>>6198776Yea, you nod as your gaze shifts between her and Handsley, does… does that happen a lot? Who would be rooting around in the Chairman’s old office? A long breath escapes from the amazon’s lips!
“Who <span class="mu-i">wouldn’t</span>? Politics, Rook… that stuff’ll kill ya.”
Sure, you frown, but who’d the mage belong to?
“Oof, beats me…” She replies with an apologetic smile! “If you didn’t pick it up from Oti, well… mages can be a contentious bunch…”
Yea, you uh… you noticed.
“Though there weeeerrree some people dad rambled about a few times on one of his ‘bender’ nights… something about <span class="mu-r">STAR-CLOAKS?</span>”
The name sends a shiver down your spine. Star-Cloaks?
“Couldn’t tell ya’ who they are,” The Skog continues as she casts a quick glance around you, “But pubsong talks about ‘em like the <span class="mu-r">SHADOW ASSASSINS</span>. Real secretive group of powerful mages… Mitaar knows what they’re up to when we can’t see ‘em.”
Super, you groan, so you gotta add the <span class="mu-r">MAGIC ILLUMINATI</span> to the suspect list too!? What the hell are you getting yourself into!?
“Well think of it this way, Rook: if those guys are as tough as people say, you wouldn’t be walking away from a fight with one!” She replies like a mother comforting a child after losing a Little League game! “That’s the problem with it being so damned DARK all the time–you never know who’s trying to pull a fast one!”
Clearly. Any other possibilities?
“Well <span class="mu-b">UMBERAL’S</span> got <span class="mu-b">TRIMBAULT ACADEMY</span>--if you’re a mage or want to become one, you usually start there!” Volka’s tail swishes vigorously as she delves deep into the brainstorm! “There’s other places to learn magic, mind, but the biggest is in Umberal… and they’ve been eyeing Crossroads like a starving Maakar for ages now!”
Kicking a pile of frost into the air like a kid, the Skog punctuates her analysis with a shrug! “Or it could be a whole other group we’ve never heard from! Spooky, huh?”
Topped off on paranoia, you thank Volka for the intel. If there’s one thing you’ve gathered from the talk, it’s that you might be wandering into something <span class="mu-i">way</span> over your head…
Handsley’s snapping grows more vigorous–must mean you’re nearly there! With your last bit of time, you decide to:
>Rant with Rezzie!>Talk with TT!>Vocalize with Volka about something else!>Spot a shop!>Stop somewhere on the way!>Rattle on with RED!>Just enjoy the walk… you’ll probably miss the silence!>Write-In!Probably the last update of the night, folks-got work tomorrow!
