Chapter Text
“As you travel through the forest, an eerie silence befalls you like you’ve never known before. The branches of each tangled tree are sharp and crooked, and fog seeping up from their roots hides the ground from view.”
With grace and precision over her psychs, Nagi summoned just enough fire to light a candle in front of herself. The flame flickered behind her wall of books, casting a harsh shadow across her features. Rindo recoiled as she turned a creepy grin towards him, glasses glistening.
“Though this may indeed be the route to your next goal, you can sense a dark presence inside. It’s grim, and nigh suffocating—you feel as though it might gobble you up at any time. What do you do?”
Rindo hesitated, envisioning the scene she’d laid out. If he were true to his character, then…
“We should just barrel on in!” Fret said before Rindo could. “Right, Rindude?” He paused when Nagi shot him a glare. “Er—I mean, right, Nono?”
“No,” Rindo answered, regretting it as soon as he saw Fret’s smirk.
“C’mon, you don’t have to say ‘no’ to everything, Nono!”
“It’s Noboru, not Nono,” Rindo replied. For once, Fret made it easy to stick to his character’s more serious persona. “And that forest is evil.”
Fret leaned back in his chair, barely glancing down at the papers at his disposal as he held his hands up like he was holding a fake instrument. Though if he was pretending to hold his character’s lute, he had it all wrong. “Then I’ll just play a protection song to scare all the baddies away.”
“Do you even have a protection spell?”
“Uh yeah? I think. Isn’t that like minstreling 101?”
Rindo wanted to beat his head against the table. How many nights had they been playing this now? Granted, they were still low leveled and learning the rules to some degree.
“You still have to know it first. Give me that.” He snatched Fret’s character sheet. Surprisingly, he did have a few spells listed as something he knew and could call on any time.
“Let’s see, Charm Person, Animal Friendship, Faerie Fire, and Sleep…” Rindo lowered the sheets. “Just which one of those sounds like ‘protection’ to you?”
“Well, uh… I could charm the animals around and have them help us?”
Rindo rolled his eyes, skimming the bard’s abilities again.
“Why not use Bardic Inspiration? Then maybe Noboru will feel better about going in.”
“Oh yeah! I forgot I can do that!”
Nagi cleared her throat. “Please remember to roleplay it, if you would.”
Rindo grimaced as he shoved the sheets back Fret’s way. At least it was just the three of them. Well, the three of them and Sho Minamimoto, but he didn’t really count. The renegade witch had collapsed face-down on the couch in their base after hunting for Noise on his own. Rindo curiously glanced over. He’d said barely a word since getting back, other than his mathematical mumblings. Even when Fret had timidly asked if he’d run into the Hachiko Crew, Minamimoto had simply scoffed and said those hectopascals had gone off the grid, whatever that meant.
Rindo hated wasting so much time in the base like this. They really needed to find a way to help him out around town without being noticed. But after they’d become Shibuya’s Most Wanted along with their teacher, they had been stuck here with little to do besides playing Netherworlds & Noise.
At least Shoka still had free reign. Her latent ability let her come and go as she pleased, especially with Hishima and Ayano covering for her at the orphanage. And she wouldn’t have to see the nerd brigade Rindo had joined in his boredom here.
…though, he had to admit that the game was fun. He briefly wondered if Shoka would enjoy it before banishing that thought from his mind. She’d probably make fun of him if she saw this.
“All right, Nono! Get ready to be inspired,” Fret announced, snapping Rindo back to the campaign. “I play the coolest song ever and use Bardic Inspiration to inspire my best bud to join me in the creepy woods!”
“That’s not how it works,” Rindo muttered, looking at his own character sheet.
“C’mon, if there’s evil in there, you have to tame it, don’t you? See it as part of your paladin duties!”
Sighing, Rindo let his character give in. “All right, all right, I hear you, Pickard. Let’s hurry up and find the contact.”
Rindo had so many questions, like why they’d need to seek out info from someone in evil woods like this. “As we head into the forest, I want to use my Divine Senses.”
Nagi nodded. “You sense quite a few undead, but they’re all at least thirty feet away. Notably, you notice a lack of undead to the northeast.”
“Undead?” Rindo already didn’t like the sound of this. They hadn’t fought undead yet. “Then, Noboru will lead them northeast.”
Sitting back, Nagi rolled a few dice behind her set-up. Her two players waited cautiously to see if she would seal their fate with some horror.
Leaning forward, she rested her chin on her hands. “You begin your trek through the muddy ground. However, as you walk, a branch stretches out and snatches Pickard’s arm.”
Fret yelped, scanning his character sheet before turning to his friend. “Save me, Rindude!”
Rindo snatched up his d20. “I try to cut him free.”
“Roll for it then, and add your strength to it.”
He rolled. Nice! A sixteen. Then with strength, that was…
“I got a twenty.”
“Very well. You cut Pickard free. Almost as soon as you do, Pickard sees a building emerge from the fog ahead.”
“Look, over there! I found it, Rindu—Nono!”
“Let’s hurry in, then.” The sooner they were out of these killer woods, the better.
“Right behind you!”
“Luckily, it seems Noboru’s slice has abated the trees for the time being,” Nagi said. “You two make it safely to the building. As soon as you enter, all heads turn your way. You realize there must be about a dozen people, all battle-hardened and with weapons leaning next to them. You soon realize you’ve reached the pub of an inn for weary travelers like yourselves—or perhaps for those adventurers also seeking to enter the nearest netherworld.”
“Uhhh, hi!” Fret greeted, nervous despite the lack of any real people around to glare daggers at his gnome bard. “We’re new in town—or well, the forest? Hope you don’t mind if we crash here for a bit! Oh! And anyone know a guy named Gillian? We need to talk to him for our quest!”
Wow, way to be subtle. “Noboru’s going to leave him at the door and go over to the bar for a drink,” Rindo said. “And pretend like he doesn’t know Pickard.”
“A wise decision,” Nagi replied. “While everyone else is busy glaring down Pickard, the bartender greets you. ‘Welcome to the Black Mist Inn,’ he says. ‘What can I get for you?’”
“Just a water.”
“The bartender delivers it. He then nods to Pickard. ‘Are you with that oaf?’”
“It’s… complicated.” Much as Rindo wanted to just deny it, he knew his character wouldn’t be so coy. “Anyway, we were told Gillian would be here. Do you know that name?”
“‘Gillian? Well… It depends.’”
Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Noboru pulls out his money pouch and says, ‘I’ll give you ten silver for anything you can tell us.’”
“‘Ten silver? Hm…’”
“Roll Persuasion,” a new voice spoke up so suddenly that all three jumped. Minamimoto hadn’t moved from his position, his face still buried in his pillow.
“T’would seem the math ghost has spoken,” Nagi said, glasses shimmering. “Roll for Persuasion, Lord Rindo.”
“Isn’t he asleep?” Fret turned around, sitting on his chair backwards like he wanted to poke the witch.
“Apparently not asleep enough,” Rindo grumbled as he rolled. “Eight, damn.”
Nagi tapped her pencil against the table, taking a moment before she replied, “The bartender scoffs at your offer. ‘If you want info, you’ll have to pay more than a little silver.’ He then nods to the potion hanging on your necklace. ‘Like that, for instance.’”
The Potion of Dragon’s Majesty—a rare item Rindo had gotten for his dragonborn’s backstory. He scowled as he said, “This isn’t for sale.”
“‘Then neither is my information.’”
“Come on, you know this is way more expensive than a little info. Can’t you give me anything?”
“The bartender stubbornly shakes his head,” Nagi replied. “Pickard, you see other patrons getting restless, some grabbing their weapons.”
“Uhhh, crap, Rindu—I mean, Nono!” Fret spoke up, but Rindo kept his character focused.
“Hold on, I’m busy with this slimy bastard—”
“With what slimy bastard?”
Rindo froze when a familiar voice entered the room. The game came to a complete and sudden stand still as Shoka approached, a gothic blip in the otherwise white room. She cast her gaze over the papers and dice, as well as the makeshift board that sat unused between them, waiting for a battle to strike.
“Wow, did I walk in on a nerd fest?” She glided over and picked up Rindo’s character sheet. “Noboru Shiningfield… I didn’t realize the loser watch was so high today. Couldn’t even keep your character’s name in Japanese?”
Rindo’s face grew so hot, he might’ve been able to fry an egg on it. “I-I was—w-we were just—i-it’s not like…”
“Hey, Shokie!” Fret greeted with no regard to how much Rindo was dying inside. “Wanna join? We’re about to have a pub fight in a forest full of undead!”
“A… what?” Shoka raised an eyebrow, turning her attention to Nagi instead. “An undead pub?”
Nagi adjusted her frames. “The people inside the pub are alive, I assure you. However, the forest they entered to get here suffers from a terrible curse.” She then flashed a grin. “I’m sure our heroes could use an assist.”
“Aww, Noboru Shiningfield can’t save the day with his oh-so-‘shiny’ paladin powers?” Shoka teased as she set the character sheet right back down in front of Rindo, and Rindo wished he could crawl under the table and hide from her sneer. She grabbed a seat, making herself comfy as she leaned back. “But sure, deal me in. I can’t miss out on a chance to see Mr. Shiningfield’s glory.”
“Seriously?!” Rindo blurted out.
“‘Tis not quite so simple as dealing a deck of cards, I’m afraid,” Nagi said as she pulled her bag up into her lap. Her pumpkin shirt had a distinct smirk on it as she shuffled through the bag’s contents. As if somehow anticipating the additional character, she produced a blank character sheet, a pencil, and a whole new set of dice. “You’ll need to build your character first. We can pause to help you with that task.”
Shoka accepted the items, frowning at the empty sheet. “I have to fill out all of this?”
“‘Tis not as hard as it looks,” Nagi replied, placing a book on top of their board. “First, we need to figure out your race and class. We’ll roll your stats afterwards.”
While Shoka flipped through the pages, Rindo got up to grab himself a drink. He desperately needed something refreshing after that scare. Hell, his heart still wouldn’t stop beating with the knowledge that the teasing had only just begun.
“We finally have a full party!” Fret gushed as he joined Rindo. “Well, full as can be. Guess Minaman could also draw up a character sheet if he wanted.”
Rindo glanced over at the resting witch. “Can’t really imagine him roleplaying.”
“Yeah, but he practically lives here with us, right? It’d be nice if he could have fun with us, too.”
Rindo selected a soda, popping it open while Fret poured himself some cranberry juice. “Does he even know how to have fun?”
“My point exactly!” Fret returned the jug to the fridge, then sipped on his drink. “Maybe with all of us doing it, he won’t be able to resist. And then the math ghost will get revived into the game!”
“Somehow, I doubt that.” Rindo and Fret stood around a little longer, giving the girls plenty of space to whisper and plan Shoka’s new character. Fret kept going on about what kind of character Minamimoto would have. Apparently he was so sure their teacher would make a wizard. But honestly, Rindo wasn’t so sure—Minamimoto had a tendency to throw something out of left field. Whatever he chose, he’d probably min-max it like a total boss, though. He’d no doubt be a powerful companion, even if his chaotic nature would definitely clash with Noboru’s lawful one.
After a bit of conjecture, the shaking of dice drew the boys back to their seats.
“So, what’d you go with, Shokie?” Fret eagerly asked.
Shoka shrugged. “Why would I ruin the surprise? You’ll just have to find out when we play.”
“And how long’s that gonna be?” Rindo asked, hoping maybe Nagi would call the session here.
He had no such luck. “We were about to roll for her stats,” Nagi said, nodding to the table. “Go ahead and roll whenever.”
“And then, what? I add them up?”
“You may subtract the lowest, then add up the other three.”
“Okay, sure.” Shoka rolled four dice together. Three, two, one, one. Okay, maybe Rindo wasn’t the only unlucky one today.
“Dunno that I’ve ever seen a stat that low,” he remarked, only to get a glare from Shoka.
“That was just a bad roll. Let me try again.”
‘Just a bad roll’ was an understatement. Seven, nine, ten… and finally, she hit at least something at least passable with a sixteen.
“If you’re rolling like this before the game starts, then I dunno how this is gonna work out.”
Shoka snatched up the dice, shoving them at Rindo. “It’s not my fault—these dice must be fixed.”
Rindo laughed. “They’re not fixed. They’re…” He rolled all four and ended up with a total of eight. “Uh…”
“See?!”
“‘Tis certainly a streak of bad luck if I’ve ever seen one,” Nagi commented. “I’ll let you reroll all of them just once if you’d like.”
“What are these even for? I don’t get this game’s stats at all. What’s the difference between intelligence and wisdom?” Shoka scowled, glaring at the half-filled paper before her. “And how am I supposed to fill out this many skills? It doesn’t make sense—”
No sooner did she finish than a forceful hand scooped up the dice. Sho Minamimoto loomed over them without a word, rolling out new stats with the power of a lion and the speed of a cheetah. He took Shoka’s pencil, scribbling them in with handwriting like chicken scratch. Shoka could only slide back and give him space as he filled in the numbers, then slammed down the pencil like he’d just completed a test.
“Better not screw up these flawless calculations, Zeptogram.” He then turned away, his robes swishing around him. And as soon as he made it over to the couch, he plopped right back down on it.
“What… just happened?” Shoka looked at the others for any sort of explanation.
“That would be the math ghost,” Fret replied with a nervous chuckle. “He just kinda does that sometimes. You get used to it.”
“He made Fret’s character sheet, too,” Rindo added.
“Yep! And he made it awesome! I bet he gave you some stellar numbers, too, Shokie.”
“Right… I guess I’ll go with this. Might as well after Minamimoto put all that effort in.” Shoka had carved out her own little spot on the table, studying her finished sheet with a smile on her face. Maybe because she wanted to tease Rindo more? No… From the way she glowed, she actually seemed to be enjoying herself.
Her eyes met Rindo’s. “...Can I help you with something?”
Crap, had he been staring?
“N-no, I’m good! Just…” Rindo hung his head. “W-where were we again?”
“You had failed to bargain with the bartender,” Nagi reminded him. “He said he can tell you where to find Gillian if you instead pay him your Potion of Dragon’s Majesty. And though Noboru has yet to notice it, the other patrons sense the tension and have started to prepare their weapons. Especially since you gave the bartender some very choice words.”
“R-right. Uhh…”
“The bartender towers over you, a darkness in his eyes,” Nagi continued. “‘What did you call me?’ he asks in a raspy breath.”
“L-look, let’s just all calm down,” Rindo attempted, trying to keep Noboru’s response in mind. Something he’d obviously sucked at earlier. “If you can just point me in Gillian’s direction, we’ll be on our way…”
“‘I think there must be something wrong with your ears. There’s no deal. In fact, I think we might just deal with you and your friend,’ the bartender says as he nods to a pair of muscular warriors near the door.”
“Myna’s going to step in,” Shoka said. “See if she can calm these rowdy boys down.”
“Roleplay it, then, if you would.” Nagi sat back, offering Shoka the space to figure out her words.
“Roleplay it?” Shoka cringed. “Like actually act it out?”
“Yeah? That’s how this works,” Rindo replied. “Can’t make a story out of actions alone.”
“I know that, but…” Shoka glanced at her tome, sitting upside down on the table next to her. Her fingers twitched, like she wanted a moment to try typing something instead.
Maybe Rindo had been a little too sarcastic with that one. Her previous smile had faded, now replaced by a worried gaze as she pressed her lips together.
“It’s okay.” Rindo found himself talking before he really knew what to say. “We’re doing this together. No one’s gonna judge you, so… just play your character however you think best.”
“Even if I made her, well… not quite like me?”
“Yeah. Noboru’s not really supposed to be like me, either, but I struggle with that sometimes,” Rindo admitted. Granted, Fret playing his character one hundred percent in his own personality really didn’t help. “It might help me get into character better. So… let’s both do our best with it, okay?”
“Right…” Shoka took a deep breath, moving her hand away from the tome. “Then, she’s going to talk to the bartender. ‘Hey there, handsome. Mind calling your goons off these two? I’d hate to see such a nice pub ruined by their novice blood.’”
Rindo frowned. He didn’t know how he felt about Shoka calling some rando ‘handsome’—even if it was in a game.
“‘He called me a slimy bastard,’” Nagi replied in her best attempt at the bartender’s voice.
“Did he now?” Shoka leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands as she got into it. “Did you know in draconic, ‘slimy bastard’ is a high form of praise? I hear dragonborns call their elders that as a way to say they’re well-learned.”
Rindo raised his eyebrows. No way would the bartender buy that.
Though it wasn’t up to roleplaying alone. “Roll for Deception,” Nagi said.
“Roll for what?”
“You see that twenty-sided die? You simply roll it, then add your deception score.”
“Got it, then…” Shoka rolled, and Rindo sat up to watch as it landed on a fifteen. “And with my Deception, that puts me at… Twenty-one.”
Rindo’s jaw dropped. She had a plus six on Deception? He didn’t have that much on a single skill!
“The bartender nods, stroking his goatee,” Nagi said. “‘Hmm, I guess they are scaly creatures. Sorry for the misunderstanding.’ He then indicates to the other patrons, and they all return to their ales.”
Rindo’s turn to react. If Shoka was going to act it out, then he had to as well.
“Noboru looks shocked at the lie,” Rindo said. “He replies out, ‘but that isn’t—’”
Rindo found himself cut off when Shoka’s slender finger rested over his lips.
“Shh, you don’t want to upset the ‘slimy bastard,’ would you?” Shoka stared up at him, batting her eyelashes. For someone so worried about it, she was a little too good at getting into character.
Rindo averted his gaze. “Why… did you help us?” he forced himself to say.
“Myna’s going to make herself comfortable at the bar. She brushes her black hair back, sitting in a way to show off her ‘assets,’” Shoka said to set the scene before switching to Myna’s voice. “Why wouldn’t I help such a dashing young man?” She chuckled. “You seem tense. Why not sit and buy me a drink?”
Rindo’s ears burned, and he tugged one of his bandages around his throat as he tried to get something—anything—out. “M-me? Buy you a drink?”
“Of course. Isn’t that normally what you do for a pretty lady looking for company?” Her lips curved wide as she watched him squirm.
“Uh—I mean, it’s not…”
“Aww, haven’t you taken a girl out before? Or is this your first time?”
Rindo wanted to die inside. His brain couldn’t keep up with this new flirty side of Shoka.
Yet he also found himself… intrigued by it?
Loosening his bandages, he gave it another go—this time trying to push his own awkwardness aside to be the cool and collected Noboru.
“Not at all,” he managed, though not as chill as he wanted to sound. “I’ve just never met a lady of your caliber.” Rindo glanced over at Nagi. “Noboru then flags down the bartender to buy a drink for himself and for… Myna?”
“Myna Nightingale,” Shoka said. “A pleasure.”
“Take a moment to describe yourself,” Nagi interjected—and Rindo couldn’t decide if he welcomed the interruption or not.
“She’s a tall elven woman with raven black hair and alluring pink eyes. She’s wearing a cloak with the front side open to show off her form-fitting outfit. As far as Noboru Shiningfield can tell, she’s unarmed.”
“‘As far as’? So she is armed?” Rindo asked.
“Guess you’ll have to step it up if you wanna find out.”
Find out how?! Rindo could barely hear Fret react as his heart pounded in his ears instead.
“Very well. Your drinks are soon served up, and the bartender goes about his normal business, obviously unwilling to engage further,” Nagi said.
“So,” Shoka began in her Myna voice, “what brings a strong adventurer like you to this neck of the woods?”
“My friend and I are on a quest,” he said, glad for a safer conversation. “We’re out to save someone who’s been kidnapped by the Vampire Lord and taken to a distant netherworld.”
“Someone, like… a girlfriend? Don’t tell me you’re taken.”
“N-no! My, uh, little sister.” Rindo was so glad he’d chosen that backstory now. He would’ve been ten times more embarrassed if he had to recount a story about some lost love of Noboru’s to Shoka, of all people.
“Is that so? Good. I’d hate to steal you away from someone suffering such a fate.”
There she went, back to making Rindo’s heart race. If she was going to turn up the charm, then two could play that game.
“And what about you, my lady? Surely a flower as lovely as you has to have someone waiting back home.”
Rindo chided himself almost as soon as the words came out of his mouth. Even if they logically sounded like Noboru, his delivery no doubt butchered it and made it come off way more dorky than he meant. He braced himself for Shoka to make fun of him for such a cliche line.
Except… she didn’t. She laughed, but not to tease him—more like she was genuinely having fun.
“I did once… but he left me alone in this dark place. I’ve been so lonely since then. Just waiting for the right adventurer to come up and sweep me away.”
“Then let this be the last day you spend alone,” Rindo said, trying his best to sound better—suave, like Noboru.
This time, Shoka got choked up on her words. She yanked her hood down over her eyes, taking a moment before she mumbled, “W-wha… Y-you’re such a dork…”
“Er—Shoka?” Rindo moved to peek under her hood. “Why’d you drop character?”
Suddenly, Rindo found her palm in his face, shoving him back as he tried to say more. Instead of words, his lips brushed her hand, and she jolted and pulled away. She almost looked like a gnome with how small she balled up.
“Rindude, did you just kiss her hand?” Fret asked, grinning from ear to ear at Rindo.
Forget gnomes—that question made it feel like Fret had launched a faerie fire spell at him. “I-I didn’t—” He stopped when he saw Shoka rubbing her hand on her dress. “Hey! What’s that for?”
“I don’t want to get cooties,” she grumbled.
“Gee, thanks.” Rindo sighed, running a hand through his hair as he slouched in his chair. “I wasn’t trying to do anything weird…”
Shoka stopped, though still stayed hidden in her hood. “Well… you’re weird.”
“Ouch, okay. I see how it is.”
Nagi cleared her throat, stopping the pair before they continued their petty little argument. “‘Tis getting late, and I believe we’re all getting tired. Perhaps we should pause here and continue this session tomorrow.”
“Aww, we’re ending it here? Rindude and Shokie were on a roll!” Fret complained. “Pun totally intended.”
Nagi shot him a stern look, then gathered her belongings to store away. “I believe that fudge we made earlier has sat long enough. Would you be so kind as to help me prepare it for everyone?”
“Oh right, I totally forgot about that!” Fret jumped up with so much force that he almost knocked his chair over. “I’m right behind you, Nagirl!”
“Don’t make me regret asking you.”
Fudge—right, wasn’t that why Shoka had come? With their rivals so quiet tonight, Fret sent out a message to her to join them for the chocolatey dessert. Even Minamimoto opened an eye at the mention of sweets, though he didn’t move a muscle to help.
That is, until Nagi said, “If you also assist, Lord Minamimoto, I may let you have the spoon we mixed with.”
He was up in a flash, grabbing his steepled hat and putting it on his head as he followed his two apprentices to the kitchen.
The other two apprentices stayed planted in their chairs, only Rindo’s tapping of his pencil between them.
“So… you good?” he finally asked. “That wasn’t too much, was it?”
Shoka shook her head. “I can handle it, you know. Roleplaying.”
“You sure? You’re still hiding.”
“Just… didn’t expect it.” She took a deep breath, finally letting her legs down to be a normal person instead of a ball. “You, acting like that. ”
“Well, I told you I’d try, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, guess so.” She tapped his sheet. “So tell me about him. Where’d you come up with this Noboru Shiningfield?”
Rindo chuckled, his shoulders relaxing. “I just wanted him to be cool, like the heroes in legend. He’s a paladin that fights for justice… but well, he also needed personal stakes.”
“Thus the sister,” Shoka finished for him.
“Yeah. His potion, too. It’s made from a scale of his dragon ancestors, passed down to him right before his parents were killed.” Rindo paused. “S-sorry, guess that’s spoilers.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m the one who asked.” Shoka lifted her hood, more mellow now—but also with a hint of curiosity. “So a cool hero with a tragic backstory and someone to protect, huh? Seems just like you somehow.”
“You think?”
“Yup. It has the loser seal of approval practically baked into it.”
Rindo laughed. “Oh whatever. Seems to me like Myna was taken by him.”
“Maybe she has a soft spot for losers.” Shoka stretched, resting her hands behind her head. “Or maybe she has Noboru wrapped around her little finger. Guess we’ll find out next time.”
“No way—he’s totally going to make her fall first.” Rindo flicked a twenty sided die Shoka’s way, wincing as it landed on a natural one.
Shoka laughed, grabbing the die before he could change it. “If you’re rolling like this outside of the game, then I dunno how you’re gonna win anything.”
She then stood up to join the kitchen crew, leaving Rindo dumbfounded as he found his own words from earlier thrown right back in his face. Worse, she’d set the die with the one up right next to her plus six Deception. Though that meant she’d also left her character sheet unguarded…
Glancing back, Rindo saw her engaging with the other three. With her sufficiently distracted, he peeked over at Myna Nightingale’s character sheet. So she’d gone with an elf rogue, highest stats in dexterity, wisdom, and charisma. For savings throws, not only did she have that bonus on Deception, but she also had a plus seven on Stealth, then a plus four on both Survival and Intimidation. Pretty good for a rogue, plus she had a proficiency with both daggers and darts…
As Rindo reached over to get a better look, he accidentally knocked it off the table. He reached down to claim the piece of paper that’d fallen upside down on the floor.
That’s when he noticed it. Circled on the back for what should’ve been her eyes only, she’d written her character’s current goal:
“Steal the dragon potion from Noboru Shiningfield.”
Rindo groaned as he slumped over. She’d played him right from the start—and he’d fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker. No way could he let her know he’d discovered her secret notes.
Though that didn’t mean he had to give up. He straightened up, his mind already racing through scenarios for next time. If she wanted to play him, then he’d play right back—as long as the dice were in his favor.
—
Character Sheets:
Rindo with Noboru Shiningfield
Fret with Pickard Sungswel
Shoka with Myna Nightingale