>>48705024
You remember where you are and what the neon means. You are as safe as you can be, the Crimson King seems to pay reverence to the other one and has not set his foot on the floor of the casino.

You take a breath. The heist is done. You have to get back to planning. Hell, this is starting to feel a lot like your old life.

As a man in a black latex suit and a viking helmet walks by you, you amend: A little like your old life.

>If you cannot leave the Elvii safely you cannot do anything. Ask Gwynn how to shield or hide yourself from the Crimson King.
>You've got real solid cash on hand, you can start thinking about serious shopping for gear and entertainment. Make a list.
>Gamble a little.
>Easy come, easy go. Bet the suitcase on black at the roulette table.
>It's been a long damned night. Go to sleep, plan in the morning.
>Other

>>48705076
>>It's been a long damned night. Go to sleep, plan in the morning.
Can't think straight with a headache

>>48705076
>>It's been a long damned night. Go to sleep, plan in the morning.
Need to be tip top to work right

>>48705076
>If you cannot leave the Elvii safely you cannot do anything. Ask Gwynn how to shield or hide yourself from the Crimson King.
>It's been a long damned night. Go to sleep, plan in the morning.

>>48705076
>If you cannot leave the Elvii safely you cannot do anything. Ask Gwynn how to shield or hide yourself from the Crimson King.
>>It's been a long damned night. Go to sleep, plan in the morning.

We should get a weapon once we wake up.

'Mr Blaine?' A living skeleton in a leather suit says.
'Not now, Ash. Bed.' You say.

The remainder of the night is a collage of brief cuts of elevator, casino floor, hallway and bed. This bed must be magical. Second night in a row, it makes you feel like a king and you sleep like a baby, avoiding having any dreams for the second night in a row. Maybe you should consider having less exhausting days.

Maybe you should move to Honolulu, buy a beach-side hut and spend the rest of your days fishing and playing the uka.

You wake, this time around Gwynn is already gone. You walk out the door, with the intent of going down to the lobby, but something that Master Ash said nudges its way to the front of your mind.

The thirteenth floor; the floor you're on right now, is the floor for the permanent residents of the Neon Elvii, or at least the ones that owe the Master some favours. People in your shoes, that is, or at least with the same sized feet.

>Try a door, it wouldn't hurt to make allies. It sure as hell wouldn't hurt to talk about this supernatural shit with someone that is not obviously, clearly, and without a doubt trying to play you.
>You don't have time for this and you don't need any friends from the Elvii. Go meet Gwynn, go shopping or talk about the Crimson King.
>Breakfast and a shower first, maybe a brief chat with Gwynn, but you're coming back here in a few minutes.
>Other

>>48705340
>>Try a door, it wouldn't hurt to make allies. It sure as hell wouldn't hurt to talk about this supernatural shit with someone that is not obviously, clearly, and without a doubt trying to play you.

>>48705340
>Try a door, it wouldn't hurt to make allies. It sure as hell wouldn't hurt to talk about this supernatural shit with someone that is not obviously, clearly, and without a doubt trying to play you.

>>48705340
>>Try a door, it wouldn't hurt to make allies. It sure as hell wouldn't hurt to talk about this supernatural shit with someone that is not obviously, clearly, and without a doubt trying to play you.

>>48705340
>Try a door, it wouldn't hurt to make allies. It sure as hell wouldn't hurt to talk about this supernatural shit with someone that is not obviously, clearly, and without a doubt trying to play you

Yea, you're a friendly guy, you can make friends. You try door number one, the one nearest to the elevator. A muscled man in leather trousers, axe in his hand opens it. Upon seeing your face he shouts a wordless challenge.

'Sorry, wrong room,' you say and close the door.

You knock on the next one, and you wait for just long enough that you feel like moving on.

You hear a woman's voice.

'Well 'n, what brings you down to our old room, then boy?'
'Just meeting the neighbors,' you say.
'Hold on, boy, hold on, I'll be right with 'ya,' the woman says.

She opens the door, the woman is black, a little on the fat side and at least sixty, sixty-five. As far as the madness you've seen over the last few days, she doesn't rate too high- her clothes are over colorful, and she seems to have more gold teeth than bone, but nothing you couldn't see on the street in one of the bigger cities.

The room behind her is stranger than the woman. For one thing, a cooking stove has been built in to the wall where the desk stands in your room. On the far wall there is some structure that can only be described as an altar. It has a headless chicken on it, twitching and bleeding over it.

'Well, you got me to move all the way here, at least come in, have some tea, keep an old woman company.'

>Accept her offer, have some tea.
>'Thank you ma'am, but I'm just making quick introductions. Mark Blaine, pleasure to meet you,' and leave
>Other

>>48705490
>>Accept her offer, have some tea.
Meh. She seems pretty legit.

>>48705490
>Accept her offer, have some tea.

>>48705490
>>'Thank you ma'am, but I'm just making quick introductions. Mark Blaine, pleasure to meet you,' and leave
Fucking vodoo bullshit

>>48705531
We literally contracted a fae. Who are the literal worst things alive.
And being rude increases our chance of Bad Shit happening to us

>>48705490
>>Accept her offer, have some tea.

'Uh, sure, Ms.?' you say.
'Oh, Boy, I know you're new around these parts, but you don't go askin' that kind of thing around these parts,' the old woman says with a smile.
'Of course, ma'am,'

You walk in there and close the door. The moment that the door's closed behind you, the woman straightens her back and in an instant, where a kindly old grandmother stood, now stands someone much more formidable.

'Boy, you bought that Southern talkin', sweet tea makin', kindly old grandmother act in less than a second. Hell, I bet you'd actually drunk the damned tea if I made it,' the woman says.
'I'm sorry, what?'
'God damn it, you might be new, but haven't you noticed what your last few days have been like?'
'How could you know about-'
'Oh, I am just guessing, boy, but I would bet the rest of my teeth that you've been dropping in that there bed of yours every night like it was made out of clouds,'
'Well yeah, but again, how would you know?'
'Because that's how it goes, boy, that's how it goes. And if that's the way it goes, in these parts that is, what do you reckon that means about me?'
'Good enough to still be alive?' you say, remembering what your cousin said about this seventy year old hit-man you once met back in Chicago.

'God damn right, so if you move even a little bit too quick for my liking, you're never leaving this room, boy. Devil knows the nice things I could get if I traded in bits of you in,'

>'Hell, lady, I'm just new, as you said. I just want to know what's going on.'
>'Master Ash needs my help, I thought maybe I could ask around for help, you know, favor for a favor.'
>'If that is how it is I will not be bothering you anymore. Good day, madam, I say good day.'
>Other

>>48705668
>>'Master Ash needs my help, I thought maybe I could ask around for help, you know, favor for a favor.'
In all fairness we are, in fact, safe here because we're under Ash's roof. If we came to harm then it would reflect poorly on him, as we are explicitly under his protection here.

>>48705668
>>'If that is how it is I will not be bothering you anymore. Good day, madam, I say good day.'

>>48705668
>'Master Ash needs my help, I thought maybe I could ask around for help, you know, favor for a favor.'

>>48705668
>'If that is how it is I will not be bothering you anymore. Good day, madam, I say good day.
Ghost sound of Ash banging on our door. Loudly.

>>48705689
'Really? Under Ash's roof?' You say.

The woman hesitates and spits on the ground.

'Pah, Ash ain't a god. You shouldn't count on his protection always being here,'
'But it IS here now. You cannot do shit to me,'
'Oh fine, so I cannot do shit to you. Maybe I'm just an old woman that wants to scare the shit out of a young boy,'
'Look, we're all in the same boat here, I imagine. I owe Ash a favor, I imagine, so do you. But if that is how you introduce yourself, then I think we should just do our best to stay out of each other's hair,' you say.
'Might be best. Might be we might've worked something out. You think fast enough, boy. I think I'll be seeing you whatever we agree upon here.'
'Hell, maybe. Shit, I need to think about this whole thing some more.'

You start walking out, and there is a knock on the door. A much younger woman, of mixed parentage opens it right after knocking.

'Grandma, can we practice early today? I need to go out tonight,' she says and notices you. There is some family resemblance. The other woman's a few years younger than you, maybe twenty two, three, 'Oh, who's the gentleman, grandma?'

>Just walk away.
>'Mark Blaine, a pleasure.'
>'Jack Nielsen. I'm just going.'

>>48705835
>>'Mark Blaine, a pleasure.'

>>48705835
>'Mark Blaine, a pleasure.'
And where are we going tonight?
Schmooze like a dumbass

>>48705835
>>'Jack Nielsen. a pleasure.'
Don't use our real name unless it's needed.

>>48705835
>Just walk away.
>>48705858
>>48705668
>'Oh, Boy, I know you're new around these parts, but you don't go askin' that kind of thing around these parts,' the old woman says with a smile.
Probably best not to give our real name.

>>48705880
Fuck, you're right. Changing name in
>>48705878
To this

>>48705892
I think she's actually harmless desu. Just trying to punk a newbie.

>>48705907
It's better to be safe.

Also, the two options have different connotations imo. Fake name is more "Fuck you I'm leaving" and real name is more "Well this went bad but I hope we can work together sometime"

Maybe it's just me though.
Also, we gave Ash our real name. And literally everyone else we've met.

>>48705939
Ash probably wouldn't tell them

>>48705932
Except we gave our real name to the guy in charge here.
And the guys we're stealing shit for.
And literally everyone we've met so far.
And a fucking fae
And the fucking CRIMSON KING.

>>48705963
Just because we made mistakes so far it doesn't mean we have to keep making them.

Going all "Oh man better be paranoid" right now is like wanting fire insurance immediately after your house burns down, for a burnt out husk.

>>48705977
Except it's not a mistake, and she's not actually all that untrustworthy? And she already implied she was just trying to freak us the fuck out?
And it's not inherently a mistake. It's a general show of trust that says "Hey hope we can move past this" instead of "Fuck off, I don't trust you or anyone else"

>>48706005
Trust is something that has to be earned and you want to freely give it away

'Jack Nielsen, a pleasure, and who might you be?'
'Hmm, most everyone already knows your name, Mark. Has grandma been scaring you? Grandma?'
'Just havin' fun, dear, don't pay me no mind,'
'Ma'am, your grandmother's an asshole,'
'Don't you go talking like that about my grandma. But yes, I am aware,'
'Can I get your name then? Seeing as you already know mine?'
'Kayla. And it's the real one,'
'Is it actually bad that I've been spreading my real name around?'
'Probably would be more stupid to share it with criminals or something. Names have got some power, but grandma says they cannot kill you or control you on their own,'
'Most times, Kayla, most times,'
'You end every lesson with 'most times', grandmother,'
'Because it's always true, girl,'
'Mark, a pleasure to meet you, but I feel a lesson coming on, and I would like to get on with it,'

>'What are you learning here?'
>'Sure, it's been a pleasure, bye.'
>'Wait, if this has mostly been theater, can we start things over and see if we can help each other out.'
>'I have no idea what's going on here, and I don't think I want to. Let's stay out of each other's way. No offence.'
>Other

>>48706018
Yes? Because trust is easy to give. The first time. And it's nice and polite, which frankly I'd prefer our character to be, as opposed to a super paranoid asshole.
And it's not like she's even an evil person who's going to use it against us. This isn't some eldritch fucker on the street, this is our fucking neighbour.
We're both under Ash's protection, and she has quite literally NO REASON TO USE IT AGAINST US.
Paranoia is all well and good but there's a time and place for shadowruns and it is *not* here and now.

>>48706057
>>'I have no idea what's going on here, and I don't think I want to. Let's stay out of each other's way. No offence.'

>>48706057
>>'What are you learning here?'
Oh boy, it totally didn't matter, and was the more polite option. Who fucking knew.
I did when she outright stated she was fucking with us literally one post ago

>>48706086
>'Oh fine, so I cannot do shit to you. Maybe I'm just an old woman that wants to scare the shit out of a young boy,'
She was just fucking with us, so we can't be polite and ask anything? Really? Come on, can we not just be SEMI polite?

>>48706113
Being polite is boring

>>48706149
Being an asshole is boring.
And doing everything alone is stupid.
She's a potential resource, and you just want to ignore her because what, she fucked with you a little and you fell for it?

>>48706177
Yes

>>48706057
>'Sure, it's been a pleasure, bye.'
Let's move on. Maybe we'll run into someone else elsewhere. Ask Gwynn about shielding from Red King and all that

'Hey, sure, I won't be getting in your way. What are you learning here?'
'Witchcraft, of course.'
'Huh, sounds fun.'
'So, about-'
'Look, man, sorry, but this is a kind of a delicate thing to learn. And It'll take me all the time I have. If you want to talk about it, try to catch me in the lobby, I'm there most days for lunch around one,'
'Won't eat nothing I cook,' the old woman says.
'Grandma, you don't cook, you make concoctions,'
'Pah,'
'Alright, well, good-bye then,' you say, and you leave.

Eeh but that felt awkward. Are there no people in this place that can hold a normal, sane, and reasonable conversation? In any case, you do not feel up to trying to meet-and-greet random neighbors, so you take the elevator down to the lobby.

It is around one in the afternoon when you reach downstairs, and the lobby is much more active than it was last morning- you left before eight, after all- but nowhere near the pandemonium this place becomes later in the night.

It is also somewhat more obviously weird. In the neon light, you could just about convince yourself that the red-skinned and well-curved demon woman is just someone in make up, or that her skin color is just a trick of light, but in the daylight you know what she really is. There are three men, drinking seriously, and all of them are wearing the most obvious robes and wizard hats you've seen, all of them more than forty years old.

And that is just the beginning. The weird and wonderful things of the Neon Elvii seem to be without end. You find Gwynn at the bar, drinking a frosty dry martini.

'Isn't it a little early for that?' you say. Gwynn smiles.
'I am a Lady of frost and hunt. I will not allow the mortal concept of time to get in the way of my drinking habits,' she says.

>Hell, with the kind of day's we've been having, I think I'll join you.
>Feel free to finish it, we should get going in a little bit.
>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest.

>>48706325
>>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest.

>>48706325
>>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest.

>>48706325
>>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest.

>>48706325
>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest
Get some breakfast

>>48706325
>Feel free to finish it, but we should talk about the Crimson King soonest.

'I won't be getting in between you and your drink,'
'Clever child,'
'I won't be getting in between you and your drink, but we really need to talk,'
'Oh? What about?'
'How about that whenever I go outside the Elvii it feels like the Crimson King is on my ass in a few hours?'
'It's an inconvenience. What about it?'
'Inconvenience is one way of putting it. I seem to recall that you weren't exactly calm and collected when we were running away as fast as our feet could carry us last night,'
'Indeed. And you will notice me acting as if it is no big deal. A show of strength is almost as good as the real thing.'
'The Crimson King doesn't strike me like the kind of entity that cares about appearances.'

For the first time you see Gwynn's face to twist in a look of genuine disgust.

'No, it really doesn't. So, what exactly are you asking of me?'
'Well, for one thing, is there anything that can protect us from the King? Hide us?'
'There are a few spells. I have heard they are even relatively simple.'
'So?'
'They are protection magic,' she says, as if it explained everything.
'So?' You say.
'It is not natural for us. It is not natural for any creature magical by nature. What you need is a mortal spellcaster,'
'I am a mortal spellcaster.'
Gwynn laughs, 'Child you are a conduit. An implement. You no more cast magic than an aqueduct is a thunderstorm.'
'What do you mean then?'
'Wizards, learned men that get their magic from books and within. Mortals with demon or fae blood. There are some other sorts of humans that can cast magic, but all of them have one thing in common: they don't want anything to do with you.'
'What? Why?'
'You are an outlaw, as far as they're concerned. Remember Leigh? He was a representative of the legal arm of the human supernatural community. He was fairly tame, from what I've seen. Doubt he would have tortured you, for one. You have, for all intents and purposes, colluded with a demon, you have lain with the devil, you are [cont]

>>48706524
the sort of maleficar that Thou Shalt Not Suffer to Live. They think you're evil.'
'That's bullshit,'
'It's human. What would you do if they attacked you? Fight back, maybe try to kill them. Then, if you succeed, another good wizard is killed by the forces of Darkness. That is before you even consider that most of the entities that mortals can borrow power from are not nearly as fluffy and sweet as I, mortal child.'

>'There's got to be a way to get in touch with one of these people. They cannot all be stick-up-the-ass stuck up assholes'
>'Fine, if we cannot take it fairly, maybe we can steal it. Is there such a thing as amulets against the Crimson King? We could steal one, right?'
>'We don't have to meet anyone ourselves. Arrange for Timmy to go and meet a wizard. It might not work, but they're not going to kill an innocent if they want to keep their moral high ground.'
>Other

>>48706590
>'Fine, if we cannot take it fairly, maybe we can steal it. Is there such a thing as amulets against the Crimson King? We could steal one, right?'

>>48706590
>>'There's got to be a way to get in touch with one of these people. They cannot all be stick-up-the-ass stuck up assholes'
>>'Fine, if we cannot take it fairly, maybe we can steal it. Is there such a thing as amulets against the Crimson King? We could steal one, right?'
Option B for if negotiations fail

>>48706609
>>48706590
Supporting. Might be worth asking why the Crimson King didn't do more back then. Is it because of the contract?

'And all of them hate all warlocks?'
'Yes.'
'All of them are human?'
'Indeed,'
'Then I don't buy it.'
'Excuse me?'
'No group of humans is 'all' anything. There must be someone that I can talk to.'
'I would strongly advise against it, child, but if you insist, there might be a way to find one, a wizard or a half-breed of some sort,'
'What's the difference? Practically speaking?'
'Wizards will know magic better. Half-breeds will be better at it, if they remember to practice half as much. A protection spell such as what you want would be fairly simple,'
Wait a minute,
'How the hell does Ashe's protection work? He doesn't exactly strike me as the mortal type.'
'The enchantments over Elvii are older than Ash. He had some talent, when he was alive, or so I believe, but he could not keep the spell going so long after his death if it was tied to his person. I would guess that it protects the guests at the direction of the owner, or some such complex spell. I truly could not tell you more. Protection magic is entirely alien to me.'
'Why does the King just not whack us as soon as we leave here? Hell, why are we still alive, if she's as powerful as you seem to think?'
'It. It's an it, my Mark, and don't you ever forget it. And while I do not dare even approaching the idea of understanding it, if I had to guess I would say it is most likely because it does not want us dead. Or, perhaps there is some cosmic force I do not understand directing its actions. You were right with your first question- we should not be questioning the whys and the hows of the King. We should be trying to figure out a way to stop it from killing us.'
'You said you had a way to find wizards?'
'It used to be nigh impossible. A wizard can hide among other mortals almost seamlessly. Things have changed lately, however.'
'How so?'
'Can you find a copy of the, ah 'Yellow Pages?''

>Start looking for a wizard, someone well versed in magical theory.
>Look for someone that has innate magic.
>Other

>>48706778
>>Start looking for a wizard, someone well versed in magical theory.
I want some kind of down on his luck jaded salaryman wizard accomplice

>>48706778
>Start looking for a wizard, someone well versed in magical theory.

>>48706778
>Start looking for a wizard, someone well versed in magical theory

I trust training and hard work over talent monkeys anyday

'The fucking yellow pages? Didn't they go out of business or something?'
'I scarcely understand what they are. Some sort of a catalog of all humans? But no, as I understand it is kept afloat largely by humans advertising their magical services under flimsy code,'
'Why the yellow pages?'
'Oh, I could not begin to try to understand. As far as I know one wizard decided that advertising out in the open would be good for his business, and ever since more and more of them have started using it.'
'Right. That makes a sort of sense, I guess. We should look for a wizard, right? Pretty sure matching magical brawn against it isn't really going to work anyways.'
'I would tend to agree, but wizards tend to be even more stuck-up when it comes to being anti-pact. Definitely the wiser option- if we can get one to co-operate.'
'Back-up plan is to steal all of ones amulets and hope one of them stick,'
'That could work. Sounds even more foolish than trying to talk to one, however.'

Yellow pages, hell, these used to be stocked by every payphone, but hey, technology marches on, the only payphone you've seen in the past five years was-

Huh, yeah, you're quite certain you saw a pay-phone up on thirteenth floor. Now you think of it, there was a large book of yellow pages next to it.

'Alright, let's get back to our room, I think I know where we can find the book,'

Gwynn finishes her drink in one swing, and the both of you go back up to your floor. You pick up the book and you take it in your room.

Gwynn explains the code to you, hell, it is barely a one, and you're seeing advertisements for dozens of magical services

>Try to look for the most competent ones, good references, professional adverts, more strongly coded messages.
>Try to look for someone desperate enough that they might be willing to take your money. Low prices, garish adverts, and a general sense of despair.
>You've got a good thing going with the strange. Just look for the weirdest advert you can find.

>>48705024
>48705024
little late but i'm here

>>48706999
>>You've got a good thing going with the strange. Just look for the weirdest advert you can find.

>>48706999
>You've got a good thing going with the strange. Just look for the weirdest advert you can find.

>>48706999
>Try to look for someone desperate enough that they might be willing to take your money. Low prices, garish adverts, and a general sense of despair

We want someone not well off rough to refuse business. We can assess how good they might be at the meet.

>>48706999
>Try to look for the most competent ones, good references, professional adverts, more strongly coded messages.

'Sup, man, you lookin' for a , uh what was the code, right oh whatever, man if you're looking for a wizard that's cool. Pretend like that was a coded message, cool? I've got enough problems without getting the Circle mad at me, right. So, right, looking for a wizard in code? I'm one, I do magic and everything. Protection spells, evocations, I could probably pull up someone to do divinations for you too. Fuck, that was supposed to be in code too. Call me.
<several blank lines>
Right, call this number. Followed by a phone number. Ask for Jacovitz.

'How about this one?' you say.
'The man clearly seems mad. But it does look like he is not in the best of the relationships with the Circle,'
'The Circle is that magical police thing, right?'
'Something like that, yes.'
'So, do you think someone like this could be any good at magic?'
'Sanity, or even intelligence, has very little to do with how good someone is at magic. I would also bet that the advert itself was written using magic, likely a direct transcription of speech. Not exactly a shining endorsement, but anyone competent should do.'
'Do you really think this guy could be competent?'
'Oh, more than likely. The higher mysteries are known to mush mortal minds.'
'Mush?'
'The human mind is not that well suited to magic, and while not all good wizards are insane, and not all insane wizards are good, there is some correlation.'
'Might as well give it a shot, I guess,' you say, and dial the number on your hotel phone.

'Hi, man, Mark, is it?'
'Hello, I thought you had to contract someone to do divination for you,'
'Yeah, funny story that. Got a year's worth of divination for my phone calls. Makes me seem y'know, professional, if I can guess who's calling,'
'Alright. You do protection spells,'
'Yeah, man, yeah, I'm great at protection spells. What d'you need protecting from, man?'
'The Crimson King,'

The wizard on the other end of the line audibly spits out some sort of a liquid.

'Holy shit, dude,[cont]

>>48707272
you cannot talk about business that serious over the phone. Fucking hell, how'd that happen?'
'I thought I shouldn't talk about it over the phone,'
'Right, no way, don't explain shit, we can meet, my place,'
'Do you think you can help,'
'Maybe, fuck, depends on shit. Dude, honest, no way can I figure this shit out over the phone. The address is in the book. The code for my wards is 'Mellon','
'Why would you give me the password just like that,'
'Man, if you could kill me, i'd recognize you. The wards are for enemies I know I have. When will you get here?'

>This guy couldn't protect a snake from a rat. Keep looking.
>Arrange a meeting.

>>48707272
>Arrange a meeting.
I like the cut of his jib

>>48707334
>This guy couldn't protect a snake from a rat. Keep looking.

>>48707334
>Arrange a meeting

You look at Gwynn. She should really play poker with that face of hers.

'Sure, I can be there in an hour or so,'
'Cool, I'll prepare what I can, see you, man.'

You hang up.

'Well, I guess we're going to meet this Jacovitz.'
'Bad feeling about this?'
'Wouldn't have agreed to meet if I thought he'd screw us. Not so sure about his credentials, but I guess we'll see.'
'I wouldn't worry overmuch about it. In the worst case, we should be able to get away. And while I hate to rely on previous patterns to guess what the Crimson King is up to, I do not think it wants us dead. Not quite yet, at least, so we might have a chance to go out and come back before anything dreadful happens,'

>Go straight to the wizard.
>You gave yourself some spare time to get there. Spend some of your money, call someone else, do something before you leave.
>Other

>>48707570
>>Go straight to the wizard.

>>48707570
>You gave yourself some spare time to get there. Spend some of your money, call someone else, do something before you leave.
A weapon would be nice

>>48707570
>>You gave yourself some spare time to get there. Spend some of your money, call someone else, do something before you leave.
We need a weapon in case something goes wrong.

>>48707570
>Go straight to the wizard.

Lets not spend longer than we have to unprotected.

>>48707570
>Go straight to the wizard

In the end, going without protection is a scarier idea to you than going unarmed. A wizard could probably protect himself against a gun anyways, and you really really want to have that protection.

You take a cab to the wizard's address and find it to be an apartment complex. Yeah, in Vegas. Not too run down, but certainly nothing fancy. You walk in and take the elevator up to the third floor where the address is supposed to be.

You are just about to check the apartment number, when you notice that one of the doors is framed by two gargoyle statues on either side.

You approach, are about to knock, but Gwynn holds your hand back.

'Child, you truly do not want to mess with a wizard's wards,'
You groan.
'But you know where that password is from,'
You look down and see a doormat. On it there is a stylized door in silver thread, on a blue background. Letters in a fancy script say 'Speak Friend and Enter.'

'I do not see the issue, Child, clearly it means that if you are a friend, you know the password and can speak it, then enter.'

You sigh.

'Mellon,' you say in your best Ian McKellen

The door creaks open. The room is tidy, if somewhat small. There are hundreds, if not thousands of books arranged in stacks at every wall. A globe, a crystal ball and a silver plate of water stand in the center of the room. The decor is mostly textiles- rugs, carpet, a soft looking sofa and a reading chair. It looks dark, and this appearance of darkness is enhanced by the curtains being drawn.

'Coming, man, coming,' you hear the familiar voice of the wizard.

He walks up to you. This is a man in his late thirties, somewhat overweight, wearing a plaid bath-robe, pajama pants and a flannel shirt. In his right hand he carries a glass of some sort.

As soon as he sees Gwynn, his laid-back and simple demeanor evaporates, he drops his glass, grabs a vase full of flowers and water, moving more quickly than you would have thought possible, [cont.]

>>48707985
and throws the water and the flowers out of it, and onto your companion. Gwynn is thoroughly soaked and Jacovitz shouts 'Holy Water, Bitch!'

'I am no demon, mortal spellslinger,' Gwynn says, with a good deal of ice in her voice.

'Shit, Nuen Mana Lassa Quen,' he says, and you have heard no rapper speak more quickly.

Gwynn freezes completely solid. You have seen her be stone still before, but right now her stillness is clearly not by her choice.

>Tackle the wizard while he's distracted.
>Talk him down
>Other

>>48708051
>>Talk him down

>>48708051
>Talk him down

>>48708051
>Talk him down

Roll 1d100, under 30

Rolled 32 (1d100)

>>48708112
Check my nat 100

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>48708112

Rolled 83 (1d100)

>>48708112

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>48708112

You raise up your hands.
'Sir, please, hear me out,'
'You've got, like a minute. Wait that might be too long. Whatever, speak, warlock.'
'We do not want to hurt you, I truly need your help,'
'Shit, man, I do not have any good reason to not turn you away,'
'Please. All I said on the phone was true.'
This gives him pause.
'Faeries. Fucking faeries. Cannot trust them. Cannot trust anyone they've ever spoken to.'
'I have seen the King. It wants me dead.'
'Nah, man, if it wanted you dead you would be. Probably. Or you're stupid powerful and I would be stupid to trust you.'
'Look, I swear I need the help. Maybe it does not want me dead yet, but it is after me.'
Jacovic stands there for fifteen seconds, thinking.
'Fine. You come in. The fairy stays outside.'
'Can you at least unbind her or whatever you've done?'
'She'll be fine. When the water evaporates, or when she figures out the enchantment, she'll be free. Which reminds me, that either you come in right the fuck now, or I slam this door in your face and change the password. Sorry, man, cannot take that chance,'

>Agree
>You're not leaving Gwynn defenseless outside
>Other [no more than five words of speech to convince him, last chance, write-in]

>>48708252
>>Agree

>>48708252
>You're not leaving Gwynn defenseless outside
>Other [no more than five words of speech to convince him, last chance, write-in]

Release her, she stays outside.

>>48708357
Backing

'Release her, she stays outside,' you say
Jacovitz grunts, grabs your collar, pulls you inside, closes the door and says 'Tyel, Metta-Mente,' he shrugs back into his more comfortable slouch, 'happy now?'
'Did you release her?'
'Yeah. She cannot come in. Now, what the fuck have you gotten yourself into, dude?'

>Tell him everything
>Hide some information [write-in]
>'Not important. What is important is, I'm not evil, I've not done anything bad and am not planning to, and the Crimson King will tear my eyes out through my testicles if you don't help me'

>>48708478
>>Tell him everything

>>48708478
>>Hide some information [write-in]
Do not tell him where we are staying, what we do or the nature of our contract.

>>48708478
>>Tell him everything
Except the *exact* nature of our contract

>>48708510
>>48708534
>>48708478
Supporting. Don't mention we are criminals either

>>48708478
>>48708510
>>48708628
Backing

'All right, then, it all started when-'
'Wait, damn, where are my manners? Want a Godfather?'
'What?'
'One part bourbon, one part amaretto liqueur, a classic.'
'Uh,'
'Course you do. I'm making myself one as well,'

A minute with the bottles later, he gives you a glass full of amber liquid. It tastes nice, but you sure as hell aren't drinking enough to get even the slightest buzz.

You tell him most of it. You do not feel like you need to go into the specifics of your contract, and leave out some of the more illegal activities, but you're sure that you have made it pretty clear as to what has happened over the past few days. Jacovitz, for his part, finishes three godfathers while you speak.

'Huh, so you came to Vegas for no reason, with the Lady regent of the oldest fairie holding on the mortal realm, which is working with you for no discernible cost, and then you spend a few days in town not doing much of anything but shopping and getting attacked by the Crimson King.

Ah well, we've all got our secrets. Seems like you ain't such a bad guy for a warlock. Guess I could help a guy our. Off the books, so to speak.'

>Ask about the protection spell
>You are here for a very good reason, but he just spoke of Gwynn as if he knew who she was. Inquire further.
>Ask something about Jacovitz's work and the human wizarding world.
>Other

>>48708648
>Ask about the protection spell
Spell first, questions once getting kicked out won't cost us so much.

>>48708648
>>Ask about the protection spell
>>You are here for a very good reason, but he just spoke of Gwynn as if he knew who she was. Inquire further.
>>Ask something about Jacovitz's work and the human wizarding world.
Spell first, then ask All The Questions

>>48708648
>>Ask about the protection spell
Only ask the others once we get the answer to this

You breathe an involuntary sigh of relief.

'Shit man, you don't know how much you're helping me out.'
' 'Course I do. That's why I'm doing it. Wouldn't wish being eaten by the King even on anyone, not even if you had the Devil out there with you, instead of a faerie lady. Fucking faeries though man, fucking faeries.'
'So, what can you do?'
'Weeeell, it gets kind of technical, you know. Only fool-proof protection and concealment spells are tied to locations. That's why we wizards tend to stick to one place, or travel on the down-low between a couple. Could enchant somewhere to hide you pretty easily.

Seeing as you're with Ash, you kinda already got that. Shit man, you don't know how lucky you are to have that spell over you. Solid fucking work, every fucking apprentice all around the State and a few dozen from the whole country a year come here just to look at the spellcraft involved. Work of art it is.

Anyhow, you want to have something that lets you move about. Those always have a catch, they're never like, proper hiding, or proper immunity, it's like.

Oh, that part doesn't matter, the point is, I can give you a couple of options of amulets.

First one would give you a few extra layers of shielding on your brains. Y'know, when the King starts with the insanity shit, you start running, and if your luck holds out you can probably get away.

Second is a kind of a hiding thing, but it really hides knowledge about where you are, not your actual location, if you see what I mean. They break pretty easily. If anyone working for the King, or anyone that the King asks directly know where you are, poof, right? You'd know it broke, so there's that, at least, I guess.

Third is a death charm. It doesn't really do anything, but it changes your aura a bit. Makes it look like you're dead or just about to die. Should stop the King from actively chasing you, at least until you make yourself real damned obvious. Also, anyone with magical ability that knows you will[cont]

>>48708648
>Ask about the protection spell
First thing's first

>>48708864
definitely think you're a vampire. Pretty much no way to avoid that.

So, what'll it be?'

>First
>Second
>Third
>Suggest something else
>Other questions

>>48708878
>>First
Sounds like it might protect from more than JUST the king, but also eldritch insaity kinds of shit in general. Best general use one imo.
Protecting your brain meat is king, after all

>>48708878
>First
Can we get all the amulets?

>>48708878
>>First
>Other questions
Is it possible to wear more than one or do they interfere with each other?

>>48708878
>First
Also if possible
>Second

Seems like the first is a good backup for the second one. That is if we can use both at once

>>48708878
>First
Also, back to my faerie. You called her something important sounding, care to elaborate?

So I think we should pay this guy a bit extra just to keep him friendly. We were really lucky to find a wizard that will help us out.

He also seems like a cool dude in general

'I think I'll go with the first.'
'Good choice. Should protect you from general mind-fuckery too.'
'Couldn't I wear all of them at the same time to stack the benefits?'
'Fucking hell, dude, you never heard of magical resonance? No you probably fucking haven't. Theoretically possible, but I'd have to work for months to make even two of them stack. All three would be a life's work, get me in the arcane history books, and I've no clue if I could even pull it off,'
'It's possible though?'
'Dude, I'm a wizard. When I jerk it I think about the impossible and all the ways I can screw it. Real damn fucking hard, and you don't have the sort of time it would take to wait.'
'Sure, thanks, just curious,'
'Don't mention it. Alright, I'll get to work, should take about an hour. Uh, I usually ask for a thousand bucks for something this specialized. Hell, the ingredients will probably set me back five hundred, so it's a steal. No rush though, pay me when you can.'
'Right.'
'So, get to it.'
'What?'
'I'm a goddamned wizard, ask me what you want to.'
'Well, I mean, I have been wondering. You sound like you know my faerie. Who is she?'
'Okay, first of all, she is not your faerie, you are her human. Second of all, calling her a 'her' is probably technically wrong. Oh, I'm sure she has all the equipment, but she's also beyond all that human classification shit.'
'But you do know her?'
'A fucking right. Everybody knows Gwynn Ap Nudd. Most people say that she's a king of faeries, but obviously there is a pile upon a pile of misunderstandings in that interpretation.'
'Like what?'
'Like did you see the tits on her? She's called a 'king' because she's been operating long enough that the concept of a woman ruling was seen as so absurd that everyone just assumed. Second is, of course that she is royal.

Shit, son, how much do you know about the fay?'
'As much as anyone that has read Tolkein,'
'Jack shit then. Fuck, where do I start. [cont.]

>>48709131
>'Like did you see the tits on her? She's called a 'king' because she's been operating long enough that the concept of a woman ruling was seen as so absurd that everyone just assumed
He should try telling it to her face.

>>48709131
Okay, so, when a human says 'kingdom', we mean, like an area, like pretty much a nation, right? Well, the Faerie Kingdom isn't like that. It is all faeries everywhere and there is only one queen, and as impressive as your buddy is she ain't it,'
'Who's the queen?'
'Yeah right, I say her name, then you repeat it like an idiot, then we hear her name a third time from behind the door, and kablamicus, Nevada freezes over for good.

No, the point is, your girlfriend there has ruled Ireland since before there were humans on that island,'

'She doesn't sound Irish,'

'She sounds however the fuck she wants to sound, right? Anyways, when you hear about the fae, you think of old Eire. That's because that's where they started. Ireland is the oldest Faerie nation, and Gwynn Ap Nudd is the Lady of Ireland.

And she's here with you, in the Mojave Desert, running around and making tiny deals.

Makes you think, don't it?'

It kind of does.

'Anyways, just don't do anything stupid. Best bet would be to just not do anything she wants, but she'd figure out a way to force your hand, so just don't do stupid instead.'

'Sounds good,'

>Other questions
>Just hang out while he finishes the charm

>>48709214
>>Other questions
Do they die like normal beings or are they banished to another realm or some other magical shit

>>48709214
>Other questions
Ask if he's on good terms with the circle "since the yellow pages said something about it", but actually ask to see if he's gonna turn us in our even heard of us

>>48709214
>>Other questions
So. Wizardy. Is bending reality over a table as fun as it sounds?

>>48709263
I like this question, but it might be dangerous asking it. We also might want to ask if iron will kill or weaken them like in the myths.

>>48709329
+1
also let's finish that drink and shoot shit awhile, he seems like a cool dude.

>>48709214
>>Other questions
What are the odds of the first cab driver you get in this city being a vampire?
>>48709329
Supporting
>>48709263
Might as well ask that about King Crimson too

You relax a bit. You finish your drink, before you've put it down Jacovitz has handed you another one. Fuck it, you've been stone cold sober in Vegas for two and a half days. You take a big sip out of it.

'Do faeries die? I mean like people?'
'You've been reading too much mythology. Everything dies. Even that star-asshole, I mean the Crimson King. Thing is some things die a lot harder than others.'
'So, how do faeries die?'
'Well, first, there are some weaknesses. Not big fans of iron faeries, but don't rely on it too much. You got to hit them first, and they're slippery bastards.'
'You seemed to get Gwynn stuck pretty well,'
'Pah, she wasn't really trying to get out and she wasn't expecting it. The old bumbling wizard act still works, even after all these years. Besides, as I was saying, even if you DO manage to hit them, even with iron, you really have got to smash it home.

If I took an axe to her face right after I'd locked her up, it'd probably slide off. Hell, no probably about it. She's probably got five, six enchantments going on at all times, protecting her. Iron would be number one, seeing as that's the first thing everybody tries.'

'But if you took away the enchantments?'

'It'd still be a pain in the ass. Breaking all of them would leave me pretty well drained, while she would hardly be impeded. Get three more guys as good as me, maybe we could get to the point where we could start hammering nails in her. But it'd take time and someone would hear about it and we'd have a dozen more fae on our asses.'

'I think I'm starting to get it. So, what about the King. What are his weaknesses?'

'Fuck if I know. Fuck if anyone does. I've got some decent guesses. Don't think it likes water much, but there's no way to move enough water to drown it. Got a few more, but that's advanced magical shit.'

'How is it, the wizarding business?'

'Made for me. Sit on my ass, wait clients to walk to me, pays well and I get to break every rule in existence,
[cont.]

>>48709507
'What about the circle?'
'Assholes, mostly. Like any group. Less than Ash's buddies. You should really watch your back there. They cannot start shit while you've got his protection, but it's still a retarded idea to make any enemies while you're there.'

You chat with the wizard. Needless to say, there is certainly a reason to his madness. By the time the charm is done, you feel like you've made some in-roads. He still sure as hell doesn't trust you, but if you showed up again, he probably wouldn't try to blast you.

'There, that should do it,' he says, presenting a finished amulet. It is a simple sphere, it looks jade with something glowing floating around inside it. You put it on, and feel a very slight static feeling over your dome. In a second it either dissipates, or you get used to it enough that you don't notice it anymore.

'Well, I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a pleasure working with you, man. Fuck, I hope you manage to get rid of that faerie.'

You hear a raised voice from outside the door. Gwynn's voice. She is not shouting, and she is, as ever keeping her emotions well in check, but you have been around her long enough that you start to notice a certain something in her voice when she worries.

'It is coming. We need to get out of here. Right now, Mark.'

You rush to the door, but Jacovitz grabs your hand.

'Dude, remember what I said. Home wards are unbeatable. It is tracking Gwynn if it is coming. You'll be safe in here. Please, dude, stay.'

And I am afraid I got a certain call which means that this is where the third installment of Urban Warlock Quest will have to conclude.

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?page=1 Archive A vote for Urban Warlock Quest is a vote for a safer Gotham

@DeadQM Twitter

Pastebins in the OP.

Very unlikely that there will be any games before the 21st. See you internet cowboys.

>>48709604
See you in two weeks

>>48709604
Meh, He has a point about fae being bastards, but Gwyn has been pretty cool so far. Don't really want to leave her high and dry.
Also if CK doesn't 100% utterly kill her she will hunt us the fuck down and wizard dude and nothing else will get in her way to do so if we leave her and try and welch on our bargain

Thanks for running!

>>48709604
Thanks for running dead!

>>48709604
See you when you get back!