TDM#1: Welcome to Phlan

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I'd bring an umbrella and a good pair of waders if I were you. NAVIGATION WELCOME TO PHLAN Click on the map for a full view BACKGROUND. The port city of Phlan, located just north of the Moonsea region, is not an idyllic landscape, filled with images of swashbuckling sailors and brimming commerce. It's a place that's been razed and rebuilt so many times that even the people of this rough and tumble town seem to embody a particular nonchalance to the chaos that exists within it. Entire streets of the city remain either unfinished or abandoned. Farms on the outskirts of town lend prayer to the Goddess of harvest and bounty, and yet, year after year they struggle to make ends meet. The main road leading into town, called the Iron Route, splits at the path just outside the city's gates. To your left, a quiet and somber collection of headstones litter the grounds of the Valhingen Graveyeard. They remind all who venture into this city from the main road of one simple thing: those who are born and raised here rarely make it out. The Director has sent her Reclaimers here, and as the glass bubbles are shot from the Moon Base, they land with thuds against the lining of the Quivering Forest. There are rumors that there's a powerful item hidden deep, somewhere within the confines of towns dotting the landscape of the Moonsea region. Your purpose is simple. Ingratiate yourselves as travelers, offer aid where it's needed, and keep an ear out on the ground for any whispers that might give lead to the location of a Grand Relic. 1. THE WELCOMERS You've spent a few hours in Phlan already, and have probably seen the entirety of its less than stellar nightlife; it doesn't take incredibly long to walk from one end to the other. There's only one tavern in the entirety of the place, and asking any locals where the best food or ale around is will either get you a cold shoulder or a heartily responded "The Laughing Goblin, of course!" The Laughing Goblin is run by a staff of two; a boisterous human woman who everybody calls Bonnie (although no one actually knows if that's her name or a callback to the sailors who frequent the town during stints in the Moonsea), and a rather rotund man named Mar (who tends the kitchen but has a serious soft spot for cats or juicy gossip). You can almost hear the raucous shouts of vulgarities from just outside the doors of the bar. Even tonight's musical guests, a trio of halfling bards who call themselves the Dandy Warhalls, don't seem to be outpacing the chatter and heated conversations going on within. Opening the doors and making your way into the room gives you more of a sense of what Phlan is really about than any other moment you've spent wandering the streets and being a really unfortunate tourist who decided on the worst vacation spot this side of the Sword Mountains. This place is alive. And in some ways, it's a good welcome to the world of Faerun, as you'll be spending quite a lot of time within these sorts of establishments, attempting to make your way through the inner workings of a possibly unfamiliar world. A. WHAT THE BAR KNOWS. ○ Bonnie is running herself to death trying to keep up with the orders. She can't seem to pour ale quick enough to keep the patron's glasses filled to the brim. She knows that this is a dangerous crowd, but she's tough as nails. A skirmish begins breaking out between two humans at the far end of the bar, disagreeing on the roles of the local law enforcement and how helpful they've been to their beloved town. Bonnie flares up almost immediately. "ENOUGH OF THAT OVER THERE. ONE MORE PUNCH AND I'M CUTTING YOU OFF FOR A WEEK, NIFF." Whoever Niff is, he snaps to immediately and sheepishly scratches the back of his head. You can almost swear you hear a defeated "Yes, ma'am," before Bonnie's attention is drawn elsewhere. She could use a hand, if you're particularly good behind a bar, and won't object to the assistance, even if she's leery at first. She just doesn't trust a whole lot of people. Get to know her a little bit, and she'll even complain about how the lighthouse's lens going out last week has made everyone in town anxious as trade seems to have come to a halt. ○ Reizem, Mof, and Jimbob, the trio performing in the back of the room on instruments and trying to invent the concept of rock and roll, are not exactly being welcomed with the type of applause that they'd like. They'll take a break midway through the set list, and are more than happy to talk to some refined guests of higher culture. Jimbob, who's currently sporting a number of upper cartilage piercings, is happy to talk about how this place is the literal worst. Not just any "worst." The literal worst. He's also a little bit drunk. ○ Mar, the only cook and also the only waiter in the tavern, will be happy to stop at your table and fill you in on "The Happs" in town, much to Bonnie's absolute dismay. A loud voice, even among the patrons that are currently three sheets to the wind, he'll disperse a few gems with the promise that if you know anything, you'll return the favor: ○ The local police, named the Black Fist, have been up in arms over the last few days about a shipment that was supposed to arrive at HQ. No one would bat an eyelash at that, since trade seems to have completely stopped once the lighthouse has gone out, but Mar's friends with a few low ranking guards who play bridge with him on the weekends. Yeah, he plays bridge. They got "real quiet" when he mentioned the missing shipment, covering it up with something about their training supplies getting cut short. Seems fishy, even for a place that reeks of fish pretty constantly. ○ The lighthouse over at Sokol Keep has gone out. "First time since I've been alive, that's happened," actually. He'll explain that one of the few rich families of Phlan (old money, he clears his throat with a sound of detestation in his voice) controls the lighthouse. The Black Fist have been sent over there to investigate but no one knows what the hell is happening. ○ Be careful of the Welcomers, a group of bandits who run around trying to steal anything they can get their hands on. "You'll notice you came across one of 'em on a'count of them missin' a gods forsaken ear." B. EVERY D&D ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH "YOU MEET AT A TAVERN, AND..." And it's a good time to meet your fellow Reclaimers, as well. Some of you might have been paired up during the Test of Initiation into the Bureau of Balance, or maybe you dropped into an apartment room to meet a flatmate you never knew you had (or maybe wanted), but there hasn't been a whole stint of time available to you to really get to know each other. Take a seat, grab some ale, complain about the music. The meal of the day, as it has been every day for the last 2 decades, is cabbage soup. It's kind of delicious. You're going to need to figure out lodging for the night as well. The Laughing Goblin has some rooms, but it's definitely not enough to fit all of the Reclaimers in the upstairs apartments. Lucky for you, your handy-dandy Bureau Issued Adventuring Supplies (BIAS, for short) has a sleeping sack and a tent. Maybe it's time to rough it for the night. C. LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT On your way out though, should you decide to cut it short and head elsewhere, you should probably stick to the main roads within town. A little ways away from the docks district, you can swear you hear a woman crying. Following the source of the sound leads you into a back alley, and just as you approach, you and your companion find yourself cut off on both ends of the street as the woman stands up, sardonic smile twisting around her lips. "Welcome to Phlan." And wouldn't you know it? She's missing an ear. Let's roll some initiative. 2. AROUND TOWN Your first night in Phlan either went amazingly smooth, filled with nothing but a pleasant experience of pure country bumpkin culture at its finest, or knocking out some thugs in a dark alleyway who were attracted to you by the value of your silver armlet. Either way, don't be discouraged, because it's daytime in Phlan, and time to set out to see what this place is like in the light of day. A. THE MARKET There are various stalls open for trade and business. Several of them seem to be closed up; without fresh fish and meat traded in from the nearby cities, access to certain goods is nearly impossible for any of the residents of Phlan. It's cabbage soup all the way down, it seems. Either way, there's a bit of a crowd coming and going from the center square. It's a great place to meet any number of people, Reclaimers or not. B. WHERE'S MY WRIT? Attempt to enter any of the stores that sell weaponry or armor and the first thing you're going to be asked here is if you've obtained the proper license from the Black Fist in order to purchase weaponry. See, there's a bit of a pay-to-play scheme going on here in Phlan. The merchants are offered protection by the local (mafioso) police in exchange for a highly lucrative bribe system, requiring anyone who wants to purchase anything sharp or potentially stabby to head over to the Black Fist HQ to pick up a "writ." And wouldn't you know it? The old man sitting at the receptionist desk of the Black Fist mansion has a mountain high pile of paperwork to go through. But he supposes he might look the other way if you happen to grease his palms a little bit. Anyone who can distract the earnest, hard-working, underpaid administrator to check that stack of paperwork will notice that there's nothing written on any of the sheets below the top one, which is basically just a diary entry from the man to make it look like official paperwork. While accepting your bribe, he bemoans how hard it is to make it by in Phlan these days. C. THE TELLER OF MISFORTUNES Along one of the side streets, you'll notice that there's a dimly lit shop with a stuffed kraken-looking beast dangling from the window. The smell of burnt sage wafts under the main entrance, and you can make out a row of various gemstones and crystals lined up perfectly within the shop itself. For a small fee of 10 silver pieces, you can go in there and meet Filistrom Stromdoodle, a gnomish woman who'll be happy to read your fortune. No matter how bright your prospects may be, she'll alert you that there's some impending doom in your life to come. She's seen a dark figure in your past, an ex-lover, an obsessed stalker. It's never good news with Filistrom. Ever the lover of theatrics and flare, she'll put on quite the show, and offer to cleanse your spirit of dark influences. Although the ritual does work (you're bathed in sage for a solid 5 minutes straight), she charges a hefty 5 gold pieces for it. Refuse, however, and she will absolutely cast a hidden Bestow Curse on you. And your luck from there only gets worse. 3. MISSING CARGO You've heard that the Black Fist have been fretting about lately over a shipment of goods that they were expecting recently. Remembering the Director's advice here- keeping an ear to the ground, not starting trouble, etc- you may get the hunch that getting to the bottom of the missing cargo might prove to get you some information about what exactly was in that crate that the higher-ups in the police were getting so on edge about. There's a few options in front of you to begin your search. ○ Look around the docks. There's a container yard that holds crates waiting to be shipped to and from the city of Phlan. With the lighthouse out, they can't be loaded onto ships and sent across the Moonsea. The waters are just too dangerous to go without a guiding light. You see a number of crates with city seal of Neverwinter on them. Little weird, since anyone that's spent time getting to know Faerun at the library back on the Moon Base knows that Neverwinter is on the other side of the continent. Searching inside any one of the crates (don't get caught!) you'll mostly find grain and agricultural wares meant for trade along the sea route. But one crate in particular has a subtle acrimonious smell to it. Open it up inside and you'll see it's filled to the brim with statues of Tyr. Tyr is a very well respected and beloved God within Faerun, denoting justice and law. Smash open any of these idols and you'll notice enchanted ink dust. Weird. The shipping label points to an appointed spot outside of town. ○ The location that the label directs you towards is a farm just northeast of town. It's seen better days, for sure- but the one thing that stands out is the remains of a recently burnt down barn. The family who owns the farm tells you that there was an accident a few days ago when the kids were playing Hide and Go Boo by candlelight. The children don't say anything about this. ○ Taking a look at the barn itself, you notice there's a similar smell in the air that's reminiscent of the enchanted ink you found within the crate back at the container yard. ○ The family simply doesn't have anything else to say on the matter when questioned. They're still reeling from the loss of their 2 prized family cows, who have won them the Phlan County Fair Blue Ribbon 3 years running. "Best cream on the Moonsea... such a sad loss for us. We'll miss Ben and Jerry so much." The woman of the house will point out the 3 blue ribbons hanging on the wall. It's the only decoration they have in this place. 4. THE BROKEN LIGHTOUSE Figuring out that the lighthouse being out is a huge source of financial ruin for the town, you eventually make your way over the Sokol Manor. The administrative head of the house sits at her desk, one Leela Sokol, pure white hair tidied neatly with a combover part and bright red lipstick on. She taps her fingers on the desk, looking bored and disinterested in your offer for help, but the second you mention that you're not affiliated at all with the local law enforcement, the very edges of her lips perk upward. "Oh, I do love some adventurers just gallivanting about upon our private property." Thinking it over, she rolls her eyes upward to the ceiling, but she guesses this will just have to do. Those of you from Earth may notice two things: she's wearing a bright red pair of heels and happens to look incredibly similar to Meryl Streep. Anyone who mentions that to her will be met with a confused stare and a request for clarification, mentioning that the Streep family over in Melvaunt, a neighboring town on the Moonsea, has no ties to House Sokol. Whoosh. She relates to you that the lighthouse has been tended to by her beloved nephew, Philip, for the last decade and although she wears the fiercest poker face you've ever seen in your life, you get the sense that she has no idea what's going on over at the Keep. Communication has come to a halt both to and from Thorn Island, just off the coast of the city, ever since the only ferryman in town passed away 2 weeks ago. The lighthouse and the Keep are the only things of note on the island that she's aware of. Black Fist Captain Grim and a team of 6 Black Fist guards are typically stationed there, but attempts at talking to the Black Fist over at their HQ have been fruitless. The excuse seems to be the same; most of the force is out either taking care of a recent surge of bandit activity by the town's local gang, the Welcomers, or are otherwise concerned with finding some missing cargo that never showed up a little while back. She'll allow you to head over there and find out what's going on, provided you don't go and talk to anyone in the Black Fist. House Sokol has a reputation to keep up, after all, and tarnishing that by showing distrust in the militia of the city doesn't bode well for her or her family. "Oh, and should you get there in one piece, please do remember not to steal anything. I'll know." Time to get a group of fellow Reclaimers together to find out just what went down over on Thorn Island. A. ARRIVAL AT SOKOL KEEP The Keep is on Thorn Island, surrounded by water in all directions. It's a rough swim, as the Moonsea isn't exactly a calm body of water. Maybe you can scope out a rowboat to help you get there. Either way, coming ashore at the massive mansion will be rather quiet and uneventful. There are no butlers to greet you. No Black Fist standing watch at the gate. Maybe Philip was just that reclusive, or maybe there's another reason that this place feels abandoned. There are 5 main structures on Thorn Island- the Sokol Keep itself, the lighthouse, an eastern tower, a western tower, and the barracks, used to house the guards that come and go from the mainland during their stay here. The stone mansion itself has two floors, and up until recently, looks like it was incredibly well maintained. Funny, since you didn't see any attendants on the island to greet you. Not a speck of dust, anywhere. The banquet hall looks filled as if an evening meal was being served just a few hours ago. Unfortunately, whoever was served this delicious looking feast didn't have time to finish it. It looks like it's been sitting out for days, and the smell of rotting meat is more than just a little pervasive to your senses. B. LOOKING AROUND After searching long enough on this abandoned island, you start to notice a few things that don't quite add up. First of all, Philip's room has a number of books on the occult hidden neatly among the academic literature peppered about in his personal library. Although nothing seems to indicate a struggle has occurred anywhere, investigating the ground around the barracks on the outskirts of the manor indicates freshly upturned dirt that looks like it was recently tilled over to cover something up. Perhaps someone was dragged, but it's really hard to figure out who, or what, could've done that. Your examination of the lighthouse itself shows a crystal at the top of the structure encased in glass that's been warded off and reinforced through magical means. There's no indication that someone had come here to snuff out the light or steal the lens from which the lighthouse operates. It just simply... won't glow. Ransacking the eastern tower reveals a place that doesn't look like it's been touched in ages, aside from a chair that's been moved, uncovering a trail of clean floor in the midst of dust literally everywhere. The dust seems to be everywhere, and spending a particularly long amount of time in here makes your lungs hurt and your eyes water. You do, however, find a small Holy Symbol, a rosary of beads with a small coin on it, the image of a Faerunian god etched into the metal. You're starting to get the sense that this island has been dealing with some below-board stuff lately. Cults, religious symbols. And did you just hear that chair begin to creak? Why do those empty bookshelves up against the wall look like they're vibrating? Time to get the hell out of dodge on this one. Investigating the western tower, however, reveals a bare floor that's been broken into via a pickax. Move some of the earth away and you'll find a hatch. Wouldn't you know it? It's unlocked. C. THE CATACOMBS If you didn't get the chills from the seemingly haunted eastern tower, dropping down through the hatch reveals a damp, dark passageway after a drop of roughly 10 feet below. The catacombs smell damp, have a particularly unsettling feeling about them, and touching the walls reveals an ungodly amount of mud that never seems to quite settle. Prestidigitation that off, if you will. Going deeper, you realize that you're descending below sea level. Eventually, you hit a snag- in the form of a whirlpool that seems to block your way through to the other side. It moves concentrically, and trying to cross it without a plan will end up getting you sucked right into it. At the bottom? You're tossed around like a gnome being fired out of a canon, and hitting the bottom of that pool of water reveals sharpened bones. Most likely human in nature. Better move fast, you can almost feel something reaching out to touch you. Provided you don't drown to a group of skeletons sitting at the basin of the whirlpool, you'll come to a wide open room with an altar towards the back of the cave structure, emanating a sickly violet light. On a raised platform, the body of Leela's beloved nephew, Philip, lies sacrificed. There's a trail of blood that leads from the dais to the pool of water surrounding this statue. Looking closer, you notice that the statue itself depicts something with the body of a woman and 6 slithery heads of a snake, crested with jade jewels for eyes. A hollow laughter fills out from the room as a figure moves forward from the statue. Where the hell did that come from? "Stay for dinner, we've got the early bird special prepared, just for you." Of course, it's Captain Grim. Did you ever think that a dude named Grim wouldn't be evil? He's sacrificed the poor boy and is now currently possessed by some unrepentant six-headed snake beast. His tongue slides out of his mouth, licking his bottom lip. Yep, that's more snake than human too. Make sure you kill this guy. D. THE AFTERMATH Killing, or otherwise subduing Captain Grim (what's your alignment, again?) is enough to make the lighthouse mysteriously come back to life. Whatever desecration was going on in the catacombs below seems to be lifted. Too bad you can't be treated like heroes upon your return to Phlan proper. Leela has made absolutely sure to spread a rumor at the Laughing Goblin about how efficient the Black Fist were at resolving the issue on Thorn Island. Oh well, you weren't doing this for fame and accolades, right? 5. CALL TO ARMS (DEXTROUS): THE SCROLL THIEF The Bureau of Balance has done pretty much everything they could have for this small port town on the Moonsea. The lighthouse has been restored so commerce once again begins to breathe life into the docks district. Sailors have changed their tune from anxious boredom and nights at the Laughing Goblin to the simple blessing that returning to work provides. That is to say, they've (mostly) sobered up and got back on the straight and narrow for the time being. But it doesn't end here, not quite yet. There's the sound of a parade of footsteps emanating out from the direction of the Black Fist headquarters. The entire guard has begun to give chase, and the city is quickly mobilized to a state of apprehension that you haven't seen at all during your stay here. Wherever you are, you're stopped nearly dead in your tracks as a man, not much older than 20, knocks you or one of your party members over on a beeline straight to the ships. You see, tucked neatly under his arm, an ornate looking piece of parchment paper that's been rolled up tightly. The man smiles at you, apologizing, just as a battalion of Black Fist agents begin to approach off from the distance. The youngster who has just collided with you turns his head to look upon this scene and groans. "Typical lugheads. Just what I was expecting outta this shit hole." And he takes off for the docks. He needs to get out of Phlan, and quick. What do you do? OOC: A LETTER FROM YOUR MOD TEAM Hello everyone and welcome to the first TDM for Balance, an experimental DWRP game that looks to combine light elements of time-honored and classic strategy games like FFT, Octopath Traveler, Tactics Ogre, and the wonderful worldbuilding experience of D&D. Our setting and concept is heavily based on the McElroy Brothers' popular D&D podcast, The Adventure Zone. If you're here, there's a good chance that you have interest in some, or all, of the components listed above. First off, this TDM is a little bit different than the TDM's that will come in the future app cycles. This one is structured like a mission mod log and assumes your character has already come to the Bureau, passed the Test of Initiation, and have been deployed on your first foray out into the world of Faerun. The reason we've done this is two-fold: to avoid any possible duplication with the introduction log (as you'll have the opportunity to thread out your arrivals), and we wanted to give everyone a sense of what the real core of the game will be like. So, for the purposes of this specific TDM, and only this one, you cannot take events that occur here as canon upon apping into Balance. Future ones will be more aligned with the Moon Base cycle and can potentially account for CR to transfer into the game. What we're aiming to do with Balance is a little different from your typical DWRP game. In a typical setting, the mods set up some NPCs that have limited contact with you, the player, under a very structured set of conditions. For example, The Director is one of those NPC types, as are her two counterparts (Davenport and Garfield). However, in Balance, we'd like to take a moment to instill something early on as we run through the first TDM of the game. We've listed a few NPC's up there to give you a flavor of their personality and what their look and feel constitutes. Those NPCs are completely pilotable by any of you, at any time. What we're looking to do is give you all a structure for adventure and seeing where you all can take it. It's part of our core value and how we'd like to see things move along. Be amazing- not just in the sense of being amazing to each other and to your characters, but also with your character choices in-game. The world is completely malleable and up to you to meld, mend, repair, or bust. In a nutshell, what we're saying is... go wild. It's okay not to ask permission for something cool you'd like to do. We've given you some outlines of events, but the story that you create as you thread these out is entirely yours. And we, as a mod team, can't wait to see what you bring to the table. blurb code by photosynthesis

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TDM QUESTIONS

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[megid0nt]

Were our errant heroes given any local currency before they were sent out?

CALL TO ARMS: DEXTROUS

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Respond here with your plans for the Call to Arms mission.

We'll roll for your success.

[lullabytes]

Can Chiaki use Shadow Step (monk) to get ahead of the thief and snag the scroll? (She's curious what it is, exactly. And obviously it's okay to borrow something in what is clearly a video game.) I'm not sure how detailed you need the plans to be!

REQUEST AN RNG ROLL

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Feel free to ask for anything to be RNG'ed as you see fit.

[oculusriffs]

ROLL ME PLEASE

tell me if dave can use emphatic duty to convince the one-eared lady to fulfill her alleged destiny as a rapper

ryuji sakamoto (persona 5) - barbarian

[ryuji]

1. EVERY D&D ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH "YOU MEET AT A TAVERN, AND..."

[So this is supposed to be Ryuji's life now, huh? His entire world was ransacked, once, and then again a second time, and he has to be subjected to the worst example of rock music he's ever heard. It's actually assaulting his ears. The beat is just so far off from what's supposed to be right, and screw the Prime Directive bullshit that's going on within the town, he's about to go commit a time sin by anachronistically shoving his way into the Dandy Warhalls to give some sage (read: not smart at all) advice.

And he doesn't really know how to play a lyre, but he knows how to strum a beat, and that's the first thing he focuses in on. He'll be busy teaching the halfling how to keep up the tempo without the medieval gloom associated to the bare boned effort they're trying to make. Seems to go pretty well, up until he's asked to help lend a hand and perform a song with them.]

Are you forreal.

[He's not a bard? He's not a bard.

But he'll join in for a song as Mof joins in on a larger lyre. Ryuji has no idea what he's doing, but as Jimbob starts wailing about the socioeconomic maladies of Phlan, he beats down on this primitive drum, going to town on it. When it's over, it doesn't seem like the rest of the bar gives a shit either way, the talk of the town seems to lend itself to its staggering unemployment rate instead. Oh well, he gave it his best.

Mof's currently buying Ryuji an ale, and he has no idea what he's supposed to do with this crap. He turns to you, pleading with a "get me the hell outta here" stare that might indicate he needs to be saved from becoming a Dandy Warhall groupie. His lips mouth out a singular syllabic "help" in your direction.]

2. THE TELLER OF MISFORTUNES

C'mon, it'll be fun. What's the worst that happens?

[Ryuji has said this so many times before that you think he'd know by now that there's always a "worse thing that happens" when he gets inspired to do something dumb. He thinks the kraken plush in the window is a good omen, since it looks sick as hell, and as he holds the door open for you, the wafting smell of sage just bombards his senses completely. Ryuji sneezes, holding his hand over his nose. He had no idea he was this allergic to burning herbs, but here he is, inside a little fortune teller's shop, looking at the various wares around the room and wondering what half of this shit is actually meant to do. Filistrom waits for her new clients to take a seat, but Ryuji's eye is caught by a yellow crystal just calmly sitting on a shelf, giving off a weird, yet invigorating aura.

He's not a rogue. But if he were one, this would be absolutely his time to shine.]

What the hell do you think this thing is?

3. MISSING CARGO

[Ryuji's beside himself. He's seen this on a television drama once; some noir cop coming down to the docks to figure out what was going on with a shipment of nefarious bullshit. The cop gets surrounded by a bunch of thugs in the Yakuza and has to rely on his sheer coolness alone (and maybe some kickass fighting skills, those were pretty damn key for him) to get out of a sticky situation. But mostly? He's been looking around these crates, inside and out, and there's nothing here that even resembles something out of the ordinary.

All this wheat, though. He imagines it could make a killer bowl of ramen. He's not a merchant, he can't figure out how much this stuff is actually worth, and it's a little gross to be all up in cargo that's meant for consumption, but Ryuji's hand ducks in to get a sense of what the raw goods are supposed to feel like. He's a city boy, he's never had the farm life experience, and this is pretty amazing for him.

Until it becomes absolutely boring. There's nothing here that would lead anyone to believe that the Black Fist were up to planning something outside of a really carb-heavy dinner party. Except, of course, when he stumbles upon the crate with the statues of Tyr in it.]

Shit! Dude. C'mere. Take a look at this.

[One in each hand, he forgets that the gritty drama he had idolized also had a similar setup. Drugs hidden inside normal, everyday items.]

This is some weird stuff.

4. WILDCARD: THE QUIVERING FOREST

[Maybe it's a hunch, but Ryuji didn't like the feeling that he got when he landed in the forest with the rest of the Reclaimers. A few days into the mission, he returns to give a look around the forest and see what there is to see about the place. He'll try to drag someone he recognizes from the Bureau with him, and maybe it's just a wild sheep's chase, but Ryuji can't shake the feeling that there's something out there that he just hasn't figured out yet.

And after being stuck on the Moon base, a scenic detour of the fantasy woods is just what he's looking for.

His danger sense immediately activates. Ryuji isn't a bard, or a rogue, or a merchant. He's a barbarian. And the ill feeling that surrounds him as the both of you circle the outskirts of the woods is something that he tries to swallow down.]

This is seriously just like a video game, yeah? We can probably go hunt boars down in the forest for a few hours to level up.

[That's really stupid, Ryuji.

Talk him out of it, and he'll be a little more forthcoming with what he had felt back when they landed here. Something didn't feel right about this place. Go in deeper, and of course, that sense was absolutely correct. There are fae in the wilds of the woods, and currently, one that's invisible to the eye has decided to play a game of cat and mouse with its prey.

Ryuji's lifted upward in the air and hung on a tree branch. His companion's hair is being tugged at.]

AHH! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

5. NETWORK

@skull
Anyone figure out how to buy shit in this town yet?

2 THE TELLER OF MISFORTUNES

[thevanguard]

Dude. Never say shit like that. Are you tryin to jinx us?

[ Yata has followed him into the strange little store, needing to give his eyes a moment to adjust to the dim interior. And to have an abrupt sneezing fit, because what the hell, it's like plant people gone wild in this place. He wrinkles his nose, lifting an arm to cover it with a baggy sleeve as he glances around their surroundings.

And completely misses the sight of the gnomish woman, which is pretty impressive, considering. It's not like she's dressed to blend in, but he's caught up trying to take in everything at once instead.

Unlike Ryuji, his gaze has been drawn to a small bottle with a strange substance in it, a bright blue that almost appears to be neon, with shimmering specks floating within it. He reaches out to tap a fingertip against the bottle curiously, wondering what it holds. ]

Who knows. Weird Shit, clearly.

qrow branwen | rwby

[blodsvorr]

1.C

[He may have been tossed out of Remnant with no home to get back to (not something to think about) but he is and always will be a Huntsman. He's a guardian. He's here to protect people. So when he hears crying, he signals to you, companion, and says,] Let's check it out.

[He knows it could be a trap. He was a bandit. He's done traps like this. But he's still a Huntsman, and it's still his job to help other people. So when they're blocked off....

He grins, putting a hand on the hilt of Harbinger at his back, ready to draw. He looks at his companion to appraise whether or not they can actually fight like this.]

You in or out? 'Cause if it's out, I'm gonna have to ask you to step back.

[He is ready to 1v1 it up in this place, but guardians don't let people get hurt.]

4.B

[Okay, so it's some kind of curse. Got it. Qrow is obviously going to poke around, drawn to any particularly shiny thing. He can't help himself? His name is Crow McCrow, for God's sake, this is what he's about.

Inevitably, poking the bookshelves means that the books fall on top of his head. Were you there to be caught in the crossfire, or do you just get to witness this artful stupidity?]

Wow. Lucky me.

[This man should not be a chemist.]

wildcard option!

[want to do something else? hmu here or PM me for one (1) badluck chemist]

[NOTE 1: The power Qrow gets to keep from home is misfortune, which is to say passively causing bad luck to those around him just by being nearby. Please feel free to make things go wrong throughout the thread if you so wish, especially for comedy value.

NOTE 2: Qrow is a chronic alcoholic, and while he won't be drunk in any of these threads, mild alcohol use may occur or be mentioned. Comment here to opt out of alcohol mentions specifically or threads with Qrow altogether!]

1.C Hello I love Crow McCrow already. Gives him another crow?

[thevanguard]

[ Qrow isn't the only one grinning when the weeping woman straightens with a malicious glint in her gaze, and Yata all but steps forward, his fingers curled into fists at his side and a light of anticipation in his gaze as he takes in the layout of their impromptu fight.

But he knows all about traps and setups like this - he's been part of them often enough himself, back home, and he's already turning to face the other direction when more Welcomers appear, moving to block off either end of the alley, keeping them from escaping. Hedging them in.

Yata just smirks. ]

Oh, I'm in, alright. I've been itching for a little fun, anyway.

dave strider | homestuck

[oculusriffs]

[this gaggle of Reclaimers fell on down to Phlan with a specific mission, but since Dave most likely didn't pay all that much attention to whatever briefing they were given, he just immediately sets off with a task of his own: to get rid of a stupid shitty sword that was probably funny right up until it turned out to be his only weapon.]

[here are the stages of grief a kid goes through when he realizes he is, in fact, stuck powering through the entire game with the SORD.....]

i. a back alley

[it'd probably be easier to just pretend it doesn't exist. which is likely a factor that ultimately leads to Dave and whoever happens to be with him at the time being accosted by a crying siren one-eared lady in a back alley.]

[and, he's the sort of person who just blurts out whatever he thinks will help him in out of hairy situations. also, the sort of person who already forgot what the hell a paladin is supposed to actually do.]

Jesus Christ. [brace yourself, an accidental Emphatic Duty is pending.] Can I make a few suggestions? Like, I've already got a list of literally anything you could be doing that's not luring kids down a dark alley.

[and he pauses, directing his gaze expectantly to the person who's been trapped alongside him (you know. you!). just roll with it. toss a few new career options out into the open. Dave's going to remind her of her destiny as a rapper if you don't.]

ii. network

[okay, now he's starting to get a little pissed. at some point between the fist arrival and a trip down to a malfunctioning lighthouse, a series of texts shoots across the bracelets.]

hey
i know were not supposed to be bartering anything thats got like
a vague whiff of magic in it
but is there a rule against chucking your magic shit in the ocean
what if you wedge it between some rocks somewhere in the woods
let it live on as a distant and unfortunate legend like the piece of shit it is
is it cool if i curse the forest over there

iii. the smithy

[and then he figured there had to be someone out there who could make the SORD..... serviceable. it's not that Dave's all that interested in fighting — he just knows that, from experience, there are ultimately going to be people he's cool being around, and they're ultimately going to be people who need protecting. he doesn't really know how to do that any other way than by fighting.]

[and after a heated bargaining session with Alero the Smithy, after he dropped the offer of letting him work on a, uh. rare. legendary. artifact? he's standing there, watching the poor bastard grind everything he's got against a shitty trashloss jpg weapon in an attempt to sharpen it.]

Think it's working? [that's directed to both Alero and whoever else happens to be standing there.]

[it's not working.]

iv. wildcard

[at some point, Dave is going to remember he can light up a jpg sword like a torch and accept that it's a good enough weapon to work with. throw whatever else you want at him! i'm also considering making him a Reverie CRAU, so throw that at him if you want, too.]

iii.

[blodsvorr]

[He was curious to see how smithing worked here, and honestly? He's deadly curious to see what could be done with a weapon like the SORD..... A weapon more absurd than anything seen in all of Remnant. So he came along to watch a smithy in action.

He thinks the weird thing is winning against metal. Wow.]

I think it's not working.

[In a flat tone, but also... kind of impressed? What the hell.]

guido mista | jojo's bizarre adventure | paladin

[protegge]

( 1B ) socializing

[Just because cabbage soup isn't his favorite food doesn't mean Mista can't make the best of a bad situation. Nothing about this is ideal, really; a lot of it's picking at the inside of his ribs, niggling at him and pulling at the fibers of his heart just to make sure he doesn't forget it's there. But, you know, that's life. He can put everything that's happened aside long enough to get the job done. That's what he does.]

[And honestly--it's warm in here, there's people around. He likes not being alone. He doesn't want to be alone right now, and he's so grateful for the presence of other sentient creatures around him that he's feeling pretty generous.]

Nah, I don't really need a room. I mean, if we're competing for 'em.

[He taps his spoon against the rim of his bowl, shrugs one shoulder.]

I've slept outside before, doing it again isn't gonna kill me. [Sure, it's not what he's used to anymore, but--he grins.] I don't know about you, but I'm not here to be the high-maintenance guy on mission one. Not a good look, right?

( 1C ) the welcomers

Of-motherfucking-course.

[He has to admit: it's a good ruse, a good lure. Because of course he followed the sound of a woman crying; even on the off chance it was a trap, it's not like he could risk the bad karma. So in a way, he's kind of impressed.]

[But also irritated. Very, very irritated.]

No good deed goes unpunished, I guess, [he says, rolling his eyes when the one-eared woman laughs at him. Glancing to one side, then the other, he elbows his companion in the side.] Back-to-back, right now, unless you wanna get stabbed in the liver. And I'll say this right now, I'm not wasting a bullet on a lady who can't even name a gang right.

( 2B ) the black fist

You know this isn't, like, a unique scam, right? [Mista drawls, gaze disdainful and lazy as he leans against the edge of the clerk's desk. He hasn't bothered to look at the stack of paperwork; he doesn't really care if it's real or not, though he expects the latter. It's more the taste of the whole situation that's bitter and telling. He's seen it before, done better and more deeply-entrenched. And more stylish.]

[These fucking people have no style.]

You're sitting here in this nice big house with all your friends probably in the back room waiting to split up whatever we give you, trying to get paid and get pity. Seriously? Have some criminal pride. You believe this guy?

[This over his shoulder at his companion, because he sure as shit isn't going anywhere alone after the Welcomer debacle. Probably, unless and until he changes his mind. His gun is heavy at his hip under his coat, but again--he doesn't want to use it. It'd be a waste. He knows there's something bigger coming.]

[Still. He doesn't like cops. So who knows.]

( 4B ) cult activity

. . . Shit.

[Crouched on the dusty floor in the eastern tower, it seems like maybe Mista's forgotten the mission a little bit. He's pretty focused, despite the discomfort in his lungs; he's so used to pain that he's barely aware of it. What's got his attention is the rosary in his hands. It makes him anxious and homesick and angry and sad all at once, so the end result is mostly muddled. One instinct wants him to touch it to his lips and close his eyes and pretend everything's fine, really, it-was-all-a-dream; another wants him to burn it, never mind that it's probably a clue.]

[With a sigh, he straightens up, cracks his back, and holds it out in the light with a plaintive expression.]

Hey, do you know--you recognize the symbol? I got nothing.

( WILDCARD )

[Want something different? Hit me with it, or PM this journal!]

1C

[mccreehaw]

I think it's meant to be ironic.

[ Is McCree's drawled answer as he posts up against Mista's back. His right hand is on his holster, but the guy brings up a good point. He doesn't want to waste bullets either or else he'll need to hit up Fantasy Costo for more. It doesn't sound like he can fill out a form and get resupplied as part of the job, so it'd be out of pocket.

Instead he flips his serape back a little to reveal his cybernetic metal arm. He can throw a pretty mean punch with it. ]

Sure you don't wanna walk away? Because I'd be happy to rip off the other ear for you.

Saruhiko Fushimi | K/CRAU from The Far Shore

[monkeyblue]

1-C

[Fushimi is just. Staring at this nutjob. He is not amused in the slightest, shifting a little as he prepares his daggers.

Or a spell. It's hard to tell with him.]

You have two minutes to leave before I kill you.

2-A

[There is one very annoyed warlock staring at a stall of arcane doodads with a surprising amount of disdain. Granted, Fushimi is hardly dressed like a normal warlock, looking a bit more like a rogue than one might expect, but he is very much a warlock. He just really wishes he wasn't.]

Tch. What does this crap even do...

Wildcard

[Or just drag a formerly-dead-currently-annoyed jerk into shenanigans!]

2-A

[thevanguard]

Ah-HAH! TAKE THAT!

[ Saru might suddenly feel a pointed prod in the small of his back as his redheaded companion wields a.... yeah, that's a rapier. Who let the barbarian have a sharp pointy object?

Well. "Let" might be a stretch, considering the weapons merchant is currently distracted on the other side of their shop. ]

Misaki Yata, Battou!

Misaki Yata | K/CRAU | Barbarian

[thevanguard]

1. THE WELCOMERS

B. EVERY D&D ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH "YOU MEET AT A TAVERN, AND..."
[ They'd all been advised that the Tavern was the place to go to hear everything and anything and also get a feel for the local life of the town. So here he was, looking more than a little out of place at a corner table. There's a tankard of water in front of him - which had gotten him a lot of strange looks when he walked in and ordered it - and a bowl of the cabbage soup. Which he's... poking at skeptically with a spoon. Which might possibly earn him the ire of the woman behind the bar buuuuut...

Whatever, it gives him an excuse to be here while he listens in to conversations floating about the Laughing Goblin. Or maybe, to be joined by you. Yata barely looks up when you approach, shoving the bowl not-so-subtly in your direction. ]

Here, try this.

C. LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT
[ It was the sound of crying that had lured Yata down the side alley, although he's cautious and wary for trouble after all the tales he'd heard. When they turn out to be true and the weeping woman straightens with a malicious glint in his eye, he actually relaxes somewhat. As if a woman now wielding a knife in a back alley is so much easier to deal with than one back here crying.

He shoots an eager glance at the person beside him before fixing the woman with a smirk of his own, something almost like eagerness sneaking into his posture. ]

Oh yeah. Now we're talking. Finally, someone I can take my frustrations out on.

2. AROUND TOWN

C. THE TELLER OF MISFORTUNES
[ It had been more than a little disappointing to find out he couldn't really buy any weapons or anything in the stores (A writ? Really? What kind of scammy place was this town?) But somehow he'd found himself wandering into a different store with some kind of monster hanging in the front window. Having no idea what this shop might be or if he will find anything different inside, Yata steps inside the dim little shop.

And immediately doubles over with a sneezing fit from the thick scent of burnt sage in the air. ]

What the hell exploded in here?!

4. THE BROKEN LIGHTOUSE

A. ARRIVAL AT SOKOL KEEP / B. LOOKING AROUND
[ Alright he knows absolutely nothing about lighthouses, broken or otherwise, but how hard can it be to turn on a light?

....Apparently really hard, considering the only thing at the top of the lighthouse is some weird crystal that he can't even get to. And nothing so simple as a light switch to be found anywhere. Great.

Which means he goes hunting elsewhere on the island, poking into various buildings and rooms in search of clues. And ends up in the eastern tower, eyes burning from dust, when weird shit starts to happen. Really weird shit. Which is why, anyone else within hearing distance, will hear a very high-pitched shriek of terror when things start moving by themselves.

...Yeah, he's not so good with ghosts. ]

C. THE CATACOMBS
[ Oh, he got the chills after his near brush with the supernatural, alright. It had almost been enough to make him high-tail it off this entire island, to be honest. But nope, he was still here on a mission and considering someone else in the party that had come over had discovered a strange hatch in the ground that led down into a spooky underground set of caverns...

Wait, why had he agreed to any of this again? ]

...I've got a bad feeling about this.

Wildcard;

{{ Hit me up with a prompt of your own or poke me on chaneystarr with ideas! }}

4B

[mccreehaw]

[ McCree winces at the shriek and shakes his head like he's trying to clear it. That noise damn near made his eyes vibrate. Wait; that's not his eyes, that's the bookcase. ]

Huh. Don't suppose there's an earthquake happening somewhere.

[ He's not at the point where he's scared, but it definitely feels weird and ominous in here. ]

Roxas | Kingdom Hearts | Fighter

[seasaltkeys]

[1B]

[It's probably the first time Roxas had had in a while to sit and think. The past while has been more than a little overwhelming, between being pulled into a new world, recruited by a new Organization (which at least seemed nicer than the previous one), and then thrown into a new room with a new roommate and meeting a whole bunch of other people.

Never mind having to sort through all his memories and work things out from there.

Yeah. It's been a lot.

He sits at a table in the tavern, eyeing his cabbage soup a tad suspiciously but mostly trying to evaluate the room. Recon he can do, he knows from hazy recollections of his days in Organization, but at the same time most of his reconnaissance was done through sneaking around and not being seen. He's not used to talking to people for information.]

Maybe I should get a notebook...

[4B]

{i}

[Okay, this he can do. Exploring and looking for clues was definitely familiar and how often did you get to explore an old castle like this? Not often, if you were Roxas. Well, there had been Beast's castle but at the same time they hadn't been allowed near the lighthouse at the Beach in Twilight Town...and Roxas is going to have to take a breather for a moment because that was too many memories at once.

He might be leaning against a wall for a moment, trying to catch up.]

{ii}

[Eventually he recovers though, and finds himself at the top of the lighthouse. There's something about a crystal he's supposed to check but distractions are going to happen first.]

WOW! Look at the view!

[Wildcard]

[ooc: Want to do something else? Let me know and I can set something up!]

1b

[oculusriffs]

[sup BHK, it's another BHK, looking about the same level of interested in the cabbage soup he's been served. he's not really sarcastic when he speaks — it's more blasé than anything.]

What, are you gonna record your adventure or something?

Akechi Goro | Persona 5 | Paladin

[grakraka]

[A | No More Soup]

[While he might have run a food blog back home, Akechi truly doesn't care much about food at all. He pretty much lived off convenience store food which, while delicious, wasn't usually the most healthy. He rarely even experimented with what he bought. Suffice to say, there's little he's really picky about.

But God, he is getting sick of seeing cabbage soup. Akechi frowns at the fifteenth stall of the shit that he's found. Sure, it tastes fine, but he hoped to grab something different at least. With a frustrated sound, he pinches the bridge of his nose.]

I will take literally anything but this as long as it is edible.

[B | Eastern Tower]

[A murder mystery. That is clearly what this is and so of course he has to look into it—even if he was a fake detective, he's still a smart kid when it comes to that kind of thing. Akechi can be found going through the books, muttering to himself in annoyance.]

Of course. A bunch of occult books. A ritual gone wrong, I suppose... [He isn't sure what exactly it would be but it's worth considering, since apparently magic like on TV is a thing here.] Even if it's gibberish.

[He tosses the book aside without looking. Duck!]

[Wildcard]

[i'd be happy to make a starter for you or you can make one! i'm pretty game for anything. you can PM me or hit me up at astronomia if you want to hash anything out!]

A - why hello there stranger

[alethiological]

[The voice is loud and uncaring, directly over one shoulder, with absolutely no warning whatsoever on how he appeared there. Tall trees in cloaks shouldn't be that sneaky.]

Stop complaining. If it's that bad, go scavenging.

[Well.

Not wrong.]

chiaki nanami | super danganronpa 2 | monk

[lullabytes]

[ ooc: attention video game characters, chiaki is the shsl gamer! this means she plays a shit ton of video games, and can recognize your character if you so choose, or not if you'd prefer not. just indicate your preference in your comment header, or if you'd like to be in depth go here. she won't fourth wall anyone, but she may be even more friendly to video game characters. ]

1-a. interactive npcs

[ chiaki nanami is nothing if not methodical and a little odd. she goes about life like she's playing a video game, and accordingly she is speaking with every. single. person. in the bar. this is obviously taking her a while and she's asking various questions, but eventually she will probably come to a stop near one of the walls, tapping her chin idly with a finger as she considers.

if she sees you - or more importantly your bracer - she offers up: ]

...I think I've found a few of the plot quests, and a few side quests. Hm...it can be hard to tell which is which in level one, can't it?

[ she'll probably expand on what she thinks the "quests" are if asked. at the very least chiaki seems almost ridiculously calm and at ease with her surroundings, apparently perfectly Fine with her apparent recruitment to what appears to be some sort of tabletop adventure or rpg. ]

1-b. chiaki nanami has joined your party

[ or rather, she would like to. she comes to loiter beside your table, looking thoughtful. ]

Pardon me...does your party need a fighter-class character? I'm a monk. I'm looking for at least three other people to balance my stats...

[ ...........

basically, can she sit with you? that appears to be the secret question to her video game code, as she stands there holding a tray and looking patient. ]

1-c. roll for initiative

[ chiaki is a monk, yes. but she doesn't have any of the fighting paths just yet, and anyway she's more inclined to be peaceful about things than she isn't. so despite the sardonic grin smile and obviously missing ear, her response is...

well, a little slow, like she has to load a mental response. but then: ]

...Thank you. It's kind of nice here...ah, if it's okay, I'd rather not take on a combat quest right now.

[ if you feel like rescuing a slightly sleepy gamer girl, you could probably step in here. pleasantries probably won't save her, since she isn't a particularly charismatic person. she's a dextrous one. ]

3. enchanted ink dust

[ have a simple prompt: chiaki is kneeling down beside the dust, swiping her finger through it, and then thoughtfully putting her finger in her mouth after smelling it.

why is she like this. at least she doesn't drop over dead! yet? ]

4-a. row row row your

[ a rowboat isn't a bad idea!

but chiaki is pretty small and spends most of her time playing video games. so...if you look even slightly more athletic than her: ]

Excuse me...I'd like to invite you to a multiplayer campaign.

[ please help her row across the moonsea. ]

4-c: the catacombs

[ chiaki actually loiters outside of the catacombs, leaning against a wall and...

hm. is she sleeping? she appears to be sleeping. she's even lightly snoring.

this is probably not a great place to be doing that, but she's easy to rouse. a few loud words or shaking her will do the trick, and she's too good-natured to mind either. ]

5. call to arms

[ normally chiaki isn't really the most athletic person. but she doesn't have to be, does she, if she has a special move or two? when she's bumped into it takes her a second to get her balance back, but then she thoughtfully looks ahead and - well, seems to teleport into the shadows ahead of the thief.

she then simply takes the scroll away from him thanks to a 19 on her dex roll. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

after asking the thief about the scroll, you might hear the response of "trust him," and that "getting this scroll out of Phlan is the only way to keep the city safe." - care to interject an opinion on what the petite teen holding the scroll ought to do here? she seems to be considering her options, maybe too slowly for the thief who is going to be cornered pretty shortly. ]

extra. network

this looks like it should have some games loaded, but it doesn't.

does anyone know how to add them on?

[ this doesn't seem super important. ]

wildcard.

[ alternately, choose your own adventure! i'm more than willing to roll with whatever you throw at me or to even write up a custom starter for you. you can reach me via journal pm, at lucylovespluto, or via discord at pluto#9196. ]

1a | i'm fine with her knowing McCree if she doesn't fourth wall him

[mccreehaw]

Level 1? You mean because it's our first mission?

[ McCree's used to going on missions — since that was the bulk of what he did with Overwatch — but calling it a quest seems a little outdated. Then again, the story is they're from all over, right? Maybe she just speaks in a weird way. ]

What have you found out?

[ He's been keeping an eye on things here and has noticed her talking to literally everyone in here. ]

blake belladonna | rwby | rogue

[gambolshroud]

a 🗡️ lukewarm welcome (1c)

[Blake has no fear of dark sidestreets or back alleys. As a member of the White Fang, those places had often been the best for cover, and that hadn’t changed even after she’d renounced them to become a Huntress. She’s always preferred stealth to a more straightforward approach, dark places feeling like something of a second home, and so when she hears what sounds like a woman crying, she doesn’t hesitate to turn down that bleak and narrow alley to investigate. She looks to you, her fellow Reclaimer, and beckons for you to follow.

Of course, as you find yourselves cut off in the alley at both ends, she’s grateful that you’re both armed.]

Some ‘welcome.’ There are plenty of people in this town who actually need our help.

[Awfully low, pretending to be a victim to lure people like them into a trap— except Blake is pretty sure that the Welcomers are the ones who are going to regret coming here, rather than the other way around. She looks to her companion, offering a sharp nod.]

Watch my back, and I’ll watch yours.

b 🐟 market woes (2a)

[Cabbage soup all the way down. She’s never really been a fan of cabbage, but now that it seems to be the only real option, Blake finds herself even more averse to it than usual. She sighs as she comes to a stop in front of yet another stall, this one offering some kind of sweetly glazed cabbage. People actually eat this stuff?]

I’d expect a port town to have more fish, even with the trade routes being compromised.

[Talk about a disappointment.

She folds her arms across her chest, frowning as she huffs another sigh, steeling herself. She’s going to have to learn to deal with cabbage for as long as they’re here, apparently, or go hungry.]

This town is even worse off than we thought…

c 💡 lights out (4b & c)

( 4b ) looking around:

[The books found in Philip's room had been strange enough on their own, but the interior of the eastern tower is even more curious. It looks like it hasn't been touched in who knows how long, with some bookshelves fully stocked and coated in a thick, undisturbed layer of dust, while others stand completely empty, making the room feel incomplete. Blake covers her mouth and nose with one hand as she ventures further in, trying to keep some of the dust at bay, and not for the first time, she's grateful for her sharp Faunus eyesight helping to offset the dim lighting in here.]

This place is a wreck... if Philip's been living here for the last decade, I don't think he's wandered far from the main house for a long, long time.

[This place is severely underused, which is a shame, considering it has the makings of a pretty cozy library. She narrows her gaze as something catches her eye amid the gloom, crossing the room to find a Holy Symbol she doesn't recognize atop a small table with a burned-out reading lamp. She holds the Symbol up to get a better look, frowning to herself.]

What...? Hey, does this look familiar to you at all?


( 4c ) the catacombs:

[Getting past the whirlpool had been bad enough, but reaching the room where Philip lies still on the altar— so far, the island has been unsettling at best, but this is something else entirely. She feels her stomach turn, clapping a hand over her mouth as she averts her eyes, just long enough to slowly exhale and compose herself. She's no stranger to blood, but it's one thing when it comes from monsters— another entirely when it's a person, one who was apparently sacrificed.]

... we're too late.

[Too late to save Philip, but maybe not too late to stop this from happening to someone else. She moves to kneel beside the altar, reaching down to brush her fingertips across the trail of blood on the floor.]

It's still pretty fresh. Whoever did this has to be close.

[Not a comforting thought, but good to know.]

d 📖 wildcard

[Anything you like! If you have something else in mind, go for it.]

4c

[thevanguard]

[ Yata is soaked and still dripping on the stone floor as he follows her in, but stops short without approaching the altar, eyes widening a little in shock. ]

Well, shit. That's just... Really??

[ So much for the weird scholar guy with the haunted castle being responsible for this. Those wounds were definitely not self-inflicted.

His gaze starts darting around the wide cavern they're now in, on edge and alert. ]

You sure you should be touching that? This whole place reeks of Weird Shit.

[ And magic? That's a whole new level of Danger he doesn't have a good gauge for yet. ]

Erika Mishima | Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth (CRAU)

[bu773rfly]

[1 - you meet at a tavern, and go brood in the corner]

[There is a tremendous amount of noise and activity in this tavern, and Erika is dealing. Somehow.

The warlock was never the loudest voice in the room on the moon base, a short girl with watchful eyes who liked to sit at a distance and watch and listen until called out, or pick at books with a stubborn fervor and ignore the world beyond a five-foot radius. She'd been quietly excited at the start of the mission, with a wordless confidence that waned and waned the further into town she traveled, until here, where she keeps her hands under her cloak and her feet together and her eyes pointed stiffly at a wall or floor or table, mouth a thin line.

Information gathering. The essential first step of an operation, and only Erika's strength when done through traces. She crowds close to familiar faces, hanging at their elbow, and does her best to listen through the noise. Inattentive partners get jabbed in the arm when the conversations around them turn juicy-sounding. Attentive ones are merely prodded. And if she detaches, it's not far and not for long, unless she's slipping towards another friendly face, like a flea jumping from body to warm body - probably to shake one of the locals, putting someone between her and an innocuous greeting, dodging conversation like a line-of-sight attack.

Come evening, she's still near-silent, not warmed to the atmosphere much at all - but frowning, showing some life. It's just not happy life. Still, if you have to choose a roommate or a tentmate, here's one that can't hog much room, and who's relaxing inch by inch, perhaps more amenable to conversation now than before. Perhaps willing to talk over the details of the town she was so engrossed in the whole way here. There is, after all, a mission at hand.]

[4B - can we just...like...take these]

[Books on the occult, you say.

Erika has no qualms about rummaging through someone's room. There's a busy energy that comes over her when she starts, in fact, her search rapid but methodical.]

If he was here recently, there'll be signs, [she rationalizes, opening drawers a bit too readily, and lifting their contents with a bit too little care. Clothes...effects...nothing. Books? Books. She touches the spines and jumps quickly from title to title, standing on her toes to read from the top shelf.] What about...lighthouse operation? If there's something on that, we can...Hmm. He had a lot of interests.

[And then she stops, and hums quietly, and pulls a book off the shelf. One of the aforementioned occult tomes. Erika walks to the bed and sits on the end of it, skimming down the pages the whole time.]

...Is this kind of thing normal around here?

[While tilting the book forward, offering a glimpse. Fuck if she'd know, man.]

[other]

[oh god literally anything there's so much on this tdm. you can talk to me at hologramblue if you want a custom prompt or smth]

[1; paladin]

[wingstosee]

...hey.

[ someone else has chosen to sit at the table with erika - a paladin, bright and shining against the darkness. even her wings are brighter than usual, their normal luminescence amped up to an almost incandescent level.

the familiarity in her voice is nothing compared to the familiarity in her actions. she doesn't bother asking what's wrong - she can hazard a guess, after all. she just reaches out, resting a hand palm-up halfway across the table.

the invitation's clear. ]

Is there anything I can do?

lion ushiromiya | umineko etc etc | cleric

[dialetheism]

1C. The Welcomers

[ Why is it that being kind keeps getting them into trouble lately?

Unfortunately for whoever Lion was paired with, they ran off with barely more then a quick "I heard something" the second the crying started. Thankfully, someone wearing bright red is easy to follow - but by the time they catch up, the rich kid's already held at knifepoint, arms up, trying to diffuse the situation before anyone gets hurt. ]

I- ah- [ They flash a quick, nervous smile, trying to disarm the situation while trying to backpedal like a champ. ] I really wouldn't advise doing this. Maybe we could... talk about it instead...?

[ yeah no that's not gonna work. Help pls? ]

2A. Around Town.

Oh, this is wonderful.

[ Okay, so maybe the cabbage soup isn't fantastic. But after the sterile environment of the Bureau, Lion's desperate for something even slightly more familiar - and here they're practically dashing from stall to stall, examining wares, talking to the sellers... except it hasn't really occurred to them to check if they could afford any of this. Oops. ]

Do you think anyone here would have a notebook...? [ More said to themself rather then to their companion. But maybe you're getting a bit annoyed at being ignored? ]

3. The Missing Cargo

[ Okay this? They know how to do this. (Hopefully, if anything from that time sunk in)

Lion can be found examining either the crates (and ink powder) or the barn later on, per shenanigans and the will of the TDM itself, trying their hardest to figure out how this detectiving business works on the fly. It's mostly about noticing clues and taking notes, right? That sounds about right. Except they've got nothing to write on....

Don't ask how they snuck in. They don't really know either. ]

Why would ink dust be significant...? It doesn't seem like something that would normally be worth smuggling.

6. Wildcard

[ Or something else? I'm open to suggestions! ]

(Additionally, due to the uniquely awful themes in Umineko, Lion has a general opt-out over here - I doubt anything will come up, but it's better to be safe then sorry. Also includes a quick note about the whole Lion Gender Debacle.)

2A / excuse me while i flip out at seeing another lion player holy shit hello

[grakraka]

[Akechi overhears during his own quest to try to find something actually worthwhile in this Godforsaken market place.]

We should be able to find one easily enough. Merchants always need to keep records of purchases and inventory, after all. Writing was invented for that purpose.

Futayo Honda | Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon | Fighter

[cluelesscavewoman]

1 A. You had her at food and talking about cats
[Futayo had ended up at the tavern. And she's all to happy to order more food than it should be possible for someone to eat, and go to town on it. And she's going to sit still here to wait for her order...

Or not. Cause she swivels in her seat, craning her neck to look at anyone who gets close. Looking almost giddy for a moment. Then it fades into a near pout of disappointment.]

...You do not have it...

[Then she turns away again, sighing with disappointment. What good are you if you don't have her food? Eventually though, the food arrives. And it's a glorious moment. Or it would be, if she was taking time with it. At the moment it's just being inhaled, even the glass of ale she's gained is going...]

1 B.
[...And she's going. There's only the slightest of wobbles as she jogs up to someone she recognizes. Maybe they already have a tent? If there is one she's poking her head inside to look, is there space for another?

If poked out of the tent. It's fine, Futayo was far from fussy. She'll just plonk her sleeping bag down, right across the entrance and go to sleep.

Either way she gets up at 5am sharp. Jumping straight up and stretching. Old habits are hard to break for normal people, and she's got seventeen years of the same thing... It makes her stop her stretches, then she sits on her still laid out sleeping bag. Leaning forward to rest her head on her hand, deep in though. She'd only had one day with everyone before the world ended. She should probably think- No. That doesn't matter. She has things to do here! And she jumps up again.]


2 b. SWORDSSSS!!!!1

I do not wish to purchase anything at the moment in time. I just wish to look at the quality of the items.

[There she is hands on her hips as she tries to argue her way into the shop. And she's going to block the door in the process. You want to get in and have a writ? Good luck with that cause she's not budging. She'll just keep insisting her lack of interest in buying till she's let in.]

4 C. Dark and spooky spelunking
[Sure hope whoever traveling with her isn't afraid of heights, or the type to worry about colleagues. Cause she's just gunning it, jumping down the hatch without even checking the drop...bye?]

It is fine. There is only a small drop. But there is water here and there are dead people in it. Or they could be living bones. I cannot tell through the water.

[That is not a statement that should be said so calmly. But it is, almost as if she was talking about the weather. But she stays crouched, squinting at the waves.]

This water shall be a problem. Do you know how we can transverse it? I do not know... Water repellent charms would be useful. But I do not know how to make them.

1b

[kliffhanger]

[There is indeed a tent, with Kliff already dozing inside. When she pokes her head in he jerks away, a bit of flame flaring into life in his hand.

Shit]

leonardo da vinci | fate/grand order | merchant

[aviphile]

(one) the welcomers
[The way to the heart is through the stomach. No matter the city, the buzzing center of life is always where the food and drink is. Eating, drinking, and making merry is how you gain information -- and inspiration.

True, the Laughing Goblin may be a little rundown, and the patrons may be a little on the rough side, but da Vinci has never been afraid to rub elbows with all rungs of society. If your character's hanging around the pub, da Vinci will sidle up to them, a cheerful smile on her face as she tries to hook her arm around theirs.]

Hello~ You aren't too drunk, are you? Can you still hold a conversation?

(two) where's my writ?
So that's how it is.

[Da Vinci, who's been refused by a store, is peeved. She intended on stocking up for the future but... the demand for paperwork has barred her from her enterprises. She figured there was something going on with the police force by the way the bar patrons talked last night but she had hoped she'd have greater wiggle room.

Though she's smiling, there's a tightness in how she presses her lips together and a burning fire in her eyes.]

I'd commend the Black Fist's business acumen if they weren't such a pain. Seriously, they've got this town in a chokehold.

[...

Her smile becomes a shade sharper.]

Really~! It's such a pain. I'd like to have a few words with them in person!

(three) sokol keep
[An abandoned lighthouse. A mysterious disappearance. A desolate island, surrounded by choppy waters. It's a cliche formula for a ghost story if she's ever heard of one. The state of the banquet hall only hammers the atmosphere in.]

Hmmm.

[In spite of the godawful, rotten smell perfuming the air, da Vinci scans the dinner table. Wrinkles her nose, even as she puts on her glasses.]

If you ask me, this has all the trademarks of a haunting.

3

[grakraka]

[A haunting. He does his best not to simply repeat the words dubiously. For one thing, the fact that they're even here speaks of weirder shit in the universe, so he can't just dismiss it outright. Even if it sounds stupid, that doesn't mean it's not true. But the rational part of his mind still wants hard evidence.]

Do you think so? I admit, it reminds me of a supernatural mystery film but I'm not sure how realistic those are.

jesse mccree | overwatch | ranger

[mccreehaw]

[ McCree is a laid back kind of guy. He tends to float along with the tide and see where life takes him, and it's served him well in his time as a drifter since leaving Overwatch behind. But this? This has been a lot to take in. He finds it awfully fishy that he can't remember what happened that day the hand reached out to him, but he knows that he's very much stuck with this Bureau now. He could either sit and complain about it, or get out there and see what work the Bureau's doing by being a part of it.

He doesn't tell anyone what it feels like to again be part of an organization that's trying to keep people safe. He's awful conflicted about it himself at the moment. ]

1. THE WELCOMERS

{ b }
[ "Roughing it" is basically how McCree operates, and he sees no problem with pitching a tent just outside the town. He seems to know what he's doing too, quickly getting the tent up and tossing his sleeping roll inside. He's slept far worse places and not always with a roof over his head. Rubbing his hands on his pants — anxious for a cigarette — he takes a glance over at a fellow Reclaimer who is also out here for the night. ]

Need any help with your tent?


3. MISSING CARGO

[ This news about the Black Fist waiting on important cargo is pretty damn mysterious if you ask him, but it's impossible to investigate a lack of something. What they can do, however, is investigate the area the shipment should have been coming in. Sailors talk, times are tough, and everybody's got an opinion on it. Flicking his cigarette down on the ground, McCree snuffs it out with his boot and blows the smoke with the breeze before looking towards his companion on this venture. ]

Well, I'd say if the Black Fist are getting antsy about their shipment, we'd best head to the docks to see what's what there. You in?


4. THE BROKEN LIGHTHOUSE
{ b }
[ Getting down on his haunches, McCree looks over the freshly upturned dirt, inhaling the scent of it and nodding to himself. It's much easier when technology can do the tracking for you, but there are times when nothing beats boots to the ground investigation. It's clear this isn't normal. No one just overturns a bit of earth like this here on the middle of an island. ]

The fresh earth ain't deep enough to mean something's buried here. But I wouldn't put it past somebody to cover up tracks or a struggle.

{ c }
[ McCree feels like a drowned rat and he's busy wondering how the hell they're going to get back out of this place when they reach the platform with Philip's lifeless body on it. Immediately, McCree's on alert, a hand placed over his holster. Human sacrifice? Not what he was expecting here. But maybe he should have been, because of those occult books they found upstairs. Now's not the time to dwell on it, though, as it turns out McCree and his companion are about to be eaten if they don't do something fast. ]

Y'know, I'm good. Just ate, actually.

[ He tries backing up with the intention of putting the dais between him and Captain Grim. What now? ]


5. CALL TO ARMS

Whoa now!

[ Is what he says as he's bumped into. Unconsciously, he places a hand down on his gun, checking that it's still there. Once he sees it is, and what's going on, he lets the guy go without comment and slips into an alley to avoid the police. Then he runs along, turns the corner, and moves parallel to the running man. With all the commotion, it seems like that scroll is important, and though he's usually one to let things lie, if this helps the Bureau, he should keep tabs on this thing, right?

It isn't long before McCree sees the guy dart into an alley and place a magic spell on himself, transforming into an old woman who grabs a sheet to use as a shawl. The police turn the corner, see the man with the scroll is gone, and move to look elsewhere. Good. McCree can work with this.

He saunters up to the "woman", tips his cowboy hat at her, and puts on his most charismatic voice. ]

Hello, ma'am. Thought I'd offer you my arm and see if I can help you get to where you wanna go.

[ She's hesitate at first, but then decides to go with it and takes his arm. He can just about make out the scroll she carries — or at least he assumes it's the scroll. As the pair exit the alley and she tells him she's going to the docks, McCree spots another Reclaimer and lets out a whistle. ]

Hey. Wanna help me with something for the boss?

4-C

[monkeyblue]

[Three daggers come flying from behind McCree aimed at Grim's shoulder, clearly intending to cripple the possessed cultist.]

Tch. Typical.

Willard H. Wright | That One Series With Seagulls | Paladin

[alethiological]

1A - A pint without a hand on it is free game

[Contrary to the bustling atmosphere of the entire tavern as a whole, there's one table near a corner that's still got empty seats. Your fellow occupants will be one (1) drunk man sobbing into his drink about how his gal left him, one (1) slightly older drunk man trying to encourage him that she's not worth it anyway but the prick who did it is at the bar proper right now, one (1) younger sober man also joining in on the encouragement but in bland one-off snippets to add to the encouragement despite being distracted by writing something, and three (3) bowls of cabbage soup shoved off to a random seat so that the Sobbing One didn't break anything.

Also no.]

Howood I eben beat him??? So much musck-muss-moush--he has abs!

Just poison him.

Doo expensiv.

Fair.

[At least it's quieter than all the shouting.]

2B - Since when were gangs so useless?

[To whomever is the next poor sap to walk into here to get information will find the narrative has changed somewhat. There's the muffled sound of irritated shouting somewhere, and the old man receptionist has his head buried in his hands. You barely get out a syllable when he jumps up and leans over the counter, somewhere between furious, tired, and very very desperate.]

Do you need a writ? No charge, I swear, jus' get rid of that-

[One of the back doors opens, and some six-foot-plus guy ducks under the doorframe to lean out slightly, waving a pile of papers and immediately interrupting everything with no concern for any part of the old man's despair.] Another thing! How do you possibly think you can keep track of previous debts with this?! Current location is pointless if they run away to a new house! Where are the records from ten years prior? Did you burn them? Feed them to your underpaid interns?! There's thousands of gold being lost here! Throw yourself in a bed of spikes if you're going to be this useless, at least you could disarm a trap!

[The person disappears, but the shouting still continues in the same muffled quality, about how it's last name followed by year, with an introductory statement keeping track of current addresses and debts owed how is this hard these people are better off being converted to bone meal and used for plant fertilizer.

The old man wishes for death.]

Two writs. Please.

4B - The Castlevania magic books are assholes

[A lack of activity doesn't mean a lack of information, and most people were more than happy to romp off towards the lighthouse, what with everyone in that bar going off about it. The dust is a reminder of home, completely acceptable in this sort of place, the only thing is missing is the countless books. He doesn't bother checking - can't read them anyway - but rosary is noted. Run through one hand in an absent motion done countless times. Ten, one, ten, one, ten, one, but the face on the coin is Wrong.

It gets tossed a beat after, landing on the desk and almost skittering off the edge.]

Undead or demons. Possibly both. How good's your mental resilience?

[Something cracks, creaks, shifts in the distance, a low noise that's either wind or a moan. Maybe ghoooooosts~]

Notes/Wildcards

Paladins with Divine Sense might be having their Celestial ping going haywire. Also he's only got one arm under the robe - mock at your own risk.

To wildcard hopefuls, just throw something here or bug me at bitchesandtrolls if you're scared. Nbd

2b or not 2b, that is the answer because the question is "why are you like this Will"

[dialetheism]

I left him alone. For five minutes.

[ wow hi will, how are you doing today, we're great thank you--

They can already feel a headache starting, buzzing somewhere around their temples from sheer irritation at dealing with this tomfoolery. But any retort is immediately bit back, smoothed down behind the mask of Successor-sama, all glory be unto the Ushiromiya name, etc. ]

Ah-- I do apologise for my wayward companion. [ Bright smiles, Lion, c'mon. ] I understand that he can get a bit... extreme [ understatement of the year ] but surely it's not that-

[ Please don't let that crash in the background be Will beheading someone over paperwork. Please, oh merciful unnamed deities. ]

... oh dear.

kaede akamatsu | danganronpa v3 | bard

[gotyourbach]

1B. EVERY D&D ADVENTURE BEGINS WITH "YOU MEET AT A TAVERN, AND..."

[Since she wandered into this tavern, Kaede's been noticably antsy, waiting for Reizem, Mof, and Jimbob to take a break from their playing. After all, there's a piano in the corner, and while she feels more than a little useless in... a lot of capacities, really, that's one thing she knows she's good at!!]

Oh! Excuse me!!

[They've stopped for a second, and the teenager's on her feet, weaving her way through the other patrons and making a beeline for that piano. She flashes them a bright, somewhat awkward smile as she slides onto the bench, lifting the lid without so much as a please and setting her fingers to the keys before anyone can tell her not to. Chopin's Heroic Polonaise should definitely set the mood, right?

One doesn't need an ear for music to be able to tell that she's very, very good at it.]

1C. LIKE TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT

C'mon, we have to help!!

[Like it or not, Kaede's taken your hand at the sound of a woman in distress. Kaede doesn't... have an visible weapons, nor does she look like much of a fighter, but damn it, she can't just leave somebody alone like that!

So when they're surrounded, which probably was obvious to anyone but her, Kaede can only squeeze your hand more tightly with an uncertain,] O-Oh, um... thank you for the welcome! But we should be going...

Wildcard!!

[Oh, you're at the tavern? What a surprise, so is Kaede. The bubbly, blonde teenager spots your armband and takes it as an open invitation to slide into the seat across from you with a bright smile.]

Hey there! I don't think we've met yet. I'm Kaede Akamatsu.

1c - barbarian

[soundsurfing]

Wuh-?

[ Intelligent. His hand being taken distracts him and makes him glance down, meaning he's quite easy enough to be led by it. ]

H-hey, wait a sec--!

[ It starts in the back of his head, like an itch, and he gets progressively uncomfortable as he's dragged into the alley, trying to find his footing from being off balance to stop the girl. ] Wait-!

[ And there it is, Beat sighing hard as the woman with the one ear welcomes them and they're surrounded. ] I tried to tell you, yo, somethin' wasn't feelin' right 'bout this... [ He glances down at the hand holding his again - oh right - and lets it go to get ready for a fight. ] Don' think they gonna jus' let us go.

[ The one-eared-woman smiles and shrugs ] "No, don't think we will be. Your money, if you will, and any other thing valuable on you."

Daisukenojo "Beat" Bitou | The World Ends With You | CRAU - Ryslig (Troll) | Barbarian

[soundsurfing]

[ Pre-note: Beat's a CRAU coming from Ryslig so his appearance is definitely different! While he tends to wear a cloak around himself to hide most of the changes, they can easily be spotted. ]


1A

[ Beat honestly has no idea how he managed to get himself into Bonnie's good graces but there he is, holding a large tray of mugs filled to the brim and moving around the room, dropping drinks off and going back to more. He looks just as confused as he feels, he walked up to her to ask for information but what had come out of his mouth was do you need help, because she had looked so harried...

And now he's been designated temporary barboy and he's not getting any information at all. In fact, he looks like he might need someone to get him out of the situation he got himself in to, because he looks harried himself now and growing more than a little angry at the situation, especially as someone yells at him that it's not the right ale. He'd ordered a stout and this is CLEARLY a porter.

The way Beats fingers tighten on that tray says he's ten seconds away from smashing it into the mans head. Distract the boy before he rages and starts a brawl? Or join in, hell, he'll be fine with that too. ]


2B

Really? We can't jus', you know, pay wid money? [ He shakes his bag of coins hard as if to indicate the money within. It doesn't seem to phase the man, however. He simply points out no writ, no weapon and here's the location you can go and pick one up, good day. A growl escapes from the teens throat before he turns to leave and almost bowls you down in the process, the growl turning into a yelp of surprise as he side-steps vigorously to keep from doing just that. He might stomp on your foot in the process though, sorry. ]

Shit! Sorry yo, ain't seein' you there! If you're here to pick up somethin', don' bother 'less you got a writ... [ He pauses to breathe and a puzzled look crosses his face. ] Don' even know what that is, but the dude here won't take anythin' else. Know where to get one though, if yer lookin' to do the same?


4C

[ Honestly, by the time they reach the madman at the middle of all this, Beat's Had Enough. He's soaked to the bone from the whirlpool and the rocks embedded in his skin means the chill stays so he's shivering to boot, and now it looks like there's going to be a fight. Which is at least something to look forward to, from his perspective. He ignores the Captain and turns to his companion, looking like a dog begging for a bone. ]

Yo, can we jus' kill him an' get done wid it?? It's cold an' I don' wanna be here any longer an' I'm gettin' hungry. [ At this point he does turn to eye the Captain, something in his eyes saying he's not trying to figure out whether the clothes would look good on him or not. He definitely doesn't seem at all disturbed about a snake tongue, he's seen worse. He might be trying for intimidation or just talking casually when he speaks up again. ]

Think he'll taste good?


wildcard!

[ Honestly if you want Beat for any of the other prompts or just something completely random, hit me up for it! ]

1a

[kliffhanger]

[Beat might just be distracted by someone snapping their fingers at him from a far off table, clearly trying to order.

Which would probably be even more rage inducing except it's clearly another Reclaimer]

venus | we know the devil | reverie terminal crau

[wingstosee]

1A; dancer; the adamanTIGHTs

[ this is not the sidequest she wanted.

it's not the worst thing she could be doing with her time. she could have gotten mugged! she could have gambled! she could have had the beer here, which is both terrible AND won't get you drunk! but as it turns out, approaching the performers has had unexpeected consequences. turns out when you look like a dancer, and you're wearing a dancer's garb, and your hips move like a dancer, and you haven't quite figured out how to not blush lightly when you talk to people or coyly push your hair out of your eyes, things just sort of happen?? a lot??

which is how she's ended up here - dancing on a table as three wannabe rockstars (the adamantights, as they've been insisting to anyone who'll listen) headbang and wail away. it is intensely embarrassing. it is kind of flattering. it is a little painful when people throw silver pieces at you, as she's finding out. ]

This is- ow!- really inconvenient??

[ please. god. satan?? someone help her. ]

1C; warlock; welcomer, i hardly knower

[ the worst part of this is, she totally noticed? she totally noticed that lady was missing an ear. but hey, you know, sometimes people are just. missing ears! that's a thing. she's trying very, very hard to not judge right now. not that this woman's making it easy. venus sees the people surrounding them by the time they step out - simultaneously. seeing in all angles is good for that kind of thing. it's also good for seeing the dagger the young woman's pulling out from her sleeve.

she is starting to suspect that greeting wasn't even genuine. ]

Okay. Um. [ she crosses her arms. she's not even... summoning her weapon yet? it's worth waiting a little bit, at least. ] Sp I'm guessing you're not just going to let us go? Is that still on the table?

[ she can see the lights, dancing in the corners of her eyes. they're everywhere, in and out and all about her. and somewhere, lying by the side of her bed, she knows her radio is calling out to her.

her fingers twitch. ]

3; merchant; these smell TYRRIBLE, get it

[ something is off about that crate. she's not really sure how she knows? but she totally knows. statues of tyr don't usually go for much, but looking at this, well- she's thinking she could turn a profit on it? maybe?? thinking about it too long is making her head spin. money sucks and the devil hates thinking about capitalism. the station was way better about this - why can't they just replicate everything here? they have magic! that's a thing, right??

she picks one up, weighing it in her hands. yep. something's wrong. the weight's all off, for one. words like distribution and counterbalance fly through her head just long enough to confuse her even further, and after a moment's thought she lifts it up and throws it down at the ground.

it just... sort of bounces sadly. after a moment's stunned silence, she sighs and flashes her companion a smile. ]

Hey. Uh. Could you maybe... break that for me? My arms are tired, and Gronn- [ -she points to her other companion, a particularly menacing athach who stands at least ten feet tall and appears to be poring over some scrolls- ] -really doesn't like breaking things? He's sort of the brains of our whole operation.

[ gronn nods proudly, licks a finger on his third arm and resumes painstakingly tracing the runes on the scroll. she's still not sure why nobody took him along - he's the coolest wizard she's ever met.

also, his name might not be gronn? she's sort of still learning giant. this whole venture is a work in progress. ]

1A

[ribticklers]

[Hopefully "help her" means "just stand there". It's not entirely clear how he even got to the front of the crowd.

(Spoilers: it was teleportation.)]

You could just get off the table. [In case she didn't think of that, maybe?]

hector of ostia • fire emblem: blazing blade • FIGHT BOY

[greatestlord]

i. an armads by any other name

[Hector does not take kindly to being denied anything. In particular, despite his own attitude most of the time, being rudely denied anything that he really, really wants is offensive in and of itself. Hell, politeness wouldn't exactly help this poor weapons merchant, but it would go a long way in garnering potential mercy, seeing as he's being held by his collar by a massive youth in bulky armor, an equally large axe strapped to his back. You don't have to be close to the scene to hear the grievances Hector is airing.]

Listen, I'm not asking for anything funny, alright? I just want a helmet. Why do I need some kind of--writ? I don't need a writ to protect my head from being smashed in, and I sure don't need one to smash yours! Are you gonna stand there like some kind of halfwit mud-for-brains twerp, or get me the goods I'm willing to pay hard-earned gold for?

[In the shopkeep's defense, Hector isn't really giving him a breath to speak, and he's only able to stammer out quick apologies as he's shaken like a ragdoll. Maybe someone should intervene--or perhaps assist.]

ii. lighthouse blues

[Lord Hector of Ostia, for all his numerous escapades and accolades, has never seen a lighthouse. Perhaps this is evident from the wondering gaze of his eyes as he glances around the structures of the island, or maybe it's from him saying:]

Whoa, I've never seen one of these things before!

[Excitedly, he turns to whoever is stuck with being his comrade, before turning to look back at the banquet hall that they're actually supposed to be investigating. He doesn't seem phased by the smell, oddly enough, but perhaps he's just good at hiding it. It's hard to imagine anything phases this mountain of a man. His greataxe is in hand, ready for a fight or...well, nothing but that. He's mostly ready for a fight. Any diplomacy is wasting precious time in saving this fantastic lighthouse.]

Are you ready? I'm itching for good exercise.

iii. network, from @HECTORAXEKING with love

Does anyone here want to spar??? I'm bored out of my mind, and I need something to do. I miss having someone I can have a regular old fight with. Everyone here...no offense, but you're all skinny little cowards. If you're a REAL WARRIOR, come and give me a good time! This is Hector, by the way. If we haven't met, or whatever.

iv. wildcard!

[ anything else you're wanting to do! ]

i

[maskreant]

[ Jesus Christ? Akira was also turned away, but planned on checking out Black Fist mansion writ or not. Before he can exit the humble establishment, he catches this scene... And it's sad seeing the merchant visibly shake with welling tears.

Quietly, he walks up to Hector and gently taps his shoulder. Let's hope he can somehow reason with him without throwing the blacksmith under the bus. ]

Let's just get a writ. We might learn more about how Phlan works if we do.

[ YEAH? Akira tries his best to heavily imply there's a lot to unearth in this town... Let's hope this lord catches his drift before police come in. Some more racket and they might find themselves etched into a wanted sign. ]

sans | undertale | sorcerer

[ribticklers]

1A
[So, Sans is tending the bar. If you were even a little distracted, it's hard to figure out when that started happening, but he's slouched over, elbows on the counter, pouring ketchup into a glass.

Where did he even get ketchup?

(He brought ketchup. It's the only thing he brought besides himself and what was foisted on him.)

If you don't actually address him--probably several times, maybe by waving your hands around, that would be kind of amusing--Sans will only look up once he's finished pouring and drinking his ketchup. Delicious.]

You want a drink? [He may or may not mean the ketchup.]

4B
[Sans is at the top of the lighthouse--just kind of there, hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the unlit crystal. Maybe pensively? It's pretty hard to tell what kind of expression he's making, considering he's a skeleton. Indeed, he's quiet for a long time. And then:]

Looks like it's not working.

[I bet you're happy Sans shared his insight.]

Wildcard
[Meet Sans somewhere else! Just not somewhere where he might have to do something useful.]

1A

[notthatbutler]

...You lucky...skeleton man. I couldn't convince her to let me try out to work for her.

[He doesn't want any ketchup he's just kind of impressed.]

soldier 76 | overwatch | (a very bad) paladin

[mylawn]

i. the bar

[76 isn’t going to do anything that will outright sabotage the mission, of course—that’s simply not who he is as a person, even if who he is as a person is far removed from who he used to be as a person. Seeing a task through to completion is what he does, and he isn’t about to let his personal feelings get in the way.

That is not to say he doesn’t have personal feelings. He has a lot, especially about all of this.

As such, he isn’t exactly the friendliest of Reclaimers, and he’s a little jumpy too, scanning the bar like he’s cataloguing every possible entrance and exit (he is). No gun and none of his familiar gear only makes it worse, but at the very least he’s good at keeping his ear to the ground. 76 is content to watch and listen, eavesdropping fairly obviously on conversations between Mar and anyone asking about the lighthouse. The alcohol doesn't really do much for him, but he's nursing a glass anyway, snorting a little into it as he finally decides to chime in at the mention of the Black Fist. What an ominous name for police!]

You consider they might be in on it?

[That's not very nice.]

ii. around town

[Though swords aren’t exactly unheard of, back home, they’re certainly a special case when it comes to weaponry, and despite his extensive arms training, his know-how mostly involves guns. That’s not an option here, and his distaste at being shaken down by the merchants is palpable, but he’s willing to fork over some gold if it means he has a weapon, even one he doesn’t really know how to use.

He’ll figure it out. It’s fine. He should be glad he managed to secure a weapon at all, given the apparent corruption involved. It makes him want to get out of the marketplace as quickly as possible, but it occurs to him he should make sure it’s undamaged, inspecting the blade right outside the store.]

Just a really big knife, right?

[Possibly that’s meant to be a joke, but the too-serious way he mutters it as he turns the weapon over in his hands, testing the weight, indicates otherwise.

Please help him.]

iii. the broken lighthouse

[He’s still wrapping his mind around all this magic business, but halfway through searching the lighthouse, it becomes apparent that there’s something occult going on here. Every creak and shudder makes him flinch, and the further they go, the more he’s sure that the other shoe is going to drop sooner rather than later. When he reaches the catacombs, he’s more certain of an impending ambush than ever.

Being thrown into a situation like this with people he barely knows means that he can’t be sure who is and isn’t a liability. It’s in his nature to take the lead, and he doesn’t hesitate to take point.]

Stay behind me.

[The command comes from a place of wanting to protect the person he’s with, but his general demeanor means it might not come off that way. He’s apparently got no concern for any potential objections to this plan.]

We're not alone.

[You know, aside from all the dead people.]

iv. wildcard

[I’ll do whatever the heck u want. network me. write your own thing. make me write a thing. anything is possible.]

iii

[mccreehaw]

[ C'mon, now. At least you know McCree isn't a liability, right? And if you think he is, that was clearly just Gabriel being an asshole back in the day and making shit up.

He's got this. ]

You don't say. [ He flicks some mud off the tip of his glove. ] Somebody's definitely down here doing who knows what with skeletons. Think it's that Philip guy?