>>4812638
>>Run up some makeshift ramp that leads to some abandoned building complex inhabited by homeless and other dregs of the society. Maybe I can lose them there

>>4812638
>>Lift a manhole cover and jump into the sewers. They most likely wont' follow mme there,. I know them better than most and I can access my lair from there directly. Darkness will be problem..

Rolled 668 (1d777)

>>4812638
>Stop at the alleway and perform the quikest and nastiest summoning I've ever done (Roll d12)
Let this quest be blessed by the dice gods

>>4812702
Ouch. So close...

Rolled 8 (1d12)

>>4812638
>Stop at the alleway and perform the quickest and nastiest summoning I've ever done (Roll d12)
Can I getaaaaaaaaaa muhfuckinaaaaaaaa...... shoggoth?

>>4812770
>>4812702
I decide to summon something to keep them at bay. Normally I wouldn't even consider doing something as foolish, but I'm too exhausted to run for much longer and hiding would be too risky as well. And I'm somewhat offended by this whole affair. They fucked with the wrong guy!

I scan for suitable places with some cover and spot a derelict alleyway. As I run towards it, I fumble my bag and produce a pouch I was looking for. Chalk. I empty the contents on the street.

It's hard to draw anything on cobblestone directly and the extra chalk should inhibit the summoning process enough to ward off the worst of the possible mishaps. My finger draws an almost perfect circle onto it.

Steadying my pose, I chant three forbidden syllables and cut the smallest possible tear into the universe with my ritual knife. I have just enough time to confirm that it worked and SOMETHING is coming through before I turn on my heels and continue my escape. I don't know it is, but the bloodcurdling screams that follow me are somewhat reassuring, though the possible cleanup and collateral damage worry me. I should do a check-up on the site at a later date. My little trip to the cemetery ends without further incidents. Whoever my assailants were, they weren't prepared for the supernatural, it seems.

My 'lair', as I like to call it, is an old tradehouse with a secret basement. Even if I inherited it from my fathers side, it's my mother's family name, Hasserschmitt, that stands on the sign. The name Massem has gained enough notoriety despite all the careful measures of my ancestors, that it would be foolish to use it in an official manner. For the city, I'm Jakim Hasserschmitt, the last member of a somewhat impoverished merchant family. For them, my mother spent most of her family fortune to buy this house, which she then left to me, her only son with an unknown father. In reality my father and her had a happy marriage and the sale was just the latest step in a century long scheme.

I have a visitor. Sasha is a fellow assassin, though he relies on physical methods, like most of the profession do. He sometimes outsources jobs to me when they are too hard, risky, or just too tedious for a single man. It's been a couple of months when I last had work, so I welcome the opportunity

Greetings, Mask-and-Star!

Greetings, Grasshopper. What brings you to my base, I answer in kind. Just some our our respective aliases we use while in business.

Just a simple job. A kid who saw too much in witness protection. I have a name and occupation of the target. Ten grands, fifty-fifty. Sounds fair?

How should I respond?

>I don't do kids anymore. Sorry.
>Witness protection, eh? If you want it to be discrete, that costs extra.
>Fifty-fifty? While I do most of the work? And we both know ten grands is less than the going rate for such a complex job. How much are you really getting?

>>4813745
Forgot to write that write-ins are also welcome.

>>4813745
>10 grand is a little slim Grasshopper, either you are holding out on me or there's something that makes this job not so valuable.
>Discreet costs extra, of course.

Not moralistic, since I don't see why we would be regarding children when we were raised to kill.
And from the write up, we are somewhat savvy so it's best that we gather information to make an informed mechant's decision.

>>4813745
Ask Sasha about the story of the Massem name

>>4813878
To clarify, Massem is the MC's family name, it seems unlikely Sasha the Assassin knows more about it than we do. Though you never know...

>>4813878
Why wouldn't we know our own history? Just wait for an info dump, we are discussing a job not what our lineage comes from
>>4813779
+1
Kids gotta learn, sink or swim and frankly sinking is the plan

>>4813779
>>4813900
Ah, Sasha. If I were that easy to fool, I'd have to do all your jobs while you would enjoy your lion's share of the spoils. But it is all part of the game for you, isn't it?

10 grand is a little slim Grasshopper, either you are holding out on me or there's something that makes this job not so valuable.

Ah, my friend. I would never offend you with a fair deal. Did I say ten grands? I meat twelve. Seven to you, five to me?

Ten thousands. That is my final offer. I feel this job will be discreet and that costs extra.
The actual bounty is probably closer to fifteen thousands if not more, but this will be good enough.

Ah, Mask-and-Star, you force my family into poverty and my children into starvation. But fine. I have a reputation to keep. Ten thousands for you after the job is complete. And your foresight is commendable. This is indeed a very delicate job with precise instructions. It has to look like a medical emergency, a stroke to be exact. And it has to happen within four days. I'd use poison, but, well, they're patched some leaks in witness protection since last time. I just can't find whatever hovel they're holed the blighter.

I groan internally. I've never done discreet looking strokes and it's generally never a good idea to try new things when it comes to summonings. Freak accidents? Can do. Exploding hearts? My favourite. Normally when the client wants something out from my comfort zone I can explain and we can come up with something else, but in this case it sounds like stepping out from the parameters could mean a failed contract. Something for future me to worry about, it's time to head to bed. I show "Grasshopper" out and he vanishes into the night with grace I could never hope to match.

It's not often I have to get up early, but I have a shop to keep. Normally my hireling named Tobbe does this, but his mother has been ill lately and I have to cover for him. Tobbe isn't too smart, but he can keep his mouth shut and keep the store in order.

My little tradehouse, "Hasserschmitt and co.", would go belly-up within a year if I didn't pump money into it from my real job, but it is a good cover for my needs. I mostly focus on exotics and import goods, which gives me relatively easy access to rare ingredients I need. A hidden door from the back room leads to the alchemy laboratory, which is my second line of defense. Alchemy, my side-hobby, isn't strictly illegal, but it is considered unfashionable, so it's a perfect excuse for acquisition of obscure ingredients, chemical vapors and noise. The real base of my operations is further down the basement.

CONT.

>>4814834
But to appear legitime, I need someone to keep the shop open and today that someone is me. My shop isn't busy on the best of days and I can count the customers that enter the store before noon with four fingers. A nervous young man asks for a love potion. I tell him there is no such thing and sell him some cologne instead. A couple of courtesans buy some almost legal cosmetics from the far east. An old woman tries to haggle on the price of an overpriced bolt of silk and leaves without buying anything. I doubt I see her ever again.

After noon I close the store and go to grab lunch. When I return, a peculiar looking man is waiting at the door. A head taller than me, old fashioned clothes and taunt grin on the face. Either this guy is an exxentric lunatic or something far worse. He elbows his way in as I open the door.

G-g-greetingsh, good man… do you happensh to have virshin blood on s-sale?

Virshin blood? Never heard of it.

No… no. Vir..Gin blood. Likesh, the blood of sshome maiden.

Okay, whatever this guy is, he's bad news. Even I don't keep virgin blood at hand. I would never want to perform the rituals where it's needed.

Listen, pal. I don't sell some weird shit here. This is a respectable store for exotic goods, not a charnel house.

Oh? Yet you keep bodies in your basement, how curiousss… kekeke. But if that iss how you want it, sso be it, Masster Massem… I look elsshewhere… I'm Karssten *mumble*

I manage to keep my face still, but my heart skips a beat. My name is not public knowledge and if this freak knows it, who knows what else he knows. And how does he know about the bodies in the basement? It's been months since I had to smuggle a fresh one down there and I'm always careful…

I haven't had time to recuperate from my shock before the man steps out and melts into the throng of people on the street.

Not a minute goes by before my door opens again. A stern looking older lady in uniform with two bodyguards and a mouse of a girl(secretary?) enter the store. The woman in charge states:

-INQUISITION BUSINESS, AFTERNOON. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT EXITED THE STORY A WHILE AGO

This day is getting better and better.

How should I respond?

>The man with funny clothes? Asked for a bathroom. Told him it's for customers only.
>He came in, but I couldn't make out a word what he said. Some kind of speech impediment, I guess.
>Asked for virgin blood, the freak. Told him to fuck off.
>Said his name was Karssten, that's all I could hear.
>*write-in*

>>4814837
>The freak just came in here? He's not one for a dress sense let me tell you that, did you see those clothes? You'd find [monarch or leader from 100 years ago] dressed in more trendy attire. But he was mumbling something, though my memory is so very bad, would you mind taking a look around the store while I remember?

Lets see how pushy the inquisition is. We should tell them about the name and the blood thing, but do it for a profit or until they threaten us. A man out for money isn't suspicious.

>Asked for virgin blood, the freak. Told him to fuck off.
>Said his name was Karssten, that's all I could hear
We don't need this, we just got a job, definitely do not need inquisition up our asses

>>4814976
>>4815010
I like your idea better so +1

>>4815011
It's free money, or warning that the inquistion is angry

>>4814837
>>He came in, but I couldn't make out a word what he said. Some kind of speech impediment, I guess.

>>4814976
>>4815011
>>4815144
I guess the greedy shopkeeper act is the most innocent show I can manage right now.

The freak that just left? He's not one for a dress sense let me tell you that, did you see those clothes? You'd find the skeleton of Governor Biggs dressed in more trendy attire. But he was mumbling something, couldn't make much sense of it and my memory is so very bad. Would you mind taking a look around the store while I try to remember?

The boss-lady snaps her fingers and her two lackeys bar the door and draw in the blinds.

-Listen, smart alec. I've already lost too many men, good men with families, to this case and one lousy worm will weight nothing next to them. So let me ask you one more time. What did that "freak" wanted from here?

Crap, these folks want business. I guess that's Inquisition for you. Maybe I should give them some info as a freeby.

Listen, ma'am, I feel we started on the wrong foot here. Let me think, let me think… I think he said his name was Karssten. I think he wanted blood. But that's all I can remember, honest!

The mouse-secretary-wallflower buds in:

That would fit the pattern, ma'am. The orphanage, the boarding school, the monastery, most of the incidents included blood letting.

-Quiet, acolyte. Walls have ears. It is already hard enough to keep this under the lid.

The boss-lady turns back to me:

-And he just heard you say no and then just left? In the light of some recent events that is quite hard to believe. Is there anybody else in the premises?

Damn, that's the most threatening thing she has said so far. I start to mentally map potential escape routes. She seems to think the same thing and with a wave of her and one of the blokes moves to block the backdoor with his massive frame. Well, that's only one of the three possible routes covered, but I act like air was let out from me all the same. Better choose my next words carefully.
CONT.

>>4815243
Okay, okay. I think he wanted *virgin* blood, and I've fooled around enough to not count as much. Furthermore, I think he wanted to *buy* it. I do hold a selection of rare ingredients, some blood related, but nothing like that.

The boss-lady turns around back to her secretary.

-Did you get that? That's as good a clue as any we've got so far.

And then back to me.

-Thank you for your cooperation. We will put on a lookout in case our common friend decides to return. I'm sure such a law-abiding merchant is only happy for the extra protection granted by the Inquisition.

Fuck, that's definitely not something I want, but I guess it's still better than a trip to a dungeon. Somewhat. I crack a nervous smile and they leave. This will definitely hinder my businesses for the coming weeks.

The rest of the day is as uneventful as the morning was. Some window shoppers, a man trying to sell some rubbish as magical amulets. I buy something just to get rid of him.

As the temple bell rings six times I close my shop for the day and consider my next move.

>I need to do some research for the job Sasha gave to me. I have a name and occupation of the target written down (Billy Neexhav, shoeshiner), but the more I know the easier time I have locating him. Then again such investigations could leave marks leading to me.
>Other avenue I simply have to research is how to cause strokes in a discreet manner. The library of grimoires and tomes of forbidden knowledge left to me by my ancestors is deliberately obtuse and cryptic. I'm certain there is a suitable summon somewhere there, but it takes time to find and then learn it inside out.
>Another thing I should do sooner rather than later is to check on the state of "emergency summon" I created last evening. Clean-up is one of the things that separate good summoners from dead summoners.
>And yet another thing to do is to find out why I was attacked in the first place. Some of my contacts might know something on that.

I have maybe 5 hours left of today. Where should I start?

>>4815247
We have 4 days and 5 hours in this one.
Lets clean up after ourselves, then we can start looking into the tools we need, if we cant' find a way to make a stroke. . eh

>Check on the emergancy summon.

>>4815247
>Another thing I should do sooner rather than later is to check on the state of "emergency summon" I created last evening. Clean-up is one of the things that separate good summoners from dead summoners.

Also, are we permited to "make" our own summons? Do we have other magical powers aside summoning demons? Because if we can "make" our own summons or spells (obviously taking days to practice and finding the best indredients and all the stuff) we might come with something we can use for making our job

>>4815376
Basically our MC finds new summons from his books of demonology and such. Demons are his most favoured summons because they like to kill things, but there are also elementals and other, more esoteric and hidden beings behind the veil. You could theoretically summon some protoplasm like we did last night and then try to hammer it into shape, but such creature would be unstable and generally dumb as a rock, at least with the skills and resources our MC has access to.

Magic in general is rare and almost unheard of in this part of the world. Our MC has heightened sensitivity towards all things magical, but other powers than those related to summoning and alchemy have thus far avoided him.

>>4815376
>>4815255

I decide to check on the thing I managed to summon yesterday. Such lower supernatural creatures usually break down and seep back into whatever realm they came from after a couple of hours, but sometimes they stick around to cause problems later and I need to know what collateral damage there is regardless. Rumours spread, and while some legends circulating around are good for my business, too precise descriptions will alert the higher powers and maybe get them onto my case. Better know about things like that in advance. And if there's even one in ten, no, one in hundred of a chance that something supernatural still persists there, I need to take care of that as well before it comes to literally bite me onto my ass.

I leave the store and head to the cemetery. The sun is still up and it takes some time to back trace my steps from the last night as everything looks a bit different with light around. Nevertheless, I finally manage to spot the alleyway from the night before. No dismembered corpses or goo around, though the locals would have had ample time to clean those off. Just a charred hole on the ground. I hunker down to inspect it further. No lingering magical effects here, though you can still sense a faint smell of sulphur… no. Vanilla? What was this thing? I look around for answers, but find little clues. I knock on the closest door. On the third knock the door opens ajar and an old face of a woman appears.

Whaddya want, punk? I swear, if this is about the rent, I have y'all evicted here and now!

Afternoon, citizen! I represent the city's maintenance and repair office. I couldn't help but notice that some of the cobblestones are missing in what appears to be a firepit right in front of your house. Could you please explain the matter to me?

Listen, I already explained it to the city watch earlier. Last night some kind of fight and explosion happened there and when I opened the door in the morning it looked like that. Plus the body.

The body?

Yeah, some torso with some rags on it, guess somebody took whatever valuable there was from it.

I ask around some more, but come out empty. Finally a street urchin points me in the right direction.

It was a monster! Me and Jimbo saw it last night! It was huge! Like a horse! But it was a frog!

A frog? Where did it go if it was that big? I don't see any frogs around here, big or small.

I don't know, mister. What's it in for me?

I sigh and throw some pocket change at him. He points towards the dogs. Of course. Water. Hopefully it didn't jump into the river or I'll never catch it.
CONT.

>>4816088

I trudge along the path and try to guess which direction a gigantic amphibian would head to in each intersection. My questions raise more eyebrows than answers, but finally some fishmonger points me towards a derelict boathouse. It's maybe one hour 'till sundown when I peek inside.

At first I don't notice anything peculiar inside, but slowly my eyes get accustomed and I see a clear pathway dug through refuse. Following it I finally spot a huge lump of darkness residing in the corner. A toad. Nice to finally see you, you saved my ass yesterday, but now it's time for you to go home.

I ponder how to best approach the situation, when I notice a cloaked figure looking at me on the street. As I look closer it vanishes behind a doorway, but I saw enough. It was that secretary girl of the Inquisition posse. How long has she been following me? Fuck. Fuck fuckity fuck-fuck. The lookout. I forgot. She has probably been shadowing me since I left and I failed to notice anything like some rookie. I really am rusty. And now I stand here twenty steps from whatever hellbeast I'm responsible for and some low ranking Inquisition boob is making notes from my investigation. Good thing she has not seen the toad yet.

What should I do?

>Retreat. I act like I hadn't seen anything and continue on my way, asking random people questions about various things and come back later. Hopefully nobody else disturbs the toad before that. I better come up with a good excuse for later (what?)
>Confront her directly. If I can convince her that this has all been a big misunderstanding or something, I might get away with this. What should I say?
>Quickly banish the toad with whatever methods at hand and hope she doesn't see too much.
>Lead her away and then ambush her on a shadowy alleyway. Cold lips don't tell tales. Then I need to dispose of the body in a manner that doesn't lead the rest of the Inquisition towards me.
>Walk inside the boathouse and prepare my ambush there. The toad is still my summon and it *should* obey my commands. I can then banish it and be done with all this.
>*write-in*

>>4816090
>Walk inside and prepare the ambush

We can't force compliance from it can we?

>>4816094
On second thought, we could enter the boathouse, scream to try to run to her hiding position and draw her out.
We heard some rumours and wanted some unique monster bit to sell, but lo and behold, the monster was not dead and not tiny.

>>4816100
+1
I like this, if we play our cards right we could get the inquisition officer to either get killed, or "save" us, maybe we can do a quiet banish after the first slash
If she thinks she killed it in one swing she might get overly cocky in her monster slaying skills and we can take advantage of that in the future

>>4816100
+1

>>4816100
>>4816294
>>4816639

Fine then, little lady. If you want to get mixed into my affairs, so be it. Lets see how well the Inquisition trains their acolytes nowadays.

What the? SOMEBODY?! HELP!

I run from the boathouse. Not that many people going out at this hour, so I don't attract much attention. That's as well, because I'm not interested in the concern of random streetfolk. I need to attract the attention of one certain nosy…

Well, she isn't making this too easy. I guess she noticed that I had caught on for her. Nevertheless she's one of the few souls that pays attention to me and I need to reel her in somehow.

Anybody? There's a monster in that shed!

Even if I never properly established the master-servant relationship with the toad, I still should be able to exert some control over it. I focus most of my mental energy towards the boathouse and am rewarded with some low rumbling. Suddenly people take me more seriously.

You hear it? Hey, you!

I point towards acolyte.

I've seen you before! Aren't you part of the Church or Inquisition? Do something!

For a second it looks like she could cry or run away, but somehow she has enough spunk to stand her ground. I'm sure confronting the supernatural alone in her status and rank isn't exactly kosher, but if I can just lay enough social pressure and urgency on her, she might just do it…

I redouble my efforts in stirring up the toad. The low rumbling is now accompanied with crashing sounds and bellowing.

Aren't you supposed to handle things like this? Hurry up before it destroys the whole dock! Aren't monsters stronger in the dark? The Sun is setting any minute, we need to act now!

More eyes are now watching her than me. The noise attracts more people and there is now a small ring of people around us. Finally she steels herself.

Fine! You and you and you! We go in, take a look and come out.

She points at me and a couple of the stronger looking fishermen. Our ragtag group then nudges warily towards the doorway.
CONT.

>>4817185

I mentally calm the toad somewhat. No point in this if nobody dares to step in. One by one we peek inside, but the Sun is too low now to see anything clearly. Finally I make the move and jump in. My mental connection with my summon is now strong enough that I can tell roughly where it is this close. I point towards its corner.

I can see it! It's over there!

Slowly the Inquisitorial Acolyte and then the fishermen join me. We form a line, each holding some makeshift weapon or knife. To my mild surprise the Acolytes thin dagger shines blue with some runework. It seems that they still do issue enchanted weapons to even low ranking members. Luckily my ceremonial knife looks far less fancy to a naked eye, though it's most likely more potent in this particular situation.

I force the toad to make the first move and one of the fishermen screams as it jumps into full view. The other leaps and tries to hit it with a massive overhead strike with his oar. The toad sidesteps the attack easily and the oar shatters on the floor harmlessly. I make some moves for show and "tackle" my pet monster while commanding it to jump to the side. The timing is a little off and it's not fully convincing, but nobody notices in the gloom. Revitalized by my "success", the fisherman with the now broken oar tries to stab it with little success. It's like trying to move a bowling ball with a toothpick. All it does is to finally make the amphibian angry and it opens its mouth for the first time. Instead of flesh and slime one would expect, the mouth is full of blue swirling flames. A flame tongue leaps from the maw and twists around its assailant. I'm too fascinated by the sight to notice the Acolyte moving in for the first time. She slashes the tongue with a two handed hacking motion and the room is filled with a melodic shriek, like a crashing chandelier. The flame evaporates and for the first time the toad is in pain. It lowers its position and swipes at the Acolyte, knocking her down.

I look around. One of the fishermen has long since run away, the other one is dying. The Acolyte is rolling on the floor trying to get up. It seems she lost her weapon while falling. It would be so easy to help her or finish her. Instead I observe. Let's see if the little girl manages to pull herself out from this mess.

The toad is coming for her with its maw wide open. She manages to roll from its way and finally finds her footing again. She's without her weapon, but maybe she has other tricks up her sleeve.

File: toadimage.jpg (703 KB, 2000x1333)

703 KB JPG

>>4817188
As if answering my thought she pulls out some kind of an amulet. It's a bronze disk with writing on it and she holds it aloft between her and the beast. The toad stops momentarily, as if puzzled. I can sense from its mental state that the amulet is designed to dazzle its senses. Luckily I can overcome this limitation by giving it mental commands directly. Answering my guidance, the toad opens its jaws once again and charges towards the Acolyte directly. With an infernal gulp she vanishes into the flames. Welp. That's over, then. I guess she was more of a scribe than a fighter, but she didn't totally disappoint me. I stretch and step next to it.


Oh, Toady. If it weren't against everything I've been taught since child, I'd keep you around as a pet. But alas, our time together has come to an end.


I lift my ritual knife and stab it between the eyes. For a second there seems to be some new kind of understanding in its eyes, as if it was accepting its faith, and then it starts to disintegrate as the knife's enchantment disravels its being. First its skin flakes out, revealing blue flame underneath and then it turns into ash and crumbles away.


I check on the remains of the now deceased fisherman. It looks like his lungs burned after which he suffocated. I contemplate the nastiness of such a fate when I hear a weak cough behind me. Well, blimey. It seems like all of her amulets did buy the Acolyte the few seconds necessary to survive her ordeal, at least for now. Right now she's a pitiful lump with half-molten clothes, equipment and trinkets covered in ash. Good thing she dropped her dagger as it's mostly intact on the ground nearby.


What should I do with her?


>Finish her. No witnesses.

>Leave her. Nature will run its course soon enough and whenever the locals dare to enter, it will be far too late for her. I will need to explain lots of things to her superiors afterwards, but I think I have a good enough story to cover me.

>Haul her outside and let the locals decide what to do. It's not much but she gets a chance.

>Take her directly to the authorities. They should be able to treat her.

>Take her as my pet project. Smuggle her to my shop via the sewer access. Dote her back to health and tell her I finished the monster with her fallen knife. She seems young and naïve enough to eat from my hand after that and it may be valuable, even life-saving to have someone inside the Inquisition indebted to me. Even if I have a lot on my platter already.
>*write-in*

>>4817190
>Haul her outside and let the locals decide what to do. It's not much but she gets a chance.
god damn I love this quest

>>4817190
>Take her outside, let them know we think she's dead and stabbed the monster through the eye as flames engulfed her.
>Take the knife of hers, for potential re-sale.

Are magical weapons illegal? if so then put the knife in her hands as he carry her out, if not go with the taking plan.

>>4817197
>>4817600
>Thanks for the patience. This is a long one

Well, it would be rude to leave her like that. And if she manages to pull through, it could take some of the heat from your shoulders if it becomes clear that you "saved" her. But my schedule is full for the night, so I will only do the bare minimum. As I hoist her surprisingly light body on my shoulder, I notice the dagger again. Without a second thought I snatch it into my pocket. Something to sell, I guess. Or at least I want to take a closer look into its properties out of professional interest.

I stumble out, acting more exhausted than I really am. The small silent crowd is staring at me. An elder approaches me.

The beast… Is it dead?

Yes. We took a beating, but it is definitely gone.

And Ragnar, my son…

If you mean the man who came with us, I'm afraid he's dead as well. You can find his remains inside. He died a hero's death.

The man looks shocked, but manages to keep his voice steady.

What happened?

We entered the shed and circled the monster. It was a toad made from hellfire and evil. The sight was too much for one of us and he fled. The rest of us attacked the beast with all our strength. Ragnar struck the monster many times, giving me and this lady *you nudge the Acolyte on your shoulder* managed to attack its back. Then it tried to eat Ragnar, but he managed to fight it off. Finally it managed to swallow her, but I and Ragnar managed to hack it to pieces before it finished her off. But all the fire released from its death-spasm was too much for Ragnar and he succumbed to his wounds just as the monster ceased to exist.

The white lie seems to bring some solace to the old man.

Oh, Ragnar… Even in the end you do it all for a girl… But you said that she was injured? Is she going to be alright?

Truth to be told, I don't know. She was badly affected by the flames as well, but her thicker clothes might have guarded her.

Really? Well, if there is any hope, we must do everything we can to help her. For Ragnar. Ena? Fetch the harbourmaster. Phil, go see if the healer is home. And then we…

I lower the body to the ground and quietly walk away from the scene. Not the best possible outcome, but I might have learnt a valuable thing or two.

>>4818855
I watch my back during the whole trip back home, but you get back to the shop without further incidents. Tobbe should be back to work tomorrow, and if he isn't, well, then the Tradehouse Hasserschmitt is just temporarily closed due to sudden illness. I have actual work to do and I can't afford to spend days behind the counter and nights sleeping if I want those ten grands from the job Sasha promised. I have roughly three days left and I want to have the work at least started before I call it the day.

The library section in my basement consists of two tall shelves full of forbidden knowledge. Most are hundreds of years old hand written copies of books written thousands of years ago. Almost all of them are illegal and inherited. These kinds of items are very rare even on the collectors market and I've ever managed to add one single book to it, plus some notes and writing in the margins of existing books. I crack open one of the freshest books in the shelf, an index compiled by my ancestors. It's an unorganized list of potential summons, their effects and which books contain them. It's been decades since anyone tried to write it clean and the margins are full of additional notes. I skim it mostly trough, skipping sections that I guess don't contain what I seek. After a hour of careful flipping and penning I have a rough list of potential candidates. I need to look these again tomorrow and then cross-examine the references before I can deduce which one is the most suitable one. But this is enough for today. Time to hit the sheets.

As I walk up stairs into the tradehouse proper, I remember the Inquisitorial dagger still in my cloak pocket. I better store it properly before something stupid happens. As I fumble through my coat hanger to find it, I somehow manage to drop the dagger to the floor with a clank. As I bow down to pick it up, a spark of electricity runs through my body the moment my fingers brush it. Gee willikers! This thing hurts! Maybe it's some kind of anti-theft device? Whatever it is, I definitely need to store it properly now. I get a leaded box from my alchemy laboratory and drop the knife inside it with a pair of pliers and hide the box at the back of the storeroom.
CONT.

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>>4818857
The next morning Tobbe is still absent. That's unfortunate. I'm still groggy when I hear banging from the door. Either it's an impatient would-be customer or some official asking about yesterday. Probably the latter. My guess proves to be correct when I open the door and two stern looking members of constabulary explain that I'd better accompany them to the station. I can hardly make myself decent and put up a sign explaining were closed for the day before they usher me away.

The station is brand new with brass decorations everywhere. I'm led on a wide well lit hallway through the building. I can't help but notice the impressive amount of piping that criss-cross the ceiling. I imagine most handle water and sewage, but surely you wouldn't need that many pipes for those?

Our journey ends in a smaller but still spacious interrogation room. Before I realize it I'm sitting in a cushioned chair and offered some tea. A trio of higher ranking officials step in. One of them is the Inquisitor boss-lady from yesterday, but I notice with smug satisfaction several loose strands on her hairdo and the dark under her eyes. Guess I wasn't the only one staying up late.

The man clearly leading the group wears an entirely different uniform you're not familiar with. He's almost bald and huge, grey mustaches, but there is a jovial spark in his eyes. The third member of the pack is a plain looking man in civilian clothings. Only other people present are the two goons that hauled you in standing next to the doorway.

The three of them sit down opposite to you. The moustache man opens a file he brought with him and begins:

Ahh. Mister…. Hasserschmitt, was it? Good. I hope you wasn't roughed up too badly when you were brought in. The modernisation of our old fashioned City Watch is still an ongoing project of mine and some of the old guard are hesitant to change. Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Captain of the Guard, Sir Wollenworth, Mr. Jenkins represents the City Council and I believe you've already met Senior Inquisitor Mezzen. She represents the Church on the matter at hand.

He fixes his glasses. And shuffles through his papers.

Now, speaking of the matter, I better explain so you understand what is at stake here. Despite the best efforts of Inquisition, it has come apparent that, for some reason, the number of paranormal incidents has risen exponentially within the last three quarters. In real words that means that ghosts and hobgoblins common folk have happily forgotten have started to reappear on the streets in alarming numbers. Why, barely a year ago I myself thought they were all old wives tales, but sadly I can no longer make that claim. Our experts suggest there is a common cause behind all this. In light of this, the different branches under the Crown have launched this joint investigation.
CONT.

>>4818868
He pulls a few more papers from his file.

So, one of the worst incidents, at least in terms of public relations, happened yesterday evening. A man dead, a civil servant critically injured, a building destroyed. The whole dockside populace demands an explanation on what happened. If my Inquisitor friend here is not mistaken, you were there in person. In addition, there is your interaction with this… Karssten being on the same date. I hope you understand our sudden interest in you and your version of the events

Huh. This wasn't quite the interrogation I was expecting. Less torture devices. Though if I play my cards badly, I'm sure there will be no shortage of those either.

Choose one in each category:

>about the toad incident:
>stick with the "seeking monster parts based on rumours" -story, and…
>play out our heroism
>play out ignorance
>other *write-in*

>about the general state of affairs
>tell about your interest in alchemy and exotic ingredients. Tell you haven't noticed anything peculiar
>tell that you're just an ordinary shopkeep with niche in exotics
>other *write-in*

>>4818872
>Stick with the rumours of monster parts, but we ran into her acolyte.

>Interest in alchemy and exotic ingredients

>>4818872
>>about the toad incident:
>other *write-in*
>act: try to conceal our "excitement" at having seen such a magical creature in person, and denounce such evil creations

>about the general state of affairs
>tell that you're just an ordinary shopkeep with niche in exotics

>>4818879
>>4818959
I try to merge these in some way

>>4818872
>play out our heroism
>tell about your interest

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>>4818879
>>4818959
>>4819921
Oh boy. It seems my little frog mixed me into something bigger. Not that I mind getting to know about this soon-to start city-wide witch hunt before it's aimed directly at me. I have enough contacts in the city that have enough dirt on me to burn my whole career down if these goofs ever find out. Better to stay on top of it. Now then, how to make this convincing… I ponder for a moment and then begin.


Maybe it's best I start in the beginning. Since young age I've been interested in the mythological. While running my family tradehouse I slowly amassed a small collection of curios I then started to sell among import goods as I ran out of space. But despite all this I don't think I've ever seen a genuine article. I have three mermaid taxidermys in my collection, all of which are fake. Witnessing a real, living one would mean a dream coming true.


Wollenworth nods slowly and pens notes into his file.


So imagine my excitement when a customer a while ago mentioned how he saw a frog of the size of an ox in the slums. Now, impossibly big amphibians aren't all that special on mythological scale, but for me that would be huge! And even if I found it dead, well, I do dabble in alchemy, and I would be interested to know what properties body parts of such a creature could do to a potion.


-Can you describe this customer? Inquisitor Mezzen buds in.


Afraid not, ma'am. He was not a store regular and I wasn't paying attention to his looks. Might have had a wart on his nose.


-How convenient.


Now, now, Madelyn. Surely it's nothing important. Please continue.


-In my line of work small details are usually very important -she quips before I proceed with my carefully crafted lie.


Yes. So, yesterday, afternoon to be precise, this most unusual man entered my store. I've seen crazies and people asking impossible things often enough, my catalogue does attract peculiar characters. But this guy was something else. He wore these ancient clothes and I could barely understand him for his speech impediment. All I heard was that he was Karssten and he wanted blood of a virgin.


Which you don't have?


No, I don't know why anybody would want that.


Well, I do know some reasons why somebody would want that, but none of them are good.

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>>4820895
So he left and then the honoured Senior Inquisitor here with her cadre barged in and we had a nice chat. I told her what I saw and I think she said she would leave a lookout or something.


"Mr. Jenkins from the City Council" talks for the first time.


This is the same Karssten you mentioned to me about earlier?


-Who else would it be?


Well, the man here is in remarkable good health all things considered.


And that's why we're talking to him right now. Well, one of the reasons. Can you think of any reasons why he just left, mister Hasserschmitt?


Well, obviously he didn't find what he was looking for. Happens all the time with customers.


-Then why'd he enter in the first place?


We can always speculate, but who can say? Now, let's move on. According to the lookout report here you then left the store after closing it around six afternoon and returned four hours later.


Yes. As I said earlier, I had heard rumour about a frog monster. I wandered the slums asking people if they had seen anything. I found a kid who could point me in the right direction and after that it was a long road of breadcrumbs to the riverside. From there I found the monstrous toad in a boathouse. Now, I had heard about its size, but hearing and seeing are very different things. So I ran out. And while I ran I spotted the scribe I had seen earlier accompanying this lady here. So naturally I asked her to help me. And after some convincing she did.


-And now Olive is fighting for her life in the hospital., the Inquisitor mutters.


What she was even doing there at that hour?, mister Jenkins butts in?


-That is confidential information, she replies


Like anybody couldn't guess she was shadowing me.


I'm sorry about what happened, but let me explain. For whatever reason the beast was waking up, I believe it was the setting Sun that was the catalyst. So me, this… Oliva and two local fishermen grabbed whatever we had at hand and marched into the building. One of the fishermen ran away almost the moment the beast showed itself. After us slashing at it a few times it used some kind of fire based attack and almost incapacitated the remaining fisherman. I think I heard later that his name was Ragnar. Nevertheless, Me and Olive managed to free him, but then it ate Olive. Ragnar and I hacked it with redoubled effort, which finally caused it to disintegrate. As it died it released a great flame which caught Ragnar off-guard. Fortunately I managed to roll away. There was nothing I could do to help Ragnar, but the girl seemed to still breathe, so I carried her outside. There I gave her to the care of locals and limped back home where I've recuperated from my ordeal until this morning when I was summoned here.


I rub my shoulder as if it was aching.

CONT.

>>4820911
-I still find it hard to believe that out of three people, one dies, the other is horribly maimed and the third is unharmed. Captain, something doesn't add up…


Shutupshutupshutup you old crone.


With the evidence we have at hand this is a perfectly reasonable explanation of the events and matches with the other testimonies. Unless new information surfaces I declare this case closed. Mr. Hasserschmitt, do you have any parting words?


I consider it strange that this is how the City rewards for monster slaying.


My snarky remark catches Wollenworth off guard.


Hohhohhoh, I fear the City coffers would run empty long before we'd get rid of all the beasts if the current trends hold. But you have spirit, I give you that!


Good. The old fool has softened up. Maybe I can pry out some more information before I leave.


Will my tradehouse still be under watch? I mean, I'd like to know if I'm under extra protection?


I'm afraid we can't afford to do that. Even our combined forces are spread too thin at the moment.


This rambling buffoon would probably reveal all the secrets he knows if I just asked the right questions. Too bad I'm not alone with him here or I might just try to do that.


Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. I better leave if you don't want my help with that.


I don't know what exactly I mean with that last part, but it just came out naturally. The old Captain looks thoughtful.


You know what, I think you've proven yourself as a capable individual here and you seem to know more about the subject matter more than most in the whole city. Tell you what. Why don't we deputize you for the duration of this investigation?


That catches me off guard, but it's nothing compared to the reaction of the Senior Inquisitor Mezzen.


-WHAT? YOU'D SET THIS… THIS... SCOUNDREL LOOSE INTO OUR ORGANIZATIONS? FOR ALL WE KNOW, HE'S BEHIND ALL OF THIS!


Hey! That's a half-truth!


Melinda, try to take hold of yourself! You said yourself that we're critically low on field agents. You had to send your personal secretary on the field. And I hardly see it's likely this man is the root cause behind our problems.


Besides, he haven't even agreed yet!


Should I take this opportunity and "work" for the law for once?


>Yes. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Well, I don't have friends, only acquaintances, but you get the point. Hopefully they pay well because I'm most likelt unable to fulfill the contract for the Billy Neexhav -kid, as I can't simply stretch into that many directions. Plus, if there really are some supernatural monsters roaming the streets, it's better to get rid of them, they're bad for business.

>No. I already have enough on my platter and accepting this job would mean I get even more attention from the Inquisition and based on the reaction I got here that's not a good thing.

>>4820916
>Yes. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Well, I don't have friends, only acquaintances, but you get the point. Hopefully they pay well because I'm most likelt unable to fulfill the contract for the Billy Neexhav -kid, as I can't simply stretch into that many directions. Plus, if there really are some supernatural monsters roaming the streets, it's better to get rid of them, they're bad for business.

DEEPER

>>4820916
>Yes. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Well, I don't have friends, only acquaintances, but you get the point. Hopefully they pay well because I'm most likelt unable to fulfill the contract for the Billy Neexhav -kid, as I can't simply stretch into that many directions. Plus, if there really are some supernatural monsters roaming the streets, it's better to get rid of them, they're bad for business.

>>4820916
>>No. I already have enough on my platter and accepting this job would mean I get even more attention from the Inquisition and based on the reaction I got here that's not a good thing.
"Heh, I'm flattered, but it seems there is some dissent within the ranks already. I don't want to shake things up. And besides, you already said there's not much in your coffers to proffer me. I've got a barely-scraping-by store to run. Best wishes to Olive's speedy recovery."

>>4820916
>No

We can't just go breaking our contracts.

>>4821139
>>4821262
>>4821355
>>4821580
Seems like we have a tie. If no tiebreak will appear, I will have to roll.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4821611
SPEEEEEEEED

you might not want to count me as im a one post id your choice but here's my vote anyway

>Yes. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Well, I don't have friends, only acquaintances, but you get the point. Hopefully they pay well because I'm most likelt unable to fulfill the contract for the Billy Neexhav -kid, as I can't simply stretch into that many directions. Plus, if there really are some supernatural monsters roaming the streets, it's better to get rid of them, they're bad for business.

>>4821139
>>4821262
>>4821355
>>4821580
>>4821821
Thanks to the last minute vote the yes-answers have it.

Would have gone with the roll in otherwise >>4821685, but I will lock down the vote now. Writing.

>>4821854
Sorry about the wrong ID, btw, I'm visiting my mom. Will probably add a trip in the future so there's less chances for confusion.

>>4821882
Yas please use trip. Because it's hard to notice updates at first glance.

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>>4821854

As they bicker, I consider the proposition. Serving the law-enforcement in any form has always been an antithesis to my whole career and the Inquisition is mixed in as well. On the other hand, if there really is someone or something creating or summoning monsters in the city, it will not take long before people start pointing fingers towards my direction. I can count the people that definitely know the connection between my civilian and professional identities with one hand, but if any of them, or someone else that knows enough blabbers, I will have to skip the town or be executed, and neither option entices me. If I'm part of the investigation myself, I can maybe steer it away from me and towards whatever is behind this all. Now, I can't probably fulfill the contract Sasha relayed to me, but not every contract is successful and, well, it will be Sasha's reputation that takes the hit. Sasha personally won't like it and it's never healthy idea to let a fellow assassin down, but I doubt he will hold a grudge for long if I make up a good enough excuse.


While I was thinking this through, they ceased their argument and are now looking at me.


I would be honoured. How well it pays?


Sir Wollenworth scratches his chin.


Let's see. The standard part-time salary in the guard is 150 crowns per month. Due to the dangers involved I might add 50, no, let's put it at 75 crown extra. There may also be additional rewards depending on your performance.


That's not much, but I won't do this for money. Well, mostly.


Then I accept.


Splendid! I will send the relevant papers right away! Please come back seven in the morning sharp! You may leave.


I get up and nod as a farewell. As I exit the door, I can hear their bickering starting up again.


This is not in the budget... -I absolutely refuse to let that… Please, let this matter be settled for now and move on…


If those three stooges are the city's last line of defence against whatever is tearing it apart, it's already doomed. I almost pity Wolleworth, but not enough to let it cloud my conviction to kill him if necessary. Perhaps I should do it anyway. Then again, he seems like a great asset for my continued survival at the moment.


Seeing that I will most likely spend the next weeks running around the city instead of doing neither of my actual jobs, I better check on Tobbe. The tradehouse bleeds enough money when it's open, and if it's closed, well, it won't destroy my finances as a whole, but money laundering becomes a serious problem. I can't just add too much money into my records suddenly or the City's taxing agency becomes suspicious.

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>>4822840
I walk to Tobbe's home straight from the station. A poorer part of the City, but still respectable. I pay him well enough and so far he's been a diligent and discreet worker. Last week I gave him a week off so he could take care of his ailing mother, but that ended two days ago and I've not heard a word from him since. I can understand if he needs more time, but this kind of silence is not like him.


I greet the landlady as I enter the townhouse where Tobbe rents a room in which he lives with his mother. From her description it sounds like Tobbe has been acting strange lately. He mostly stays in his room and acts aloof when outside of it.


I thank her and search for the room Tobbe lives in. 17, 17… there. Room 17. I knock the door and after some thumping Tobbe opens.


H...hey boss…


He looks terrible. Tobbe is a big man with brown, long and thick hair, but now his locks are glued to his pale scalp with his cold sweat. His eyes are lined with purple and he reeks. I'm just about to ask what the hell is going on when he collapses. The room behind him is messy beyond belief and curiously I can't see his mother. I'm just about to enter when I sense something magical in the room. Another presence. I look up and there near the rafters is a giant spider with a human face. Oh. Drazzengal.


I've dealt with this demon in the past. One time I had to kill a coroner and I thought it would be hilarious if the corpses were the ones to do the deed. So I summoned Drazzengal, as I read it could make corpses walk again. Did a fine job, but it was particularly uncooperative when it came to banishing so I never used it again. I did read it could also make the living walk against their will, so that would explain Tobbe' behaviour here.


I take cover next to the doorframe and barely manage to avoid its acid spit. I imagine that's how it ate Tobbe's mother. A chittering voice comes from the other side:


kekkekkkekkkekk I will feast today…


Not the smartest or strongest demon, but it's still irresponsible to let it loose like this. Whoever was behind the summoning clearly did a sloppy job. Or maybe they wanted to cause chaos. Anyway, I want my employer back and in working order to keep up my financial facade and I rather face demons demons from hell than an audit.

What's my strategy?

>I've banished this thing once and I can do it again. Charge! (roll 1d100)

>Try to sneak into its backside by climbing onto the roof and… I don't know… hack through the roof? Improvise! (roll 1d12 for getting onto the roof AND 1d100 for combat)

>I go back home to gather some equipment and then attack with better odds. Tobbe might not make it due to the delay. (roll 1d100)

>Try to find guards or civilians(landlady?) to act as bait. Things will escalate and your new standing with the City may take a hit if things go badly. (roll 1d100 for convincing people and 1d100 for combat)

>write-in (roll 1d100)

Best roll for the winner counts.

>I've banished this thing once and I can do it again. Charge! (roll 1d100)

oi oh let's shiv the git cant let some frompy spoder harrass our employee's cant roll since idk how

Rolled 4 (1d12)

>>4822860
>Try to sneak into its backside by climbing onto the roof and… I don't know… hack through the roof? Improvise! (roll 1d12 for getting onto the roof AND 1d100 for combat)

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>4822860
>>4822929
Aaaaand the attack roll if that works...

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>4822860
>>I go back home to gather some equipment and then attack with better odds. Tobbe might not make it due to the delay. (roll 1d100)
Stay here and don't go to sleep, okay, Tobbe? I'll be right back.

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>4822926
Rolling for our friend here.

dice+1d100
In the future, just type or copy/paste that in the Options field! Format is "dice+XdY+Z" with the values filled in and without the quotes.

Once again we're at impasse. If no winner emerges in, let's say 4 hours, I will just roll from the options with votes cast on them

>>4823501
Sounds like a plan, Stan.

>>4822926
I'll support

Just straight banish that motherfucker.

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>4823597
forgot to roll

>>4823501
Seems the direct action won by 2-1-1.

You can still try to influence the events by rolling 1d100 and hoping it's high.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>4823823
Watch this

>>4823927
nice

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>>4822926
>>4823448
>>4823601
Have to do this fast before matters escalate further. I try to remember the correct banishment ceremony for this specific demon, but I come up short and I definitely don't have any of the right instruments at hand anyway. My ritual knife will have to do.

I jump through the door frame and roll over eggshells, bones, scraps of cloth and who knows what refuse. Drazzengal shouldn't be able to spit acid so soon after the last spray, but I don't want to take any chances. Right now it's scuttling towards the opposite corner. I unsheath my knife and close in carefully trying to keep my balance on the dirty floor. If I slip it might be my very last mistake.


Drazzengal reaches the corner and spins around. Fortunately there is a brief delay between aiming and shooting, so I manage to evade most of its attack easily. Nevertheless some small droplets from its spray hit me, burn through my clothes and cause considerable amount of pain. I manage to shrug it off though pure adrenaline and leap towards it. It manages to avoid my admittedly clumsy attack by climbing higher, but my knife manages to nick one of its legs. Good. The physical damage is non-existent, but the enchantments in my ritual knife should make its structure unstable. Already it seems to favour its other legs.

It reaches the highest point and looks down maliciously. Then it spurts down a cloud of acid towards the part of the room I'm standing in. By sheer luck and reflexes I dive under one of the beds and hold my breath. The wooden frame of the bed starts to crackle and moan as acid hits it. That lasts a few seconds and then there is a massive thud and the bed is lifted and thrown on the opposite wall, where it shatters with a mighty thud. Drazzengal is now standing right over me with its sharp forelimbs raised for an attack. Panicking, I roll to my side and wildly slash at its legs. By some miracle I manage to avoid getting stabbed while connecting some strikes of my own. It screams inhumanly and turns away. It's now clearly limping and I can see some light coming from a couple of parts I managed to hit. Oh, you won't get to go after all that, you filthy overgrown spoider. I get up, reach it easily and repeatedly stab its back, abdomen, really anything looks like a soft enough target. Its scream turn into howling and then shrill wailing, before it implodes and vanishes with a flash of light.

I take a breather and take stock of the situation. Okay, as much as I would like to take credit of this now that I'm officially on payroll for monster hunting, well, will be, I really should keep this under a lid. Managing to fend of demons as a civilian two days in a row is too suspicious even for Wollenworth. Furthermore, Tobbe is physically weak, not to even speak of his mental condition. The thing tortured him for days and probably ate his mother before his eyes. Well, first things first, I need to sort things out with the landlady.

>>4824436
The landlady agreed to keep her mouth shut for a hefty bribe and additional fees for cleaning and damage. I craft stretchers from the remains of the bed and a pair of drifters from the street agrees to carry Tobbe to my tradehouse with a dozen crowns each.
In my house I make a bed in one of my rarely used guest rooms and carefully lay Tobbe onto it. It seems like some of the acid splashed onto him as well, which doesn't bode well with his already strained health. The next few hours are busy as I stride between the guest room, kitchen and alchemy laboratory. I boil water, make broth, mix ointments and salves and try to patch up Tobby's malnourished and pain-wracked body. He' unconscious for most of it, but now and then I can hear his wailing. After I deem the situation stable I bandage my own wounds and burn my now holey clothes.

What to do now. It will take days, if not weeks before I can even consider putting Tobbe behind the counter again. That is, if he recovers at all. His body will heal, but I don't know if his mind is resilient enough. Starting tomorrow I'm expected to help with the investigations with the City's "best and fines" and now I don't only need to have someone to watch over the store, I also need them to watch over Tobby or else he might not recover properly or do something foolish that further compromises my situation. I think I need to hire a new assistant.

It's afternoon, so I don't think a simple note on the window will do given the time constraints. Where should I look?

>Check my contacts with the City's underworld. They can probably point me to someone discreet, though I doubt I can afford their loyalty. Plus they can probably pick locks.
>The orphanage probably houses some kids old enough for the task. They can't all be illiterate, right? General ignorance might be a problem.
>If I remember correctly, the Hoggington Academy for the Gifted isn't too far away. Maybe some of the older students has enough free time on their schedule to work part-time in your store. Literacy isn't a problem, though they probably can't stay in my store all day and may even be too smart in a sense that they might deduce some of my secrets on their own.
>cast my net wide. Ask everywhere and then some. The extra vetting time means I have less time to instruct my new hireling.
>write-in

>>4824436
Forgot the trip here like a chump. I'm not that used to them. Personally I start to notice them only when somebody with one is particualrly obnoxious.

Damn, tough crowd

>>4824439
>Cast the net wide.

If we find a good lad then it shouldnt take too much time to keep their gobs shut. People like tobbe are a rare sort.

>>4826150
We will go with that.

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>>4826150
I lean back and stare at the roof. It's been years since I've had to hire someone, usually it's the other way around. I need someone discreet. Or gullible. Preferably both. And I need them today.

Several possible locations for scouting come to mind, but I don't have the luxury to choose between them. Any, or none of them could have a fitting applicant. Better start looking.

Just in case I put "help wanted" sign on the door with the time I'm available. I dress myself again (fancy, but not too fancy), refill my money pouch in case I need to grease some palms and head out. My first stop is only a few blocks away. A local cafeteria acts as a hotspot for thieves and other shady characters. I have a professional relationship with the owner and after explaining my requirements he says that he will put the word around that would-be shopkeepers with tight lips should apply for the job around six to seven o'clock.

Next I visit the orphanage. Terrible place, but full of potential labour force. I explain briefly what kind of help I need and after "tipping" the headmistress heftily she agrees to send some of the older children with their heads on their shoulders to my house.

What else, what else… oh! The schools, of course! Only ones in the City I know of are Hoggington's Academy for the Gifted and Crystal University. Both are across the river, so I take a carriage to save time.

Crystal University is a dead end, I couldn't even get inside and according to the doorman then dorms are off-limits to outsiders. I manage slightly better with the Academy. I couldn't meet the students personally there either, but a janitor agreed to pass the word to the students for a few crowns.

After that I sadly ran out of time to visit anywhere else and had to go back home. There are already a few applicants waiting there for my surprise, who I let wait in my store while I check on Tobbe. He's somewhat better, but can hardly get up to sit by himself and breaks in tears on moments notice.

CONT.

>>4826833

And now the part I've dreaded, interviews. There's a few kids from the orphanage, various characters from the street, few applicants who I realize must be from the cafeteria from the way they act and even some students start to walk in in the middle of the process. I send most of them away fast with a few coins for their troubles. Too old. Illiterate. Dyscalculia. Too ugly. Refuses to check up on Tobbe. Can't lift heavy things. It's like half the City's disabled have come in to try out their luck.

After two hours of interview I have seven potential candidates left. I guess I could hire more than one, but that raises the risk that they find out some of my secrets.

Which one(s) should I hire?

>Kalmo. A thin man in his late thirties, oldest of the applicants. The way he nods knowingly tells me he represents the city's underworld. Manners of a butler combined with keen and brutal intellect. Downside is that he charges through the roof for his services.

>Another shady character no doubt is a young woman who simply calls herself silk. Refuses to reveal much of her past and something tells me she will steal more than I pay her if I were to hire her.

>Orphan twins, Anna and Anton. They refuse to be separated, so I'd need to hire both of them. Anton is pretty heavily built for a teenager while Anna reads and writes fluently given her background. The downside is that Anna is frail while Anton is a bit slow. The way they complete each other's sentences sometimes is a bit creepy.

>Lona, one of the students. Says she can only do afternoons, but maybe she can compliment some of the others?

>Richard, the other student. Says he will drop out after this semester anyway and that he needs some experience, so he's willing to work fulltime. Something tells me that he's lazy.

>Mondo, a man from the streets. Says he's "between jobs". Willing to live in the store. Homeless recovering alcoholic? But he says his substance abuse is history now and that he's trying to turn a new leaf in his life. We'll see.

>>4826835
>Orphan twins, Anna and Anton. They refuse to be separated, so I'd need to hire both of them. Anton is pretty heavily built for a teenager while Anna reads and writes fluently given her background. The downside is that Anna is frail while Anton is a bit slow. The way they complete each other's sentences sometimes is a bit creepy.
and
>>Lona, one of the students. Says she can only do afternoons, but maybe she can compliment some of the others?
and
underpay them lol

>>4826960
>underpay them lol
Based

>>4826835
>Orphan twins, Anna and Anton. They refuse to be separated, so I'd need to hire both of them. Anton is pretty heavily built for a teenager while Anna reads and writes fluently given her background. The downside is that Anna is frail while Anton is a bit slow. The way they complete each other's sentences sometimes is a bit creepy.
Always pick orphans.

>>4826960
>>4827997
I look at the orphan twins. They're still almost children, but I don't need experts to keep the wheels running and Tobbe being cared for. Plus they're very cheap, I can tell. I bet I can make them work with little more than food and a roof over their head after I pay some modest fee to the orphanage for their contract. I'm just about to throw the rest to the street when I second guess myself. Perhaps it's better to have someone more grown-up to check on the store occasionally as well just in case those two get some silly ideas. I call on Lona and after some haggling she agrees to work a few hours every afternoon for a modest fee. I write and sign the contract with Lona then and there, but I need to make the arrangement with the orphanage personally. The head-mistress is pleased with my decision, but her fees are outrageous. After some back-and-forth we come to an agreement for leasing the twins for one month.

The rest of the evening goes with getting the twins accustomed to their new situation and explaining their duties for the coming weeks. The store should be manned at all times during opening hours and Tobbe cared around the clock. After the store closes, all the surfaces should be dusted and cleaned. The basement is off limits due to dangerous chemicals involved (really for the stuff further down, but that's a good enough excuse). I also give them a list of shipments and other events I expect to happen in the next few weeks.

The next morning I leave my home and hope the kids won't fuck up too badly during my absence. The station is rather quiet and I don't have to wait long before I'm led to a small room not unlike the one I was in yesterday.

I game the interview easily enough and before I know it, I get a shiny new badge I've meant to keep on my person while on official business. It's almost scary how easy that was.

I have to fiddle my fingers until afternoon before I'm given my first assignment. I'm attached to a "task force" led by sergeant Tatch as a "paranormal advisor". The rest of the day is spent on meetings, hang-ups and strategy sessions. I glean little useful info and give even less back. The real work is supposed to start tomorrow. I sure hope so, because so far this has been a waste of time.

CONT.

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>>4829254
As I walk back home around 6AM, I'm pleased to find the store open. At least some of my instructions were heard. I find Lona behind the counter with somewhat worried demeanour.
Oh, Mister H, it's good you're back! Something happened with Anton!

Fuck. I give a set of simple tasks, and these imbeciles…

Anton is laying on the floor of the storeroom with his sister by his side. Anna looks at me with glassy eyes.

Mister, you're here! My brother, I found him like this a moment ago! He doesn't wake up!

Spotting the lead box which I had put the Inquisitorial dagger earlier open I can guess what happened. Out of curiosity or misplaced sense of duty Anton had opened the box and then the dagger had given the same kind of zap to him as it had done to me earlier. I probably should have locked the box. Wonder where the dagger went…

What to do?

>Pour a bucket of water on Anton and search for the dagger
>Tell Lona to close the store and help Anton with Anna while I search for the dagger
>Focus on Anton and carry him to bed yourself
>Let Lona help with the twins and check on Tobbe instead
>write-in

>>4829254
>>4829266
Damn, I really should remember to check I have the trip on before posting these. In my defense I was tired.

>>4829266
>>Let Lona help with the twins and check on Tobbe instead

No update tonight, I meed to sleep. Feel free to keep voting if you're so inclined.

I'm planning to archive this thread pretty soon, maybe after we breach the 100 posts -mark, and then relaunch the quest with part 2 sometime in june with hopefully stronger results. I have some ideas where I've made mistakes regarding the OP and such.

>>4830306

Sorry for wanishing for a week.

I let out a long sigh.


LONA! CLOSE THE SHOP FOR THE DAY AND GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE! THESE TWO NEED SOME HELP!


I don't bother to check whether she heard and turn towards the stairs. Orphans… Give them a chance and the first thing they do is to ruffle my storage room like I ordered them to.


As I close in to the guest room, I hear a soft whimper. That's both good and bad. Tobbe is conscious, but probably traumatized and mentally unstable.


My suspicion proves to be correct, as he is sitting up on his bed heaving back and forth. I can't make out a word of his mutterings.


Heya, big fella! Back with the living, I see. Sorry about your mother, but…


He turns his face towards me. I can see he has been crying a lot.


It ate her… it atr her and all I could do was to watch… I couldn't even scream

...


Yeah, shit happens.


My response didn't come out as tactfully as I intended and I'm rewarded with mournful wailing.


Carefully I pat his shoulder and let it all come out. After a while Tobbe seems lucid enough to speak again.


Master… it wasn't… it wasn't one of ours?


Tobbe, we both know I'm not a honest man, but believe me when I say that I'm 100% sure I didn't summon that thing.


That seems to be enough for now. Tobbe sits with a million yard stare, but I'm sure he could break down any minute.


There's a knock on the door. It opens when I don't answer and I see Lona standing on the doorway. She's holding that damnable dagger the Inquisitorial Acolyte wielded. She looks furious.


What the hell is this thing!?!

>>4847870
This concludes the first part of the Assassin Summoner quest. I thank anyone who bothered to read and take part in my scribblings so far. I know I spoke about June earlier, but I will try my hand with other thinks first before part two. When we return to Jakim next time, the structure of the quest will be somewhat different.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

>>4847879
>>4847870

Somehow missed the last posts here, but I really liked this thread. After over a week and a half of not seeing this, I jumped back in and felt familiar with everything still. Would be cool to see you do part 2 later if you're still interested.

>>4867750
Yeah, I'd like to return to this at later date, but the concept needs some ironing out first.