>>24479574
Shake head, then leave. We're gonna finish this job, damnit. Besides, they might want us to wear something that might expose our teeth...

none

No way are we getting sent into a freakshow.

oh and don't let her touch you again

>>24479574
Run away. She is bad news.

"Hey, little girl with the large pit bull! Would you like to climb in my magical caravan? I promise that I won't club you over the head with a frying pan and sell you into child slavery!"

Yeah, no thank you, creepy circus lady. Good luck finding someone dumb enough to clamber on in without any sense of self-preservation!

>>24479574
NOPE. Bye bye, weird lady who wants to use me as a sacrifice to her dark goddess!

>>24479793
>>24479798
>>24479864

You decline again, though you suppose it's nice someone wants you to do something for them. It seems like a lot of people are asking you for favors lately. Not because you're particularly useful or anything, just because you happen to be there. You don't have any work skills or education or stuff like that. You're just there.

They give you work because they pity you.

Kali begins to growl.

You guess you should finish walking her. Kurush doesn't seem to trust you with doing much else right now. You can't say you blame him.

"Bye..." You turn away slowly. Your feet are as heavy as lead.

The woman flounces after you joyfully. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want to come along? I might happen to know someone who knows a little something I think you'd be interested in."

She bends down to whisper in your ear.

"A little something like M-A-G-I-C~"

[ ]Talk
[ ]Other

No!

run

>>24480041
KNIFE HER.

Failing that, or if people are nearby, run the fuck away. This lady wants us for something, and the things that could go bad for us are numerous enough that we don't need to get involved

File: 1367024274884.png-(147 KB, 1000x500, 1341645282279.png)

147 KB PNG

>>24480041
FUCK THAT. SPRINT BACK TO THE SHOP.

>>24480041
HAHAHA, that's really funny! I find that to be completely hilarious! HAHAHA! Well, I'd say it was nice to meet you but that would be a complete load of bullshit! Bye, you creepy stalker! (sprints back to the shop)

>>24480231
>>24480156
>>24480107

Each of your limbs feels increasingly weighed down. Some tiny part of you is screaming at you to run away, go somewhere safe, go anywhere but here, but you don't really want to. You don't really feel like doing much of anything. There's no point.

Nothing really matters, after all. You're just a worthless nobody whose parents traded her to that traveler for three bags of rice.

That's what your life is worth. A few bags of rice.

You stop moving. The lady pats your head lovingly, too lovingly for someone as worthless are you. Maybe she's crazy. Maybe she'll do something bad to you. Maybe she's good too.

Does it really matter in the end?

>>24480390
Kali. Bite her. NOW.

>>24480390
Stab her. Time to shank a bitch!

>>24480390
you parents didn't trade you for 3 bags of rice. that thought isn't yours. therefor none of them were yours.

Stab her. Bite her. Use your hair.

FIGHT

>>24480390
Magic hair, this would be a good time to strangle her...

>>24480390
I thought I was an orphan through violence...

STAB

>>24480390
YES IT DOES! (startles, headbutts lady in the nose)

You feel Kali's rope drop numbly from your fingertips.

The second it hits the dirt, Kali goes ballistic, lunging with booming, deep-chested barks as she single-mindedly sinks her teeth into the woman's leg. The fog clears from your head as Kali's powerful bite yanks her off her feet. You can hear the crunch of bone and the ground beneath the woman's leg is becoming red mud. Panicked screams fill the air and you hear calls for guards.

Bloody froth spills from Kali's black lips. She seems to have no intention of letting go anytime soon.

[ ]Call off Kali
[ ]Run
[ ]Other

>>24480683
Call off Kali, then scream for the guards. We should tell them that she was trying to drug us.

>>24480683
Call off Kali. We don't need to lose Kurush's dog to the guards on our first day on the job. Failing that, ask them to head over to the Temple of Devorah in order to get Varya to determine if crazy lady is a Magic user.

point at her and say WITCH. then call of Kali and run back to shop

>tobotoc necromancy
no we are not going to raise the dead. Buit it is an interesting idea

>>24480930
Scream "MAGIC!", grab Kali and book it, continuing to scream "MAGIC!" at the lady.

>>24480736
>>24480822

You shout frantically at the dog, which seems to be doing her damndest to permanently cripple the woman. Kali makes no indications that she hears.

There's a single guard approaching at a hasty pace, fumbling to unsheathe his sword. He doesn't look like he'll stop to listen to anything you have to say.

"Magic!" you cry, desperately hoping it will pull the distraction away from yourself. The guard seems confused, but continues charging at you.

You tug on Kali's rope and suddenly she drops her prey and turns on you with a pleasant dog smile. Her tail wags broadly and, after licking her chops clean, she bolts off at full force, dragging you behind her.

Somehow, you manage to hold on and a few minutes of heavy running have her back at Kurush's shop. You're awfully dirty and your face sort of burns, but you managed to escape from the situation mostly safe.

You check to see if Mr. Owl is still in your scarf.

He is.

Feels good. Aside from the road burn and the attempted kidnapping, that is.

Kurush begins to laugh the moment you walk in the door. It seems he finds your misfortune funny. Kali returns to her spot beneath the counter.

[ ]Talk
[ ]Other

>>24481118
Start babbling about what just happened to us, in a complete panic.

"A magic user tried to kidnap me with her magic and she was talking about the caravan and joining them tonight for a play or something but I thought that she would try to make me do bad things or kill me for my magic and then she tried to stop me when I said no and said that she knows I've got magic and she hypnotized me and then Kali bit her and then she let go and then I ran away back here and I think something bad is going to happen tonight with the caravan...

Just a complete non-stop run on sentience about what the lady said and tried to do to you.

>>24481118
His name is Mr. Hoot, thank you very much!

Check your pockets for your stuff and your hair for any growth. We need to know our current inventory to see if we have anything missing. After that, what >>24481240 said. He might know what that was about...

What we have (I think...)
Hunting knife, with sheathe
Mr. Hoot
4 Coppers
2 Beef tongues
some bread
Those sheets from Varya...
Letter to Varya


Anything I'm missing, Rat Doctor?

>>24481118
Permanently cripple...

Shit, they're going to try to find us...

>>24481368
You apologize quietly to Mr. Hoot because you definitely did not forget his name.

You check your food pocket and your not-food pocket. Everything looks to be in order as you last recalled it to be, giving you some small peace of mind. Your pockets are, however, getting rather full...

>>24481240

Once you finish checking your worldly possessions. Your words flow out in a torrential rush, explaining the encounter in its entirety. From the caravan to the strange consuming emptiness you felt from being around the woman and the offer of information on magic as well as Kali's bite.

His laughter tapers off and his face goes grim. "I had hoped they wouldn't be coming back this year. That 'Caravan' makes its rounds through most of the cities in the country. They often pick up young magic users, though I don't have the faintest idea for what. I have my guesses, though... The woman who encountered you must be new. The only member I know by name is the hag that runs it all. The creepy old biddy tried to pick me up about fifteen years ago, when the caravan first started. Supposedly she can 'see' us, which I'm assuming is her magic. Whatever happens tonight, I doubt you want to be out and about town for it. You can spend the evening at my house, at least until they leave."

[ ]Accept
[ ]Decline
[ ]Other

>>24481551
Accept, on the condition that he walks you himself or lets you walk Kali to your hovel to pick up your sheets and to drop off your letter.

Also, ask what her name is, and if the Devorites know about this Caravan? They might want to know about a massive gathering of magic users that steal children who have suffered from magic, might be a cult of Fannar at work...

>>24481686

"What'sh her name?"

"The old woman's? It's been so long..." He scratches at his beard meditatively. "Emmy Nit, I believe."

"Why doeshn't anyone shtop them?"

"The guards don't care as long as they're not breaking a law and as far as I know, they haven't done any of that. A majority of their recruits go willingly so there's nothing to be done about that." He continues, "If it's religious intervention you're looking for, don't hold your breath. The Devorites don't mind since they keep magic users away from their worship sites and the Ruivites have their heads so far up their asses that they don't care about anything that doesn't have to do with them directly. Don't get me started on the Ambrists."

You ask if he could loan you Kali to pick up a few things from your home.

"I'd better walk you myself. They'll be keeping an eye out for a girl with a dog. We'll leave tonight."

Sounds like a plan.

Anything else we need to take care of before then?

>>24482000
Drop off that letter, then head to your hovel. Keep an eye out for Ghayth, he might be working for them. That might be why he's such a weird motherfucker...

Also, buy a kebab for yourself and Kali. She's such a good barely restrained bloodthirsty hellhound, yes she is!

>>24482141
The rest of the day seems to pass by in mere moments. Kurush constantly has a new task for you to do and the downtime is virtually nonexistent, but once you're done, he takes you back to your home as promised and you pick up your sheets. They're not much, but you don't want to leave them.

You drop the letter on the steps of the church on your way back. Neither Varya or Nawal are in sight.

In the distance, you can hear the caravan. It's tempting, somehow. Even though you know it's best for you to not go, you wonder how many people like you there are in it. How many people hoping to learn to cope with their magic are a part of that troupe? And is it effective?

You dawdle too long. Kurush takes you by the hand and leads you home.

And I'm tired now. Good night.