Turn Seventeen, Part Two: Plot Advancement. Sorry, guys.
No changes at all. Boredom overwhelms the party, and the desire to break the ice grows ever larger.
Remy starts off. "Hello there, new meat! Don't die, the last one left a huge mess, amirite guys?" Sadly, nobody of his group follows up on that. The situation becomes awkward very quickly as nobody seems to care about him. Taren starts maintaining his equipment, beginning with the sword. Helskaya becomes a polar bear and sleeps - again, nobody is surprised, with the wizard guy's possible expection, but he looks like he has seen way too much anyway. The first one to talk again is Maka. She had been unable to contain her excitement anyway, so she started chatting up the pool guy.
"Hello! My name's Maka, what's yours? Are you here for eldritch power also? What do you do? I make minions, mostly. Nobody around here has any! Except whoever's got the key zombie, if that's not just her. It's so exciting to see people who don't look like they belong in a farming pen!"
While he seems to be a little alienated, he actually answers. He speaks slowly, weighing every word.
"Eldritch power should not be pursued by adventurers like you. We of the Guild know too much of it to let it loose. Turn back while you still can."
With these words spoken, he falls into silence again, and Maka loses interest. Uptight sticks-in-the-mud. Rath however, well, starts being Rath again. The wait has driven him a little more insane than usual, and he starts beating up (3) the totally-a-ninja. That is, he tries to beat up the thin air where the ninja was a millisecond ago, and falls face-first onto the cheap chair, which breaks. This rejection deeply moves Rath, and he starts running outside to cry. In doing so he bumps into Apollo, and <BIG GAY BALL OF YAOI>
"QUIT THAT SHIT! YOU TWO SUCK SO HAAAAAARD!"
Cue colorful beatdown by Maka approved by more or less every single adventurer in the room.
More time passes. Nothing of note happens anymore. The other people in the room all get called one after the other, they enter the office, then they leave.
Finally, the secretary calls the party in. They enter, including Maka.
--
The office has changed a bit since the last time you were in it. It has become larger, apparently - someone has been messing with spatial control magic, it seems. Overall, there is also more stuff inside - books, paperwork, magic trinkets - and a door that is titled "Dungeon". You find it best to not inquire.
Elizabeth is sitting at the desk, as always, and is writing something with quill and inkwell. Hearing the door creak as every good door should, she looks up from her writing. Her calm mood cracks a little when she sees the new party member.
"...Maka? That is YOU? What the hell."
"Oh hey it's Auntie Liz! Wow, what are you doing here!"
"You are a disgrace upon my family name in specific and magicians in general. You look absolutely ridiculous and I regret being born to the same parents that gave birth to your grandfather. And, what are YOU doing here?"
"Seeking adventure, making servants, becoming the very best wizard there ever was. You know the drill!"
"Oh, man... well, whatever. I'm not in the position to scold you for your choices in life. Even the way you are currently, you are still about as normal as they come in the Voile family." She sighs. "But you -could- pick something less stupid to wear and please don't drag my name in the mud."
"Anyway, let's talk business, as we were originally going to."
She spreads a map. "As you know, this Bureau exists to facilitate the exploration of the dungeon. The dangers lying in it are trendemous and lethal, as the bodycount proves." She pulls out a long list and tosses it on the table for illustration. "But an organized party of skilled individuals - like you are, I experienced that firsthand. However..." Another paper is pulled out. It is covered in scribbled notes from someone with really bad handwriting.
"We have gotten a few reports from the second floor - or, rather, second stratum - now. The source should not be considered all that reliable, so I'll need to confirm the info first. However, they state that the stratum is positively crowded with monsters and rather expansive as well. Heading there headlessly will probably spell your doom. That would be a chance I don't want to take, I need you to be good enough to get to the bottom of this without failure. And, for that reason..." she pulls out a pouch. "I am here to help."
"First, here's the reward for a mission fulfilled. This should amount to 800 cp. Split it up among yourselves.
Second, you'll have access to my personal library, or, rather, what has arrived of it by now. It's just past the door that has "Dungeon" written over it. Still, I pride myself on it being the most comprehensive library this side of the world. However, if you damage any book, I'll have your ass. The protection spells don't hold off everything. By the way, Mr. Maelle, there -is- a Chain Revolver User's Manual somewhere in there.
Third, I'll be up for any question or up to middle-sized favor that has something to do with magic from your side, like determining enchantments, removing curses, things like that.
And, finally, I have something to give to you, but that won't be done until this evening. It'll be something along the lines of a magic item, so if you have any preferences... tell me, now.
Well, that's it. Sorry if I bored you, but there will be no free bike card. You'll have time until this evening, so go explore the city or something. I think the vendors have updated their stock. They're on a business opportunity like flies on a horse corpse."
"Oh, before I forget... Miss Zombie, will you please stay? After I'm done with the others, I'll take care of you." She nods.
--
Yeah, do what you want, grind characters, improve spells, get equipment, browse the stores. You have one day to fill, and dependin on how things turn out, perhaps a sidequest or two.
There are far more places in town than previously detailed. For example, Lemongrass General Store, the Adventurer's Severed Head (a pub), the Town Church, the Marketplace, the Riverside Brewery, the Suspicious Ruins...
Character sheets.
Helskaya Arkut (lawastooshort)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: None.
Equipment: Pair of knives (one large, one small),
northern white bear jawbone on necklace, northern white bearskin.
Inventory: Wet stone, firestone, pot, spoon, three leather pouches varying in size, pestle and mortar, dried meat rations for several plus more days, filled waterskin, flour, Lesser Herbal Medicine, Lesser Blade Poison, Rusty Axe, random precious metal baubles, four lumps of crystallized magic, 0 cp.
Skills: Herbal Medicine; Shamanic Magic; Knowledge (Legends of the North)
Spells:
Shining Shamanic Healing Finger!, Transform: Raging North Bear, Summon Water Elemental
Elenor Warsen (Caellath)
Status: Still hurts, somewhat.
Injuries: Small pains.
Equipment:
Masterwork Armor, Longsword, Crossbow,
Dragon Crest Shield, small well-crafted crossbow.
Inventory: Medical kit, small supplies bag, 5 cp, Potion of Lesser Healing, Painkiller Potion, Gibberish Paper, Map Shred, Rations Listing, some longbolt ammo.
Skills: Result-oriented swordsmanship, Dodger's Agility, Marksmanship, Medical care, Taunting.
Spells: None. He's notoriously unmagical.
Apollo Anderson
(Spinal_Taper)Status: Normal.
Injuries: Some remainders of yesterday.
Equipment: Reinforced lab coat, cheap leather armor,
Dagger,
Rudimentary Rifle, Officer's Scimitar,
Inventory: Bullets, Gunpowder, various pouches and bags, Experimental Painkiller (?) Potion, 4 cp.
Skills: Alchemy: Chemistry, Alchemy: Potion brewing, Alchemic Magic: Rudimentary Enchantments (quantum amount +1), Metal Working (quantum amount +1).
Spells: Enchantment: Better wearability!
Taren Creyn (Tiruin)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: Well-treated ones.
Equipment: Broadsword, Crossbow, Longbolt ammunition (quantum amount -4), white cloak, grey tunic, belt, solid holey leather boots, buckler.
Inventory: Whet stone, one filled waterskin, Cloth, lots of rations, ratman cloth, 3 cp.
Skills: White Magic: Healing, Anatomy, Swordsmanship, Marksmanship
Spells:
Menscur, Fogili, Nonsens, Mendia,
Leonic Cleanse,
Vi Vanita.
Ratherio Houston (borno)
Status: Normal.
Injuries: Those scratches might become scars.
Equipment: Purple robes of death!
TM, Wand of death!
TMStaff of death!
TMDagger of death!
TM Ring of death.
Inventory: 0 cp,
Debt notice, Scrolls of:
Leaden,
Monovolt,
Lesser Silence,
Flare Arrow.
Skills: Black Magic: Death Magic, Black Magic: Chaos Magic, Agility
Spells:
Kortuch,
Leaden,
Costrus.
Remy Maelle (Remaelle)
Status: Slight... hangover?
Injuries: The chest hurts every so often.
Equipment: A spirit talisman, knife, leather armour, traveling clothes, a backpack, Vintage pair of Chain Revolvers, buckler, 14 cp.
Inventory: Bedroll, rope, tinderbox, enough food to last a few days,
Debt notice,
officer's helmet, Contract.
Skills: Shamanistic Magic: Elementalism, Agility, Quick Reflexes, Hand-to-Hand Combat.
Spells:
MEGA BRAND Maka R'lyeh-Voile (IronyOwl)
Status: It is normal for her to act like on sugar spiked with crack, yes?
Injuries: None.
Equipment:
Magical golden scepter, Very Frilly Dress, Backpack, Belt w/ pouches.
Inventory:
Surgeon's Kit.
Skills: Creating Servants, Alchemic Magic: Augmenting Living Stuff, Dodging, Black Magic: Curses.
Spells: Quantum uncertainity here.