they began to ambush shipments of gold, silver, and other goods. Having been a merchant familty, it’s no surprise that they’d be suffering pretty hard from the recent events. Perhaps it had something to do with that?

“In any case, they’re gone now, but I’m sure father would not like to hear of what happened.” He says in exasperation.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing in the Merchant’s District?” you ask as you move to bandage the wound.

“Ah, well. The Noble’s District is far too stuffy for me, you see.” He says.

You have a feeling that he’s hiding something, but you decide to let it slide. For now, at least.

“Tell me, Balthazar, why did you help me?” he asks curiously.

>He looked like he needed help.

>You couldn’t leave someone to die.

>Those brigands looked like they deserved it.

>You just felt like it.

>Write-in.

>>973578
>being a hero is good for business
>letting brigands all over your store vicinity is not

>>973578
>He looked like he needed help.

“You looked like you needed the help. Besides, I can’t have brigands and criminals near my store. Bad for business.” You say as you finally finish treating his wounds. You make a mental note to buy another set of medical supplies later on, as you had used most of them here.

Eli chuckles. “A good enough reason as any. I am in your debt, my friend.”

He gets up from your chair, apparently deeming that the treatment was satisfactory. You’re sure that your first aid will keep him safe for a while until he can find a doctor. Easy enough, for a man of his social class. You, on the other hand, might want to get an appointment scheduled sometime soon.

“Please, come to my estate at any time. I owe you that much.” Eli says as he prepares to leave.

Do you want to ask him anything before he leaves?

>Yes (Write-in)

>No

>>973587
>No

>>973587
>No

“Good day to you, Balthazar.” He says as the extends his arm towards you.

“Farewell, Eli.” You say to him as you shake his hand. He’s got a firm grip.

You watch him walk into the main road and disappear into the growing crowd. Nobody would be stupid to attack a man in broad daylight in the middle of the streets. You sigh, realizing that you still need to ready the store for opening. Speaking of which, where is she-

“Sorry I’m late!” a young woman says, gasping for breath as she enters the shop. Speak of the devil.

“...Abby, why are you late?” you ask pointedly.

“I had to walk here. I couldn’t find a carriage anywhere.” She explains as she absentmindedly fixes her long brown hair.

Abigail Brown. She’s your friend and employee here in the shop. You’ve known her for years, and because she’s fallen on some tough times several months ago, you gave her a job here at the shop. Her knowledge of magic is... limited in comparison to yours, but she’s good with numbers, and excellent with machines.

Plus, you don’t mind her company.

“What happened to you?” she asks worriedly, staring at your wound.

>It was nothing. Just a scuffle with some brigands.

>Got into a fight with some people. Made it out alright.

>This? Just a workshop accident.

>Write-in

>>973599
>Got into a fight with some people. Made it out alright.

>>973599
>Got into a fight with some people. Made it out alright.

>>973604
This

>>973599
>>Got into a fight with some people. Made it out alright.

“Got into a fight with some people. Made it out alright.” You say dismissively.

“A fight?! What happened?” she says in exasperation.

You give her the rundown of what happened, starting from the time when you heard the ruckus in the alley, to the time that you parted ways with Eli Harriden. She listens with rapt attention. After you’re done, she’s both impressed and relieved.

“That’s good. Now you’ve got friends in high places, huh?” Abigail says.

“That I do. He seems alright, but I feel like there’s more to him than meets the eye.” You say.

“Well, can’t fault you for that. It does seem like he’s hiding something.”

“Anyway, you should probably get that wound checked. Better safe than sorry, I’d say.” She says to you.

Well, she’s not wrong. Still, you could probably stay and work here in the shop if you wanted to. There might not be a clinic open in the evening, but you could always try. Maybe you could head to the hospital. You could also close down the shop early later and head to a clinic before it closes.

>Nah, you’re fine. Work in the shop until closing time and then head home.

>You’re fine, but you understand the concern. Work until closing time and then find a clinic or hospital.

>Who says you can’t do both? Work for a while, close the shop early, and then find a clinic.

>She’s probably right. You should head to a clinic. You’re sure she can hold down the fort for now.

>Write-in.

(This is the last vote for the night anons, I’ll count the votes tomorrow and we can continue then. Thanks for playing! I hope you liked it, even if it seems a little slow. Will probably continue in about 10-12 hours. If you have any questions, I’ll stay for a bit before leaving.)

>>973620
>You’re fine, but you understand the concern. Work until closing time and then find a clinic or hospital.

>>973620
>>Who says you can’t do both? Work for a while, close the shop early, and then find a clinic.

>>973620
>>You’re fine, but you understand the concern. Work until closing time and then find a clinic or hospital.

>>973620
>Nah, you’re fine. Work in the shop until closing time and then head home.

>>973620
>>You’re fine, but you understand the concern. Work until closing time and then find a clinic or hospital.

>>973620
>>You’re fine, but you understand the concern. Work until closing time and then find a clinic or hospital.

We continue. Writing up the post.

“I’ll be fine for now. I’ll head over to a clinic in the evening.” You say.

“If you’re sure, boss.” Abigail says in reply.

You go up the stairs to your workshop, your own private sanctuary. It is here where you ply your craft. As it stands, you don’t really have any pending orders. You managed to finish your latest project yesterday: a magical staff made from the wood of a rowan tree. Your shop was mostly selection-based. People were free to pick from your stock, and if they wanted something special, they could commission something from you.

With that in mind though, you’re free to do as you like today. Your stock is full, and you’ve got plenty of supplies. You’ve got several tomes on runecrafting and magic. You could also create some runes for personal use. If you’d like, you could take a nap, and let the day pass.

>Opt to carve some runes into your sword. An amplification rune would allow you to cast spells using your blade as a focus.

>Opt to carve some runes into your pistol. A couple power runes would cause it to fire off bullets with extra power.

>Opt to create some runes for your clothes. A few protection, barrier, and interdiction runes can go a long way in keeping yourself safe.

>Decide to read a tome on runecrafting. (Learn new runes)

>Decide to read a tome on magic. (Learn new spells)

>Make some extra stock anyway. Having more things to sell can’t hurt.

>Choose to take a nap. At least until someone comes over for an order. Abigail won’t mind. Probably.

>Write-in.

>>974991
>Opt to create some runes for your clothes. A few protection, barrier, and interdiction runes can go a long way in keeping yourself safe.

File: I'M NUCLEAR.jpg (2 KB, 125x93)

2 KB JPG

>>974991
>Decide to read a tome on runecrafting. (Learn new runes)
RUNES NIGGA

>>974991
>>Opt to create some runes for your clothes. A few protection, barrier, and interdiction runes can go a long way in keeping yourself safe.

You look over at your wounds. Recent events have caused you to consider your mortality. If that bullet that hit anywhere vital, you’d be in a much worse position now. You decide that you should make a few runes to help bolster your defenses.

You walk over to retrieve your toolkit, and several supplies that you’ll need to create some runes. A magical knife that cuts through stone, a chisel, a hammer, and of course, etching liquid. You move over to your aged worktable. This shouldn’t be too difficult.

>Roll 1d100+20(++Runecrafting), best of three.

File: 1478679815247.jpg (29 KB, 640x360)

29 KB JPG

Rolled 59 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>975061

Rolled 28 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>975061

Rolled 12 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>975061

DC was variable. With this roll, you create something good, but nothing exceptional. Writing.

You think about your situation. While etching runes into the clothes themselves would be much more effective, it would also be a little restrictive. There’s also the issue that those effects would only really occur on that particular set of clothing, so decide to use a workaround.

By etching barrier, interdiction, and protections runes into a blank amulet made expressly for purposes like these, you create a magical ‘shield’ around yourself that helps deflect projectiles, and helps soften blows to the body. It probably wouldn’t stop anything particularly powerful, but every bit helps. You finish by carving an expansion rune into the center, which allows the barrier to encapsulate your entire body.

In theory, at least.

Satisfied, you put on the amulet. The only downside is that with enough force, the shield would dissipate and fade away. It would then either take a couple minutes to recharge on its own, or a pulse of mana to recharge it instantly. It should work for everyday purposes though; it’s not like you plan on walking into a warzone any time soon.

You take out your pocketwatch and stare into its simple, yet ornate design. It’s about lunchtime now. You head downstairs to see Abby waiting boredly at the counter. Judging by her expression, it must be a slow day today. Then again, your wares aren’t exactly in popular demand.

Your stomach rumbles. You’re pretty hungry.

>Go out for lunch while Abigail waits in the store.

>Close down the store for lunch hours and invite Abby for lunch.

>Take over for Abby, let her have lunch outside while you watch over the counter.

>Close down the store for lunch hours and go off to eat on your own.

>Lunch be damned, you can wait. Head back upstairs.

>Write-in.

>>975173
>Close down the store for lunch hours and invite Abby for lunch.

>>975173
>>Close down the store for lunch hours and invite Abby for lunch.

>>975173
>>Close down the store for lunch hours and invite Abby for lunch.

>>975173
>Go out for lunch while Abigail waits in the store.

stop indulging the waifu

You groan as you stretch your limbs. Sitting down and etching minute details onto a small object can get really tiring sometimes. You look over to Abby, who’s currently reading some book on coal-fired machines.

“Hey Abby, want to head out for some lunch?” you ask her.

“Hm?” she grunts, having been roused from her reading. “Oh yeah, sure thing boss.”

You close down the store, flipping the sign to the “out for lunch” position. Before heading out, you swap out your bloodied coat for a spare you had in the back room. Abigail walks alongside you as you make your way down the street. After some thought, you decide to go eat at a relatively clean food joint. You order some food.

>Order something cheap. You need to save up.

>Order something decent. Right in the middle.

>Order something big. Go all out, it’s not like it’s too much money anyway.

>Write-in
You two make small talk, but eventually, there’s a lull in the conversation.

“So boss... how’s life?” Abigail asks.

How’s life? That’s a vague question.

>It’s been pretty good for me, barring the fact that I got shot a while back.

>It’s alright, all things considered.

>It’s pretty shit, to be honest.

>Write-in

>>975279
>Order something decent. Right in the middle.
>It’s pretty shit, to be honest.
Life is boring.

>>975279
>>Order something decent. Right in the middle.
>>It’s been pretty good for me, barring the fact that I got shot a while back.
Unique magic and business
Life is awesome.

>>975279
>Order something decent. Right in the middle.
>It’s alright, all things considered.

A three way tie. Going to need a vote, else I'll roll in 10 minutes.

>>975307
ill switch to this then

apathetic motherfucker

Neutral. Writing.

“Eh, it’s alright, all things considered.” You say in reply. Ask a vague question, get a vague answer, you suppose.

“I guess so. Life’s alright for me too, I guess.” She comments.

You both sit there for a while, briefly contemplating life. You suppose life IS alright. You’ve run a nice business, and you’re pretty good at what you do, but it can be a little boring. After all, you don’t have anyone to come back to once you get home.

The food eventually arrives, and you both eat until you’ve both had your fill. The food here is decent enough, but certainly not anything first-class. You briefly wonder if the food the nobles eat is any better, which is quite likely. After some time, the bill arrives.

>Pay for both of your food. Bill isn’t that large anyway.

>Pay for your own food.

>Tell Abigail to pay for her food. You are her boss, after all.

>>975441
>Pay for both of your food. Bill isn’t that large anyway.

>>975441
Correction;
>Tell Abigail to pay for her food. You are her boss, after all.

should be

>Tell Abigail to pay for both meals. You are her boss, after all.

>>975441
>>Pay for both of your food. Bill isn’t that large anyway.

>>975441
>>Pay for both of your food. Bill isn’t that large anyway.

You retrieve some crowns from your coin purse on put it on the table. A few sovereigns should cover everything. When you look at Abby, she’s surprised at your actions.

“Eh? You didn’t have to pay for me boss... Ah well, I’ll pay for the next meal.” She says reassuringly.

You both exit the diner. The cool wind is gone now, replaced by warm air, courtesy of the sun. Birds are chirping as a few children play in the sun. A couple carriages and their riders trot up and down the streets. All in all, it’s a bright and sunny day.

The trip back to the shop is mostly silent. However, once you arrive, the door is open. What the hell? You locked this before you left, did someone just break in? You turn around and look at your brown-haired friend. It seems she’s just as confused as you are about this. You listen in, and you hear a noise. It’s almost like somone is rifling through your things.

“Boss, someone’s inside. We should check it out.” Abby says to you quietly.
Your hand rests on your sword in trepidation. You know that Abigail can handle herself in a fight. She’s good with a pistol or a rifle, and decent enough with a saber. She has little in the way of magical talent, however.

>Tell Abigail to stay here as you go to investigate.

>Hand Abigail a weapon(which one?) and proceed inside together.

>Tell Abigail to follow you, but don't hand her anything.

>Wait outside and send her in with a weapon.

>Write-in

(Looks like I'll be busy for a while, anons. I'll be back in roughly 3-4 hours, but vote now and I'll count the votes later.)

>>975528
If there is a back door
>Have Abigail circle around/give her sword

Otherwise
>Tell Abigail to stay here as you go to investigate.

>>975528
>Hand Abigail a weapon(Pistol) and proceed inside together.

>>975528
>>975549
This, but hand her a pistol.

I return. Writing for sending Abigail around back with your pistol.

*Snack lips*
We're not a nigger right?

>>976009
While the name and gender are locked in by default, I'll leave the appearance of the MC up to your own interpretation. If there's enough votes for a particular style, I'll consider it canon(within reason, of course).

You hand her your pistol, along with your ammo pouch. Abby takes it in her hand, feeling the wooden-leather grip. She looks stonefaced and focused, it seems she’s taking this pretty seriously.

“Balthazar, be careful.” She says to you as she begins circling around.

You give her a nod, and enter the store as quiet as you can. Luckily, whoever’s in the place hasn’t seem to have heard you yet. You look around at the store and find that the whole place is a mess. Books and ledgers are opened, staves, wands, and other foci are scattered in various places, and a few chairs are knocked over. Even something as simple as the carpet on the floor has been overturned.

Whoever’s poking around here is definitely thorough, that’s for sure.

Still, you can’t fathom what they’re possibly looking for. You check behind the counter, underneath the loose tile and find that the strongbox has been completely ransacked. That’s not a good sign. That was a good amount of the store’s funds. But if they found it, what are they still doing here?

You’re honestly a little angry, but you need to keep your head clear. You search around the shop, and it seems like nobody’s here. Only place to check now is the workshop.

>Head upstairs alone, the thief could get away any moment.

>Wait for Abigail. You need the backup.

>>976027
>Go upstair alone if things get rough we can always lead them to where Abigail is

>>976027
>>Head upstairs alone, the thief could get away any moment.

You decide to head in alone. If all else fails, you could always run or bring the fight downstairs. All you need to do is stall the thief and make sure they don’t escape. Easy enough, hopefully.

You enter the second floor in a low crouch, sword at the ready. They haven’t seem to have heard you, or if they have, they haven’t shown it. The workshop itself is surprisingly orderly, most of the tools are just the way you left it. You do your best to listen in, when you hear the distinct twang of a fired crossbow.

>Roll 1d100(-Surprise, +Homefield advantage), best of three.

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>976129
I beseech thee for thy favour RNGesus

>>976131
Favored. Going to need to more rolls, preferably from other IDs. If not, I'll roll in a bit.

This quest looks very interesting so far.

>>976129

Rolled 69, 43 = 112 (2d100)

>>976144
Thank you. I'm fairly new to QM'ing, so I'm glad I got at least one aspect of my quest right. At any rate, rolling.

>>976147
Good success. DC was 75.

On complete instinct, you pivot your body out of the way of the crossbow bolt. There’s a dull thud of the projectile embedding itself in the wall behind you. After a short dodge roll, you drop into a fighting stance and turn to face your assailant.

A hooded figure stands near the far wall. They appear to be holding a hand crossbow in one hand, and a long dagger in the other. Because they’re draped in enough cloth to supply a tailor’s shop, you can’t really make out any distinguishing features. You both exchange glances for a moment.

>Talk to them. Maybe you could force them to surrender, or set it up so you can surprise them. (Say what?)

>Rush the hooded figure with your sword. You need to get there before they can reload.

>Cast a spell. (Arcane Blast, Barrier, Telekinesis) Dictate method.

>Write-in

>>976154
>So, you're finally here I knew those goons would be too petty to let me go. How much they paid you huh?
>Discreetly use telekinesis to knock some object to make a sound behind him while shouting "Abigail now!!" Once his back is turned we rush him.

>>976160
sure, I can second that

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>>976154
>A hooded figure stands near the far wall. They appear to be holding a hand crossbow in one hand, and a long dagger in the other. Because they’re draped in enough cloth to supply a tailor’s shop, you can’t really make out any distinguishing features. You both exchange glances for a moment.
We getting robbed by Corvo ain't we

>>976160
Third,
.
If possible, don't just use some random object, instead focus your telekinesis on his crossbow.

>>976154
Can our new amulet block arrows?

>>976160
How do we know she is close, though?

Would seem kinda silly to shout that and then for nothing to happen.

The cogs in your head spin for a bit. If you could pull this off, this might just work.

“So, you’re finally here.” You say in the most scathing tone you can muster. The trick to the authenticity is making sure you channel the right emotions. In this case, you’re pissed.

“I knew those goons would be too petty to let me go. How much are they paying you, huh?!” you shout at the figure.

The cloth around his head does a good job at concealing his emotions, but from what you can tell from their eyes, they’re either surprised, confused, or possibly both. This is your opportunity. You make a subtle gesture, as if you’re signalling someone, but in reality, you’re casting a spell. It’s a simple one, but it should work.

An invisible force causes your toolkit to fall from its resting place. Namely, the shelf behind your assailant. It’s now or never.

“Abigail, now!” you yell. As expected, the hooded figure spins around to face the noise, preparing for an imminent ambush that was never really there..

If only they knew where the ambush was really coming from.

>Roll 1d100+20(+Clever plan, +Surprise)

>>976168
It can, to a certain degree. Projectiles that would graze you will instead glance off you, and direct hits will be softened.

Rolled 9 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>976174
Once again I pray for your favour RNGesus

>>976177
Looks like RNGesus is a fickle master. Ah well, going to need two more rolls. You know the drill.

Rolled 53 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>976174

Rolled 43 + 20 (1d100 + 20)

>>976174

Success! DC was 70. Writing.

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>>976193

By the time the figure has noticed their mistake, you’re already upon them. You thrust your blade into them, but in an incredible feat of dexterity, they manage to deflect the blow with a last-second parry. You’re not done yet, though. By blocking that attack, they left themselves wide open. You capitalize on this opportunity by bringing your knee up to their gut, leaving them gasping for air.

They’re keeling over, coughing and trying to get the wind back in their lungs. You move over to finish the job, but suddenly, they desperately lash out with their blade. You backpedal quickly, but the attack was quicker. Your amulet flashes, causing the wild swing to deflect off an ethereal barrier. Had you not been wearing that, they would have ruined a perfectly good coat.

The figure recovers, and you bring your blade to bear. You’ve got them on the ropes.

>Rush them with your sword. Your longer reach means that you’ll be able to hit them before their dagger hits you.

>Wait for them to attack, and then defend. Follow up with a counterattack.

>Cast a spell. (Arcane Blast, Barrier, Telekinesis) Dictate spell and method.

>Write-in.

>>976200
>Telekinesis
maybe as a feint to a knockdown.

>>976200
>Fake an opening and counter attack

>>976200
>Barrier
>Just tackle and subdue him over the double protection

You hold your blade low, almost goading them to attack. The figure hesitates; this seems like a trap. A smart maneuver. Then, as if they had forgotten what happened in the last engagement, they dated towards you, blade outstretched. They’re poised to strike.

Luckily, so are you. You prepare a telekinesis spell to help divert their attack, or perhaps to give yourself an opening.

>Roll 1d100+10(+Spellcasting), best of three.

>>976208
This guy is seriously skilled. We got lucky he was distracted the first time I don't think it's a good idea to rush him again.

Rolled 72 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>976210

>>976210
Correction. "dated towards you" is supposed to be "darted towards you". I should take some more time to proofread my entries.

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>976210

>>976211
I'm not convinced. "Seriously skilled" dudes don't leave places messier than before they ransack them.

>>976218
>Fighter not thief

Going to need one more roll, anons.

Rolled 30 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>976210

Pass! DC was 70. Writing.

You prepare to deflect the figure’s attack, but halfway through the motion, you realize that it’s a feint. Did they just try to fake out your feint? An interesting strategy. Unfortunately for them, while it was pretty clever, it was also slightly obvious.

You trigger your telekinesis spell, causing the dagger to strike several inches higher than expected. You position your blade just right, and with a flick of the wrist, you send the dagger skittering across the floor. The figure’s eyes light up with fear and surprise. They’re wide open, and disarmed to boot.

>Tell them to surrender.

>Pommel to the face. Knock them out.

>Finish them off. You’re not going to take any chances.

>>976234
>Knock them out
We'll discuss why you're here after you wake up.

>>976234
>Finish them off. You’re not going to take any chances.
No mercy to the wicked

We've got a tie here. Going to need another vote.

>>976234
>>Pommel to the face. Knock them out.

Non-lethal takedown. Writing.

You’re nowhere near naive enough to ask them to give up, who knows what tricks they’ve got under their sleeves? And since you’re no killer, this leaves only one obvious choice.

In one swift motion, you bash their face in with the pommel of your sword. There’s a loud crunch, and then they unceremoniously fall to the floor. Moments later, you hear someone running up the stairs.

“Balthazar! I’m here...” Abigail says, pistol at the ready.

The brown-haired girl takes a moment to look at the situation before her. You’re standing over the unconscious body of the thief. The fight only took about half a minute, so by the time she had gotten up the stairs, it had already ended.

“...That was quick. Are you alright?” she asks you.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Get me some rope, will you?” you say to her.

As she searches for rope, you decide to search the person for anything on them. It wouldn’t be very smart to leave them tied up with all their gear, after all. You take any visible weapons and containers off the body. When you take off the cowl and cloth mask, you see a woman with black hair in her mid-twenties. You briefly wonder how you weren’t able to tell in the first place, but then you realize that she must have wrapped her chest.

You shrug and put her on the chair. Shortly afterwards, Abigail comes back with rope. You work together to bind the thief to the chair. She’s not getting out of that any time soon.

>Wake her up. You’ve got questions for her.

>Search her things. Retrieve your things, and hopefully find something that can tell you why she’s here.

>Tell Abby to call the City Watch. They should probably know about this.

>Write-in.

(That’s all for tonight, anons. I’ll continue in roughly 10-12 hours. Hope you enjoyed! I’ll stick around for a small while, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.)

>>976257
>Search her things. Retrieve your things, and hopefully find something that can tell you why she’s here.

>>976257
>Search her things. Retrieve your things, and hopefully find something that can tell you why she’s here.
Have Abby strip off all her excess layers so she can't pull a razor out of fold #521, cut her bonds, and get away.

>>976261
Second
Also how is it that Balthazar is very good at fighting for a shoopkeeper

>>976257
>Search her things. Retrieve your things, and hopefully find something that can tell you why she’s here.

>>976261
this too

>>976257
>>976261
Thirding.

>>976262
Balthazar had trained in a magical college before he had settled down and made a shop. One of the courses he attended was combat. Because when someone gets too close to you, you'll want some way to defend yourself.

He is no expert at it, however as noted by the lack of modifiers explicitly related to combat and the relatively high DCs. I try to write him as highly intuitive, so while he's decently skilled, his real strength comes from quick thinking.

That being said, getting some actual combat training wouldn't hurt. A +10 to combat would be pretty solid.

>>976257
>>Search her things. Retrieve your things, and hopefully find something that can tell you why she’s here.

Talk after

Ran into some unexpected delays. Will try to run later.

I return. Votes are counted, I'm in the process of writing now.

“Abby, make sure she doesn’t have anything still on her.” You say to your friend.

She looks like she wants to make a joke, but opts not to. You guess she takes things like this pretty seriously. As she undoes the thief’s cloths in search of anything still hidden in the folds, you begin to search through the thief’s things. It’s only fair.

After some scrounging around, you manage to find all that she’s got and place it on the table. You turn to the still unconscious thief and find that Abigail has stripped her, leaving the thief in some less than modest clothing. As you thought, the woman had bound her chest, for whatever reason. Abigail had found a razor in the thief’s sleeve, so it was not all for naught.

The thief appeared to be relatively well equipped. A set of lockpicks, a crowbar, a climbing kit, complete with rope, and other such tools. She was well-armed, too; a long dagger, hand crossbow, and a quiver of twenty three bolts. The twenty-fourth bolt is presumably embedded in the wall near the door.

Inside the sack that she carried around was your things. The spoils of your strongbox, totaling to somewhere around three hundred sovereigns: more than enough to keep you supplied for a few months. There’s also a few of your finer pieces of work inside, like your wands and rings. You even find a candlestick or two in here. She’s been busy.

“Balthazar, I found this on the thief.” Abigail says as she hands you a slip of paper.

Written on this paper is a lot of strange symbols, unlike anything you’ve seen before. Perhaps it’s written in a different language, or maybe a cipher of some kind. In any case, you can’t quite understand what it says.

You turn around and look at the thief. She’s still unconscious.

>Wake her up. You’ve got some questions for her.(Specify.)

>Attempt to decipher the message.

>Write-in.

>>978651
>>Attempt to decipher the message.
at least copy it

>>978651
>>Attempt to decipher the message.
Do we have books for that? Could help.

You decide to take matters into your own hands, as you’re not too sure how easily convinced this thief would be to tell you what is written on it. On the off-chance that she might tell you what it is, you’re not sure if she would tell you the truth. You grab a stack of parchment, an inkwell, and a quill. You also take a few books that you think might help.

You begin copying the symbols and referencing them to any small hints you find in the passages.

>Roll 1d100-20(+Books, -Lack of Knowledge, --Cipher). Best of three.

Rolled 52 - 20 (1d100 - 20)

>>978862

>>978901
Going to need some more rolls, otherwise, I'll roll in a while.

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>978862

Rolled 9 (1d100)

>>978862
and third

Rolled 56 - 20 (1d100 - 20)

>>978862

>>978908
Also I'd like to add that we should see if the cipher is comparable to runes in any form.
Just a hunch.

Failure, unfortunately. DC was 60. It was to be expected though, so no skin off your back. Writing.

You do your best to make heads or tails of the message but make little to no progress. It’s hard to decipher something you’ve little knowledge about. You managed to copy the message onto a separate sheet of paper for later use. Still, you spotted a couple similarities between the symbols and the runes you work with. One particular symbol looks much like the rune for “death”.

Perhaps your thief was actually an assassin? Not a very good one, if that’s the case.

Slipping the copy of the message into your coat pocket, you wonder what to do next. It seems that the thief is rousing from unconsciousness, so you could take this opportunity to speak to them.

>Wake the thief up. You’ve got questions to ask.(What?)

>Knock her out again. You’re not interested in hearing what she has to say or giving her the chance to escape.

>Have Abigail call the City Guard. They should know about this.

>Write-in.

>>978934
>Wake the thief up we got some question.
>Tell Abigail to call the city guard but don't tell them about the woman yet.
If she proved co-operative and useful we don't want to hand her over just yet

>>978934
>"So, I take it you weren't with those thugs then? Someone else told you todo this or did you come here out of your own volition?

“Abby, go summon the City Watch. Tell them we’ve been robbed, but don’t tell them we’ve caught the thief.” You say to your friend.

Abigail raises an eyebrow at this. She moves to object, but decides against it.

“Alright Balthazar. Be careful, and don’t do anything you’ll regret.” She says as she heads down the stairs, leaving you alone with the thief.

You walk in front of the bound thief and tap her on the shoulder. Her deep blue eyes open slowly. She blinks twice and looks around. After a quick survey of her surroundings, the thief frowns. When she realizes that most of her clothes are gone, a red tint forms on her face. Whether it’s because of anger, embarrassment, or both, you’re unsure. The thief looks up to you.

“So, I take it you weren’t with those thugs, then?” you ask her.

The black-haired woman quirks an eyebrow. Is that a no?

“Did someone else tell you to do this, or did you come here by your own volition?” you prod.

She shrugs. She hasn’t spoken or even made a sound so far. Peculiar.

>Who are you?

>Why did you try to rob my store, during a lunch break, of all things?

>Who sent you?

>What does this message mean?(show her the slip of paper)

>Write-in.

Also, roll a 1d100 to figure something out. Best of three.

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>978955
>You've got good eyes *motion to our stolen works* I take it you're very familiar with runework. Why did you steal those pieces?

>>978957
Well shit

>>978957
Ouch. Going to need two more rolls, preferably from different anons. Feel free to ask her more questions, as well. Makes it easier to write when they're all stated.

Going to be out for an hour or so, anons. Things came up. Still need votes and rolls though, so that'd be helpful.

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>978955
>>Why did you try to rob my store, during a lunch break, of all things?

>>978981
Because the store would be empty

>>978955
>Why did you try to rob my store, during a lunch break, of all things?
lunch breaks aren't exactly ideal for thorough ransacking

Sorry to flake on you guys, but I got saddled with a bunch of things to do. Votes and rolls will be counted next time, but it seems like I won't be able to run tomorrow. If I do, it'll be a late and short session.

Follow me @ShroudedRebirth on Twitter for updates.

Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>978955
>>Why did you try to rob my store, during a lunch break, of all things?

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>978957

Seconding this

We finally return. Sorry about the delays.

“You know, you’ve got a good eye for these things. I take it you’re familiar with runework?” you ask.

The woman looks up at you with a blank stare. No dice.

“Why did you try to rob us, during a lunch break of all times?” you ask, slightly incredulous.

She tries to move her shoulders in a shrug, but is bound too tightly to do so... did she really expect it to be an honest mistake or something?

You think about it. She hasn’t spoken yet, not even a sound. Is she staying silent because she’s good at keeping secrets, or because of something else? Perhaps... she simply can’t speak?

“...Are you mute or something?” you ask.

The woman nods. Well, that’s one way to do it. Still, you’re not sure if she’s telling the truth.

>Threaten her. She’s lying, she must be able to speak.

>Free an arm. Give her something to write with so she can answer your questions.

>Just wait for the City Guard to arrive. They can take it from here.

>Kill her. If she can’t speak, she’s useless.

>Ask her another question.(What?)

>Write-in.

It seems that we're not bumping. Making a new thread soon.

>>996435
>>Threaten her. She’s lying, she must be able to speak.

If it doesn't work then wait for the guard.

New thread here.

>>996514