Brave New World - Free RP

Discussion in 'Roleplaying Games' started by Quaesitor, Sep 11, 2020.

  1. Quaesitor

    Quaesitor [Scholar]

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    Registration | OOC Room | Free RP | Mission Board | Reports

    In this thread, your characters can interact freely with one another in whatever area you desire. Please try to add time and place to your posts to avoid confusion.
    -------------------------------------------------------
    Rules:
    General forum rules apply.

    If a player has "closed" next to the time and place, it means that no additional players are allowed to reply to the post.

    Characters can gain 1 digestion per post if:
    - The post has at least 100 words
    - The character is acting according to the rules of the current sequence

    This Digestion gain is doubled while interacting with others.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
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  2. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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  3. platys51

    platys51 Tired

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    Location: Khavanna
    Sweat, burning oil, salt and thousand other different smells mixed in equal measure, forging something greater than sum of its parts. After a little bit of time, the smell became unbearable and Maya was forced to turn to leave.

    So far for watching my ship depart she thought as she weaved through crowds of seaman streaming trough docks like ants in a hive, each carrying out whatever insignificant task they had assigned.

    It was a wonder, really, 3 days ago? Maya would look on each of these hulking men as something beyond her. Oh, so far beyond her, but now? She knew better. Now she was something more. A Beyonder.

    Most of them could still most likely beat her up without any issues, but that would change soon.

    After all, she has just embarked on a journey to transcend humanity. Well, she also never punched a thing so she would definitely suck in that regard too, but regardless... Soon, they all would truly become naught but ants under her heels.

    The thought made her giddy. She knew that fantasies are fine and all, but it was time to stop indulging them, as her stomach made itself known for one too many times already.

    Maya picked up speed and dove into crowd, twisting and weaving trough the cracks to move against its flow.

    With years of practice, small body and that little bit of extra agility she felt since drinking that potion, she found this delightfully easy. Truly, years to come shall be wonders. Maya idly thought as she emerged from crowd next to merchant stall and swiped two apples before diving back inside.

    There was a shout and few hands grasping towards her as she dove deeper, but none fast or deft enough to reach her.

    Smile was plastered on Maya's face as she emerged again. Truly, one could get used to such life. She thought as she took a bite of an apple.

    Now then, what to do next? Finding a job was original plan. But encounter with supernatural derailed such plans.

    Well, it will work out somehow. Maya took another bite and strolled trough the streets.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2020
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  4. Epsil

    Epsil Active Member

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    *ahoyyyyyyyyyyyyy*
     
  5. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    Location: Thelema - The Docks [Closed]
    Word Count: 2397
    The man stepped down the walkway onto the pier. Finally standing on solid ground actually felt weird to him. He ruffled through his auburn hair with his large hand and looked around. Anyone could tell he was a fresh face, new to Rafasas.


    Thelema, the capital of the colonies settled by Iha. It was the launch pad for new entries to the continent and the symbol of hope for the believers of the Iha faith. It wasn’t that hard to catch a ship to the new world, the man just didn’t have a suitable place set up for his arrival. He mindlessly walked around and witnessed what this new life had to offer him, when he discovered a darker skinned child run away, clutching a small contraption to his chest.

    Not long after, an elderly man with similarly tanned skin and dust covered black hair hobbled by.

    “That little snot. He better not let me catch him, or else he can kiss his puppet goodbye.”

    Puppet? Was that a common toy? However, looking at the nearby citizens, many of the Ihans whispered and kept away from the two Skacians. The surroundings already looked rough, but to see such blatant discrimination on the streets, the man was once again reminded of the disparity between what the Church taught and how people really acted like.

    Clutching what little money he had saved up in his grasp, Cooper felt more inclined to work hard in order to give his friends back home a better life, maybe move them over here, to the new world.

    But first he needed a job. Knowing his way around people, he asked around the sailors at the dock for any clue of where to go to make a quick soli, and they pointed him towards a gruff and rotund man overlooking the pier.

    “Whatchu want?”

    “Just wonderin’ if you needed any assistance.”

    Tipping his roughly sewn cap, Cooper gave an amicable smile, endearing him to the supervisor.

    “Hmm…I ain’t got anything real good. Come back tomorrow and visit the Dock Lord for more.”

    ‘Hmm, what to do, then…’

    But before Cooper could walk away, the supervisor recalled something.

    “Actually, there is something quick and easy. I need you to deliver a message to the Dock Lord for me. The cargo coming in on the ship you just got off of requires their attention. Head up the stairs to the corner building by the gate.”

    Looking to where the foreman pointed, Cooper saw the tall stone walls of Thelema. Next to the large wooden gates as tall as three people, there was a counter with people lined up to register as a citizen of the city.

    “Just ask for Stacey.”

    ‘Stacey? Is the Dock Lord a woman?’

    Making his own assumptions, Cooper nodded and headed up the stairs. Most likely, he wasn’t going to get any money for this, but it would help get him around easier than without any assistance. Knowing the Dock Lord personally was already a massive improvement to his previous situation.

    He was planning on waiting in line, but then Cooper saw a pretty young lady walk out a nearby door. Perhaps she can help him? Or was this Stacey?

    “Excuse me, I am looking for Stacey?”

    “Yes, I am she.”

    ‘Whoa…is this the Dock Lord? Wait, I can’t make a mistake. I should just repeat what the foreman needs.’

    Taking a deep breath, Cooper calmed down and said,

    “The foreman down at the docks needs to see the Dock Lord about the recent shipment.”

    “Hmm…alright. I will let him know.”

    ‘Ah, so she isn’t the Dock Lord, but maybe his assistant?’

    Watching the lady walk back inside the building, Cooper backed up and looked at the line of immigrants trying to enter the city. Several families from poorer families clutched tattered sacks, trying to hide their presence while some more wealthier families flashed some sort of badge and were led inside the gate.

    Suddenly, a deep voice entered his ears.

    “Sometimes, money is all one needs to get things done. Hello. You said the foreman sent you?”

    Turning around, Cooper was met with a tall and ruggedly handsome man who looked like he belonged more at sea than at the dock. However, the wooden prosthetic on his leg belied this assumption quickly. Scars covered his body, revealing that he had been through some tough scrapes. However, there was a kindness hidden in his deep brown eyes.

    Nodding, Cooper led the Dock Lord down the stairs. A part of him wanted to make sure the bearded man was okay, but then felt that would be rude. So he just kept his head down and stayed facing forward.

    “Ah, Captain. There you are. Thanks, sir.”

    “Oh, no problem at all.”

    The chubby and sweaty foreman nodded before tossing a coin his way. It was a large pence, but there was something else besides the pocket change. He didn’t tell him to leave.

    “Captain. Iha brought quite a lot of supplies. What should we do?”

    Taking a brief glance at the fact that Cooper was still here, the Dock Lord faced the men unloading the ships and scratched his beard.

    “We will have to request the Dandy for some assistance. If we try to transport all of these resources at once, we will get attacked by those secret organizations like before. Are you saying we should have this Freshy visit the Dandy?”

    Taking a little bit of time to steel his nerves, the foreman nodded at the Captain’s words.

    “So…you will be responsible for him if anything occurs.”

    “Aye aye, sir!”

    Saluting, the foreman took a large gulp of saliva and shook. The Dock Lord grimaced and turned back to the gate, leaving things to the foreman.

    “Whew. Alright, there you are. I got you something to do, so don’t blame me.”

    But Cooper recognized a dangerous situation. He had heard what the Dock Lord had said. This was going to involve possible attacks. Why request some ignorant nobody into all of this?

    “Don’t mind that, I was just thinking that it would be easier to request the Dandy’s help if it was someone not affiliated with us. Just take this opportunity. Someone like you could use the network to get a comfortable life here in Thelema. Trust me on that. Just don’t stick your nose too deep.”

    Nodding slightly, Cooper requested the directions to this so-called Dandy, and discovered that it was actually inside the city. After receiving a writ of passage into the city that lasted only for the day, Cooper was able to quickly bypass the checkpoint station and enter Thelema. The foreman’s words combined with the Dock Lord’s.

    ‘Comfortable living…money gets things done…if only I had money, then I could even help my friends. I need to do something to get more money, don’t I?’

    As a large man with a large rucksack on his back, Cooper waded through the crowd of people and made his way to a fancy looking café just beyond the entrance. It would seem that while the Dock Lord watched over the entrance from the outside, the Dandy watched over the inside. When he entered the store, several well-dressed servers approached him with vigilance in their eyes.

    “I am here to deliver a request at the behest of the Dock Lord.”

    Their eyes widened and one suited young man with a girly face quickly left. In fact, all of the servants were men with feminine looking faces and postures. Many beautiful ladies were sitting at the small tables and fawning over the boys. He looked terribly out of place, but no one spared him a second glance.

    He waited by the door, out of everyone else’s way until a fancy looking man appeared. He had an opera mask covering the top half of his face and a neatly trimmed mustache. He looked similar to those charlatan magicians back in Iha that performed for change on the street, but Cooper obviously wouldn’t mention that out loud.

    “Hmm, not bad. If you cleaned up a bit, I probably would station you at one of my bars. You seem like a strong but silent type. Anyways, I can already understand what that old sea dog wants. Just return and say I agree. Oh…and if you are interested in a job, just make sure to come with a nice suit, is all I ask. We can take care of the other things.”

    From meeting a simple foreman to encountering the leader of the pier. Then he goes and makes the acquaintance of a particularly impressive figure. Several bars, which means he probably has several cafes as well. This man certainly had a lot of sources of revenue. If he wanted money, though…just what would this masked man offer?

    And a suit? A good suit would take all his money!

    Perhaps he should start off with helping the Dock Lord and then switch over to the Dandy when he had enough income to afford the dress code. But what kind of job would he really have? These women probably request the servants, don’t they? That would be a bit difficult for him to do. He had made an oath to himself that he wouldn’t partake in such risky business.

    After all, he would never know when a sinister client would harm him and he couldn’t do anything to protect himself.

    While leaving through the gate, Cooper tipped his cap to the guards. They just nodded and went back to questioning the newcomers. He went to the counter and knocked on the door. Stacey made another appearance and he let her know that the Dandy was willing to work together for this shipment.

    Stacey went back inside to report to the Captain before returning with a single soli for his troubles. She then nodded and bade him farewell.

    ‘Now what? Where should I go? I should ask the foreman…’

    Sure enough, the husky supervisor knew of a good place for Cooper to rest at night. It was where most of the laborers stayed so there would be many people sleeping together in one room, but it was rather secure, since no one wanted to be on the Dock Lord’s bad side.

    And so immediately after gaining a large pence and a soli in one day of walking around, he immediately spent over half of it on a bed and a meal. He even saw some of the people he came in on the ship with. It was the first real stable sleep he had in months.



    >>><<<



    After waking up early, like some of the other laborers, Cooper packed his things and ate a small breakfast of bread and water. It cost him a penny, but he had managed to request his water to be broth from leftovers. The bread soaked the broth up and softened it, adding flavor as well. Giving a content sigh, Cooper once again went to visit the foreman. This time, however, a barrel-chested sailor with tattoos running up his arms greeted him.

    “Supervisor Sams is currently meeting with the Captain. Are you here for work? Good, we have need of another pair of strong hands. Go help load these wagons with the crates. I will pay you a quarterpence for every wagon you help fill.”

    Used to nodding by now, Cooper left his bag with the other possessions of the laborers and got to work. The more boxes he moved, the more money he would make. The day went by and during the lunch break, while Cooper was eating some meat on a stick from a nearby stall, Sams returned.

    “Oh, it’s you. Huh. Well, alright. You can help us transport the cargo.”

    ‘Wait, what?’

    You mean participate in a job that comes with danger? Cooper eyed the foreman deeply, causing the round man to cough.

    “You will be paid well for your troubles. Not a lot of men will be coming to help unload, so it would be beneficial to hire some more hands…that way, the guards can keep an eye out. You will be much safer that way, I assure you.”

    Frowning slightly, Cooper gave it some thought and then reluctantly agreed. This was an opportunity. If he didn’t take it here, then he would just be the same Cooper he was back in Iha. Steeling his resolve, Cooper accepted the job and left his gear with the Dock Lord’s men. They would ensure his stuff wouldn’t just walk away, not that anyone would really care for a common man’s belongings.

    That evening, he and a few other nervous laborers were on the wagons that they helped fill earlier this morning. A group of strong sailors with many tattoos, including the man from this morning, kept a guard around the wagons as they slowly proceeded into the city. A couple of work horses pulled the wagons down the cobblestone street. For some reason, the crowd that Cooper saw yesterday was nowhere in sight today.

    Sure enough, this was a dangerous job, right from the start.

    No sooner had he thought that, several shadows flew from the alleys, targeting the guards at the front. But the sailors were prepared and waved their sabers to deflect the projectiles. Then, several robed figures dashed onto the street and attacked the sailors directly.

    ‘Wait…where are the Dandy’s men?’

    Wasn’t the Dandy supposed to help them? Where were they? Feeling a sense of danger, Cooper stayed seated, instead of running away like the other men did. He could feel the gazes of the fighters around him, but he stayed put. Something didn’t feel right.

    Sure enough, the robed men eventually overpowered the sailors, though it didn’t look like any died. The robed men surrounded Cooper’s wagon and waved their weapons, threatening him with his life.

    “So…do I still need a suit to work with the Dandy?”

    The robed figures all shook and stood still, until one man took the hood off, revealing a familiar opera mask.

    “Hehe, have you ever thought about being a Beyonder?”

    He didn’t know what that was, but for some reason, Cooper could feel that this was the opportunity he was looking for, to stop being just the laborer Cooper from Iha. He was going to be something greater than that. He was going to make a change.

    He was going to help his friends.
    Gains: Introduction to RLM(implied), Clerk Sequence(implied), enough money to secure a place to live temporarily(also implied that it is now spent)
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
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  6. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    {OOC: Time to digest some of my potion. Also, no more big wall of text from me today.}

    Location: Thelema - Business District [Closed]
    Word Count: 2137
    Cooper woke up in a room he didn’t remember falling asleep in. However, the strange whispers and sounds, the pain in his head, and how slow his body seemed to feel in comparison to his thoughts reminded him of what he had just done.

    That strange golden potion. It completely changed the way his mind worked. He could calculate how fast it would take for something to be completed or instantly know how much money he should get back in change. But more importantly, the whispers spoke of greed.

    [Make sure not to listen too hard to the mad whispers. You will fall and lose yourself. Instead, you should put your effort into making money. I can give you a job at one of my stores. You can learn how to be a better Clerk that way.]

    ‘Don’t listen to the whispers, got it.’

    Remembering the Dandy’s words, Cooper took a deep breath and tried the focusing exercise. He rubbed the golden slip and focused on its shape. The whispers died down and his head stopped hurting. His body caught back up to his thoughts and his movements weren’t so sluggish anymore. Or was it that his brain slowed down enough for the body to stay up to pace?

    After exiting the bedroom, Cooper discovered he was sharing the building with other tenants. They were probably with the sailors and pretty boys that worked with the Dock Lord and the Dandy. He acknowledged his roommates and got ready for the day. Walking out the door, Cooper was greeted by the busy street. He checked his identification he received from the Dandy yesterday and made sure everything was in order.

    Though he still didn’t have a good suit, he wasn’t going to be working at a bar or the café. Instead, he was going to be a clerk for a convenience store which sold all manner of products. But he had other things to focus on, first.

    Making an impression is important, especially when trying to get a job. Though he was already guaranteed the job, he still had to make sure he didn’t lose it. During the day, he would work as a Clerk, for whatever reason, but the real paying job would be his evening job with the Rafasa Liberation Movement’s account information. As someone with a quicker mental processing speed, he would be calculating the numbers of materials and labor costs.

    He needed to clean up and present himself, since he would not be making an impression on his boss, but rather his coworkers. Cooper knew that after the boss, the other people he worked with could determine if he stayed at a job.

    Cooper went to a salon suggested by the Dandy’s assistant he saw at the café.

    “Good morning, sir. I am Alice and I will be assisting you today. How can we help you?”

    Thinking it over, Cooper knew that he had no experience with fashion or appearance. He kept his hair out of his face and made sure his clothes weren’t too dirty, but this was all a new scene for him.

    “I will be working on my feet during the day and sitting at a desk doing paperwork at night. I am unsure what style I should go for.”

    He tried to emulate some dialogue he overheard his bosses say back in Iha, and it seemed to have gone well.

    “Of course! An active man such as yourself would do well with a shorter cut. Feel free to let me do my thing, and I assure you that you won’t regret it!”

    Her eyes shimmered, but Cooper thought it was because she could practice her skills. It was only when her fingers kept brushing up against his shoulder that he realized that she was charmed by his appearance. And when his hair was done, Alice even cleaned up any facial hair to give him a more youthful look. His strong jaw and piercing gaze caused Alice’s heart to flutter, but she felt down seeing his clothing choices.

    For some reason, Cooper could feel this. Her behavior, while only subtle and vague to the untrained eye, revealed a lot about her desires. He could feel an itch to make a sale.

    ‘Make a sale? What can I sell?’

    Thinking about it, a transaction does not need to be for money. Many times, while at work, the laborers would trade food for extra work or for some break time. He wanted to make a better impression and she wanted to…make him look more attractive? That sounds like it would align with his own desires, but what should he ‘sell’ in order to get the trade?

    “Hmm…do you think this outfit fits with this hairstyle?”

    However, instead of jumping at the chance to share her ideas, Alice instead became nervous.

    “Does…does it not look good?”

    “Oh no, forgive me! I meant that I think I need an equally sophisticated outfit to match this style! I meant no offense, I assure you.”

    Alice sighed with relief and began to ponder. She took the chance to place her hands on Cooper’s chest, which he did his best to not squirm. It would seem that the strict behavior the Church taught back in Iha wasn’t quite so widespread here in Rafasa.

    “Hmm, perhaps a vest instead of a suit. I think a sturdier material is necessary if you are going to be moving around, and with your…style, I would suggest some brighter browns than what you are currently wearing.”

    Indeed, this roughly sewn outfit was made with cheap materials and its faded and dull color showed how worn out it was.

    “Hmm…I am not that knowledgeable about this subject, is there anything I can do to request your assistance?”

    Cooper was having a difficult time to figuring out what she wanted, so he gave up. If he really couldn’t afford her expertise, then he would just have to say sorry and make do with what he had. However, Alice became excited.

    “O-of course! I would love to help you out! Please, wait just a moment!”

    ‘Hm? That easy!?’

    After taking a quick leave from the store, Alice put on a nice jacket over her plain dress and instantly became trendier in her appearance. Cooper had to agree, the clothes maketh the man.

    “Hehe, I know just the place, follow me! A friend of mine is a seamstress and works over here. Trust me, we can get you to look absolutely amazing!”

    She took the chance to draw closer to the manly and smart looking Cooper, grabbing his hand in an effort to lead him to the clothing store. To the passerby, it looked like a young couple out on a date and being intimate. To the stronger believers, it was definitely a depiction of loose morals so several people frowned openly at the two.

    “Alice, I believe this may be a little inappropriate.”

    “Ah…ehehe, I am sorry. Forgive me…”

    Alice instantly became depressed, reluctantly letting go of Cooper’s arm. She scratched her cheek while trying to figure out how to respond when Cooper raised his arm.

    “We shouldn’t intrude upon other’s day out. You don’t need to rush around.”

    “Oh! Yes!”

    Trying to calmly take his arm, Alice snuggled closer to Cooper’s broad chest. She postured herself to appear more sophisticated and walked in line with Cooper to the store. Soon, the gazes receded, allowing the two to walk along the side of the road without drawing attention.

    Cooper had seen the admiration of many women while in Iha, but Alice was definitely one of the more forward ladies he had met. Though, she was definitely at the age to be interested in marriage, but currently, he had neither the money nor the capability to start a family. Even if he fancied Alice, he would not court her at this time.

    But if all he had to do was just accompany the woman for her to give her fashion advice, wasn’t this a very acceptable transaction? It felt wrong to lead a young lady on like this, but it is a gentlemanly thing to do, escorting a young lady.

    “Ooh, Alice! Welcome! Who is this, strapping man?”

    The seamstress gave some special glances his way and then glared deeply at her friend. Noticing the awkwardness, Cooper stepped in.

    “I am Cooper. Alice here was willing to share her fashion expertise with me and suggested you.”

    “Oh? Hehe, that’s friends for you! Well, I don’t know what she said, but you shouldn’t wear dull or dark colors. Here, I have a fabric from Skacia they call khaki. It has a very uniform look to it and it goes well with almost any color. Perhaps a rich red vest over a blue shirt. And then this brown coat over it and you look sooo manly!”

    red vest.jpg

    Indeed, he definitely looked much more dashing than before. He could practically see stars in Alice’s eyes as she imagined the fully dressed Cooper. Though he had little money right now, he had enough to at least decent clothing for his current position. He was just a paper pusher, not some mysterious gentlemanly scholar type.

    After making his new purchases, Cooper felt a slight drop in his heart. He felt…better? Was this the effect of the Clerk Potion? He walked Alice back to the salon and made a promise to return in the future should he have any other questions regarding his attire.

    “Umm, you can always come see me if you don’t have…questions…”

    After a short pause, Cooper smiled, tipped his hat, and bade Alice farewell. Though he was looking forward to his new clothes, he would have to head to his new job with his current garb. This place was not close to the port, so the slums and dangerous alleys were also far. He didn’t feel the stifling gloom, so his walk to work was decent.

    Since the job at the general store was not yet in place, the place Cooper was heading to was a large office building. It appeared to be a bank of sorts, or a loan business. Middle class citizens were walking in and out quite often. Was this one of the places the RLM got their money?

    “Hello, sir. If you would like to make a loan, please head- oh. You should head to see Perish. He runs the downstairs operations.”

    He had flashed his identification shortly during the teller’s introduction, so he quickly made his way to his superior. Unlike the Dandy or the Dock Lord, Perish was a wiry fellow with large spectacles and a jittery temperament.

    “Well, you’ll ‘ave to change that attire of yours. But I understand the Leader requested your presence ‘ere. Feel free to settle in. I will bring you documents to work with.”

    ‘Already? What am I supposed to be doing!?’

    Thankfully, all Cooper needed to do was go over the columns of numbers and make sure the totals looked correct. He spent a few hours just counting numbers in his head. He found a few mistakes here, but nothing that seemed like it was malicious. And even though he could think faster and better, he nearly made a few mistakes himself. It was a tedious job, but one that would get him 1 pound and 10 soli a week.

    With meals and rent, he would still have several soli available, but he would have to make some progress with his merchant abilities in order to make more money in the future.

    The walk home that evening under the dimly lit street lamps had an eerie air to it, but things were worse back in Iha. You never knew when one of the passing knights might take offense to you. Cooper wondered in amazement at how little the Church had an effect here, even in their own territory. Perhaps they were watching over something else?

    Rafasas was indeed being taken over by four different nations, so perhaps the Church was having their men stationed at the borders of the territories to keep an eye on their enemies. Hearing the information from the Rafasas Liberation Movement, it was quite possible that the tension between the nations was keeping them from properly maintaining their own citizens.

    Cooper pulled his cap over his face as he calculated in his head how long he would have to work in order to finally buy his own house and also bring over his friends.

    Years…that was too long. Perhaps it would be faster to get the resources necessary for the next potion in the Sequence. With better powers, he could get better options for work and make more money. Suddenly, a far heavier ambition had reared its head over Cooper.

    For once, he felt the desire to make a risky venture on his own.
    Gains: +1 DP, New Work Attire (spent savings), new connections
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2020
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  7. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    Thelema: Port/Business District [Closed]
    Word Count: 3295
    Cooper had managed to get into a decent routine every day. He was quick to adapt and rationally planned out how his day would go. It was something he did back in Iha, but after taking the Clerk Potion, his thoughts were much more concise and organized. He could even see something like a schedule forming in his head, similar to how numbers would appear when doing calculations.

    ‘Can I calculate things that aren’t just numbers?’

    Every morning, Cooper would wake up early to make a few pence, maybe even a soli by helping the sailors at the docks. It also helped him stay in shape and make friends with new people. Seeing the merchant ships and immigrants arrive also widened his experiences. The other day, he witnessed a particularly flamboyant display of wealth from a Skacian trade company. Beautiful and rich colors decorated the railing and its passengers. Vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds dotted the crowd as the smell of spices and fabrics came from the crates he helped transport.

    But today, no big shipments arrived, just the usual fishing boats and travelers coming from nearby cities. However, since it was so early, there would be some stragglers waking up from recesses hidden away from the public eye.

    One such example was the man causing a scene after being stepped on by an absent-minded sailor. The vagrant in question was completely soiled, drunk from head to toe. His slurring and loud speech indicated a painful hangover and he took it out on the burly sailor, too stupid to realize his own predicament.

    Perhaps he had lost his job or was an immigrant that didn’t have a place to stay. However…Cooper couldn’t help but notice some strange ticks about this young man. The dirty appearance made him look older, but he was actually quite young, younger than even Cooper. He also spoke with an arrogant manner of speech.

    “You really want to speak that way to the great me?! I will have you thrown in prison, you sodded fool!”

    Of course, the brute of a man wouldn’t just let a drunken madman talk to him like this, but Cooper quickly stepped in, because he felt something wasn’t right. His brain felt it so.

    “Sir, we apologize. However, you shouldn’t sleep in a place like this. It is dangerous.”

    “H-huh? Who are you to tell me what to do! Wait…where am I? Where did you bring me!?”

    ‘Ack, he finally realized his situation. But he also is misunderstanding things.’

    The obnoxious man kept raving about how he was going to get everyone arrested, before the sailor said something while walking away.

    “Pah, nothing but a whinging buffoon.”

    “YOU! How dare you speak to me like that!?”

    The still inebriated young man stumbled forward to grab a hold of the sailor’s shoulder, but Cooper caught him. He didn’t want to escalate things. Unfortunately, the man took further offense.

    “Get your hands off me, you degenerate hooligan! Let go!”

    And with those last words, the man yanked his hand away from Cooper and threw a punch with his other. Time seemed to slow down as Cooper felt that weird discrepancy of his mind being faster than his body. He could somehow ‘see’ a shadow of the man’s fist coming towards him. It was as if he could analyze the movement of the man’s punch and it must have materialized the future placement of the fist in his mind!

    Cooper was momentarily shocked, but using his time getting into street brawls as a teenager, he was able to not only dodge the strike, but also give a counter punch. He got a feeling that if he were to give a precise and quick strike to the chin of this man, he would be able to quickly incapacitate him. The shock to his head and the shaking of his brain would not only disorient the man, but also knock him out.

    Just a quick jab, that was all it took. Cooper’s punch was like a whip, sending the man’s vision into circles before he promptly fell flat onto the ground, unconscious. The sailors clapped and whistled, but Cooper quickly hefted the man onto his shoulder and went to the foreman.

    “Hm? Whatcha got there, lad?”

    “Ahem. Can you find out which family this young man belongs to? I think he needs to return home.”

    Sams’ eyes narrowed as he glanced quickly over the man. Sure enough, there was an insignia poking out from the crusted mud covering the man’s clothing. Wiping it away revealed a black bird with a purple flower in its talons.

    “Sss…this brat comes from the Raven Family. Not good. We’ll let the Dock Lord take care of it. No need to worry.”

    “…Thank you.”

    Some men took the young scion into the Dock Lord’s workspace and Sams told Cooper to quickly take off.

    “If the Raven Family decides to meddle with you, things will become tough. Oh, and go visit the Dandy. He wanted to find you, but you haven’t gone to visit him lately.”

    ‘Visit him? But he never asked for my presence. Does he just expect me to come see him to shoot the breeze?’

    Thinking to himself how troublesome being a part of an underground movement was, Cooper left the chubby and sweaty Sams to his work and entered the city. Entering the nearby café, Cooper was immediately greeted by the Dandy’s assistant.

    “Oh, welcome. The boss wishes to see you. Please, come on in.”

    While flashing a particularly attractive smile, causing the nearby ladies to swoon, the assistant led Cooper into the back of the store. Just inside looked normal, with a kitchen and a few chefs working diligently. Walking through them without any hesitation, the assistant passed by the large storage space and walked through yet another door.

    It was in here that things changed. The wooden store became stone and spiraled downwards with stairs. Stepping down into the dark hole, Cooper saw a stone passageway lit with torches.

    “To others, this is the cellar. Please, just a little further.”

    Nodding, Cooper followed behind. He remembered parts of this place back when he was introduced to the RLM, but seeing it now, he was able to catch more glimpses of how thought out this movement went. The higher-level members all wore masks to hide their appearance, probably because they were powerful identities that could not be revealed.

    Instead, it was actually hard to find people such as himself and the assistant, who weren’t wearing masks!

    “Right here, Sir Cooper.”

    “Ah, just Cooper is fine.”

    “A pleasure. The name is Dominguez. Eduardo Dominguez. You can refer to me as Edward.”

    Cooper really wouldn’t have recognized Edward’s nationality. He looked just like every other Ihan. Was he mixed? An illegitimate child? A family name is important regardless, though more people had family names now. As an orphan, his mother was unable to give Cooper a family name. Apparently, she had told him that his father had one, but she couldn’t tell him what it was.

    Shaking his head, Cooper turned to look at the Dandy, calmly watching him and his actions. Until he suddenly broke the silence with a question.

    “So, how is the potion? Hearing any weird sounds?”

    “I am doing fine. While working or doing calculations, the sounds diminish. Also, the increase to my mental abilities seem to affect me in combat.”

    This seemed to actually intrigue the Dandy as he leaned forward with his hand on his chin, stroking his mustache.

    “Hoh? How amusing. But I feel like it would be better to teach you some of the things that Merchants can do with their powers.”

    ‘Powers? Can I do anything like that?’

    “Well, not strictly powers that are unique to Merchants…I meant in the acts of rituals and ceremonies. Many Sequences have deities overlooking the Beyonders. As if guiding them. Enticing them, even. ‘Follow my guidance and I can show you true power,’ that kind of thing.”

    Cooper shivered. This felt all too dangerous. He was raised in a church after losing his mother, but since he wasn’t raised from young, the members of the church did not bother rearing him like the other devout believers. Thus, he ran off frequently and got in trouble.

    The Church only brought him trouble. His red hair was often a source of discrimination, considering how many people had brown or blonde hair, not his shaggy and rough auburn color.

    “No need to worry. A merchant’s faith lies in money!”

    Flipping a coin, the Dandy proudly declared his creed and allowed the coin to crash onto the table, letting out a crisp ring that reverberated through Cooper’s mind.

    ‘Worshiping…money?’

    It felt wrong, but the Dandy quickly followed up.

    “There are many that believe in the Goddess of Fortune, Lady Luck. Some little tricks can be done to find opportunities or decipher possible solutions to problems. You can never have too many options.”

    Feeling doubtful, Cooper crossed his arms and silently waited for the Dandy to finish his speech. The masked man coughed lightly and waved his hand, bringing attention to the random assortment of goods on the table before him.

    “Nothing much, these are ingredients for regular techniques that mystics use, no need to get out of sorts. Making prayers to Lady Luck will no doubt assist you in elevating your usefulness to the Movement. I pray that you are willing to put in the effort.”

    “…What do I need to do?”

    Heaving a sigh of relief, the Dandy brushed off his awkwardness and smiled brightly.

    “Nothing much! Just go ahead and set aside Wednesdays and Mondays after lunch, not counting today, before you begin your work at the bank. Meet here and one of the ritualists here can teach you a thing or two. Remember, we gave you this power for a reason. It would be best that you make sure you understand that.”

    “…I know. No need to worry.”

    “Ahaha! That’s the spirit! Okay, okay, go head about your business. You have to work at the convenience store, right? Don’t be late.”

    “Of course. Thank you for your time.”

    “Mm.”

    Cooper turned around and walked out, upon which the Dandy seemed to collapse into his chair and wipe the sweat off of the back of his neck. Such a scary fellow!

    Indeed. Cooper was the one that quickly figured out the oddity of the agreement between the Dock Lord and the Dandy. Though on the surface, they are at odds with each other and often bicker about trade deals in front of important members of the city council, they were actually both high ranking members of the RLM.

    In a way, if they hadn’t had coerced Cooper into taking the potion, he could have gone to the authorities and revealed them immediately! Though they had measures in place, there was still many things to do before this branch was firmly cemented into the underground world of Thelema.

    He couldn’t afford to let Cooper reveal the Movement, so he had to expertly tie him to their cause as soon as possible. Invest in him and perhaps things would be okay. Hopefully, his superior wouldn’t chastise him so hard when they come back!



    >>><<<



    Cooper walked into the store wearing his new outfit. He was very dapper in his appearance, causing one younger girl to eye him, though he was too old for her. Plus, working as a clerk meant he didn’t have a good job or a good future. There were people that thought about this, Cooper reflected. But he was one of them, too.

    The first thing the boss of the store did was to introduce him to the crew and tell him some procedures to follow in case of certain situations, but ultimately, he immediately left Cooper to his own devices.

    ‘Am I supposed to just be satisfied with this? I don’t even know what is good!’

    However, he didn’t have to worry. It seemed that the store had specific manufacturers they partnered with. They didn’t sell different brands of the same kind of product. They only had one brand of rope, or one brand of home furnishings. He didn’t have to worry about comparisons, unless a customer came in with prior information.

    So, he merely committed the prices to memory and studied the layout of the store.

    He had some experience with purchasing things from different companies as a part of a construction business, but all he had to do was compare different stone quarries. He knew that certain companies scrimped on their manufacturing, so he decided to ask the other two clerks, the girl and a slightly older boy, if they recalled any complaints about products.

    The girl spoke up first.

    “Oh, I do remember that people complain about the tent. They say that the stitching is too loose and it comes apart in heavy wind, but we keep telling them it is for casual use, not actual camping.”

    ‘And who would use a tent for casual use? I definitely cannot suggest that product to customers.’

    The boy followed up with the plates.

    “Someone said that the paint was coming off their plates and getting into their food. But I think it was because they just scraped their plates too hard.”

    ‘No, that might be true, but most plates aren’t painted, they are usually glazed before decoration and then reheated to apply the coat evenly. It isn’t supposed to just come off.’

    As a laborer, Cooper had done a lot with his hands. He took up all kinds of jobs so he had a good idea about the process of production, since he had done his fair share back in Iha. Cooper sighed before making sure to keep an eye on other problems in the future. Perhaps he should mention to the Dandy that some products are not being made to customer satisfaction.

    However, his ruminating was cut short by the little bell at the door. A customer had arrived! Cooper looked over and spotted a middle-aged man with a sour disposition. He wasn’t dressed formally, he didn’t have the air of aristocracy to him, and his manners left much to be desired.

    “Hello, welcome to Stop and Shop! Thank you for coming in!”

    The two kids beside him looked at him oddly, but he ignored them. The man didn’t respond, save for a gruff of acknowledgement.

    “I need a new carving knife.”

    “Of course, sir. Right this way.”

    There was a problem. Though Cooper knew a little about blades, the difference in the manufacturing of blades was much more varied than things such as rope and molded goods such as the plates and cutlery. Sure enough, after seeing the available options from their stock of carving blades, the old man scoffed and frowned.

    “What is this garbage? I am better off just going to get one specially made from a smith.”

    ‘Then why come here? Wait, why come here? Hmm…’

    As if he was able to calculate how the old man looked at things, Cooper hovered his hand over what he presumed to be the best-looking blade of the bunch. However, the man’s eyes dimmed and a sneer began to form. Quickly changing where his hands were, Cooper hovered over a simpler looking blade, but one that was not only sharp, but also sturdy.

    Suddenly, the man’s eyes physically glowed with yellow golden light. Was this thanks to the potion as well? The man seemed to desire this blade. Was he really thinking this blade was poor? Of course not! This was a man experienced enough to try and make a savings! But the safe price of the blade was 10 soli. Some people don’t even make that much in a week. And if they did, most of it would go to expenses or food. This man, however, had a decent head on his shoulders so he should be fine with his money!

    He would need to start high. If the old man had his way, he would haggle the price down to 5 soli or even less!

    “Well, sir, I have here possibly the best of our stock. Normally, this blade would go for 15 soli. But for the sake of your business, I can bring it down a couple of pence.”

    The desire in his eyes nearly disappeared completely, but the man blinked rapidly as he thought to himself. He was only willing to spend half a pound at most, but this was a decent blade. If someone else managed to find it or one of those brats absentmindedly sold it to some ignoramus, this would be such a waste! The man made some calculations and decided to pull a few moves he knew.

    “Aye, that is the best of the bunch, but I can still get better from the smith for the same price. However, I just need a cheap blade for now.”

    ‘Of course that ain’t the truth, old man. I know good and well that a custom order would be a pound, maybe more. This is a mass-produced product using a mold and sharpening technique. It isn’t forged or tempered. The reason this blade is even half a pound is probably because the sharpening is so consistent and the ratio of metal is strong.’

    Before buying his own sword for protection across the sea, Cooper had done weeks of preparation just to make sure he wasn’t swindled out of his hard-earned money. He knew a thing or two when it came to metal.

    ‘However, if I call him out, he will only get angry and complain. If the manager gets involved, who knows what will happen.’

    Giving a picture-perfect smile, Cooper began to put away the blade.

    “My apologies that we are unable to meet your needs, sir. I will bring it up to management. Hopefully we can bring up the quality of our blades in the future.”

    The burning eyes of the man seemed to yell, “YOU FOOL! Just let me buy the darned thing!”

    Laughing inwardly to himself, Cooper began to close up the case.

    “Wait! It ain’t so bad now that I look at it. Perhaps 10 soli. That should be fine.”

    ‘It would have been, normally, but you had to bluff your way through me. I am going to be getting something extra out of you yet.’

    “My apologies, sir. The best I can do is 12 soli.”

    “Eh? Uh, 11 soli?”

    Cooper just shook his head and started to walk away from the case.

    “Dangit, fine! 12 soli!”

    Yes, the man’s gaze nearly dropped all of its golden hue. Perhaps his desire was waning. The law of demand indeed. Cooper paused, gave it some thought, and flashed a brilliant smile.

    “I think I can explain a bit to the boss later. We would indeed love to keep your business, after all. An experienced and knowledgeable customer such as yourself would no doubt be a valuable asset to us. Please, right this way.”

    After deftly dealing with the troublesome old man, who looked a little gloomy, the purchase was complete and the two young clerks stared bright eyed and bushy tailed towards Cooper.

    “Whoa, sir! That was so cool!”

    “That guy always comes in and complains about things. The manager always has to give a discount and we make a loss. Amazing!”

    A cooling feel spread throughout his body, calming Cooper down. He didn’t know what it was, but the mad whisperings seemed to be pushed aside more when he performed a sale of some kind. Was this what he was supposed to do as a Clerk? A confident smile spread across his face as he began to educate the teens about how to gauge a customer’s mood.
    The screen-toned buildings are stores, the two unnamed locations belong to Alice and her tailor friend.

    Thelema.jpg
    Gains: +1 DP
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  8. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Khavanna: Outside
    Establishing connection...Denied.

    Transferring input...Denied.

    Accessing manual...Denied.

    Linking to data interface...Denied.

    Restoring basic functions...Deni---
    ...
    ...
    ...
    Accepted.


    ***​
    The girl awoke. Partially. The light hurt her eyes.

    "Mhm...nnnh?"

    Blinking helped. After a few moments she was oriented enough to grasp her surroundings; the roughened wood surface under her fingertips, the shaking, the steady clip-clop of horseshoes against the floor.

    A horse carriage.

    "Hey, you. You're finally awake."

    She glanced at the middle-aged man who spoke, but he glanced away. With some amount of...awkwardness? Embarrassment? It was hard to tell.

    "...You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that ambush, same as us, and that thief over there."

    "Damn you rebels. Rafasa was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been halfway to the next town. You there. You and me -- we shouldn't be here. It's these rebels the Empire wants."

    The other middle-aged man who had a bandanna covering his mouth mumbled unhappily, straining. Rope, she noticed. Both men had been bound.

    “We’re all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief.”

    “I told you, I’m---”

    “Quiet down back there!”

    The conversation ended on that note; it was a few more bumps and shaking later that the occupants of the carriage felt it come to a stop. The middle-aged man who spoke initially turned his head to check the surroundings.

    "This is Khavanna. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Jessa is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in. Funny...when I was a boy, walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."

    "Why are we stopping?"

    "Why else? It'll be a long way from here to Fort Elgen. If they have any stocking up to do, this is the place."

    The thief quietened down, and with that conversation in the carriage stopped; the girl settled for looking at the people running around with supplies, until the middle-aged man spoke once more.

    "Look over there. The one standing alone next to those green crates."

    She glanced at the person in question. Armored just like the others, but with an additional cloak that fluttered in the wind. A rapier hung off his side.

    "A general at that age. Must have lined a lot of pockets for such an achievement."

    Hmm.

    She continued observing, staring quietly at the thin pieces of glass on a frame. She’d seen those somewhere before, she reckoned, but she wasn’t exactly sure where from. The girl continued musing, taking into account the hairstyle, the color, the pair of alert eyes ---

    Staring right back at her, the puzzlement in them obvious.

    …?

    As she tilted her head, the changes continued. The confusion was slowly replaced by irritation, shortly followed by anger. He was scowling as he approached.

    “Eep.”

    The carriage driver snapped to attention as the general arrived.

    "Those two; help them off the carriage, and follow me."

    "Understood!"

    ***​
    "Fool! If she's one of the rebels, where are her binds?"

    She looked on wordlessly. The unfortunate soldier who'd been driving her carriage was currently being shouted at.

    "M-my apologies, sir! I will tie her up immediately!"

    "You will do nothing of the sort! Now get back to watching the other prisoners!"

    “Sir!”

    She felt somewhat bad watching the soldier leave with his head down. He hadn’t been particularly nasty to her, after all. The bespectacled commanding officer which --- now that she took a good look --- couldn’t have been older than twenty-five sighed, palming his face with one hand, turning back to her.

    "Do excuse me for shouting. What's your name, miss?"

    The question drifted across strangely.

    Name. Name. Surname, given name. My name. What is it?
    The first sign of the morning.


    "...Illyana."

    "I see. Illyana, what were you doing at the port?"

    Another strange question. She went with her instinct ---

    "...I don't know."

    The general re-adjusted his spectacles, making sure not to break eye contact.

    "Then, who's your friend?"

    Ah.

    She glanced at the girl lying on her lap, fast asleep; the same girl who'd been leaning against her since the start, the one whose hair she was currently running her fingers through. It felt nice.

    "...I don't know."

    Footsteps came from the side, but she didn’t turn her head to look. Though the man did, briefly nodding.

    "Can you tell me what day it is today?"

    That’s...

    "...Easter Monday?"

    At this the general groaned, palming his face with one hand. He nodded once more towards the robed woman who’d joined them, who nodded back.

    "She really doesn't know."

    “...Give me a break.”

    Illyana looked on as the odd general person kneaded his forehead, then shouted an order to the soldiers nearby.

    "Get me the list of rebels we've captured. And do a headcount of the rebels outside."

    "Sir!"

    It didn't take long for the smattering of footsteps to return, and a soldier ran by, passing over a stack of papers before saluting and leaving. The general wasted no time reading through every single sheet, and sighed when he was done.

    "Bunch of morons...I'll still need to check a few things, miss, but---"

    "Reporting in, sir! There's twenty one of them in total, all accounted for!"

    She could see the vein on his forehead bulge just before a furious roar carried itself through the temporary campsite.

    "If they're all accounted for, then how the hell did these two girls end up in the prisoner cart? Get me the fool who took them!"

    ***​
    Illyana stood at the entrance of the town, watching the carriages disappear into the distance.

    She still remembered the long and naggy conversation afterwards. At the end of it, the man --- which she still had trouble thinking of as a general --- escorted her the short distance to the town she remembered was called Khavanna, disappeared into some kind of building and exited shortly after. He then bade her farewell, but not before shoving a bag into her hands. It had been decently heavy.

    “I apologize for wasting so much of your time, miss. I regret that I cannot fix any plans we may have ruined, but please accept this as compensation. Good luck, miss, and stay safe.”

    That had been a little weird.

    ...I think he’s given me a bit too much, though...

    The whole thing didn’t particularly bother her. Though for some reason, she felt like she should have warned him about a dragon.

    Oh, well. There's a lot of scary people carrying swords in there. They'll be fine.

    Since that was settled, the girl turned her head to observe the girl clinging to her back, still asleep.

    Now, what am I going to do with you?
     
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  9. Haxagen

    Haxagen Fallen's|Addicted to Gacha

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    Khavanna: Inn
    Beds, desk, chair, cupboard. All packed into a small room leaving minimal space to move around in. The moon shining brightly through the opened window, the clicking of nocturnal creatures on the move outside.

    “---Aah!”

    And the girl who’d just awoken violently, bolting upright in bed.

    “Haaah…”

    What even was that dream?

    For a moment her thoughts wandered to the person sharing the room, so she got out of bed and went over to check if she'd roused the other.

    Then again, if she can sleep through the entire afternoon and evening, then something like this wouldn't be enough to---

    The hand grabbed Illyana's wrist from under the covers.

    ?!

    She managed not to wake the entire establishment. The covers were peeled back to reveal ---

    "Good morning, Lady Illyana."

    "...Come again?"

    The two girls conversed calmly, with nary a hint of emotion in their voices --- but that was hardly the point here.

    "Good morning, Lady Illyana."

    And again.

    "Wait wait wait wait, this is...I don't---"

    "Good morning, Lady Illyana."

    For a third time.

    "...Are you a parrot or something?"

    "What's a parrot?"

    "That's..."

    I blurted that out, but what is a parrot...?

    "Forget that for now. Who are you?"

    "Lady Illyana's servant, naturally."

    “...No, I don’t understand at all.”

    The girl which was still lying down tilted her head.

    “What is there not to understand? I am sworn to stay by your side and take care of you. This includes cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry. Ergo, I am your servant to command as you see fit., and you are my master.”

    “You say that, but I don’t remember having a servant like you. In fact, I don’t even remember much about myself...ueh?”

    Before she’d noticed, the other’s face was mere inches from her own; Illyana found herself inching backwards slightly, but the girl remained nonplussed.

    “Conclusion: you have amnesia.”

    “Uh, yeah, I’ve actually been telling you that for a while now…”

    “That’s not good.”

    *Shuffle*

    “Observe personal space, please...what’s your name, anyway?”

    That got a more apparent reaction; the girl turned her back on Illyana and huddled her legs together, curling up into a ball.

    “Uhm.”

    “...”

    ...You’re kidding.

    Illyana made to grab the girl’s shoulder and turn her around, but instead found that her target was now right up to the wall, face practically buried in the panelling.

    She’s sulking…

    “Hey, uhm…”

    “Dun wanna talk until you remember the name you gave me.”

    “Now now, that’s not being very fair.”

    Grumbling at the unfairness of the situation, Illyana found herself thinking the matter over seriously. Scrunching up her brows and entering a state of extreme concentration.

    “...Kohaku?”

    Her eyes had been a deep shade of amber, after all, and were rather fetching.

    “Nope.”

    “Then, Hisui.”

    “Now you’re just taking potshots in the dark! I’m sad! It’s Kotonoha, okay?”

    “What kind of reasoning went into that?!”

    *Bam* *Bam*

    Two sets of eyes centred onto the wall next to Illyana’s bed.

    “This is a message from the wind.”

    The guest from next door…?

    “The inn walls are thin, young ladies. While it has been a pleasure, such affairs are better kept for the light of day. With that, I bid you good dreams, and farewell.”


    Illyana waited a few more seconds before sighing.

    “Please put the knife down, Kotonoha. And before you ask, no, you’re not allowed to track the person down.”

    “...What a surprise. And here I figured I’d make use of that amnesia...well, too bad.”

    She didn’t need the bed sagging to know that the girl --- now going by an actual name --- was sitting back-to-back with herself, probably still holding a knife and breathing down her neck. Some things needed to be sorted out first.

    “Kotonoha.”

    “Yes?”

    “Quit biting my neck.”
     
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  10. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    Location: Thelema - Business District [Closed]
    Word Count: 706
    Just like any normal day, Cooper woke up early to go help out at the dock. While there, the foreman Sams said that the Dock Lord wanted him to show up on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning, so he could get some combat practice in. It would mean that he wouldn’t get some soli those mornings, but in this dangerous new setting, Cooper needed the strength.

    Sighing at his busy schedule, Cooper spent the morning at the Stop & Shop without too many issues occurring. His manager was proud of Cooper’s work, so perhaps he would get a bonus. However, nothing was set in stone. He had lunch at the café where he chatted with Edward before heading down to the hideout.

    The Dandy didn’t wish to meet him today, so Edward led him to a bitter smelling room filled with liquids and animal parts. There were several key furnishings in the room, one of which was a pedestal where a middle-aged man knelt at. The other two featured a large cauldron and a wide-open space, perfect for drawing diagrams and magic circles.

    “Hello. Welcome, lucky child.”

    “Uh huh. Yeah.”

    As he was from Iha, the religion there was much more restrictive and they worshiped only one God. These other Gods were hailed as false deities and evil gods, but that wasn’t the problem Cooper had. He had a problem with religion in general. Faith was not something that could be eaten, nor could it buy food with which to eat. However, since this particular Goddess resided over making money, he reluctantly paid attention.

    Not minding his attitude, the man stood up and brushed off the dust and dirt from his clothing. He was dressed like the other members of the RLM, wearing thick dark robes and an opera mask to hide his face, but his calculating eyes seemed to pierce directly into his soul.

    ‘Hoh. Is he a Merchant as well? Can he see something I can’t?’

    “You have a good aura about you. It would do us well to teach you how to commune to the Goddess in exchange for her guidance.”

    A scowl began to creep onto Cooper’s face, which marred his handsome appearance, but the man ignored it.

    “You can refer to me as Father Prosper. I watch over the ceremonies and mystical rituals related to Lady Luck. Today, why don’t we teach you the basics of what it means to request assistance from the Goddess and look to the heavens for guidance?”

    ‘Ugh…’



    >>><<<



    Surprisingly enough, however, Cooper did not shirk his focus. By the time his first class on mysticism and divination was done, he was able to perform a simple divination technique, the Coin Flip. Beyond that was the in-depth ritual for a more guided divination, but it required a lot of materials.

    There was an even more expensive one called the Luck Enhancement Sacrifice, but it was absolutely expensive!

    Just thinking about it hurt Cooper’s head.

    ‘Burning pounds?! I don’t even have the ability to burn a single pound note, let alone a five pound note or a ten pound note! What kind of insanity is this!?’

    Thankfully, the technique for the Coin Flip was much cheaper and it didn’t use up materials. Instead, his spirituality was what he was using for the divination. Of course, he would need to ask direct yes or no questions, so he had to be smart with his requests.

    “Oh, great madam of money,
    Woman of wealth,
    Please answer my request,
    Should I continue this ridiculous mess?”

    ‘Heads…heads again. And another heads. Oh, this is preposterous. This can’t be real…ouch, my head hurts. Urk, those voices are pretty loud, all of a sudden. I shouldn’t waste my spirituality like that.’

    After knowing that it indeed had an effect, Cooper felt that he would have an easier time if he could increase his ability to hold rituals or divine the path he should take. In order to do that, however, he needed resources! Perhaps he should work with the RLM to take care of that…

    Well, putting that aside, Cooper went to the bank and worked on the paperwork, making use of his calculative abilities. It was back to the usual schedule.
    Gains: +1 DP, Coin Flip Divination, Luck Enhancement Sacrifice, Luck Ritual
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  11. LiLi041

    LiLi041 【Lucky RNG Halo】【Eternal Townie】

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    Location: Newport, Docks
    The ship sped towards the shore. Once it docks, Lissi walks down the gangplank and steps foot onto the mainland.

    She looks around, unsure of what's happening. It's a bustling town, not quite like her own home, Lympis. Lympis was quite small and old-fashioned, full of fields of grain and fruit trees. There wasn't much steam-powered technology there. She had lived a quiet, mundane life, without ever needing to work and praised as a genius for the little bit of knowledge she had.

    But she wanted to explore the wide world! And here, there were lots of new things. Although, the smell wasn't quite good. The air wasn't as pure.

    She looked around and the different shops. A shiny golden glint caught her eye.

    Lissi loved gold. Gold accessories were so beautiful.

    She flounced over, wanting to see just what it was.

    It was a golden hair pin. She reached out, wanting to take it. The shopkeeper stared at her warily, and right before she made contact, he covered it, not letting her touch.

    She looked up at him in surprise. No one on Lympis had ever acted this way towards her before. They had all flattered her and let her get what she wanted.

    "I want this," she told him.

    The shopkeeper frowned at her. "It costs 2 pounds."

    Soli? Lissi wasn't sure what that was. "What's that?"

    The shopkeeper's frown deepened. "It's money. You need money to buy things."

    She was a bit confused.

    Seeing her confusion, the shopkeeper explained gruffly, "It's what you use to trade for things." Then, he pointed at the other shoppers going about their business. "See what they're using to buy items? That's it. There's three different types, pounds, soli, and pence. There's 12 pence per soli, 20 soli per pound."

    Lissi frowned too. "But I don't have any money."

    She only had some grapes on her, her favorite golden staff, and her golden wreath on her. She hadn't taken anything else from her home when she left.

    The shopkeeper eyed her, trying to judge if that was true. Her robes weren't typical of the mainland, so he had thought that she was a foreigner. She looked like a rich young lady, with the golden staff and wreath, but he had been worried that she didn't know the customs with her foreign background, and prevented her from touching the golden hairpin.

    "You can trade for it. I'll take your staff," he told her.

    Lissi was shocked. Give away the golden staff for a golden hairpin? No way! The amount of gold just couldn't be compared. She refused. "I won't. This is mine."

    The shopkeeper gave a strange glance. "Well, the hairpin is mine. If you don't have the money, I won't sell." As he said that, he made a shooing gesture towards her.

    "Wait!" Lissi called. "I have grapes here... can we trade?" As she said that, she pulled out a cluster of grapes from her bag.

    The shopkeeper frowned. Fruit? "No deal," he turned her away decisively. "Come back when you have money."

    Lissi felt a little desperate. "Then where can I get money?"

    The shopkeeper pointed. "Go in that direction, and you should be able to find the Rafasa Liberation Movement's room. There are missions available. If you complete them, you can get money."

    "Oh." Lissi turned around to look. Then, she looked back at the shopkeeper whose body clearly radiated the words 'No money, no hairpin.' She turned again. "Thanks, then." Then, she set off, on the quest to get money for her golden hairpin.

    Gains: Intro to RLM
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2020
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  12. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    Location: Thelema - Docks/Shantytown
    Word Count: 906
    Cooper woke up as usual, wiping his face and taking a small blade to his face to scrape off any facial hair. Seeing the city in the morning is quite the difference from the middle of the day. Though some people were up early and heading to work, the salty air from the coast gave a chilling bite through his coat. He tightened his clothes around him as he headed to the docks.

    However, he wasn’t heading to Sams at the pier. Instead, he went over to the shantytown just outside the gate. On the beach next to the pier were a bunch of burly men duking it out, exchanging punches. There were even men swinging swords at each other. There was even a broken hull of a ship. Men were running around and attempting to dodge the projectiles thrown and shot by others.

    The person who came up to greet him was the sailor who covered for Sams the other day.

    “’Sup? The name’s Keller. Cooper, right? Yer’ gonna be pushed through some stuff. Don’t puss out.”

    “…”

    Remaining silent, Cooper just waited for the training. Though he was hesitant to spending his time working out instead of making money, he knew this was important for his future endeavors.

    But instead of fighting or going through the obstacle course like the others, Cooper was told to do weightlifting and running around the area. As he made a round close to the shantytown, Cooper saw another training ground, off in the distance. Military tents were pitched and men and women wearing uniforms were working out in a similar way to the sailors.

    While he was taking a break, Cooper heard some yells coming from the shantytown. Apparently, some soldiers had started something. Though he wanted to do something, no one was else standing up. Right now, Cooper was a member of a rebel movement. If he got caught, then his life was essentially over.

    ‘Hmmm…should I give it a try? Oh, great madam of money, Woman of wealth, Please answer my request, Should I get involved?’

    ‘…heads? I should? Hmm…but is it dangerous? Tails? Huh. Maybe I should go take a look.’

    As he walked up, Cooper could see two soldiers standing by, intimidating the onlookers while another soldier was grabbing something and stepping on a child.

    “You little shit. You stole that from somewhere, didn’t you? You tramps shouldn’t have things like this. Just know that I will put it to much better use than you ever will.”

    ‘What bullcrap.’

    He was shirtless and still covered in sweat from his workout, and with his height, people stepped aside for him, causing the two on guard to look over.

    “What do you want? Get moving.”

    ‘What should I do? What should I say? Hmm…this man is eyeing that item…but what is it?’

    “Excuse me, sir. That child was holding onto that for me.”

    The soldier finally looked up and saw the imposing Cooper. He flinched a little, but held up the item with arrogance.

    “So you were the owner of this blade? Even someone like you wouldn’t have the ability to possess this.”

    ‘A dagger…it certainly looks nice, but it isn’t that expensive looking. Perhaps there is something else? Coin Flip…ow, I can’t do more than three at a time, it seems. Oh, but there is something unseen hidden within this blade. Perhaps it is an artifact?’

    “I…allowed him to…advertise. After all, I just landed nearly a week ago.”

    “Huh? Wait, are you just being nice to this street rat? They stole it off of you and you want to protect them? Hahaha!”

    ‘Sure, think what you want.’

    Cooper just smiled mysteriously and held his hand out.

    “I am sure we can figure out who the real owner of this blade is, so there shouldn’t be a need to cause such a scene, correct?”

    “Heh, don’t bother. Do you have any idea who I am?”

    ‘Uh oh…that sounds familiar…but he is wearing a uniform so I can’t tell if it is actually him…no, now that I can tell, it certainly sounds like him.’

    “Raven Family?”

    “Eh?! Er, I mean, yeah! So you should know your place!”

    “Uh huh. And I should know my place because…why?”

    The other party was getting rattled. If this were a trade, then he was winning the haggle.

    ‘Wait, aren’t I actually haggling for the knife?’

    “Umm…fine! Whatever. I can easily get better blades from my father. Hmph. Come on!”

    The Raven Family brat threw the blade at Cooper, but he nonchalantly caught it between his fingertips. The soldiers were shook before turning around and walking brusquely away. He then lifted up the kid off of the ground and handed over the shiny silver blade. Though it felt special in his hands, it ultimately wasn’t his.

    “Here you go. It is best to protect your treasures closely.”

    The child sniffed and hugged Cooper. Caught by surprise, he returned the hug and patted the kid’s back.

    “Alright, go ahead and skedaddle. Don’t get caught by any bad guys again.”

    “Y-yes, sir!”

    ‘Huh? Why is his face all red? Ah, I forgot to put my shirt back on, I probably reek of sweat. Maybe he is trying not to cry.’

    He headed off to his apartment to get ready to work at Stop & Shop, so he put the scene aside in his head and began to focus on getting into his service mode.
    Gains: +1 DP
     
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  13. TiggerBane

    TiggerBane Always asleep yep yep yep| Canidae lover

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    Asterian Graveyard. North East of Khavanna
    Today it's the day to go grave digging I even got the day off work so that I could rest throughout the day. Graves are a very important source of bodies I mean people let so much good material go to waste by burying it in the ground, burning it or the stupidity of mummifying a corpse. Though at least when you mummify a corpse you keep it in a nice condition for everyone to see what happened to it if there was any major injury though you can't look at poisons well because of the process of mummification that's why the best time to get a corpse is straight after death so that I can research it in the best state possible.

    I reach the graveyard just before night in my usual clothing I need to scope out the graveyard for graves. There are a surprising amount of dead and deceased here for a place that is newly colonised. Ripe pickings for a necromancer which seems to be a power that has popped up which is why digging up these graves is definitely also a public service. "You come to the graveyard a lot miss. You know anything about the person taking the bodies from here?" The man pulls me out of my reverie a nuisance but necessary to not arouse suspicion overly much.
    "Good on them the bodies probably do need to be removed I mean there is a necromancer floating around here don't want him to have a free source of beings to attack the city with." As soon as I cross the threshold I begin counting the steps I take in my mind. Having a perfect memory is something that is an excellent help to thieving in a graveyard just as it is for stealing from a bank.
    "Folk need to learn to let the dead rest I say just leave em dead and buried I say." The gravekeeper pulls his cap around to the front of his head.
    "Well once they are buried it's best that we should leave them be but before that some people want to be burned or the nightguards try to use the body to establish the cause of death a very valid and valued profession that." I stop next to him and move out of the way of the flow of traffic I'd already found my target a new freshly dug grave for a little girl seems like she died of some disease from her gravestone. Though I wonder if anyone has ever thought that I have interest in the gravekeeper.
    "Trying to put me out of a job those people getting cremated and that necromancer as well though no point in a gravekeeper if there aren't any graves to keep now is there."
    "Certainly not but there is always need of a good watchman isn't there." I look around and relax into the shade and pull out a small load of flowers that I'd picked from near my home the girls grave seems to have nothing on it a shame but not surprising that the family doesn't care for a child so young that is just a part of life.
    "That there is, I see you have finished up whatever brought you here this week."
    "I can't pay respects to my father so I always come here to pay respects to others whom have none that do for them and well then there is also a bit of family tradition along with that."
    "Family tradition?" I shouldn't have let that slip I've told him too much mayhap he will need silencing soon a living body could be a good use of my time.
    "Nothing important just a superstition from my family about those whom don't have their souls appeased becoming vengeful dead though that was just a silly belief but you get into habits when you do something from a little girl with your pa whom you dearly miss."
    "I can see how that would happen aye."
    "Well I bid you good day I'll just go and place this down there and be off to leave you to your work." I quickly leave for the grave before he can say anything and place the flowers there before dodging past him back home.

    When midnight comes around I disappear off to the graveyard and retrieve the corpse from under ground with ease and quickly return the flowers perfectly so no one will notice anything strange going on.
     
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  14. Evil_Ginger

    Evil_Ginger 『Lawful Neutral』『Cheese Master』『安德鲁』

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    COOPER'S PAY DAY - End of Week Tally (No Digestion Post)
    Gains: 2 pounds and 10 soli from the Dandy for working at the bank and at Stop & Shop, 15 soli from working at the Docks
    Bought - 2 Gold Coins (equivalent to 10 soli) for 1 pound for Divination