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That one got through to Wayne, who swooshed his cloak. "<span class="mu-i">Magyck?</span>"
He was a big fan of magyck, as it turned out. (He said it like that and everything. 'Magyck.') He was, he implied mysteriously, engaged in a manner of intricate magyckal rite, far beyond the ken of the sheep-like public. He would like to observe you, whatever your name is, to ascertain your candor, and perhaps your power level.
So you were in, then. Apparently. Also, Wayne was coming along— what, you thought he was just paying? No. He even brought the customary heist masks. Three of them, but Earl didn't really need one. They resembled a human face. They were <span class="mu-i">gold.</span>
You didn't bring it up. (Bad luck.) Felicia streaked off like a comet to do God-knows-what, leaving you and Wayne to sneak and Earl to amble until the dig was in view: a huge square-cut hole, roped and laddered and lantern'd, tents in disorderly rows around it. It wasn't being guarded, not precisely. There was no watch. But, in the general vicinity, there were a lot of people with vested interests, short tempers, and weapons.
This is what you're trying to tell yourself now— that they're <span class="mu-i">not</span> guards, not Wind Court, not gooplicates, not magyck, not anything. The people outside the wall you're hunkering behind are... people. Regular people. They've just come down here because they heard several loud noises, as regular people do. (And it wasn't your fault about the loud noises. Earl is having a hard time conceptualizing 'stealth.') They've brought shovels and harpoons because it's the middle of the night, and a large animal could've blundered into the dig and started stamping all over the valuable relics. It's not even that far from the truth.
Positive thinking. You haven't been found. Earl is being very obedient, sitting and staying and doing his best to contain his laughter— "obedient." God! He's a person! But how else do you say it? And where the hell do you go from here?
>[1] The skimmers are looking for something big? Fine. Send Earl out as a distraction, letting him rough them up a bit. You're confident he won't get hurt (or won't feel it if he does), and it'll give you ample opportunity to slip off and locate Wayne or Felicia.
>[2] What did Felicia say— Earl's just here to move dirt? You're crouched on a mud floor right now. Give him an order and see if he can dig you out of this mess. [Roll.]
>[3] Step out and greet them. Convince them that nothing's wrong here, nobody's stealing any critical magyckal item, and they should all go back to bed. (Advanced Gaslighting.) [Roll.]
>[4] Stay calm. If you don't move, it's unlikely they'll look inside this ruin specifically. Better to sit here and feel out the situation- you know, literally. Via vibrations. Through the earth. That normal thing you do. [Roll.]
>[5] Write-in.
