Robin squinted in the afternoon sunlight. The angle and the direction positioned it perfectly to lance straight into his brain via his optic nerve. It wasn’t making his mission any easier.

Either of them.

He and Vance were scouting in one pair while Jhess and Drev did likewise, searching out patterns amongst the patrols, trying to find the main camp, so they could execute their plans. Robin and Rerebos, however, had a secondary mission they were attempting to complete as well: find some key locations Robin had unearthed in his research into Tarin-Tiran before they left Noviel.

There were several spots the illusionists in that diary-turned-instruction-manual had mentioned. If Robin could find even one of them he might be able to pick up some lost or secret knowledge that had survived down the millennia.

Of course the decay in the city, combined with working from old maps and secondhand descriptions didn’t make things any easier. He’d managed to find one likely prospect so far, but a cursory inspection hadn’t turned anything up, and with Vance along he couldn’t afford to delay and search more carefully.

He’d left Rerebos behind to do so in his stead. The little dragon had a nose for treasure and if there was something there to find, there was a good chance he would do.

And Robin could always circle back in the future to look more closely if he didn’t find any of his other, better options.

‘Any sign of patrols?’ Vance asked.

‘Not that I can see in this light. You get anything?’

‘Not yet, no.’ Vance raised a hand to shield his eyes. ‘I think we need to shift our pathway more to the left. It looks like there might be some signs of activity amongst the ruins in that direction.’

Last time it had just been natural decay bringing a building down in the recent past, but this time they might have better luck. Either these hobgoblins were very good at hiding their tracks or he and Vance were headed mostly in the wrong direction.

‘I hope Jhess and Drev are having better luck than we are,’ Robin said, carefully making his way down the pile of rubble he’d ascended. Halfway down a stone shifted beneath his foot, Robin lost his balance and tumbled, falling at just the right—or just the wrong—angle to hit every protruding edge and corner of broken stone all the way down, He was a bruised and bloodied mess by the time he came to a rest.

Robin coughed and sang out a [Healing Note]. That was bad luck. His footing had looked solid.

Bad luck. He was supposed to be encountering more of that as well as more good luck, now that he’d been touched by Wild Magic. If that had not happened would he still have fallen? There was no way to tell and trying to figure it out was a one-way street to madness.

‘You alright?’ Vance called, hurrying down the pile of rubble to check on him.

‘Fine,’ Robin said, slowly levering himself into a standing position. ‘Healing magic is great stuff.’

‘I’m afraid I haven’t any to speak of, really. I can patch up a wound, or do a splint, but that’s about it.’ Vance dusted off Robin’s back.

‘Do you ever think about learning any healing magic?’

Robin was curious as to the answer, but also wanted to know what Vance thought about his learning process. Robin’s system advantage was, so far as he;’d ascertained, unique. Not that it gave him that much of an edge, really. There were a lot of much more powerful people he’d already encountered.

‘I’ve considered it,’ Vance said as they began scouting again, ‘but it’s not terribly compatible with my strengths. Anything I could learn wouldn’t be as effective as having a healer or a backup healer along, and would cost more to acquire than the few potions I do tend to use anyway. Most of my resilience comes from the abilities. A lot of the power I channel goes to soaking up damage. When the power ends, a lot of the damage goes with it. It’s easier for a legend to bear such wounds than me.’ Vance smiled.

‘How do you decide what to do next, then?’ Robin kept his eyes on the task of scouting, but most of his mind was on the conversation. ‘I mean, you have a fairly unique set of abilities, from what I’ve seen and heard. That must make it hard. No set training regimen to follow, few to no mentors available to guide your path.’

‘True, but there’s a lot of freedom there as well.’ Vance paused, holding up a hand. Silence fell before the librarian shrugged and motioned that they could move on again. ‘But from a practical standpoint, it means I do a lot of research. I look at similar paths, what has been written on them, what has worked, what has not. It goes a long way to establishing some guide posts. Plus, if I get in a real bind there are specialists in the art of divination or the occasional crumb of divine guidance, if one is lucky.’

The gods of this world were very hands on. It was a far cry from Robin’s own experiences in his old world, where the gods, if they even existed, were very much a subtle work, mysterious ways, kind of bunch.

He wasn’t sure which was a better situation, honestly.

‘How many of your next steps do you have planned?’

‘I’m not sure I’d call it a plan,’ Vance scratched his cheek. ‘I’ve researched some abilities that seems like they will work well with what I can do, some things I’ve read others being able to manage that I’d like to master myself someday, but a lot still depends on access. I don’t have a sect or a master to guide me and provide training, I don’t have endless funds for personal research. Not yet anyway. So for now I sometimes have to focus on learning something that I might not have, had I the resources other people have. And it’s not like any learning is wasted, for all that we have a limited amount of time and energy.’

Not that different from Robin’s situation, really. Though Robin had a shortcut that not many others seemed to have. Though he had learned of skill books that could do some of what his interface allowed him to do with experience point expenditures.

Speaking of, Robin flicked open his character sheet. Yes! He did have enough experience to boost his Survival a bit. Maybe that would help them track down these patrols.

ROBIN PARKER Heritage: Shadeling, Paragon Profession: Bard Tier: 2 (Effective Level: 7) Spell Points: 15 Bardsong: 7 uses Experience: 1275 Properties

Free Ranks Available: 1 Physical Mental Social Strength: 11 Intelligence: 17 Charisma: 15 Dexterity: 14 Cunning: 23 Manipulation: 13 Fortitude: 11 Resilience: 14 Poise: 16 Proficiencies

Free Ranks Available: 1 Physical (9/9) Mental (9/9) Social (9/9) Athletics: 5 Arcane Lore: 8 Animism: 4 Brawl: 5 Bureaucracy: 6 Deception: 10 Dodge: 8 Concentration: 9 Empathy: 7 Melee Combat: 5 Crafting: 6 Expression: 9 Pilot: 4 Healing: 6 Gossip: 8 Ranged Combat: 9 Insight: 8 Intimidation: 6 Sleight of Hand: 7 Learning: 7 Persuasion: 8 Stealth: 7 Natural Wisdom: 4 Socialise: 8 Survival: 6 Perception: 9 Streetwise: 7 Peculiarities Blessing of Rhyth Tongue of the Fallen Tower Mark of the Trickster Chronicle of Infinite Visions Mask of Myriad Faces Initiate of the Craft Illusion Focus Metamagic Initiate Improved Familiar Bond Perks

Wayfaring Stranger Shard of the Shattered Manymind Mark of Fairy's Favour Touch of Wild Magic Spells

Cantrips* (*no SP cost)

Tier 1 (1SP each)

Tier 2 (3SP each) Lesser Phantasm* Visual Phantasm* Assume Quality (Special) Cutting Words* Healing Note Lesser Mindreading Legerdemain* Whispers from Beyond Lesser Nightmare Curse* Invisible Servant Lesser Witchbolt* Familiar Bond Minor Repair* Wizard’s Armour Lesser Charm*

‘What are you thinking about?’

Vance’s comment brought Robin back to reality.

‘What, sorry?’ Robin blinked away his interface.

‘Just then. You were staring off into space. What were you thinking about?’

‘Tracking,’ Robin answered. It was even the truth, of sorts. ‘I’m wondering how much I can improve my skills here and how much that might help us with our current project.

‘Ah. Good question. Did you. manage to come up with an answer?’

‘Not a definitive one,’ Robin said, ‘but I think you’re right about the direction we need to head.’

‘Is that because you agree with my assessment or because there’s another location you want to investigate on the way?’ Vance smiled slyly.

Adrenaline spiked. Vance was too sharp for either of their own good. Robin considered denying it for all of three second before deciding that was not his best play here. Might as well keep doing what he had been doing, give a version of the truth.

‘I may have used my research time in Noviel to compile a list of likely locations of interest,’ Robin said loftily. ‘What of it? I’m simply attempting to maximise my time here! And if I come across a cache of useful supplies or a lost library, well, we all benefit, I assure you.’

How could the party not benefit from Robin increasing his personal power? It made it that much more likely they would all survive and prosper.

‘And you chose to keep them to yourself because…?’ There was a teasing edge to Vance’s tone, otherwise Robin’s stomach might have dropped.

‘To make sure I’m not wasting anyone’s time, of course.’ Robin sniffed. ‘Are you going to tell me you haven’t done the same? You know that library better than anyone else in the party, and have deeper access. Can you honestly say you don’t have a few secrets you hope to uncover here in Tarin-Tiran?’

‘No, I can’t say that.’ Vance smiled. ‘I’m just pleased I’m not the only one! Now I don’t need to feel selfish or sneaky.’

‘Bards are meant to be sneaky,’ Robin flicked away any shame that might sling to the idea with dismissive fingertips. ‘It’s one of the better ways to survive when we’re hardly the offensive or defensive powerhouses of the party.’

Before he could say anything more, however, Vance held up a hand and cocked his head to one side.

‘I think we’ve got company.’