It was just like the storybooks Chase had read, so long ago. Just like the ones that had showed her that there was more to life than her little boring village.

A stately manor, that sprawled over space that would normally be filled by city blocks. A long, glowstone-lit promenade at the entrance, with a spotless green carpet stretching back to the entrance, and an arched stone ceiling above to prevent the weather from ruining the occasion. Light spilled out of windows that gleamed like emeralds set against black velvet, and the servants were liveried to complement the scheme and grandeur of the ball. A long line of carriages rattled up and were met, one by one, with the servants disembarking to the side just as Chase and her friends hd.

At any other time, Chase would have stopped and stared, enjoying the spectacle... and engaging in her favorite hobby; peoplewatching.

She'd been worried that she'd be the most gaudily-dressed person here. She needn't have bothered. There were women walking around dressed in ropes of gems, with gossamer filling in the gaps in between. There was a woman with a hairdo so large that it had supporting buttresses and a small birdcage on top... complete with a very annoyed-looking parakeet in residence. There was a man whose beard was fire... not ON fire, it WAS fire.

At first she mistook them for performers, but no, judging by the way the crowd moved around them and entourages of servants followed behind, these had to be guests.

Fortunately, Chase had an outlet for her wonder. She walked next to her 'new best friend,' and let her mouth go without engaging her brain.

It was part of the plan. And kind of fun, to tell the truth.

“Oh! Look at that one! How do you think she gets out of that corset?”

Bemused, the dwarf glanced over, then snorted. Her eyes lost a bit of their heat, as she glanced back to Chase. “I'm betting smithing tools are involved. Maybe some light surgery.”

Chase laughed, not having to fake humor, then wound down, as she saw a set of furry outfits ahead. “Oh. Now that's just in bad taste.”

“What...” Tabita had been staring at Chase when she thought the halven wasn't looking, licking her lips. She hastily shut her mouth and wiped away a string of drool, gazing in the way the halven was looking. Immediately the dwarf stopped, and her smile disappeared. “Oh no. Oh HELL no.”

Someone either very brave or very foolish had decided to poke fun at the city's current werewolf problem. A gaggle of nobles wore crude furs, with exaggerated muzzles and lolling cloth tongues over their faces. A few of them were stumbling around on all fours, making a show of sniffing each other's tails and chasing servants as a nervous crowd tittered laughter at their antics.

Chase and Tabita watched in silence for a moment, and the rage roiling off the dwarf was almost palpable to the halven's social senses.

She wasn't the only one who was exhibiting anger at the display, though Chase imagined it was for different reasons...

...and this gave her an in.

“I'll tell you a secret. I've faced them. Twice.” Chase gestured with one hand. “Giuseppe didn't tell you, but he didn't know. This was on his father's business, not his.”

“Ah, right. Giuseppe didn't mention that. Twice, you say?”

There was that faint tonal shift that Chase had been watching for. Now she knew what Tabita sounded like when she was being deceptive. Forcing herself not to smile, Chase glanced away, and moved her face to convey the notion that she was remembering something horrible. “They're nothing like that. They're terrifying, and... oddly beautiful, in a way. I don't know how to describe it...”

“Like any predator acting out nature's will,” Tabita supplied. “The cycle of life, nature red in tooth and claw, but with its own grace.”

“Yes!” Chase shot her a carefully-measured 'spontaneous' smile. “Still terrifying, but with a grace that THOSE morons could never appreciate. It's a shame that we had to go up against them. But... thankfully, that's over now.”

“I'm not sure what you mean,” Tabita said. “They're still hunting in this city.”

“Oh. Yes. But...” Chase bit her lip. “Without going into too much detail, my obligation to Giuseppe's father is done. He'd threatened us into service. Now we're free, and we'll be leaving soon. I won't have to face them a third time, and that's all right too.”

“What? Just like that?” Tabita's face shifted, as Chase started walking again, and the dwarf hurried to keep up. “It's not personal for you?”

“They haven't killed anyone I care about,” Chase shrugged... a small lie, here. She didn't think Friatta Costello had deserved death. The leatherworker's daughter had been innocent of all but doing a good job.

But the lie slid past without trouble. Tabita might have been many things, and charismatically presentable enough to be the social point woman in the werewolf's scheme, but she was up against Chase.

And Chase Berrymore had been practicing her whole life for an operation like this one.

“No, not personal at all.” Chase shook her head. “So I'm going to take one last opportunity here to get some coin for the road, and put this city behind us.”

“It's not personal for your beastkin friend, either?” Tabita asked, as they came up behind the rest of their crew, who were flanking Giuseppe and engaging him in conversation every time the mobster's son tried to shoot Tabita a needy look.

“Cagna? Ah...” Chase sighed. “She's more of an associate. And now that certain facts have come to light, her... work has to reassign her elsewhere. She might travel with us to her next duty assignment, it's hard to tell. Or we might help her with some business in a different city.” Chase pulled in. “Don't tell her I said this, but she's kind of a mess. For her it IS personal, but she's barely holding it together. Which is why we brought her here. No werewolf would be foolish enough to start anything HERE, not tonight.”

“It does seem pretty unlikely. Who would expect that?” Tabita shrugged, bare shoulders rolling with muscle.

“I know, right? Well, anyway, thank you for letting us come along on this. If you need anything, just call. I've got one or two things to tend to, but after that I am your humble servant, tonight.” Chase put on a wide, smarmy smile. “Got to keep up appearances, after all.”

“Oh, I can sympathize,” Tabita said, studying her with hungry eyes... but there was no trace of the malice that Chase had seen, beforehand. “In fact, if you're looking to leave the city, I have some friends I can introduce you to.”

“I'd like that! I'm sure we can find a private room to discuss matters in at some point. This mansion looks like it was built for that sort of thing.”

And then Giuseppe was hurrying back to take his lady-love's arm, and only Chase's finely-tuned eyes caught how she tensed, ever so slightly, as he touched her.

He probably thinks she's being demure.

Leaving those two to their own charades, Chase hurried to catch up with Bastien and Cagna. They were waiting by one of the many sets of double-doors leading into the foyer, and once Chase had joined them, the three entered into the Verde mansion.

Five stories high, stood the entry hall. A wide, double staircase rose at the back, branching out into sweeping balconies at the third and fifth stories. A stained glass skylight shown complimentary reds and oranges and purples down onto the forest green carpet, in geometric patterns that shifted and danced as the glowstone lights shifted, seeming to drift in idle, glowing courses above the high glass. To one side of the stairs, a band played a courtly waltz. Up among the balconies, scandalously-dressed performers were assembling a trapeze and tightrope rig. And on the right-hand side of the cathedral-like room, tables lay heaped with food and drink.

It was a bit inferior to the spread in Don Sangue's court, Chase noted with a quick glance. Nonetheless, she gravitated that way.

Free food was free food, after all. And she was beginning to like these not-having-to-pay-to-eat opportunities that hobnobbing with powerful people provided her.

“Those are the Acrocats!” The Muscle Wizard muttered, staring up at the balconies. Chase caught a slight hint of envy in his tone. “To land such a prestigious performance venue... ah, there was a time when I'd be right up there with them, diving off the top rope. Oh, what an elbow drop I could do from that top balcony!”

“You may get the opportunity yet,” Chase said. “And what it took them probably days to line up? I'm about to score in ten minutes, if I play my cards right, so don't feel too bad.”

“You're really going ahead with the show?” Cagna asked.

“I have to pull attention off you somehow. And besides, Renny would be disappointed if I didn't try.”

“It's just my dream and all. No pressure,” the fox stole around her neck whispered.

“Now that I've taken the measure of this crowd, I'm pretty sure you don't have to whisper,” Chase told the little golem. “Birdcage wig lady raised the bar, I'm pretty sure a talking stole is pedestrian after that.”

“It looks like we've got some time,” The Muscle Wizaard said. “Now what?”

“Go with the standard delaying plan. Make a show of being around if Giuseppe and Tabita need anything, then blend in as best you can. If I get the okay, then you'll know it, and that's your opportunity.”

“Good luck,” Cagna said.

“You know... I don't think I have any other sort,” Chase said, tempting fate and knowing it.

One quick stop at the food later, she had two rolls in her pocket and one in her belly. After that it was the simplest thing in the world to march right up to the most well-dressed servant, put on her most unhappy face, and say “Who's in charge of tonight's entertainment?”

“That would be the major domo,” said the nonplussed waiter, staring down at the scowling halven.

“Well I haven't received a schedule, and I don't know WHEN I'm due to perform tonight!”

“Er...” the waiter stared.

“What? You think I'm wearing this costume for my health, here? I have a job to do, and Madame Mysteria is NOT to be kept waiting!” She leaned in. “Between you and me I saw your mistake coming. It was in the cards.”

“My mistake?” The waiter looked around, nervously. A few other servants were finding their way over, looking to back up their obviously-troubled friend.

“Look, I know it's above your pay-grade. Just tell me who's running the entertainment and I'll go take the issue up with him.”

And in roughly ten minutes she was talking with the major domo, a harried-looking elderly woman who kept getting interrupted by servants running up to check with her on the thousand-and-one little details needed when you're running a grand masquerade ball and given roughly three days notice beforehand.

Chase was kind, Chase was polite, and the woman's moxie was already down quite a bit thanks to the myriad troubles and problems that she'd had to solve tonight. It didn't take much more beyond a minor exertion of charisma and a quick demonstration of her talents to get what she wanted.

She returned to the foyer smiling, even though she had to navigate a full crowd to get to where she needed to be. The band was playing louder now, and a few couples were waltzing around the floor. Chase noted with amusement that Cagna and Bastien were doing a few turns, and she smiled to see that the beastkin was leading. They looked happy.

Above, the Acrocats had finished their preparations and were limbering up, the first few out on the trapezes, swinging in brief, gentle arcs. Every time they completed a set, some of the supporting crew would work the pulleys above them, and the trapezes would slide lower.

But Chase had no time for that. She had her window of opportunity, and the more she waited, the more likely it was that the major domo would come to her senses.

Chase found the stage she had been told to go to, one that had missed her attention during her initial assessment of the room. A small dais, about big enough for a harp or some other large instrument and a single player. It added three feet to her height, and for the first time she was grateful for her ridiculous turban, and its big, floppy feather.

The stage is set, Chase thought to herself, as she looked around. The growing crowd was gathering into cliques and pools, some dancing and others noshing on the food. It was much more relaxed than the gangster meeting had been, and why wouldn't it be? These were nobles and social climbers, and didn't have the werewolf threat to unify them. That was for the little people to worry about, and nothing to concern themselves with.

“It'll be their problem if the city riots and their villas burn,” Chase muttered. There were some definite similarities between these people and the stuck-in-the-mud ignorant farmers of Bothernot, though both would be offended at the comparison.

But she didn't see who she was looking for.

“Are we ready?” Renny asked.

“Not yet. Where's Tabita?”

“Um...” The fox stole twisted as Renny raised himself up and looked around, and she got a mixture of admiring and confused glances from the nearest passerby. “I don't see her.”

There was Giuseppe, against the wall and desperately trying to talk up a bored-looking noblewoman. But no dwarf. At least not one with red hair. Had she switched costumes?

Then Cagna's voice whispered in her ear. “Tabita left with the fake werewolves. I think she was pretending to seduce them.”

Chase's eyes went wide. She stood on her tiptoes until she found Cagna, caught her eyes, then gave her a nod back to show the message had been received. Thank goodness for good perception. Now why would Tabita have dragged the fake werewolves off to a private place?

The obvious answer seemed to involve a lot of blood and pain and screaming, but... no. No, it was too early in the party. They weren't the werewolf's real target anyway, just a means to an end. There was more here.

“We need Tabita here before we can start,” Chase said. “Be ready, I'll give the signal the second I see her. She has to come back here.”

But did she? Did she really? The werewolves obviously had a plan. They'd had a plan the last two times, and it had been pretty effective. They weren't stupid, and there was a chance that their plan involved ditching the party and getting in and out as quickly as possible.

So Chase waited, watched, and hoped. It was a matter of luck now.

Mostly luck. Since Tabita was out of the room, that meant she could kick Phase Two into motion early. Chase whispered to Renny, who sent Cagna the message. And after a moment, she saw her two bird-costumed friends head out of the hall down a side corridor.

Then she waited.

Chase waited, making a show of fiddling with her purse, and the bag of props that she'd brought along. Minutes crawled by, and after a time Chase looked up to find the Major Domo looking her way, talking to several servants. After a brief conversation two of them started to head over, and Chase's heart sunk. The clearest vision she'd had earlier today had involved a performance. If she didn't do that, then things got hazier. A lot hazier.

But fortunately it was a moot point. A few seconds before the servants reached her, Chase caught a flash of red hair over white fur. She saw Tabita, walking back in with the dopey werewolf costumed crowd, and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Excuse me, Miss?” The lead servant said. “If you're not going to—”

With the best imperial glower Chase silenced him with a look. A flourish, one finger upraised, and she whispered “Now, Renny.”

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” Renny's amplified voice boomed out, as the oncoming servants found themselves at the front of a suddenly-interested throng of nobles. “PREPARE TO BE DAZZLED BY THE DIVINE INSIGHT OF MADAME MYSTERRRRRRRIIIIIIAAAAAAAAA!”

Chase had to admit that drawing out and yelling the last word worked a lot better than she thought it would. That part had been Bastien's suggestion, and she was glad she'd trusted his expertise.

But she could only appreciate that for a second. Time mattered, now... time and audacity. “Silver Tongue, Lecture, ” she muttered, as the last echoes of her stage name faded.

And then, as planned, Renny shifted his talents to amplifying her voice.

“I command fate!” Chase declared, throwing modesty to the wind.

“I see the future!” Chase stated, entirely truthful.

“I am the harbinger of messages from BEYOND...” Though Chase knew she wouldn't be using that trick here. Given the anti-necromancy laws she didn't want to get arrested.

“Nobles and goodfolk of Arretzi? I am your Medium!” She said, and hopped into the air.

Out of nowhere a chair materialized, and caught Chase as she rose above the crowd. They gasped, and then applause rained from around the room.

Then the chair settled down to about human head height, and was joined by a whirling round table. It slowed, and as it did, Chase pulled a purple, starry-patterned tablecloth from her props back, and threw it over the illusion that concealed a mass of air beneath. Unlike the chair, other people would be interacting with the table, so a little reinforcement couldn't go wrong.

“Now...” Chase said, pulling out the cards and shuffling them, as Renny made illusionary cards the size of wagons appear and float above. “Who dares to see what fate has in store for them tonight?”

CHA+1

The crowd ate it up... and in short order, a line formed. And Chase told fortune after fortune, keeping it brief. Above her Renny showed the cards in all their glory, animating them to oohs and ahs of the crowd, and personalizing them to whichever partygoer was present.

And more importantly, drawing attention from Chase.

“Silent Activation, Stack Deck,” she'd mouth whenever a bad card came up, or the Fortuna wanted to be more brutally honest than she was comfy with. The fortunes were generally good, and those that were questionable could be spun or slightly tweaked to ensure that nobody walked away insulted.

And as she worked, she snuck glances at Tabita... Tabita, who watched with wide eyes.

Come on, take the bait.

But the dwarven woman never budged, and Chase started to despair. Her vision had shown her reading the werewolf's fortune. It had been very clear about that. Had the vision been incorrect? It was possible. There were many futures, and fate was not set in stone.

Just as Chase was certain she'd have to pack it in, a furry shape lumbered out of the crowd to the laughter and jeers of the crowd. It raised two oversized paws and did a fake dance as it waltzed forward...

...and Chase recognized the black clothes showing under the fursuit. She'd seen those clothes before, in her very first vision.

This is the werewolf Alpha! The new one, the Burglar.

She smiled at him, marking his wary eyes showing from behind his ridiculous mask. “Ah... I see we have a beast among us!” Chase's voice boomed out.

“Rawr!” he replied, but his eyes narrowed.

“Well then, good sir! Would you know your own fate... or that of the werewolves, that trouble our fair city?”

The laughter and shouts from the crowd paused.

“The wolves!” Someone chanted from the back, and Chase was sure it was Tabita's voice. The halven girl grinned wide as the crowd took up the chant, and knew her vision hadn't been wasted after all.

A fortune by proxy is still a fortune, Chase said. “Then we shall do something new, here!” Chase said, and held out the deck. “Shuffle them, sir! Shuffle them, and think hard upon the werewolves that dare terrorize Arretzi!”

Interested murmurs, and the crowd pressed forward.

The Alpha nodded, and shuffled, amazingly dexterous despite his large fuzzy gloves. Up close and watching, Chase could see that they didn't fit very well at all. In fact, his entire costume was a bit loose and baggy...

No. No, he definitely hadn't started the night in this costume. And as he shuffled she found the other fake werewolves in the crowd, and marked how they were moving differently from the comical antics they'd exhibited earlier.

She swapped out the fake werewolves for real ones. Clever.

“Here you go then,” The fake-real alpha growled, handing the cards back.

Chase gave him a wide grin, and started stacking the deck.

“The first card represents you... Or rather, the werewolves.” She flipped up the Party, the card that showed four successful adventurers dividing up spoils. It animated, and the crowd oohed and ahh'd as the mage cast spells to identify various bits of treasure, and the rogue quietly pocketed coins when the fighter and the cleric weren't looking. “Unified as a pack, unified in purpose and enjoying their victories. But are they right to do so? The next card shall say, for it represents the dilemma at hand...”

She flipped over the Treasure Chest, reversed this time. A massive box appeared in midair, bulging with gold and gems and scepters and wands... and then it upended, spilling the treasure onto the laughing crowd. “They are seeking something valuable! They're not after simple murder, there's more at stake here. Something... physical.”

“Really?” The Alpha said, slipping up and using his real voice. He cleared his throat. “What could that be?” He asked, in a much growlier voice.

“Ah, perhaps the cards shall say... first, let the cards reveal their ally, the traitor to the city itself!”

Boos from the crowd, and another card spun into existence above Chase as she drew it. The Healer; a woman in white robes with a staff, laying hands on an ungrateful looking knight. It animated, and the woman healed the knight, only to have him go charging off to stand in a bonfire for no reason, then run back alternately yelling abuse and whining, still on fire. The healer rolled her eyes and got back to work, endlessly patient. “Your... the werewolves' best ally for this task is a healer of sorts...” Chase let her voice show tones of surprise. “Someone who's wise and good at keeping her friends alive. I'm getting a hint of other abilities too... strange.” She let the silence linger for a bit too long. Then she shrugged, as the crowd muttered.

“Well, let us see what their key choice is. This is the crux of the matter, the decision that the werewolves can make that will gain them their goal or lose it...”

And Chase pulled out Death.

The room gasped as the bony skeleton rose up on high, red eyes glowing, scythe sweeping to the ongoing celebration of the party. But it paused, as Chase revealed the card was reversed.

Instantly the skeleton twisted, eyeing the Healer instead. It raised its weapn, and hesitated. “They stand poised to kill their best ally!” Chase gasped. “Their own bestial nature will undo them! This is truly good news for Arretzi!”

Cheers from around the room, and the Alpha leaned back, arms folded. “But the fortune is not yet done!” Chase declared, voice booming around the hall. “For their worst enemy awaits declaration. Let us see what noble scion can stand against these horrible creatures!”

And with a a flourish, Chase pulled the Griefer. The Noob's hapless figure faded into existence, scratching his head with his wooden sword, mismatched armor clanking as he walked through a dark wood. Then a murderous figure, wearing glowing armor and wielding a sword twice his height faded out of invisibility and killed the Noob, laughing all the while.

“The Griefer...” Chase hissed. “A powerful and bored man, who kills for joy. A cruel man, but one who is on the side of the angels, for he shall vanquish the beasts that trouble our city!”

“Oh my gods,” the Alpha whispered.

“Yes... the choice is clear! The werewolves are certain to fall now. They will kill the woman who is their own best chance at finding the treasure...” Death's scythe fell and the Healer died. “...and the Griefer shall gank them all.” The Griefer, wiping his sword free of the Noob's blood turned and chucked a bomb over his shoulder, blowing the Party to smithereens. “Their treasure shall be lost forever.” The empty box cracked and fell apart, crumbling into nothing. Death saluted the Griefer, and the two walked off hand in hand, almost skipping away.

Chase smiled, as the Alpha nodded. “Thank you,” he whispered, and made a show of pulling out a money pouch, opening it, and pouring silver onto her table.

“You're welcome!” she said, but she was looking past him. Across the hall, Tabita was talking furiously with the other fake/not-fake werewolves, gesturing and pointing at various parts of the manor. Chase watched as costumed furry figures ran in various directions.

“I fear that is all,” Chase declared, as she stood. Her chair disappeared and she drifted to the ground. The Alpha nodded and slipped back into the crowd, and Chase retrieved both cards and tablecloth with a flourish, before tucking them away. “But cross my palm with silver, and I may perhaps find it within me to perform again!”

The coins rained down then, and Chase snapped her fingers at the nearest servants, gesturing at the rapidly-disappearing floor. They got to work gathering, which was good because the levels were rolling in now, and Chase was too busy reading the words and enjoying the rush of energy.

You are now a level 11 Grifter!

CHA+3

DEX+3

LUCK+3

You are now a level 4 Medium!

CHA+5

LUCK+5

You are now a level 5 Medium!

CHA+5

LUCK+5

You have learned the Focus Vision Skill!

Your Focus Vision skill is now level 1!

You have learned the Fortuna skill!

You have learned the Palmistry Skill!

You are now a level 5 Teacher!

INT+1

WILL+1

You have learned the Red Ink skill!

Chase blinked, not sure she'd read one of those correctly. The Fortuna skill? She was already doing quite a lot with the cards, she wasn't sure what else she could do with them.

Maybe this would open up more options!

“Milady,” a voice whispered in her ear.

A very, very familiar voice.

Chase turned, keeping her face under control as she smiled up at a green-liveried servant, a dapper man with a sharp face, angular cheekbones, and a black goatee.

He hadn't even changed his hairstyle. But if he hadn't spoken, she wouldn't have seen the truth of him. “Can I help you?” she said, feigning ignorance.

He smiled, ruefully. “The mistress of the house summons you. Will you come?”

“I shall.” Chase said, and followed him through the crowd. Many of the partygoers bent to congratulate her, or try to grab her for a talk, but she used quiet apologies and nimble dodges to get out of the way and leave them behind.

And in a matter of minutes she found herself in a deserted hallway in the upper stories. The carpet was a different shade of green, but the walls were dark wood, rich imported stuff that seemed to reinforce the notions of serious business and subtle power.

“You're in danger,” the 'servant' spoke.

“I know. I was wondering when you'd turn up again,” Chase said.

Thomasi Jacobi Venturi sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. “You don't understand. She's here. Zenobia. She's waiting for you at the end of this walk. I can get you out of here, but you have to leave now.”

Chase winced. “The timing is about what I expected. But it's okay. She'll listen to me.”

“What are you... No, you don't understand what you're doing, here!” Thomasi whispered. “You're playing with fire!”

“And you're keeping secrets. Tell me about the skin, and do it quickly.”

Thomasi ground his teeth. “Tell me your game, first! What do you think you're doing?”

“I'm stopping the werewolves. They're killing people.”

“So am I! Once they get the skin, they'll leave!”

“Tell me why! Why is it so gods-damned important!” Her voice was rising, and she reigned it in. Too much risk of other ears around. They were being watched, she was certain of it.

Tom's face was a study in irritation. Finally he sighed. “I promise I'll tell you all about it later. It's very, very complicated. But you have to come with me, now. If Zenobia gets you, you're dead. Maybe not immediately, but she won't leave such a loose end to trouble her again.”

“Give me the short version,” Chase said. “Or no deal.”

“Fine! Fine...” Thomasi shook his head. “The skin is an artifact from before we got stuck. Tabita made it before everything went to hell. It's also tied to her, intimately. She thinks she can use it to get home. I'm not certain she's wrong, and if there's even a chance, she deserves to give it a try.”

“Okay,” Chase said, considering the matter. “So you are going to give it to her here?”

“No! There are too many wards, and the skin is magical. I've stashed it, and I was going to tell her where, but then you started your show. What is your game?”

“Tell me one more thing.”

“Damn it—” Thomasi choked off his own words as his rose. “I've taught you too well,” he whispered. “Now you're trying to get levels from me.”

“I'm honestly not, but your priorities are lousy,” Chase said, glaring back up at him. “This skin might let Tabita go home, or whatever. But will she take the rest of the werewolves with her?”

Thomasi hesitated, and in that hesitation Chase had all the answer she needed.

“Then I'm going to go talk to the Camerlengo,” Chase said. “Because of Friatta Costello, and signore Costello.”

“Who?”

“An innocent daughter who didn't deserve to die when a werewolf murdered her,” Chase whispered, holding his gaze with all the willpower she could bring to bear. “And a father who showed me his heart when he wept for her.”

Thomasi looked away.

They walked in silence, down the long, long hall. It was far too deserted, even with the servants tending to the party. No, there were watchers, there were guards.

“You must think me a monster,” he finally said. “For helping her, despite what she has done.”

“No,” Chase said. “I don't understand you yet. Or her, or any of this. Not truly. But I want to. I want you to tell it to me, so I can understand. Our destinies are intertwined now, and if you keep doing things like this, that I see only the worst parts of I WILL think you a monster. And I will work to stop you, eventually. Or more things like this will keep happening, where we end up at cross purposes.”

Thomasi tightened his lips. “What would you have me do?”

“Seek out Bastien, the Muscle Wizaard, and Renny. Make contact quietly, and they'll fill you in on the plan. Do NOT make contact with Tabita. Do NOT tell her the skin is where you stashed it.”

“Muscle Wiz... he's here?” Thomasi's eyes rose, and she saw the first honest smile she'd had from him tonight.

“He is, and he missed you greatly. You probably don't want to reveal yourself to him in a public place, and be ready to get a few ribs broken. He's a hugger.”

“Ha! I remember him well! No worries, I'll take care.” Then his grin faded. “You're sure this is how you want to do this? She's not to be trifled with. She's an Inquisitor. They are built to counter Grifters like us.”

“I'm sure,” Chase said. “Because I won't tell her a single lie. Now go. Get to the others and get out of here. Do NOT tell me where.”

“All right. The room you really shouldn't go into is six doors down, to the right, with a pair of lanterns above it. Good luck.”

Chase nodded, and walked halfway to the door. Then she paused, and looked down to Renny.

“Problems?” The fox whispered.

“Complications. Tom...” Chase ran a hand through her hair. “I don't know.”

“You don't trust him?”

“I trust him to be Tom. Beyond that...” she let the words vanish in the silence of the hall.

“Do you want me to...”

“Yes, please.”

Chase walked the rest of the way alone.

The door was ajar, and a woman's voice called “enter,” when she raised her hand to knock.

She walked into the room, a dimly-lit study with an overstuffed armchair silhouetted against a roaring fire.

Then came a whisper of steel, and the shadows resolved themselves into guards with swords, a ring of them, closing in blade-first. There were more people behind them, but Chase ignored them for now, turning before the blades got too close, searching the faces for the one she was expecting.

And she found it. A stern face, pinched and lined with worry and cruelty, glaring down at her with loathing. Zenobia the Camerlengo. Zenobia, who had tried to drown Chase like a housewife would wash away vermin. Zenobia, who Chase had left facing one of her worst enemies... and oh yeah, then the halven had dumped a mountain's worth of water on HER.

“Give me one good reason that I should let you live,” Zenobia choked out, and Chase couldn't remember if those had been the exact words of the vision, but the rest of the scene matched up so the Oracle surrendered to her fate.

“I'll give you two,” Chase said, ignoring the blades inches from her neck. “And their names are Tabita and Pwner.”

INT+1

CHASE'S CHARACTER SHEET

Spoiler: Spoiler

Name: Chase Berrymore

Age: 15 Years

Jobs:

Halven level 10, Cook level 4, Archer level 7, Grifter level 12, Medium level 5, Oracle level 13, Painter level 2, Teacher level 5

Attributes / Pools / Defenses

Strength: 63 Constitution: 36 / Hit Points: 99 / Armor: 10

Intelligence: 64 Wisdom: 107 / Sanity: 171 / Mental Fortitude: 50

Dexterity: 124 Agility: 62 / Stamina: 186 / Endurance: 0

Charisma: 183 Willpower: 52 / Moxie: 235 / Cool: 60

Perception: 77 Luck: 188 / Fortune: 265 / Fate: 39

Generic Skills

Archery – Level 1

Brawling – Level 8

Climb – Level 15

Dagger – Level 2

Dodge – Level 12

Fishing – Level 14

Ride – Level 10

Stealth – Level 14

Swim – Level 7

Throwing – Level 27

Halven Skills

Fate's Friend – Level N/A

Small in a Good Way – Level N/A

Cook Skills

Cooking - Level 15

Freshen - Level 10

Archer Skills

Aim – Level 6

Demoralizing Shot – Level 1

Far Shot – Level 1

Missile Mastery – Level N/A

Quickdraw – Level N/A

Rapid Fire – Level N/A

Razor Arrow – Level 1

Ricochet Shot – Level 10

Grifter Skills

Feign Death – Level 1

Fools Gold – Level 1

Forgery – Level 1

Master of Disguise – Level 3

Old Buddy – Level 1

Pickpocket – Level 1

Silent Activation – Level 29

Silver Tongue – Level 18

Size Up – Level 4

Unflappable – Level N/A

Medium Skills

Bad Fortune – Level 6

Crystal Ball – Level 2

Focus Vision – Level 1

Fortuna – Level N/A

Good Fortune – Level 8

Palmistry – Level N/A

Séance – Level N/A

Stack Deck – Level N/A

Oracle Skills

Absorb Condition – Level N/A

Afflict Self – Level 1

Diagnose – Level N/A

Divine Pawn – Level N/A

Foresight – Level 38

Influence Fate – Level 4

Lesser Healing – Level 43

Omens and Portents – Level N/A

Short Vision – Level 7

Transfer Condition – Level 9

Painter Skills

Fast Dry – Level N/A

Painting – Level 5

Teacher Skills

Lecture – Level 20

Red Ink – Level 1

Smarty Pants – Level N/A

Unlocked Jobs

Farmer, Herbalist

Gear

The Charlatan's Chapeau

Light Leather Armor – level 5

Enrico's Last Hand