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It is the 1550s.
A time of expansion, exploration, and trade.
Amidst great empires, a small country manages to establish itself as a trading center.

Within Sablestream lies Clawflash, the prosperous capital surrounded by rivers. A highly competitive world where wealth can be easily amassed and washed away. A destination for any goblin, human, or giant seeking to improve their status. This city was originally founded by birdmen, divine messengers of deities, who seem to take interest in the monarchy and the supernatural entities within this city.

Under the authority of King Chaisri, foreign trade and military power are emphasized. A ruthless leader, who came from a line of short reigning predecessors. He assumed power after executing the previous king, his five year old nephew, for unproductive behavior during the war between Sablestream and the neighboring country, Galepeak. With his extensive usage of firearms and foreign mercenaries, Galepeak forces were driven out from the north eastern provinces.

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You are Sira

Formerly an apothecary in training, ladykiller, martial artist, security agent of a slave health inspection company, and a member of Red Winter crime organization (who funded the slave health inspection company), his career was ended by Johannes, the military advisor and hitman of the monarchy due to him uncovering state secrets.

His left hand was severed and both of his thighs were cut. His colleague, Bow, was able to stabilize him with the blood magic, and his lover, Warin, used an occult resin to reattach his previously cut limb and muscles. However, the extent of his injuries forced him into an administrative role — he became a brothel keeper.

For years, he cared little about the Nectar Droplet, preferring to stay in his room and daydream about his past days. At the brink of collapse and nearing the end of his employment, Sira began to care about the brothel once more.

Month 1-4
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5593108/

Month 5-7
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5629008/

Currently, the Red Winter organization is divided ー the partial destruction of Boon’s textile workshop forced everyone into finding alternative sources of income. Some of their schemes conflicted with each other, but Sira’s intervention made the senior members and the associates work with each other.

In four months, his role as a brothel keeper will end and he can return to his old position.

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His allies

Within Red Winter crime organization..

Bloodbearer Bow
Head of Two Fencers gambling house and respected by the senior members. Her skill in manipulating blood kept Sira alive.

Tong
Bow’s brother and second in command. A charismatic leader that the lower ranking members and associates respect.

Cris and Zeal
Apothecaries who produce abortifacients for Red Winter. Extremist in their beliefs of distributing abortifacients and sterilizations, only fringe groups respect them.

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Within the Nectar Droplet brothel..

Military division — Sira’s Crows
His colleagues from the slave health inspection company, Catcher Corps. While there’s only nine of them, they are skilled in combat and infiltration.

Head of financial division — Dao
A goblin that oversees the funds of the brothel. She knows a lot about the entertainment district in general.

Head of security division — Arun
An old man that has seen and dealt with troublemakers his entire life, saved from bankruptcy by Sira and his crows. He is someone Sira consults when it comes to criminal activity and his reputation within the Red Winter organization.

Head of medical division — Warin
His most trusted ally and lover. Oversees the monthly contraceptives and abortifacients supply of the brothel. As a Player of the Dark Arts, she can utilize spirits to perform supernatural acts. As a Krasue, she straddles the line between life and death.

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Sira
Although proficient with many types of weapons, he mainly uses..

a sidesword
A sword with a swept hilt. Powerful in the cut due to the blade’s width, and strong in the thrust due to the profile taper. A well balanced weapon, able to stand up to rapiers or sabers.

wheellock pistol
An expensive firearm with moderate reach. Only stopped by well made cuirasses. It can take nearly half a minute to load.

tantō
A short blade, easily concealed and good in grappling distance.

Recently, his armor consists of..

Padded clothing
His shirt has layers of fabrics stitched to it, providing some protection against cuts or thrusts. Not as durable as an actual gamberson, but more breathable.

Sangu
A set of armor that protected his limbs. It consists of armored sleeves, thigh armor, and shin armor. Small metal plates and mail will deflect cuts and provide good protection against cuts.

Having nearly died and came back, Sira is permanently linked to the supernatural..

Fade
Teleport to a location within line of sight. Time slows down when concentrating. Consecutively fading 4-5 times will cause him to pass out. its daud blink from dishonored

Arcane Bond
Share his [Fade] with others. The power scales with how strong his bond is to that person. Warin and his crows are the current bearers of his blessing.

Overload
Command spirits to amplify a target’s senses. Sira can only use this 2-3 times before becoming ravenous.

To operate the brothel smoothly, there are 4 aspects Sira needs to keep track of…

Funds
Amount of money the brothel has.

Morale
The happiness and loyalty of employees.

Security
Speed of neutralizing troublemakers.

Connections
Reputation of the brothel and the ability to ask for favors from other members in Red Winter.

Each of these aspects can be used as currency in certain decisions (status will be displayed when these options presented)

Don’t let any of them hit 0.

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Seventh month ー later half
The first half of the month was spent getting the associates another source of revenue. With that accomplished, Sira can focus on the senior members.

Scamming the monarchy won’t be easy, especially with Johannes hunting down fraudsters. By discrediting the market district’s handicraft commission, it will satisfy corrupt officials enough to overlook Red Winter selling (counterfeit) items to the monarchy for the upcoming trade with Dawnfall islands.

The handicraft commission is an organization formed by artisans to regulate how much they get paid and how long they must work for. Some people in the government really doesn’t like the public having that much power.

Bow’s plot destabilizes them internally ー sow distrust amongst the artisans. Whether through ordinary means or the supernatural, Red Winter’s psychological manipulation will induce cracks within people and damage alliances.

Cris and Zeal‘s plot targets their customers ー the associates will bribe the journalists into publishing inflammatory reports. ‘Evidence’ of such ‘facts’ will be produced to support them. Rumors of sanitations issues could become truth. Inconveniences suddenly occurs. Long established qualities might vanish. The customers will grow to distrust the artisans.

These plots will occur simultaneously to ensure the commission is discredited, but Sira will only be able to take part in one of them.

>>5663879
Sira will take part in..

>Bow’s plot (internal war)
A joint operation between thieves, manipulators, poisoners, and those skilled in the occult (such as Warin). There’s a lot of variables in this plan, and a lot can go wrong, but the amount of support Sira will have ensures failure won’t come easily.

[Lower DC, more objectives]

>Cris and Zeal’s plot (sway the masses)
This operation requires a small force that can quickly infiltrate buildings and sabotage their equipment. Brief, but perilous. If things go wrong, Sira can rely on himself and a few others.

[Higher DC, fewer objectives]

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Q&A

Updates?
>usually twice per day

Drawquest?
>sometimes, depending on schedule

Trips?
>I have two trips. The one I currently use and picrel (i phonepost a lot)

>>5663879
>Cris and Zeal’s plot (sway the masses)
Welcome back, QM!

>>5663880
>>Cris and Zeal’s plot (sway the masses)

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>>5663930
>>5663910


>sway the masses

Sira and his crows have performed raids many times. A small, elite force that can quickly sabotage objects and leave undetected matches their description.

The associates will be helping them out by providing intelligence and doing favors, but the only ones helping them directly are Cris and Zeal, who will act as scouts.

Cris summarizes their objectives.

《You’ll need to infiltrate a pottery factory and a papermaking workshop. Here’s what they look like.》

The pottery factory is a series of interconnected warehouses. Rather than a precisely planned complex, this labyrinth was created from years of expansions. Due to the amount of stuff in there, sight lines will be short. Noise will be their main way of detecting people.

The workshop is smaller, merely a house with a large backyard. Within backyard are multiple small tents and huts where paper are prepared traditionally, using palm leaves. Spotting people will be easy due to the wide open nature of this location.

《There’s 3 points that the journalists will use to attack them ー sanitation issues, product delays, and quality control. Animal infestations and foul smells are the fastest way of doing those. We have bags of insects and rotten food.》

《You’ll need to find where the products are kept, dump the sacks of insects and food there. If you have the time, try to put those food in hard to reach places. We want that stink to last.》

「Alright. What time will we do this?」

>>5664379


《Tomorrow.》
《We’ll need to hit these locations in the same day so they won’t have time to send out warnings to each other.》

The order is…
>《Pottery factory in the afternoon, workshop in the evening.》
There will be more people at factory working when they infiltrate, but the cover of night will aid in infiltrating the workshop.

>《Workshop in the afternoon, pottery factory in the evening.》
The papermakers and their families are most active during the afternoon, but infiltrating the factory will be easier due to the noises of pedestrians around it.

>>5664380
>《Pottery factory in the afternoon, workshop in the evening.》

>>5664380
>《Pottery factory in the afternoon, workshop in the evening.》
Makes the most sense logistically. Be sneakiest where sight is the primary means of our possible detection!

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>>5664692
>>5664667

>pottery factory afternoon, paper workshop evening

They will tackle the labyrinthine buildings first. Long sight lines of the workshop will be obscured by the darkness.

While the market district was never the most organized part of Clawflash, this pottery factory stands above the rest. A sprawl of nearly identical brown structures, further obscured by shadows and disintegrating landmarks.

Even though the associates provided them with maps, they visited the market district to ensure information provided are accurate. The group spends the first half of the day going through the northern parts of Clawflash.

..
…

Although this visit was educational in nature, the group occasionally takes some time off to visit the street vendors for snacks and drinks. They managed to overhear a few interesting things from the vendors and other customers..

>vendors
They mention problems with suppliers a lot. Apparently they aren’t transporting certain things as fast as they used to. Sira suspects this is the actions of other junior members of Red Winter. Are they commissioning them to transport certain products while neglecting others? Pay them to swap out original products for cheap counterfeit ones? He’s not particularly sure either ー he allied with the senior members and associates, not the juniors.

>customers
Their opinions a little more diverse, but there’s a few useful details.

Slightly blemished products are being sold due to the merchants keeping the higher quality items for next month’s trade with Dawnfall ー the group’s plan of using insects might not work perfectly.

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>>5665117
Luckily, the group is prepared for this. They already have quite a few foul smelling concoctions and corrosive liquids.

With all the information gathered, the later half of the day were spent planning out the routes and alternate plans. There’s three important steps to their plans.

>〈Infiltrate the factory〉
They can do this by hiding in sight (pretending to be customers) or hiding out of sight. (pure stealth) The former will mean they will be more closely monitored, but they can distract the workers by talking to them. The latter means they will have an easier time sneaking around, but if caught, it will be difficult to explain who they are.
>〈Find the warehouse that stores the finished products〉
There’s three possible locations where they keep most of the finished products. The west, the north, or the east section of the factory. If they were pretending to be customers, they could ask about it, but it would look quite suspicious if something happened right after that. They’ll need to pin the blame on workers.
>〈Exfiltrate〉
They can easily fade away after its done, but not when they’re in view of people. If they pretend to be regular customers, this will be pretty difficult.

The group’s plan is to..
(CHOOSE ONE)

>Hiding in sight (pretend to be customers)
They can find more information, but more eyes will be on them. It will be more difficult to do illicit actions this way.

>Hiding from sight (complete avoidance)
Easier to sneak around, but detections will be a lot more difficult to recover from.

The group can call upon a few favors as well….
(CAN CHOOSE UP TO 2 FAVORS)

>Overheard secrets
Some associates overheard where most of the finished products are kept.

[1d2]
1 = know 2 possible locations
2 = know the precise location

>Pushing the right buttons <exclusive to “hiding in sight” option>
Certain topics can cause some of the workers to go on tangents for a long time, if the group knows about these, they could have time to do illicit actions.

[guaranteed success on one illicit action]

>Old uniforms <exclusive to “hiding from sight” option>
The associates managed to acquire old uniforms of some of the contractors that work with the factory. At a glance, the workers will think they are affiliated.

[1d3 when failing the first stealth DC]
1 = alerted
2,3 = undetected

[1d2 when failing the second stealth DC]
1 = alerted
2 = undetected

>>5665118
>Hiding from sight (complete avoidance)
>Overheard secrets

>>5665632
Supporting

>>5665118
>Hiding from sight (complete avoidance)

>Old uniforms <exclusive to “hiding from sight” option>

>>5665964
>>5665667
>>5665632
FYI if you only choose one favor, you’ll get more options of favors when infiltrating the workshop

Rolling for overheard secrets

Rolled 1 (1d2)

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>>5665964
>>5665667
>>5665632


>hiding from sight (pure avoidance)

Avoiding the workers entirely is likely the best approach — those workers won’t have their guard up and they can escape easier. No need to overcomplicate things.

>overheard secrets (2 possible locations)

Either the west or the north of that sprawl. At least they don’t have to waste time checking the east.

The evening is spent going over the final plans.

『We will wear normal clothing until we get to these alleyways here, change, then infiltrate the factory through the south.』

『Once we get to the middle, we’ll split into 2 groups, six people each — The first group will handle the west. Second group will handle the north. Cris will scout ahead in front of the first group, and I will scout ahead of the second.』

Along with the plans, the two have a few devices for stealth. Curious objects that can imitate animal noises.

『The blue one. Two scratches. Blow on this whistle and you’ll sound like a bird. Damn loud.』

《Press it like this.》

「Like.. this?」

《.. Yep. It took a while before we got the noises right. Crickets were pretty hard to copy.》
《Countersign is doing it twice.》

『Exhale a little more.』
『There. Like that.』
『There we go. Just don’t do it too much. There’s not that many dogs in the market district.』

>>5666219

North West Market District ー afternoon

Although the air isn’t as humid as before, the afternoon sunlight made it quite tiring to walk through all those alleyways. Shade is a luxury that the more dilapidated areas are unable to afford.

Now out of sight of the masses, the group remove their outer clothing, revealing a set of loose fitting brown clothes. Under poor light, it becomes difficult to discern their bodies from the similarly colored walls and products. The earthly sprawl awaits them.

With Cris and Zeal as the vanguard, the group successfully move through the southern portion of the pottery factory. Most of the customers and merchants interact in this area. Their banters and conversations mask the noise created by the group.

As they get closer to the middle, the pathways become more dilapidated. A crust of loose debris and fading paint indicate these were extensively used.

The group comes across a warehouse that mainly holds wooden carts and spare parts for them. Considering how clean they are, these are likely used for transporting the finished pottery in bulk.

>Cris and Zeal present

these look pretty small. The handles would fit a goblin better than a human or giant. These trails look-

Before the Sira could analyze it further, Zeal and Cris returned to the group and inform them of workers approaching. The crows leave the warehouse and hide nearby, pressing their ears against the warehouse’s walls in order to eavesdrop on them.

>>5666220
Their muffled words are basically gibberish to Sira.

These goblins must be speaking in the north eastern dialect. He’s not familiar with it, and neither does Cris or Zeal, who come from the southern provinces.

..
…

Judging from the grunts and wood striking against each other, these workers are repairing carts. This could take a while.

The group decides to..

>Wait it out [guaranteed success, increases future DCs]
A safe option, but if these carts are fixed, these workers would be moving around and working ー sneaking around will be more difficult

>Fade past [3d20 vs DC 10]
They’re far from tired. Sira and others can quickly fade past the warehouse and avoid these workers. While they can easily sneak past them, if they falter, they would need a very good excuse to get out of it.

[+4, +4, +5 bonus to roll]
[Failure on any roll will result in detection]

>Distract and use occult resin [1d20 vs DC 15, decreases future DCs]
The group can distract them by producing animal noises while Sira put a small amount of occult resin on the carts. Risky, but if successful, will distract them for a while.

[+4 bonus]

>Overload. [guaranteed success, 1d2 hunger roll]
Those workers will definitely be distracted when one of them (thinks they) are suffering from heat exhaustion. Using such a power will make him quite hungry — Sira won’t be able to use it often.

1 = 1/2 uses
2 = 1/3 uses

>>5666222
>Fade past [3d20 vs DC 10]

>>5666222
>Fade past [3d20 vs DC 10]

>Overload. [guaranteed success, 1d2 hunger roll]

Rolled 10, 18, 6 = 34 (3d20)

>>5666390
>>5666378

>>5666816
>Fade does it again
And oldie, but a goodie.

>>5666816
>Kendal from Succesion enters you are brothel
>"HEY WHATS POPPING BITCHES!!!! YOU GOT THE COKE I ORDERED?"

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>>5666927

>>5666938
>The Nun casts a +12 Stealth and +12 Combat spell giving Kendal from Succsession superior Ninja capabilities
>Kendal does The Stanky Leg to celebrate

>>5666938
>Kendal seamlessly dodges all incoming attacks
>Kendall summons DaBaby as part of his Party
>Kendall summons Christian Vander as a member of his party
>Kendall summons Euronymous as a member of his party
>Kendall summons Lizzo as a member of his party
>Kendall summons Bochi The Rock as a member of his party
>Kendall summons Fenriz from Darkthrone as a member of his party

Rolled 36 (1d69)

>>5666938
Rolling to seduce the nun

>>5666960
>Euronymous already seduced The Nun

>>5666390
>>5666378
>Fade past
The crows are becoming quite proficient at this. Although they aren’t able to concentrate as well as Sira or Warin, they can accurately aim where they want to go without taking much time.

>14 vs 10
Five of them lean past the walls briefly and traverse past the workers. The goblin workers were too distracted with repairing the wheels to notice.

>22 vs 10
Rather than peeking, Sira and a few other crows utilize the slits within the walls and align themselves to fade through, allowing them to reach the other end without exposing themselves for even a moment.

>11 vs 10
Although Cris and Zeal know of Fade, are not used to it. When a crow grabs them and fades, they can barely stand upright afterwards. Hearing those spirits, even if briefly, can be disorienting. Although incomprehensible to most, an instinctual panic occurs from hearing such. Luckily, the crows were there to help them up before they bumped into things.

With the workers avoided, the group is able to continue deeper into the sprawl.

As they go further in, shade become more prevalent and the buildings become larger. Ceramics scraping. Repeated slaps against wet clay. Heat in the air.

The middle of the factory is where clay are being turned into something closely resembling tableware.

>>5666978
What about Euronymous and DaBaby and Kendal from Succsession though? I'm telling mom that you were cheating.

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>>5666978
Obscured by the shelves and shadows, the group easily avoids any detection from any of the potters.

The associates reported that the east section of the factory isn’t where they keep the finished products, and this information seems to be accurate — occasionally, they see potters transporting blocks of clay and paint from the right side into the middle.

>undetected [observation bonus]

All of them blissfully unaware of people spying on them.

After observing for a few minutes, the group is able to find a few useful things…
(Choose one)

>Precise location of the pottery storage [Increases sabotage DC]
By looking at certain notes, they can determine which direction they need to go. However, it also state the storage is quite hazardous.

"A recent wind draft caused some of the pottery to fall and shatter. SHARP ceramic fragments could still be present."

>Water and wet towels [Decreases stealth DC]
It can get pretty hot inside the factory. To prevent heat related illnesses, staying hydrated is important. The group can nick some of these in order to prevent exhaustion.

>Pest repellent powders [Decreases failure severity]
Powders made from herbs that can repel mosquitos and other annoying insects. Bought in bulk. Convincing those workers might be a little easier if they have these — they are “merely” cleaners that got lost. The amount of clothing covering their skin also sells this lie quite well.

>>5666980
>Pest repellent powders [Decreases failure severity]

>>5666980
>Pest repellent powders [Decreases failure severity]

Rolled 75 (1d88)

>>5666965
Rolling to summon varg to stab euronomyous

>Pest repellent powders [Decreases failure severity]

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>>5667154
>>5666998
>>5666990

>Pest repellent

They nearly got caught. They can’t risk such a situation again. Having pouches of this stuff will allow them some plausible deniability.

Although they weren’t able to locate where the pottery storage is, the group does know a few things about the two directions they will be heading in..

>West
Generally wider and more open than the north. The sight lines are long, and shade is scarce.

《Smells a bit strange. Paint, I bet.》

>North
Much hotter than the west. Sight lines are shorter, and shelves are more prevalent here.

『The heat is coming from this direction.』

Ah. Dammit. What was the process for creating these again?

Sira isn’t an expert in stoneware. He roughly knows how they are made — clay is cut, shaped, then… something… either they’re painted then heated, or the other way around.

He decides to be part of

>Cris’ group [west]
Her stature and lightbending cloak will prove useful in keeping the crows from sight.

>Zeal’s group [north]
His similar silhouette to the workers will allow him to avoid detection at a glance.

>>5667189
>Zeal’s group [north]

>>5667189
>>Cris’ group [west]

>>5667189
>Cris’ group [west]

>Cris’ group [west]

It seems more efficient than just having a small stature

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>>5667905
>>5667795
>>5667785
>>5667193


>Cris’ group [west]

The west seems like a better option. Sira decides to go with the first group.

..
…

Sunlight becomes prevalent, revealing dots of pale colors amongst the drab structures. That strange smell becomes increasingly apparent. A somewhat repulsive thing to those not particularly familiar with stoneware.

Definitely where pottery are painted.

Eventually, they are in a wide pathway surrounded by shelves of stoneware in varying stages of decoration. Some have elegant patterns all around them while others are barely covered in glaze.

>Cris present [bonus to observation]

The group comes across a few dogs. Dark in color and not particularly well groomed, these must be strays.

Stares. Tails straightening. Teeth showing. They are getting aggressive.

《Let’s back up a little bit.》

Cris pulls out a packet of sticky rice and throws a small portion near them.

They bark and growl, continuing to advance. Seems like they’re uninterested in the food.

Dammit. That was a nice try.

Sira takes this as a cue to grab her hand and fade to higher ground — the roofs that shield these rows of shelves from rain. The others follow suit.

>>5667993


《Arghh…》

Cris momentarily uses Sira’s shoulder as an hand test.

《Than-…》
「Get down.」

All that barking attracted the attention of a few goblins from the other end of the pathway, who yells at the strays while tapping the ground with cudgels. Seems like they’ve done this before.

More growls. The goblins strike the ground with their cudgels, creating loud cracks. Those dogs concede, and begin to walk away.

Rather than turning around and continue their work, the goblins point at the small chunks of sticky rice and begin talking about it.

The group decides to..

>Rush [2d20 vs 8 / 10 / 12 / 14 DC]
Fade to the other side while these goblins are distracted. They won’t know the layout nor know how many people are there, but it’s better than staying on the roofs and potentially being spotted.

《Ahead of this pathway and that’s it. That’s where we’ll find the storage. I think.》

[+4 bonus for first roll]
[+5 bonus for second roll]
[1d4 to determine DC. 1 = 14 DC, 4 = 8 DC]
[Failure of either dice roll results in detection]

>Distract them with animal noises [1d20 vs DC 5 — 15]
With Cris and Zeal’s devices, the group can lure the goblins away from the main pathway by pretending to be barking dogs.

《Don’t do it too much.》

[Choose a single bonus: +2 / +4 / +6]
[If dice roll is below 5, future DC becomes slightly more difficult. If dice roll is over 15, future DC becomes somewhat more difficult]

>Wait it out [guaranteed success, reduced bonuses for next DC]
Patience is key to stealth. Better to observe instead of rushing in blindly. However, staying on the hot roofs under the blaring sun will make them tired. They should recover with some shade and water.

「We’ve been through worse. We can probably fade for a times after this.」

>>5667997
>Wait it out [guaranteed success, reduced bonuses for next DC]

>>5667997
>Distract them with animal noises [1d20 vs DC 5 — 15]

>>5667027
Varg doesn't exist in this universe. It would have to be Necrobutcher.

>>5667997
>Distract them with animal noises [1d20 vs DC 5 — 15]

>>5668120
>>5668075
Choose a bonus (+2 / +4 / +6)

>>5668267
I take it whatever we choose now, we can't use later? Split the difference, +4.

>>5668294
No, what Cris meant was that the total being over 15 means future DCs will be more difficult.

You can choose any number you want, but the higher that is, the more likely the total roll will exceed 15

>>5668297
But it will make this roll easier, yes. Sticking with >>5668294

>>5668304
>>5668294
DC 5 & 15

Rolled 1 + 4 (1d20 + 4)

>>5668305

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>>5668306

>Distract with animal noises

Now is the time for those contraptions to shine. The group blows on the cone like things in order to imitate barking. However, they are not particularly skilled with these devices. Due to stress and fatigue, most of the group produces quiet huffing and seething.

Cris taps their shoulders and tell them to calm down

《Stop. Take a breather. You’re not doing it right. Follow my lead.》

She takes a deep breath before bellowing. Her decent imitation of a canine’s bark is followed by series of passable barks soon after.

>5

After a series of barks, the goblins finally took notice and walked away from the main pathway to investigate. It took them a lot of energy and lung capacity, but they barely managed to distract them.

With those goblins now out of the picture, the group fades to the other side of pathway unbothered.

ugh.

It wasn’t the storage.
At the end of the pathway is a moderately sized workshop, dedicated to painting and glazing the stoneware. Light is plentiful here, owing to the openness of this structure ー it’s essentially a small house with many large porches.

《The porch roofs look pretty small…》

Such exposure to sunlight is likely necessary for the smell of the paint to dissipate and artisans to clearly see their work while painting.

>>5668522
Sira is able to vaguely recall the process of making stoneware by stalking those artisans.

After the clay is shaped, they are glazed, then fired. Stoneware will harden and become operational.

If only he knew this sooner…

At least those artisans and workers didn’t detect their presence.

《At least we know it’s not this side. Let’s go regroup with Zeal.》

Is there anything the group wants to do before regrouping?

>no
They’re good. No need to do anything risky..

>spill some paint [1d4]
This nuisance will distract quite a few workers, possibly making the trip to the north easier. He just needs to not overdo it.

[1 = no effect]
[2 = difficulty for next DC decreased]
[3 = difficulty for next DC heavily decreased]
[4 = workers become suspicious. Difficulty for next DC increased]

>hydrate and conserve energy [1d3]
The north is likely where the firing happens. Things will get hot. Taking some time to prepare themselves for that will likely be useful, as long as they waste too much time…

[1 = difficulty for next DC is slightly increased]
[2,3 = failure severity reduced]

>>5668524
>no.

Its all good.

>>5668524
>no

>hydrate and conserve energy [1d3]

Those are very good odds

>>5668524
>spill some paint [1d4]

>>5668524
>spill some paint [1d4]

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5668540
>>5668642

>>5668739
>>5669008
Tiebreak

1 = no
2 = spill

Rolled 1 (1d4)

>>5669235

>>5669238
womp womp

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2.94 MB JPG

>>5669243
>>5669238

>spill the paint

Spilling some paint is a good way of distracting those artisans. This inconvenience that won’t look suspicious if they do it right. Careful adjustments to the angles and balance of these containers will make these fall in a few moments.

>1
They were a little too conservative with their adjustments. None of them actually fell. Those artisans would be amused (and slightly annoyed) upon seeing the haphazardly assembled towers of containers, though.

..
…
…..

The diagonal trek upwards was not easy. The heat combined with the large amount of clothing they wear quickly made it uncomfortable. Sweat clings to their legs and arms, slowing down their movement. Dry air crack their lips and force them to pant like dogs.

The water and damp towels they have prepared can only do so much. Sira’s long bangs proved to be quite an annoyance, as they stick to his forehead from the sweat and prevent it from properly cooling down.

this could’ve been a lot worse if i didn’t shave my armpits and crotch..

Narrower and cramped rooms. Shorter sight lines. As shade intensified, so too did the heat.

《Ha.. Halt. Get.. a wet towel and cover your nose with.. it.》

The smell of burning wood reaches their noses. They are near the kilns. Beyond those shadowy doors are the source of all that heat.

>>5669561
This is it. The final stretch before they reach the storage. They’ve come this far without being spotted. They’re not going to falter now!

Before they venture through this fiery abyss, they hydrate as much as possible and cover themselves with wet towels.

They’ll have to endure the heat and avoid the workers there at the same time.
[2d20 vs DC 17]
[current bonuses: +4, +5]
[failing either rolls will result in detection]

Choose actions to perform (optional)

CURRENT EXHAUSTION: 40%
[if exhaustion reaches 100%, some people will pass out]

>Consecutive Fading [1d3 exhaustion roll]
Rapidly teleporting will get them out faster, but it can be tiring.

[+4, +5 bonus -> +7, +6 bonus]
[1 = +50% exhaustion, 2 = +40% exhaustion, 3 = 30% exhaustion]

>Activate lightbending cloak and sprint
Being completely invisible will allow them to move much faster, although the noise could still give them away..

[DC 17 -> DC 13]
[+20% exhaustion]

>Let Sira’s deepest thoughts invigorate himself [1d2 success roll]
Why do I make these choices, anyway? What compels me..?

[1 = guaranteed success on 1st roll, 2 = guaranteed success on both rolls]

>>5669563
...Alright, I'm curious.
>Let Sira’s deepest thoughts invigorate himself [1d2 success roll]

>>5669563
>Consecutive Fading [1d3 exhaustion roll]

>Let Sira’s deepest thoughts invigorate himself [1d2 success roll]

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5669615
>>5669591
1 = 1st roll succeed
2 = both succeed

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>>5669795
>invigorated by his deepest thoughts

Ever since he was attacked by that Bow Buffalo, spirits have became intertwined with his mind, pulling out all sorts of thoughts he kept buried within.

Sira isn’t particularly diligent about visiting the mental health professionals, but he has been taking his medication and followed their advice.

His darkest, unfiltered thoughts will always be with him, but he doesn’t try to deny or suppress it anymore. He is aware of it, and when necessary, such thoughts will help him accomplish something productive.

>2

Colors vanishes from the world. An infinite blackness surrounds Sira. Time no longer has any meaning. Within this abyss, only his heartbeat and breathing accompanies him.

..
…
…..

Throughout his life, he has caused suffering to countless people. He could form a mountain from all the people he mentally scarred, irreversibly injured, or killed.

He thought there was a certain coldness that permeated through him that allowed him able to do such things over and over again.

>>5670183
There was more to it than that.
Deep down, he loved it.

Turning those swindlers’ faces into bloody chunks. Crippling those cocky assholes for life. Watching the fear in their eyes leak out as their throat gets crushed.

Being able to snuff out what was wrong in the world felt intoxicating. It felt good. It made him felt powerful.

Normally, he tries to minimize this aspect of the life. He wants to take a path where uninvolved people don’t have to suffer as much.

… right now, he needs those thoughts. His body needs a reason to keep going. To keep pushing. He needs something strong.

Sira invokes…

>hatred
Sira has encountered so many that caused undue suffering onto the world. That desire to see his enemies tortured, crippled, murdered, raped... He can use it to keep going.

Let that anger power him, so he has the strength to take the kinder path.

>joy
He always enjoyed that thrill. That feeling of inflicting pain onto those deserving it. By recalling such satisfaction, he can push himself further than before.

Sira always cherished such feelings in the past. It serve him well once more.

>>5670184
>>hatred
Ree

>>5670184
>joy
Mad sadism? Sounds fun.

THERAPIST QUEST
You've graduated university and become a licensed therapist
Your first patient is a Thai man that calls himself schizo
Schizo: I feel sexually attracted to women that've slept with my dad
You: .........wut?
Schizo: that's right. I found out my dad was cheating on my mom with his secretary and now I want to have sex with the secretary
You: ........
Schizo: then I found out he's also sleeping with one of my classmates so now I want to have sex with the classmate too
You: .........
Schizo: I want to be tunnel buddies with my dad
How do you treat your strange thai patient?
>>[INSULT] "you're a cuck and an absolute degenerate"
>>[PRAISE] "you're a bull and not a cuck"
>>"alright I've heard enough" [JUMP OUT THE WINDOW]

>>5670184
>hatred

>>5670582
>>5670381
>>5670361

>hatred

He wants to do harm to those that deserves it.
He WANTS to break them. To see the fear in their eyes as everything they cling onto falls apart. He must live on, so that his enemies can never feel safe again.

what Sohm went through will be chickenshit compared to what i would do to them.

>2 [guaranteed success on both]

..
…

《.. Sira. You good?》

The abyss fades away. Colors and noises returns to the world. The passage of time continues.

Right now, he is being carried by Cris, his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

《..still got some water left. You good?》

He’s too exhausted to say anything, only able to pant.

Sira leaves a trail of crow feathers beneath him, a clear indication of fading extensively.

He begins to remember what happened ー he got all of the group to hold on to him as he fades through that kiln.

Most of the time, he doesn’t do this. The more people that he fades with, the more exhausting it becomes for him to fade, like adding more weight onto a sack that must be carried. It was a gamble, as he could’ve passed out a lot quicker than normal.

This time, it paid off.

In front of him was a desolate storage, sheltered from sunlight. Although not cold, the air inside it was a refreshing break from the burning sensation of the kiln. Emerging from the shelves were Zeal and the rest of the crows, who rushed over to Sira to administer some aid. Their water was slightly bitter, and the towels were barely damp, but they were helpful nonetheless.

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>>5671258
The second group already applied the corrosive solutions onto most of the pottery ー all that’s left to do is dousing those stoneware with the foul smelling liquids and leave.

『We’re doing good time wise. That was.. an hour in total.』

They accomplished their goal relatively quickly while have remaining undetected for the entirety of this operation. Quite the success.

They’ll have more time than expected before they infiltrate the papermakers workshop, which will be spent on…

>rest [increase stamina]
Snacks, tea, and naps can alleviate some of the strain their bodies have been through. A proper rest will let them perform more physically demanding actions easier. Consecutively fading will still be tough, but not as before.

>thorough disguise [decrease visibility]
Their presence could be obscured further with the use of some darker finishes to their equipment. Makeup is also a valuable tool — obscuring one’s age can help remove suspicions from them. Quite a long process, though.

>rest [increase stamina]
who can say no to snacks and tea

>>5671260
>rest [increase stamina]

>>5671260
>>rest [increase stamina]

>>5671260
>thorough disguise [decrease visibility]

>>5671260
>>thorough disguise [decrease visibility]

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65 KB JPG

>>5671620
>>5671611
>>5671341
>>5671277
>>5671274

>rest

The group returns to their hideout unscathed after sabotaging the pottery storage.

While a few crows decide to nap immediately, most choose to visit the pantry. They’ve stored quite a lot of things in it earlier, and they’re not letting it go to waste.

Sira’s bottles of dried butterfly pea flowers turns the jugs of cool water a rich ultramarine blue. A pinch of sugar and cuts of lime turns it into something more refreshing.

The other crows unravels their packets of fruits and chili salt, their selections reminiscent of those street vendors at the market district.

Zeal and Cris brought something more hearty ー deep fried pork rinds and sausages. Although best eaten alongside vegetables, the two didn’t really bring much of those. They brought meat,spices and little else. Even the sausages don’t have sticky rice mixed in, only having minced pork and garlic.

..
…

It has been quite a while.

After helping out Red Winter in Cinderpath all those years ago, they haven’t really met each other much.

Talking to those two apothecaries again reveal how much of their old acquaintances have changed.

『..Yep. That kid finally left it for good. Him and his uncle works at this restaurant in.. uh.. south Clawflash I believe. Their duck noddles were pretty good.』

Most of them have already left the life.

《…she’s doing pretty good, to be honest. Pine is like… almost fifty now and still writing books and cooking...》

Although they sound genuinely happy for them, Sira can tell there’s some sorrow to their tone. With every passing year, fewer of their old allies remain in the life. They do keep in touch, but it’s not the same.

>>5671781
The conversation did get him to think about the future a little. He can’t be a security agent for Catcher Corps forever. Maybe he could be an instructor? Write manuscripts like Pine and her husband?

.. it’s probably best to not think that far. He should get some rest.

..
…
….

Somewhere else — time unknown

The abyss feels.. different. Rather than a still darkness, there is now a wind. There was a breeze. Then a gale. Then a storm.

A silhouette appears, resembling a tall woman.

๏You two keep surprising me.๏

.. you two? Is this her teacher, then?

๏Ah, yes. I am Warin’s instructor.๏
๏I have been watching you for quite a while.๏

๏What I have seen was quite interesting. Series of events that feels novel worthy, even. It would be a shame to not let you know it.๏

get to the point.

๏You’ve chosen to align yourself with the seniors and the associates first, rather than your own kin. You’ve given little care to them in the past, but now, when things get desperate, you’d take part in their plots? That makes me curious.๏

「.. something happened to the junior members, I take it?」

๏Yes. If you want to know more, answer my question.๏

>>5671783
.. why did Sira choose to align himself with the seniors and associates? He always disregarded the former while he never interacted with the latter much.

FOLLOW HIS HEART

>They’re useful to me
I never cared for the seniors, but I can’t retire from Red Winter if it goes to shit first. There’s still quite a few good people in here, and I don’t want them get hurt because someone else fucked up.

FOLLOW HIS MIND

>For the brothel
You must’ve watched me kill Sohm. You probably saw me bury those infants. I choose this path because it was most likely to keep the brothel afloat. Their plots could be conjoined. My colleagues’ couldn’t.

FOLLOW HIS DEEPEST THOUGHTS

>write in

>>5671785
>They’re useful to me

>>5671785
>They’re useful to me
Politically expedient, too. If Red Winter fractures, we want as many powerful allies as possible, and the option to hire on mercs or exonad the organization to associates who think like us. We need to be able to keep us, and Warin, afloat.

>They’re useful to me

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>>5671962
>>5671935
>>5671825

>They’re useful

「I never cared for them, but I can’t retire from Red Winter if it goes to shit first.」

「.. like you said, I never had loyalty for either — if things really does go to shit, I can align myself to whichever side that’s winning. And maybe nudge a few things.」

i know there’s still good people in here… i can’t let them get hurt.

๏I see.๏
๏You’ve played the game for a long time. And you’ve played it well. Same cannot be said for your colleagues.๏

๏Some of them went “missing”. Quite a clean job from Johannes, I must say. Age has not weakened him much.๏
๏It’s only a matter of time before the entertainment district gets put to the sword.๏
๏Had you been there to guide them, perhaps they would not have been so careless in smuggling. Tharn - that tailor you once visited could have helped. She was quite clever. Surprising for someone who used to drool over a failed apothecary.๏

… you gush about me to Warin. I don’t think you have room to complain.

๏I do. I don’t involuntarily sweat when I see someone I like.๏

… easy to do that when you’re not alive.

๏… whether the seniors manage to discredit the commission or not, it ultimately does not matter. Through no fault of your own, Red Winter will crumble.๏
๏Once that Lobster latches on, he won’t be letting go. Maybe you could mislead him. Or maybe it is best to amputate the parts.๏

๏I wonder what you will do, knowing that the monarchy is looming over you once again.๏

The gale fades away, and her silhouette moves further from him with every passing moment.

>>5672288


A tap from Zeal wakes him up. It’s nearly evening.

Sira tells the group about the conversation he had while checking his equipment. While Zeal is willing to believe her words, Cris suspects that she could be misleading them.

『She didn’t even tell you when that happened? Amount of people ‘missing’?』

「Nope. That was it.」

《.. what evidence does she really have? We heard a few laborers went missing. That was it. Could be a coincidence. Last month, she could’ve helped Warin against the Bow Buffalo unconditionally, but no, she had to ask her a question first. She was willing to let her get gored if she got it wrong. If she’s willing to do THAT against her own student… I think this could be a test of some kind as well. See what we do.》

《She could be lying for all we know. Trying to create a self fulfilling prophecy.》

「She was probably fucking with her when she asked that question. When Warin called, she was there. She could’ve refused. I think she genuinely means well.」

「Besides, if what she’s saying is true, this could be our chance to take over. Let the seniors take the fall for the juniors.」

The two pauses for a moment. They always wanted more power within the organization, but betraying the seniors now is a pretty tough decision.

《It’s risky. That’s one third, or half of Red Winter if we really fuck up.》

The crows are also divided on this matter. Some say they’re supposed to be loyal to Red Winter. Other argued that the seniors are supposed to care for the juniors, but they never did. Some feared retaliation from the seniors if they fail this operation, while others say their current lack of funds makes it unlikely.

「I think..」

>Zeal is right
We need to prevent the seniors from gaining any more power. I have a few ideas on how we can fuck up this operation and pin it on someone else…

>Cris is right
We do need more evidence. She could be testing us. Let’s do this operation first and think about it later.

Just noticed a formatting issue. I accidentally used 「」in place of 『』when representing Zeal. Conversation was supposed to be Cris - Zeal. Only the final sentence is Sira’s.

>>5672289
>Zeal is right

>Cris is right

>>5672289
>Cris is right

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>>5672665
>>5672658
>>5672617

>「Cris is right」

What she’s saying could be true, but Sira would like some more substantial evidence before doing anything drastic.

Zeal concedes. They’ll look for evidence later.

..
…

Even with setting sun casting shadows across the city, plenty of people still roam the streets of the market district. Queues of restaurants and road side vendors seems longer with every passing moment.

Among the rows of buildings and houses lies the papermakers workshop, a moderately size house that is quite far from the main roads. Having a house also operate as a workshop or store isn’t uncommon, although the amount of vegetation around it is quite unusual, usually only seen on the more rural area of Clawflash.

Cold breeze accompanies them as the group fade back from rooftops to rooftops. A strange phenomenon, considering the day has been mostly dry and windless. Perhaps it is merely the weather being mercurial, or it is caused by Warin’s teacher.

Either way, it makes their long, flowing clothes slightly more bearable. Although such a design would make them stick out in public, since they are hiding from sight, it doesn’t matter that much. Being able to conceal most of their bodies and distort the silhouettes are more important right now.

Along side their clothings and tools of distractions, the group was able to call upon a favor….

(Choose ONE)

>foul smelling fishes [lower stealth DC, failure becomes more severe]
A house nearby the workshop is cooking food outdoors. Salted fish can produce quite a strong smell when fried. It can linger in the air and can stick to clothing for quite a while. This will definitely irritate the papermakers in the workshop, making them less attentive, but less tolerant of strange people in their backyard…

>a troupe performing [1d3 to determine stealth difficulty]
Nearby the workshop, there will be a play from a moderately successful troupe. The attention they garnered and the noises they could distract the people in the workshop.

[1 = harder DC]
[2 = normal DC]
[3= easier DC]

>rough illustrations [fewer DCs, DCs become more difficult]
A map of the workshop and the backyard. With this in hand, their routes become much more efficient ー instead of visiting 3 or 4 locations, they know that the paper are kept in 2 possible locations. A quick operation, but the paths they take will leave them quite exposed…

>>5673166
>a troupe performing [1d3 to determine stealth difficulty]

>>5673166
>>foul smelling fishes [lower stealth DC, failure becomes more severe]

Two more hours till voting closes and tiebreaker roll

>>5673166
>a troupe performing [1d3 to determine stealth difficulty]

Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>5673781
>>5673170

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>>5673820


>a troupe performing

They pulled a few strings and got a troupe to perform a play nearby the workshop.

Traditionally, there are two types of shadow plays ー small and large ones. While both take place outdoors, the latter is more costly and mostly reserved for epics. In this case, the troupe will be performing a small one ー cheaper, more focused on comedy, and usually attracts a larger audience.

>3 [easier DC]

A crowd quickly gathers around the troupe as they set up stilts for the screen. The commotion attracts the attention of quite a few people in the workshop, who seem to recognize them. Not an uncommon occurrence, as the musicians, artisans and puppeteers usually came from grassroots origins ー just like the papermakers of the workshop.

《Three hours before those guys take a break. Let’s go.》

There are four important locations within the backyard that could hold the processed papers. Although the huts may look similar at a glance, each serve a different purpose.

The cutting station is where the palm leaves gets cut up and stitched after being dried for several days. Clearly identifiable by the bundles of leaves.

The oven station is used to dry the palm leaves, preventing molds. After cutting away the excess leaves and smoothing the edges, the paper becomes usable. Shelves of wood and sand surround it.

The writing station is where the papermakers write down words onto the paper. Rather than a quill or dip pen, the process is much more complicated ー metal styluses, oils, and soot mixtures are used instead. There’s a lot more artisans here compared to other locations.

The assembling station is where the papers are tied together by rope and packaged. While fabrics bearing elegant patterns and intricately carved wooden labels are used for scriptures, most are simply wrapped in cloth and tied with rope. Very little cover is around it.

The processed books are likely somewhere within one of these stations, as when they faded into the workshop, they did not find them within the house.

While the writing station and assembling station likely hold the processed papers, there could be a chance that the oven station holds them ー books for the printing press are often roasted twice.

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3.21 MB JPG

>>5673917


《uhh.. I.. don’t think it’s supposed to be this cold.》

With every passing moment, the wind grows stronger. The air becomes colder. Their limbs starts to shiver. At this rate, even their clothing won’t stand up to this chill for long. They’ll need to do this quick.

not making this easy for me, professor?

※Status: Chilling※
If it reaches 100%, dice roll bonuses are reduced.

CHILL: 50 / 100%

The group decides to visit…
[choose one]

>Cutting station
Likely not where the processed books are, but they could eavesdrop on those papermakers and find out where the processed papers are kept.

[+25% Chill]

>Oven station
This might be where the processed books are. The warmth from the ovens will ease the chill slightly.

[-25% Chill]

>Writing station
Likely where the processed books are kept. Currently, it has quite a few people there, making it somewhat difficult to infiltrate.

[+25% Chill]

>Assembling station
Likely where the processed books are kept. It has barely anyone, but the howling wind strikes this location the hardest.

[+50% Chill]

>>5673919
>Oven station
Warm up, then check our the rest. Take advantage of our high roll fornthe distraction!

>>5673928
+1

>>5674045
>>5673928

>oven station

Warmth is means everything their fingers are trembling from the cold.

Fading to the oven statuon, their bodies are further obscured by the shadows of the shelves of kindling.

Grey smoke. The smell of wood burning. Crackling of the flame. The howling wind holds no power here.

>50 » 25/100% CHILL

Aside from warming themselves, getting close to the walls of this hut also allows them to eavesdrop on the people in it.

Some of the conversations were expected. Work. Family. Friends. The troupe nearby. One of their conversations offers insight on why they are experiencing such strange coldness.

‘..Yep. The one with the bird emblem. Dark grey beaks.’

“.. damn.. I don’t expect much from green lamps district, but shit... How much did they pay those laborers to smuggle booze?”

Definitely the Steel Beaks gambling house they’re talking about. The one time I wasn’t in the entertainment district and this happens.

‘.. no idea.’

“Agh. What a shitshow.”
“The hell were those employers thinking? Walking up to a gambling house, with an army of unarmed guys, and expect them to give their laborers back… they really think they’re gotta settle this with a fistfight or something?”

‘You have no idea how retarded people can be. I kid you not. I’ve seen a guy say ‘you don’t have the guts’ and to someone brandishing a knife. He got gutted.‘

“.. really?”
‘Yes. Some people really are that retarded. Or naive.’

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>>5674765


‘.. anyway, I didn’t see much of the fighting, but I did see those [law enforcement] officers using the- they were these.. cannons that shot out these really cold water. You could see their breath in the air when they’re using it. They were just.. hosing every damn thing in the street.’

“.. man, how come we don’t have that.”

‘.. I don’t think we can afford a Windbearer, let alone a Heatbearer to enchant our hoses. Not to mention the water cost..’

“.. wait, wait, what if we just use it as a.. uh.. cleaner. Get the windbearer to enchant a hose. It’ll just shoot out air. Might be good for getting rid of soot and dust.”

‘Hmmm..’

This isn’t good.
A lot of the entertainment district’s establishments are illegal. Prostitution and gambling houses are the main offenders, but law enforcement tends to overlook them if they pay their fees and don’t cause trouble. This incident is going to fracture that relationship pretty severely.

… A tap on the shoulder. Zeal has something to say.

『Papers are not here.』

Ugh. Damn.

The group could travel to another location, or continue eavesdropping here. They might be able to gain more information by staying, but more and more people are likely coming here so they don’t have deal with the cold. It will be more difficult to stay hidden.

The group decides to..

STAY
>eavesdrop [2d20 vs 12 / 14 stealth DC & 13 / 15 information DC]
They might be able to gain more information about this brawl.

[bonuses: +4, +5 ー ASSIGN THE BONUSES TO DICE ROLLS]

LEAVE (current chill: 25 / 100)
>Cutting station [+25% Chill]
Likely not where the processed books are, but they could eavesdrop on those papermakers and find out where the processed papers are kept. Easier to remain undetected than staying here, at least.

>Writing station [+25% Chill]
Likely where the processed books are kept. Currently, it has quite a few people there, but they won’t be able to stand the cold for long.

>Assembling station [+60% Chill]
Likely where the processed books are kept. It has barely anyone, but the howling wind strikes this location the hardest. With every passing moment, it becomes colder and more desolate…

>eavesdrop [2d20 vs 12 / 14 stealth DC & 13 / 15 information DC]
That's what we came here for

>>5674767
>Assembling station [+60% Chill]

>>5674767
>Writing station [+25% Chill]

Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>5675446
>>5674929
>>5674803
Tiebreak
1 = eavesdropping
2 = assembling
3 = writing

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>>5675480

>assembling station

The wind isn’t getting any warmer. Might as well go to that location before the cold completely envelopes it.

Cris and Zeal hold onto the crows as they fade to the relatively desolate hut.

>CHILL: 25 » 85 / 100%

Warmth quickly evaporates from their faces. Against the bellowing wind, the many layers of fabrics that drape over the assembling station’s windows and entrances wail around relentlessly. Although the group manages to shove them aside and enter, their hands are growing numb.

Is this.. really the result of using those water cannons? If the cold is this bad from this distance, the people that were hit directly probably won’t be alive.

After combing their way through the hut, they finally come across what they were looking for - shelves of completed books, some wrapped in cloth, and some stored in wooden cases.

《Perfect.》

Pouches and packets are unwrapped. While not particularly graceful due to the shivering, they nonetheless applied the acidic solutions onto the books and their covers. Normally, they would also apply the foul smelling mixtures, but the wind isn’t on their side right now ー it would give their position away too quickly.

What was once ink and soot elegantly carved onto palm leaves have now turned into an black undecipherable mess. They completed their mission. It’s time to leave.

『.. ugh.. h.. hhah..』

>>5675603

Zeal is slurring his words. His breath is labored, and he can barely keep himself standing. Even with the amount of clothing covering his body, he is still smaller than everyone else. He tries to quell the cold by shoving his hands underneath his armpits, but it doesn’t help much.

As the group begin to pack up their things, the goblin picks up on some noise.

『People.. coming.. left s.. side.』

Through the silts of the billowing fabrics that drape over the windows, they spot a few people. Their glimpses reveal that these middle aged people carry lanterns, but not much else. Likely checking up on their products, but not intending to move them around.

They just need a little more time to pack up their things and leave.

To accomplish this, they decide to…

>Overload [guaranteed success]
Amplifying the sense of touch on one of those middle aged folks will definitely be a good distraction. The cold will feel devastating. Then again, should he do this? The junior members already brought enough attention to themselves, and hurting a civilian (especially in a supernatural manner) could cause certain people to look into this incident more closely…

>Bark [1d20 vs 3 DC & 17 DC — ASSIGN BONUS]
They can pretend to be dogs inhabiting the hut, making those papermakers more reluctant to enter. They just need to make sure they don’t do it too little or too much. Too little and they won’t hear it. Too much and they’ll get suspicious.
[+1 / +2 / +3 / +4 / +5]
[final result being lower than 3 or higher than 17 will result in detection ]

>Rush it [2d20 vs 12 / 16 DC]
Speed is more important than noise. Pack up their things quick and get out of there!

「Don’t worry about losing things unless it’s the mixture. WE NEED TO GO NOW.」

[bonus: +4, +5]
[if either rolls are >16 = roll a 1d3 to determine items lost]
[1 = the foul smelling mixture <alarming>]
[2 = clickers <peculiar>]
[3 = empty packets <typical>]

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Feedback

We’re almost 15 days deep into this thread now. If you don’t mind, I would like you to answer these questions.

>how do you feel about the pacing? Too fast? Too slow?
>for difficulty, do you prefer the current DCs (dice rolling with advantages) or the previous threads’ (puzzle like options)?
>what aspect of the quest do you enjoy?
>what aspect of the quest do you dislike?

>>5675606
>Bark [1d20 vs 3 DC & 17 DC — ASSIGN BONUS]
>+3

>>5675613
>pacing
Just right, boss.
>difficulty
Both have their place, but I like the combo: standard DCs, reduced if someone chooses a smart solution
>enjoyable bits
The setting's rich mythological and political history is great, and characters' very distinct humility and humanity lends a lot of weight to choices. They all feel very fragile, fallible, pretty, and mortal in a very authentic way.
>Disliked aspects
None, really. Some decisions and the pre-written vote options come out of left field for me and seem very dramatic shifts in characterization, but that'll happen with QMs with any distinct personality: things which seem natural or obvious to one person do not always seem so to another.

>>5675630
Thanks for the feedback!

Can you give some examples on the
>Some decisions and the pre-written vote options come out of left field and seem very dramatic shifts in characterization
I’ll try to explain them as best as I can.

>>5675631
Tough to put my finger on a specific one right now. Some motivations or actions offered up definitely seemed like they'd induce some sudden emotional whiplash to choose at the time, though. It wasn't a big deal, but it's the only thing in the quest that even approaches "did not like" territory. The rest is great.

closing votes in four hours

Rolled 4 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>5675630
DC 3
DC 17

I'm late for the vote but I'll give feedback

>>5675613
>>how do you feel about the pacing? Too fast? Too slow?
The pacing is good, no time to be bored
>>for difficulty, do you prefer the current DCs (dice rolling with advantages) or the previous threads’ (puzzle like options)?
/
>>what aspect of the quest do you enjoy?
In general in your quests, I like the world building and clever shenanigans. It feels like you are familiar with shenanigans and violence first hand.
In this current quest, I like the original locations. A pottery factory and a papermaking workshop are locations I've never encountered or thought about.
>>what aspect of the quest do you dislike?
/

>>5676490
>bark

They pull out their whistle like contraptions once more.

Breath in.
Breath out.
A steady breath and strength of the lungs.
No matter how cold it is, they must remain steadfast.

>7

Their throats vibrate as faint air escapes from them. Deep, albeit modest sounds were produced from the crows. To those papermakers, it sounds like a group of small dogs are barking.

Their footsteps became less audible and the lanterns’ light have faded away. The group manages to convince them to leave.

..
…
….

The rooftops were freezing cold. Looking down at the city, they can see that the once populated streets have turned desolate. In the distance, they can see white clouds coming from the entertainment district — the cold must’ve engulfed a significant portion of it if they could feel the chill from here.

They’re definitely not going there. They don’t have something that can withstand that kind of temperature, and even if they had them, it’s still a losing battle — hurting those officers will bring even more attention.

All they could do right now is stay in their hideout within the market district and lay low. Warin and those other members are likely doing the same, anyway.

By the time they got back to their hideout, few bothered to eat their meals, preferring to cover themselves in blankets and snuggle with pouches of hot water instead.

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>>5676550


Only Sira, Cris, Zeal remain awake currently.

The beef jerkies never felt tougher to chew, and the chicken wings were rather soggy.

Zeal produces a flask from his robes and places it on the table. Sira and Cris are more than willing to drink right now.

Viscous white liquid flow into the cups. Rice wine. A rather sweet thing, although quite strong. Even a few cups is enough to get someone drunk.

Few words were uttered, but they understood each other quite well.

After today, things will be a lot more difficult for Red Winter as a whole. If the law enforcement is willing to freeze half of the entertainment district in order to neutralize a brawl, they’re clearly capable of a lot more.

Will there be a civil war between the junior members and other members? A culling of members that screwed up? Retribution against the officers for injured or dead members? They really don’t know.


《.. hey. If.. it gets really bad, we have a place for you and your employees to stay.》

「Thanks.」

『If you need anything, just tell us, alright?』

The two apothecaries were always well off due to their presence in south Clawflash, but the recent plot of the associates have allowed them to gain even more influence and funds.

「Well.. there is one thing.」

>more medical personnel for the brothel
Sira wants to find people willing to treat and understand the prostitutes as much as Warin. She won’t be there forever.

I don’t know when she might pass on. I want her to leave the life, too.

>legitimate jobs for the soon-to-retire prostitutes
Being in the life right now is pretty dangerous. Even more so in the future. Those women shouldn’t have to deal with this.

Money and connections go a long way in leaving the life.

>>5676551
>more medical personnel for the brothel
More abortifacents and contraceptives means less dead babies... And that's just oen benefit.

>>5676551
>more medical personnel for the brothel

>>5676971
>>5676809
almost done writing. Gotta sleep. Update in ~9 hrs

>>5677187
Rest well, QM!

>>5676971
>>5676809
3S

>medical personnel

『Sure. I think we have a few to spare.』
《That … I think we could get that done before the end of the year.》

「Thanks.」

《.. ah, is Warin leaving [the life] as well?》

「I don’t really know. She.. she has a lot of friends in the brothel, and she wants to take care of them. She might leave if there’s people doing the same.」

Eventually, the flask has run out of rice wine. The night is beginning to feel slightly warmer. Sleep came quickly.

..
….
…..

The truth about the incident was finally revealed in the morning.

《‘a deadly affray that was instigated by organized criminals and laborers who supported them…’》
《’law enforcement officers was forced to deploy.. “non lethal” cold weapons to suppress the violence..’》
《’15 criminals were injured.…’》
《’.. apologizes for the temporary shift in temperature but assures no civilian casualties.’》

Cris reads out the journalists’ reports in a dull tone. It’s tiresome how many lies they can shove inside the newspapers.

According to the people in the entertainment district, this is actually what happened….

>junior members’ plot
Their original plan of ‘earning money by providing cheap laborers to the market district’ fell through due to not possessing the same connections as the associates or seniors, unable to acquire laborers from south Clawflash.

They first resorted to asking certain laborers to smuggle liquor, although it saw limited success, as most of them are not that desperate for money and licensed alcohol sellers are quite plentiful in the capital.

The real source of money were racketeering ー increasing the protection racket prices, stealing goods from those who cannot afford it, and selling them to others. Laborers who cannot pay were forced to smuggle and steal goods instead.

>>5677560

>near sunset
20 laborers were summoned to the Steel Beaks gambling house to turn in jewelry they were supposed to steal during the day.
30 junior members were at the gambling house.

A group approached the gambling house — 5 of them appeared to be employers of the laborers, who brought with them roughly 30 people. These people appear to be their relatives or close associates [of the laborers]

>sunset
The group entered Steel Beaks gambling house and demanded that their workers 'are to be set free or else'. Several eyewitnesses noted that the laborers were surprised at their presence.

The junior Red Winter members drew their long knives and demanded the employers’ group leave the establishment. The group drew cudgels and knives. A battle occurred in the first floor of the gambling house, at the left side entrance.

After several minutes, the battle moved to the main street of the entertainment district, where the junior members of other establishments entered the battle. Estimated to be at least 20 people.

>arrival of law enforcement entities
Within 30 minutes from the beginning of the battle, law enforcement officers arrived at the entertainment district. Eyewitnesses noted most of the officers wear thicker and more extensive clothing than normal, and carry with them large water tanks and hoses. One particular officer was wearing three quarters armor and carried with him a large mancatcher [polearm].

Upon arrival, they used mancatchers and eye irritant smoke to break up the fight. Once doused with the smoke, some of the participants ran away from the fight and was pinned down by the officers. After the officer equipped with armor dragged away the employers from the fight, he gave a command to the other officers to use the water hoses.

Beams of cold water were sprayed onto anyone that was continued participating in the battle, sending multiple people to the ground. Eye witnesses noted that they specifically increased the coldness when dealing with the junior members and directed most of the beams onto the Steel Beaks building. The officers continued attacking the junior members with water when they were disarmed or lying on the ground.

>>5677561
>aftermath
Although the eyewitnesses are unsure of the injuries done onto the employers’ group, they recalled seeing at least 10 civilians being escorted away while covered in thick clothing.

The junior members suffered the following injuries…
>10 killed in total
3 died due to dismemberment by the water beams
7 died due to extreme cold
>25 injured in total
15 sustained permanent eye injuries
10 sustained cuts and skin damage due to water beams
>10 missing

The first two floors of the Steel beaks gambling house has sustained severe structural damage - reconstruction will take at least 3 months.

what a shitshow. The newspapers make it seem like it was merely a brawl that turned bad. This was a massacre. And that officer… that’s likely Johannes judging by the description. What is he doing here? Those employers must be important to him.

The crows and the two apothecaries (and any other available members) are summoned to a meeting in the north east market district, where Red Winter will go over their options on how to mitigate the this recent loss of personnel and source of revenue.

.. this could be a mess.
The seniors will be pissed about Steel Beaks being nonfunctional for several months. Those juniors might be forced to give up a significant amount of their jewelry and earnings to pay for the reconstruction. Sira and the crows will likely be safe from this, as he did accomplish the goals for both associates and seniors.

However, there could be some resentment among the other juniors. He did not side with them during their plotting, and he likely isn’t going to be punished. Some might see him as a betrayer ー he aligned with others when it was convenient.

There’s no telling how far some would go with their vengeance.

In this meeting, Sira decides to..

>remain neutral
He has proven his worth to the associates and seniors.

>sympathetic to the junior members
Best to keep those junior members on his side.

>>5677562
>remain neutral
This is the life. It is what it is. Don't hate the payer, hate the game. If they're smart, they'll start making their own escape plans.

>remain neutral

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>>5677795
>>5677575

>remain neutral

Seventh month — final day

The life was never fair. They should know that by now.

The last time this many members were together, they were enjoying fine meals and drinks in the south Clawflash.

I suppose that day really was the high point of our lives. Good thing I won’t be in it for long.

The meeting is set in a two story restaurant, owned by an associate of Red Winter. An establishment that churns out decent meals at a low price.

As he walked up the stairs, a part of him was unsure if Warin made it as well.

“heya.”

Warin sounds a little more tired than usual, but she is fine. Tong and Bow wave at the group as they enter the second floor, beckoning them to sit together.

Once Sira is next to her, Warin almost immediately flops down on his lap. She technically doesn’t need sleep, but the strain from the previous day’s activities have exhausted her body. He sighs and pets her head.

According the Bow, the operation overall was successful, but there were multiple occasions where Players [like Warin] had to intervene in order to provoke paranoia. Hallucinations, both auditory and visually, were extremely useful in this aspect. Warin’s ability to command ghosts was a huge asset.

No wonder she’s so tired…

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5678280


Eventually, the last of the members have arrived.

.. rather than engaging in lengthy criticisms, the seniors’ orders were brief, but nonetheless vicious.

'Steel Beaks gambling house WILL return to normal operating capacity within three months. Failure and they will be considered associates.'

They’ll lose their cut from most sources of revenues if they fail. Back to being merely thugs. Although unsaid, their removal would allow other junior members or even associates to take their positions.

As the flock of disheartened junior members leave the restaurant, they glance at Sira and the crows as they walk by. They don’t avert their eyes, but they don’t stare back for long, either.

No point trying to plead.
No point rubbing salt in the wound.

..
…

The entertainment district, although scarred, is still operational. It must, as the merchants from Dawnfall will arrive within a month or two. No establishment can afford to be underprepared when such an opportunity to make money approaches.

[1d2 to determine visit]
[1 = 8th month]
[2 = 9th month]

>>5678281

>2 [9th month]

The brothel is in pretty good shape for the most part. They were quite far away from Steel Beaks to begin with, and their security were well trained enough to rush into a brawl that doesn’t concern them directly.

In the upcoming months, the other junior members will do anything in order to cling onto their positions. A wild card, something that the associates could use in order to gain more leverage within the organization.

If the destruction of Steel Beaks and injuries to Red Winter members is anything to go by, the monarchy isn’t stopping any time soon. Such a powerful force might not be stopped, but it could be redirected.

Sira’s head of security, Arun, has a network of informants that could look into…

(Choose one)

>assisting the associates’ takeover of Red Winter
Zeal and Cris always wanted power within the organization, and someone is going have to take the fall.

A parting gift for his old allies who he could always rely on.

>Johannes and what the monarchy currently knows
A risky move that could put him in the eyes of Johannes once more, but the information could allow Sira to divert the monarchy’s wrath onto someone else instead.

A parting gift for the organization that took him in when no one else did.

sorry for the late update. Really busy lately. Exams coming up.

>>5678396
>Johannes and what the monarchy currently knows

>>5678396
>assisting the associates’ takeover of Red Winter

>>5678396
Oh, and good luck on the exams!

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5679054
>>5678966

CURRENT BROTHEL STATUS:
[+1 fund -1 sec until month 10]
Funds 9 » 10/10
Morale 9/10
Security 7 » 6/10
Connections 10/10

>>5679054
>>5678966

Eighth month ー first half

The eighth month marks the waning of rain, a time where the agricultural industry begins transforming and storing their products. While winter isn’t particularly harsh, the upcoming trade with foreign merchants is a vital source of revenue for both the government and people alike.

>assist with associates’ plot

Those two were his long time friends. Might as well help them out before he leaves the life for good. Arun will likely report back to him during the later half of this month about their progress.

For now, there’s still much to be done. Although the brothel itself is safe, the other junior members’ requests were difficult to deal with…

[choose TWO]

>loans (-3 funds)
They really need a lot of money right now. They promise they’ll pay it back.

>security personnel ( -2 security)
They need some of his guards for clandestine operations. Thievery. Extortion. Intimidation.

>some of the prostitutes (-4 morale)
For the laborers they hired to repair Steel Beaks. They promise they’ll keep them safe.

>refusal
They won’t be happy about this request being denied. Sira likely won’t be able to call upon their favors for some time after this.

>refusal
They won’t be happy with this request being denied. If Sira denies BOTH requests, any goodwill with the other junior members will be severed. No more favors. No more help. Nothing.

[Sira’s pursuits in the first half of this month will be determined by this choices]

>>5679603
>loans (-3 funds)
>security personnel ( -2 security)
The money comes and goes. We'll make it back. people don't. A person who dies is gone for good. We don't like our security crew much, right? But the girls are pretty alright, as far as I really, and at any rate they've been through enough and are essentially in our care as our wards. Noblisse oblige.

>>5679603
>loans (-3 funds)
>security personnel ( -2 security)

>>5679603
>>loans (-3 funds)
>>security personnel ( -2 security)

>>5679885
>>5679836
>>5679623

>loans
>security

He cannot put those prostitutes in danger. They don’t deserve it.

Funds 10/10 » 7/10
Morale 9/10
Security 6/10 » 4/10
Connections 10/10

Sira loans some money and security to the other junior members. While the brothel certainly has enough funding, the lack of security guards they currently have is concerning. They need more security especially during the ninth and tenth month, where those Dawnfall merchants will arrive for trade.

When it comes to hiring new security agents, Sira would look to the slave inspection companies and their cadet branches. They’re usually level headed enough to de-escalate a situation but not too naive that they’re not willing to use force. People who are too honest or too ruthless won’t have a very long career in such companies. Earlier in the year, Sira had to accept those rejected from the companies, but now, his recent connections have allowed him to gain access to people of higher quality, former members who might be interested in another source of revenue.

Catcher Corps is one of the bigger companies in the industry, but there’s quite a few others which are noteworthy.

>Blood Rose
A relatively understated company, primarily focused on private investigations. According to wealthy elite of south Clawflash, they’re not unaccustomed to clandestine activities.

Subtle. Experienced in de-escalation. And likely more expensive than the rest.

>Redeyes
A company that surpasses Catcher Corps in terms of age, but never was as successful. They primarily oversee entities with slaves who have criminal records.

Overworked. Vicious. Cheap. They need a lot of fine tuning when it comes to talking, but they’re skilled in stopping threats.

>Catcher Corps
They’re not the best, nor are they the most moral, but they know how to convince the right people otherwise. The former members are good at de-escalation and stopping attacks, but they might be somewhat hesitant to dive into the darker parts of the life.

Whether through words or violence, they can neutralize a threat. Assuming they’re willing to be part of the life.

>>5680503
Sira decides to recruit the former members of..

>Blood Rose
Salary is the main aspect he must take into account.

>Redeyes
They’re good, but they still need to be trained. They must be taught how to deal with clients.

>Catchers Corps
Sira will need to convince them about being a part of ‘the life.’

>>5680504
>Catchers Corps
If we want to go legit eventually, this seems sensible.

Gotta sleep. Writing in ~8 hrs or so.

>>5680508

>catchers corp

Sira calls upon the very same company he was once apart of. It’s the one he is most familiar with, after all.

Many years have passed since he was part of the company, and the attitudes towards being in the [criminal] life has shifted quite significantly. What was once considered a perilous road to wealth and power, has turned into a desolate pathway that leads to nowhere. The current agents aren’t particularly as keen about the life as before. He’ll have to do some digging himself.

Catcher Corps five years ago was a dangerous place. Sira and his crows walked on the edge and came out fine, but not everyone managed to do the same. Plenty of people were quietly removed from their positions, for good reasons and otherwise.

..
…

It took quite a few days for Sira to track down, and so far, out of almost thirty people, almost twenty have responded.

Some of their reasonings were typical. A another source of income. Wanting connections in certain establishments. A community they can be a part of. A few individuals have more personal reasons. Lovers. Vendettas. These ones need to watched over more closely.

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>>5682502

Nectar Droplet — afternoon


「.. are these terms agreeable?」

The prospective security agents are still going over the documents.

".. it looks good, but.. I’m not sure about the schedule. From midnight to sunrise portion during these two days.."

A portion of them, due to other obligations, are unable to be part of Nectar Droplet’s security.

'How much can we rough the.. nuisances up? Can we do the Tian thing?'

Some were a little keen on applying… unusual forms of punishment on nuisances. While an effective (and non lethal) deterrent, dragging a troublemaker out of the establishment by their foreskin is not something that most of staff is prepared for.

“About the shifts.. can we do these together?”

These guys are willing to work for longer hours, so long as they get larger salaries and accommodations. A seemingly good fit for the brothel, although their services will be more expensive.

‘.. yeah.’
‘We can do that.’

Sira knows this type dearly. People like him. The rulebreakers. The outcasts. They’re good. Real good. Unfortunately, they probably won’t mesh well with the current landscape of the entertainment district.

>>5682504


Sira cannot please everyone, but such a thing is not necessary — he just needs to hire a group or two. The brothel is in a pretty good shape right now. He just needs to keep it there for four more months. Minor complications might arise, but the brothel will definitely live if he does his job right.

CURRENT BROTHEL STATUS:
[+1 fund -1 security until month 10]
Funds 10/10
Morale 9/10
Security 6/10
Connections 10/10

He chooses..

[Choose at least ONE]

>The frequently busy [+1 security]
Skilled. Understanding. Might not be present all the time.

[Other obligations: roll 1d3 each month]
[dice roll is 3 = +1 security]

>The sadistic [+2 security]
Efficient. Ruthless. Not for the faint of heart.

[Ruthless: +1 security, -1 morale each month]
[status expires in 1d3 month(s)]

>The high quality ones [+2 security]
The very best.

[More expenses: +2 security, -2 funds each month]
[status expires in 1d3 month(s)]

>The loners [+2 security]
Loyal, but not the most tactful.

[Clashes: +1 security, -2 connections for 2 months]

Sorry for late update. Feeling a bit sick right now. Probably a cold or something.

>>5682506
>The frequently busy [+1 security]
>The loners [+2 security]
Try to get some rest and eat some soup, make sure it isn't the coof.

>>5682506
>The loners [+2 security]

Our people!

>>5682506
Also, get well soon, QM. Focus on your health first and foremost!

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5682718
>>5682543
tiebreak
1 = loners & busy
2 = loners

Thanks. Had a pretty nasty headache and woke up at 2am, but after that I’m feeling a bit better now.

>>5682543
>>5682715
My bad. I copied the wrong one. The current stats is supposed to be

Funds 7/10
Morale 9/10
Security 4/10
Connections 10/10

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>>5682831

CURRENT BROTHEL STATUS:
[+1 fund, -2 connections until 10th month]
Funds 7/10
Morale 9/10
Security 4/10 » 6/10
Connections 10/10

>loners

His kind of people is likely the best fit for the brothel. They don’t cost that much, they don’t terrify the rest of the staff, and they don’t have conflicting schedules. There might be some friction between them and the rest of the district, but it shouldn’t be that big of a problem. If necessary, he’ll intervene directly.

「Alright. Thank you for your time…」

Only six people were hired, but with how the schedules are structured, it should be enough. Before they begin working officially, the newly hired security needs to be introduced to the rest of the staff and the entertainment district.

..
…

They seem to fit in well, for the most part.

>their relationship with the financial division
The newly hired security seems to have a good relationship with this division. Their records gives them a good estimate on the time periods they should be wary of.

>their relationship with the security division
They have a decent relationship with the original security division. Arun’s network of informants was more extensive than what they usually have available.

>their relationship with the medical division
They’re somewhat disappointed by the small size of the division. It will take a couple months for them to get used to it.

>their relationship with the prostitutes
They have a surprisingly distant relationship with these people — the newly hired security aren’t accustomed to seeing this many giants in such a profession. They’re not particularly confident when being around them.

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>>5683152

The security is partly there to keep the brothel staff safe from troublemakers, but they are primarily there the safety of the customers — an establishment that regularly maims or cripples its customers, justifiable or otherwise, tend to attract the ire of law enforcement.

This.. current relationship will not do. Such awkwardness will get better with time, but he really needs to accelerate that process — the ninth month is when those foreign merchants will visit. Altercations during those busy days can severely hamper the brothel’s finances or reputation.

Either they feel inferior to them [physically], or they feel nervous due to their status as prostitutes. Maybe both.

To smooth out relations, Sira decides to..

>outdoor cooking
Cooking and eating food together with the rest of the staff is a good way of building rapport. The new security agents are less likely to be nervous around those giants when they’re in an event that is familiar to them.

Everyone loves grilled meat.

>being around others like them
Tong and his men visit a particular restaurant after their work hours. Going there and being around professionals like them will likely give the newly hired agents some more confidence.

The food there is good, although they heavily emphasize the 'rice' part of 'duck rice'.

I didnt get the rona but my throat is still sore. At least the headache is gone.

>>5683154
>>outdoor cooking
>Cooking and eating food together with the rest of the staff is a good way of building rapport. The new security agents are less likely to be nervous around those giants when they’re in an event that is familiar to them.
>Everyone loves grilled meat.


I just want to grill for god's sake.

>>5683154
>outdoor cooking
Glad you're feeling better, QM! Been busy, sorry for yhe late vote.

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>>5684231
>>5684222

>outdoor cooking

It has been a while since the staff ate together like this. Might as well do it now.

Unlike the first month’s feast, they can’t afford to go all out with the ingredients. Red Winter is still limping, and there’s no telling how severe the wounds could become.

Still, they managed to get seafood at a discounted price, courtesy of the fishermen they helped earlier in the year. Sira was merely doing his job when he captured those produce skimmers, but it’s a nice gesture regardless.

Once again, they gather around the pots and grills. The sun has just set.

Steel meshes and large pots are carefully placed on top of the clay stoves. These pots in particular have domes in the center, used for grilling. Perfect for those who prefer soup and vegetables with their meat.

Before the fire is lit, the stocks are added. Most of it is a mixture of vegetable and chicken stock, as they were the cheapest.

Blocks of coal are inserted into the opening of the earthenware. Bits of blackness are peeled away as the they crackle.

With the flame properly hot, cuts of pork fat are placed onto the grills and pots. Chopsticks are used to push them around and coat the surfaces with grease, ensuring the meat are easily removed after cooking.

It’s all a frenzy from here.

Bacon. Marinated cuts of pork. Slices of beef. Shrimp. Fish. Squid. They all vie for space amongst the grills.

Cabbage and mushrooms cover the surface of the boiling water. Once they turn soft, they’ll be fished out and eaten along side the meat, assuming there’s any left remaining.

Cockles and clams have their own pot entirely, as boiling in large batches are more efficient when serving this many people.

As the night continues, the once withdrawn security agents have became more willing to talk to the rest of staff. Drinks were shared and stories were retold.

>>5685059

Alas, the celebration comes to an end.

The tableware are collected and the stools are put back in the brothel. Coal is stuffed out. People part ways. Some people stay at the brothel to hang out, while others return home.

..
…

[https://youtu.be/J0oCb66-GFA]


Sira and Warin visit the cold rooftops of the brothel. They’ve been there quite a few times, and this might be one of the last.

From here, they can see quite a few things. Rows of entertainment district buildings, decorated by colorful lanterns and lamps. A few temples can also be seen, their sharply tampered tops poke above most buildings in Clawflash. Sira can even faintly see the Adamant Spearhead’s main building in the distance. It was there all along and he never even noticed. At least he did get to visit the academy last month.

Noises of people can barely reach them from here, and even then, they need to concentrate on it.

There’s just them, and the view. The two stand slightly apart, although their hands tend to naturally gravitate towards each other.

“Sira.”

「Mhm.」

“I’ve been thinking about what you said, last month. There’s something I want you to do for me as well, in case I die.”

>continue making the occult resin, whenever you can.
Talk to Bow and Noi. They know a few surgeons that could use it. We’ve made a batch of it together last month. You can do it. I believe in you. I’ve written down everything in the black book. Keep it safe.

>copy and distribute a portion of my black book
I know a few people that want to learn the art. Their hearts are in the right place. I’ve written down their names and addresses in my black book. First page. Copy the pages marked blue and give them those. They’ll learn how to forge their very own knife and call upon spirits. If they abuse their power... their knives will sort that out.

>>5685061
>>continue making the occult resin, whenever you can.

>>5685061
>copy and distribute a portion of my black book

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>5685469
>>5685099
1 = more resin
2 = copy book

Almost done writing (and drawing)…

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>>5685743
>copy and distribute black book

“I know a few people that want to learn the art. Their hearts are in the right place. I’ve written down their names and addresses in my black book. First page. I want you to copy the pages marked blue and give them those. They will learn how to forge their very own knife and call upon spirits. If they abuse their power... their knives will sort that out.”

「I promise it.」

“Thanks.”

The silence resumes.
The chill continues.

The distance between their bodies becomes smaller. Her head rests on his shoulders. His fingers stroke her hair. It’s rather rough and disheveled, but Sira doesn’t mind it. He’s planning on making it worse, anyways.

After a few more moments of being physically affectionate, the two head to Warin’s room. They can’t get enough of each other lately.

There’s always too many things to think about. Too many to worry about. Too many to dwell on. Both of them knew their time together would be limited, ever since the day Sira was assigned here, but they didn’t want to accept it.

For now, at least, they can just concentrate on pleasuring their lover and themselves.

>>5686600

The late morning sunlight was awful. Even with the window closed, some of the rays leaked through the cracks of the wooden blinds.

His entire body still feels sore. Warin left her marks all over him, but most were concentrated on his thighs and midriff. Merely getting up was difficult, although he doesn’t really complain. Last night was lovely.

After a bath and a meal, Sira returns to his office to check on the paperwork. Aside from making sure there’s adequate staff for tonight, he also looks through the records of the past few months.

Sources of food, clothing, furniture, medicine.. not every supplier will always be reliable. He must plan ahead and analyze which ones should act as alternative sources. While a certain type of food being unavailable might not impact the brothel that much, stomach aches can destroy a prostitute or a security agent’s ability to func-

Knocking on the door.

「Come in.」

>>5686601

It’s Arun. His network of informants reported back earlier than usual.

Johannes is actively hunting anyone that might pose a threat to the monarchy financially. Several of the senior members’ close associates have been arrested or disappeared. He’s getting closer to taking down Red Winter with each passing day.

The seniors’ usual tactics won’t work against someone like Johannes. He’s not the type that could be bribed. Not the type to be easily threatened (or even find), and his personal life is barely known. Even if they somehow manage to kill him, there’s still the other reiters he commands.

What they plan to do is pinning the blame on other individuals instead. He has Red Winter in his sights, but he doesn’t know the inner workings of it yet. From what Arun could find, they are using him as an opportunity to remove certain junior members or associates that they deemed as liabilities. They never intended on forgiving those guys, especially the ones that spearheaded the plot that eventually spiraled into the destruction of Steel Beaks.

"The associates have the same idea."

Getting rid of the seniors is a rather difficult task, as unlike most of Red Winter, they have many benefactors and business partners in the legitimate world. Destroying such safety nets are the associates’ current goals.

"Those apothecaries [Cris and Zeal] are making deals with the market district. Restaurants in North Clawflash have begun selling their.. medicinal drinks."

It’s a dangerous game that those two are playing. Their territory is South Clawflash, not the North. If the seniors find out that they’re conducting business on their territory without their consent, they are going to get punished pretty severely.

The later weeks of this month will be especially important — with the seniors preoccupied and afraid, this is the moment where the associates could convert or disable their allies, assuming they don’t attract the attention of that reiter.

"The two have asked for a favor from you.."

>Accounting issues
A feast scheduled to take place in North Clawflash, in the neighborhood of wealthy merchants. Some of these are disliked by the ones working for the associates, and they request that their financial records are compromised. While a large social gathering, it is quite an exclusive thing. Only a few people can show up.

Sira and Dao will handle this — she is very skilled at replicating handwritings and falsifying them.


>Medical tampering
A family requested the death of their grandfather. Conflicting beliefs on how they should run their dairy business. They had just learned that he will undergo a medical operation in Graceborn, a sea side province in the far south, populated by Serpents. Due the such a short notice, the only person that can go there in time is Warin.

Red Winter barely has a presence there. She’s on her own, for the most part.

>>5686602
>Accounting issues
Seems less sordid.

>>5686617
Almost done writing..

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>>5686617

>accounting issues

It has been a while since he has been to a social gathering this fine. He would love to have his crows or Warin with him, but that merchant said he can only cover for two people at most.

Dao was quite reluctant to be part of this operation, as she’s not accustomed to being part of infiltrations directly. She’s not much of a fighter, as well. Aside from the usual monetary incentives, Sira had to bribe her with boxes of Dawnfall powdered tea.

I never realized how expensive green tea have gotten…. no wonder the trade between us and that country is lucrative.

The feast will take place during the late morning to noon. Four hours for three targets. Rewriting should only take half an hour.

They will be celebrating the completion of a temple’s construction, which was mostly funded by the merchants. These people are quite conservative and religious. Someone wearing colorful pluderhosen (pansied slops) and stockings in such an occasion will be considered tasteless ー Sira will need to wear something more traditional.

His puffy linen shirt, although technically foreign in origin, will be suitable as an upper garment. Light, breathable, and most importantly, loose fitting ー there’s plenty of space for his lock picking tools.

His lower half will be covered by a large cloth, wrapped around the waist. Essentially loose fitting breeches, just with the final bits tucked into the back. More than enough space for his weapons and lightbending cloak.

No stockings.
No garters.
Just thin sandals, made from straw.

As for Dao, she also keeps it simplistic. A shirt. A long skirt. And one of those cotton umbrellas. She even has her hair in a bun.

To the uninitiated, they seem like a proper, albeit tired looking couple. (Ironic, considering one is single and the other is her close friend’s lover) Even with makeup, it can’t undo years of staying up late — there’s still some dark circles in their eyes.

>>5687797

For this party, Sira will pretend to be an illustrator, as that is one of the few professions where having a hair of such length could be plausible. As for Dao, she will ‘pretend’ to be an accountant. She already is one, just not under a legitimate business.

The crows will be stationed nearby the neighborhood, acting as lookouts, and if necessary, a quick response force. Even with his whistle being rather loud, it will still take several minutes for them to come. Once again, stealth is paramount.

The merchant that will covering for them is…

>friendly
Gets along well with most people. The others will readily believe that Sira and Dao are with him. Getting away with minor transgressions will be easier.

Unfortunately, a lot of attention will be put on them as well. Infiltrating the houses will be more difficult.


>distant
Has a few close friends. The others won’t bother Sira or Dao too much, but they might ask a few questions. They’ll need to watch what they say, lest the others get suspicious.

>spiteful
Not the type to get along with people outside their circle of friends. His colleagues will be quite curious about Sira and Dao. Words must be chosen carefully to avoid tension or suspicion.

Luckily, their distant nature means most people don’t really account for them, allowing for easier infiltrations.

>>5687798
>friendly
We got this.

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>>5686617
>friendly

This merchant is quite popular amongst his peers. And yet, he requested that Sira and Dao financially ruin three of them today.

I’ve seen worse.

It was a windy sunrise. The streets are still as busy as ever. Both of them hardly spoke anything while on their way to meet up with the merchant, Boon.

He dresses in similarly traditional clothing, although the design is more elaborate. His cuffs and plackets are adorned with triangular patterns. His breeches have a slightly richer red color than Sira’s, and appear to be softer as well. Unusually, his breeches stops at the calves, instead of stopping right under the knee.

… actually, now that Sira looks at it, the clothing seems to cover him a little too much. His hands are partially hidden by the cuffs. Most of his shoulders and neck are covered up by a scarf.

He’s definitely trying too hard to hide love bites.

Sira knows this situation well. Heartbreak can do things to people. He won’t ask.

「Never had City Larb before.」

: Ah! You gotta try it, man. It’s not everyday that buffalos get slaughtered :

「.. I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. The raw meat might interfere with my ‘appointment’.」

: Ah, well, there’s the roasted version of it as well :

「…. If there’s time, sure.」

Unlike the north eastern style of Larb, which is a cheap, easily produced dish consisting of minced meat and herbs, the northern, City Larb is a lot more complicated. The recipe requires more spices, the meat must be finer, and the process overall takes much longer.

Such a dish is more than a thing that fills the stomach. It represents the pride of the northern cuisine. Each part of the dish is inseparable to Clawflash as a whole. The beasts of burden used for meat, the water, the herbs, the spices, even the tableware are things that have existed alongside the people for centuries.

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>>5688517


The streets are cleaner. The noises are dampened. The houses stand taller. Even the wooden walls have a stately bronze color to it.

They’re definitely in the finer neighborhoods of Clawflash.

Boon’s cheerful expression becomes muted as he informs the two about the three houses they need to infiltrate.

>first target’s house
The first is in the left of the neighborhood. Two story building. The target owns several dogs. Getting through the front door will be nearly impossible without dealing with them.

>second target’s house
The second is in the middle of the neighborhood. Largest of the three — a four story building. The target maintains a large art and weapons collection. He’s the most dangerous.

>third target’s house
The third is in the right of the neighborhood. A two story building, with a large backyard. Her servants will be taking care of the plants when she isn’t home.

Most of the merchants and their associates will gather around the middle of the neighborhood, at the public park. The feast will officially take place between late morning to noon, although some might leave early or later depending on the circumstances.

Currently, all three targets are at the park, but there’s no telling how long they will stay there.

Luckily, they brought something that will keep them preoccupied — liquor. It’s not a social gathering without it.

(Choose ONE)

>fruit wine [1d2]
A sweet and sour thing that goes well with a hearty meal. All of the targets will likely be preoccupied for only an hour or two.

>amber water [1d2]
Euphemistic term for beer. A classic amongst the merchants. The first and second targets will enjoy this, and will likely he preoccupied for two or three hours.

>rice wine [1d5 & 1d4 vs DC 2]
A very sweet drink that can get people drunk quick. The targets will definitely be distracted for several hours, but can Sira and Dao handle drinking along those people, even in small amounts?

>>5688518
>amber water [1d2]
First and seocnd are the bigger thrwats anyway.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5688553

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>>5688553

>amber water [two hours]

Beer is a staple of any social gathering. They brought plenty of it.

As they approach the park, several people happily greet Boon. People in gazebos are already waving at them. Cold wind and chirping birds greets them as the group walks into the shade. A round table and finely carved wooden chairs await them. It’s quite a nice spot to dine at.

Most of Boon’s colleagues are older than Sira, being somewhere in their thirties or forties. The conversation occasionally drifts towards the two’s lives, but it was pretty easy to lie to them. Particularly when parts of it is true.

“Haha, good luck, man. It’s.. it’s definitely tough. Just go at your own pace. Your parents, or her parents shouldn’t have to completely govern you like that.”

「Thanks.」

When speaking about marriage and family, their advices are sound, but their tone is slightly somber. They’ve definitely seen too many who have made the wrong choices.

As the last of the merchants and their colleagues arrive, the feast begins.

Although many types of finely made meals are present, Sira and Dao only chooses ones which are throughly cooked. They can’t risk stomach aches now. A few sausages, some minced meat, handful of chili, bits of vegetables and sips of beer to wash it all down. They’re not eating to their fullest, just enough to not go hungry.

The two also catch a glimpse of where their targets are, and what they are doing.

The first target, perhaps unsurprisingly given the amount of dogs he owns, is near the edges of the park, observing the birds while drinking from a steel cup. His back is turned.

The second target remains in the central gazebo, eating the raw version of City Larb and drinking. He’s being quite deliberate about it — only sipping some beer after eating meat and herbs. While somewhat tipsy, he could still pose a threat to their infiltration, as his line of sight overlooks his own house.

The third target and her group of friends remain in the right of the park, overlooking her house. Definitely a no-go.

>>5689192

Before planning to infiltrate the houses, Sira decides to…

>take the minced meat
It’s can distract the dogs and stave off hunger in a pinch.

>not take the minced meat
The scent could alert people if he keeps it around.

After thinking it through, the two will be infiltrating…

>the first target’s house
Plenty of dogs surround it. They could try to pacify them if they have food, or they could fade in and out quickly through the second floor.

>the second target’s house
The second target is watching it. Sira could try to distract him with magic or with words.

>>5689193
>take the minced meat
>the first target’s house

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>>5689331

>take minced meat
>first target

Feast — first hour

His back is turned and they have the means to appease the dogs. Naturally, the two would start with the first target’s house.

Handfuls of minced meat are wrapped in waxed paper and disappear in their pockets. They made sure to get as much chili out of the meat as much as possible, so the dogs don’t get sick from it.

They take a few minutes to closely observe the location.

A two story house, with multiple splints under it. Under the house are where those dogs are, lying under the shade and drinking from bowls of water. They’ll definitely notice someone going through the stairways.

As expected of a wealthy person, this house is made from multiple interlocking wooden parts instead of nails. Their roof is angular and a rich brown shade to it, a mark of craftsmanship and maintenance (and also cost). Judging by the rather modest size of it, the first target likely has no children. Boon doesn’t mentionhim having a wife, either.

He might a few servants, but that’s about it. Even then, it’s unlikely they’ll be in there — cooking and cleaning usually takes place outside the household. The smell or noise from such activities will likely give them away before they notice the two.

Sira and Dao can either do this in plain sight or out of sight.

They can walk through the front door while carrying a few bottles of alcohol. With food to deal with the dogs and some confidence in their stride, most would think they are merely delivering gifts.

Or Sira could fade through a window. It’s a much quicker process, but if they get caught, it’s going to be harder to talk their way out of that situation.

>through the front [1d20 and bonus vs DC 11 / 16]
They could give half of the meat now and save it for later, or they could give those dogs everything. The latter will likely pacify them enough that they would end up napping.

If they save some of it, it could come in handy if Sira needs to command ghosts and stave off the otherworldly hunger that comes with it.

[CHOOSE ONE]
[Half portion: +4]
[Full portion +8 bonus]

>through the window [1d20 vs DC 5]
Sira can hold Dao and fade through that window. It’s a faster option that do not require the minced meat. He’s done this countless times before, and is unlikely to mess up now.

Even if he does, he still has the meat to calm them down, although their barking could alert people…

>>5689648
>Through the front
>Full amount

Rolled 20 + 8 (1d20 + 8)

>>5689740

Gotta sleep. Will update tomorrow.

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>>5689740
>>5689760
>through the front
>full

After whispering to Boon about it, the two takes the finer looking bottles they brought and carry them towards the first target’s house. They walked with purpose, their gaze fixated on the house. They were uninterrupted. They finally reached the front of the house. A large stairway stands in front of them, surrounded by dogs.

While Sira is accustomed to dealing with them, Dao isn’t. Her breathing is slightly heavier than usual, and sweat starts to accumulate. She’s a little nervous.

「Just stay still and don’t make too much eye contact with them.」

They won’t be taking any chances with the dogs. Sira will use all of the minced meat. As the approach the stairs, Sira kneels down and produces a packet of minced meat from his sleeve. To people observing them from a far, they would think he was merely petting them.

>20+8 vs dc 16

The dogs flock to him, each taking a bite or so out of the roasted buffalo meat. Dao gives them another packet as well. They ate all of it up pretty quickly. Amusingly, those dogs sit and look at the two afterwards for a few moments, perhaps hoping they would give them more. Once it was clear they weren’t going to do that, they retreated back under the stairs.

.. they look rather large. I don’t think that’s.. normal? He must’ve given them way too much food.

With them pacified, the two was able to walk through the front door without any resistance.

The interior of the house consists of long, interconnected rooms without doors separating them. A common feature of the traditional homes, to ensure airflow. Soon enough, the two come across the study. A modestly sized room, filled with shelves of books and notes. Mats and triangular pillows are placed around the table, to make sitting on the floor slightly more comfortable. A faint jasmine scent still eminates from the melted candles. Dao begins her work.

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>>5690413
..
…
Sira watched and listened, but there was no one coming. They managed to infiltrate this house with no one noticing. A good start.

'We’re done here. Just need a moment to clean my hands.'

Forty minutes’ worth of writing stained her hands with ink and soot. Sira lends her a damp towel and begins packing up her writing instruments.

With the first target’s financial records tampered with, they are put back in their original positions. Pillows are adjusted. Any stains are wiped clean. As if nothing illicit has ever even happened.

While doing so, they come across something.. very.. interesting. Such a thing was carefully hidden inside the floor, being nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the wooden floorboards. They only managed to come across it because her soot filled fingers accidentally brushed against it.

“The great pox and its effects”
A document regarding a venereal disease that originated from the western countries. Symptoms include pustules appearing on the body, deterioration of the flesh, and death within a few months.

Boon’s name is written down.
Based on the date, he likely has it for nearly a month now.

The additional writings are discussing..

>his successors and assets left behind
The tone is clinical. The person writing is interested in who will replace him and how his assets will be used by his successors.

>medication and treatment of this venereal disease
The tone is regretful. The person writing is currently trying to find a way to treat his condition.

>>5690414
>his successors and assets left behind
Hm... So someone here knows Boon might be dying and is trying to steal his money, even as Boon is sabotaging them? Interesting...

>>5690414
>his successors and assets left behind
The tone is clinical. The person writing is interested in who will replace him and how his assets will be used by his successors.

Let's take a look.

>>5690623
>>5690560

>his successors and assets

【 Additional notes 】

Estimated time of irreversible damage to tissue: second - third week of ninth month
Estimated time of death: first - second week of tenth month

Objectives:
Acquire his replacement*

Restructure businesses affiliated with Boon *
๐ metalworkers’ village in Cinderfall *
๐ smithy in Cinderpath *

Transfer his key allies out of South West market district
๐ (Cutler) Gittigarn *
๐ (Intermediary) Airin 《priority target》
๐ (Driver) Amorn

—must be completed before ninth month—

>>5691464


The * probably represents completed goals. Seems like they’re nearly done.

Ruthlessness is throughly present within the writing ー this anonymous writer wants to remove Boon and any of his partners from power.

Does Boon know about such a plot? Is this the catalyst for ordering these targets to be financially ruined? Sira knows it’s not uncommon for people near death to not care about the law.

Or was he already doing something similarly illicit before he got infected, and this anonymous writer was just taking advantage of his illness? Legitimate, wealthy people is unlikely to be close enough to Red Winter that they’re willing to do a hit for him, even with generous compensation.

Maybe he was deliberately targeted and infected with the venereal disease? The writer did somehow know the date of when he was infected, after all. If Sira and Dao don’t even realize Boon had the great pox for nearly a month, how can this writer know precisely? Did this person know who passed the disease onto him?

.. there’s so many possibilities, and the two aren’t quite sure of what the truth is, but knowing this information is a good bargaining chip. They might be able to fool someone into thinking they’re working against Boon.

「.. it does explain his clothing.」

'Nearly a month of greatpox and there’s no pustules on his feet or face yet. Strange. Is he on medication?'

Dao does make a good point. Normally there would be bumps all across the body.

「Maybe. He’s the type that could afford it... let’s just copy this down.」

Once they copied the writing down, the great pox document is put back. A thorough wiping of the floorboards ensured soot would be erased, and the secret compartment will remain hidden once more.

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>>5691465

Gazing at the second target’s house through the windows reveals some insight about this seemingly impenetrable structure.

The building is a tall, imposing mansion that is firmly rooted to the ground, and surrounded by fences made from stone. All of the windows are completely covered by wooden shutters. A utilitarian design, with only minor decorations.

Its lack of vegetation and wide open nature creates a long sight line in the front, the back is where it is terribly vulnerable, a narrow space that can only be seen by few people. They can lock pick the backdoor and enter through there.

The shutter themselves are another weak spot. While the thick wood offers ample protection against light or insects, it can be manipulated easier than most others ー a hook, or a hand, could pry it open reasonably easily from the outside. Sira can just fade above the shutters and pry them open with his hands or feet.

They decide to..

>lockpick [1d20 vs DC 6 — 16]
A simple task, something Sira has done many times during his career. His office is likely in the upper floors, though.

[Choose a bonus: +2 / +4 / +6 / +8]

If total is <6: Lockpick breaks. he can spend more time lockpicking or try other actions
If total is >16: Lock breaks. success, but leaves evidence of infiltration

>pry open the shutters [2d20 vs DC 16]
Something a little more athletic than usual. They could bypass going through the stairs entirely if he does this right.

[+4 bonus — success if at least one roll is 16 or above]

>covertly return to the park
This information is noteworthy. They should go back and talk to Boon about this.

>>5691466
>covertly return to the park

This could effect how we proceed.

>>5691466
>pry open the shutters [2d20 vs DC 16]
I don't think this changes the mission. Boon knew he was dying and knew these people were his enemies. The job is still the job.