Fantasy I Was Supposed To Become a Hero but Got Stuck in a Deadend Job Instead

[TanteRegenbogen]

Setting: A modern era with motor vehicles and the like but with magic and multiple sentient species (humans, elves, dwarves, goblins). Melee weapons are still common but they are slowly being replaced by guns that run on magically charged crystals to enable use by people who have little to no mana ability. Strip malls and roadside stores all exist, even smaller malls aren't unheard of. The locality where the roleplay mostly takes place is called Quarrytown. It is named that way because it is built in a former quarry. The layout of the town is suburban and the road and houses go all the way down to the bottom of the quarry. While the poorer inhabitants aren't too poor, they usually live in "The Rim" which is basically a hilly wooded area outside of the quarry. The poorest of quarrytown usually live in longhouses that are partially underground just above the river in The Rim. There are usually ten to fourty people living in the longhouses with shared living quarters for up to eight people per room on futon type beds. People who live in the quarry however usually can afford their own homes with the richest living at the southern part of the quarry, furthest away from The Rim. Quarrytown has an upscale mall in it's southern part and a larger strip mall in the north between The Rim and the Quarry. Running past Quarrytown on an West-East axis is an expressway with the capital being about five hours to the west and the coast being an hour east. Quarrytown itself has about 120,000 inhabitants, the majority being humans and dwarves, with significant goblin and elf minorities. Most humans and elves live in the Quarry while most of the dwarves and goblins live in The Rim. Usually goblins don't get along well with elves but rather well with dwarves and humans get along best with dwarves and then elves, however aren't on too bad terms with goblins.

Plot: All of your life you aspired to become something great. You trained hard or went to an university and upon graduation you applied for a job as a monster hunter, a scholar of arcane arts or even for a position as an elite in the military, only to be turned down, because you are too young, too inexperienced or simply not needed. So instead you get stuck in a deadend job as a store clerk in Quarrytown paying off your student loans and drinking in the parking lot with your friends from work after the shift is over. You still aspire to something greater despite being in this stupid situation. Maybe you will find some action as a vigilante or have built a lab in a shack behind your home. There have been stories of wyverns not far from the Rim or unexplored ruins near Quarrytown. Or maybe you have found another way to make a side income.

Roleplay is mostly character driven and can go anywhere.

Species:

Humans: Humans are the dominant species in the east and the second most common in the country. They are known to be involved in bureaucracy and trade.

Elves: Elves are dominant in the west and are the third most common species in the country. Many of the other species don't have a high opinion of elves because they are said to be snobbish and smug. Elves are mosly found in arcane occupations and the arts. Physically they tend to be weaker than humans and about as tall, if not slightly taller. They have pointed ears and longer faces.

Dwarves: Dwarves are the most common species in the country and most dominant in the north. They are known to be humble and sympathetic. Their most common fields of work are craftsmanship and local politics as it is rather common to find a dwarven mayor, even in a town with a small number of dwarves. They tend to be only half as tall as humans and no more than two thirds the size of humans. However they have a stronger build.

Goblins: Goblins are mostly found in the south and are the least common species in the country. Their appearance is a bit friendlier than people claim them to be. They are greenish in skin, about as tall as dwarves and rather slim in build. They have pointed ears and lower fangs that are not always visible. Goblins are mostly found in jobs involving books or education and are rumored to be on average more intelligent than humans or dwarves, yet rather on par with elves. However goblins tend to be more down to earth than elves.

Items or words unique to the universe:

Crystal magic: A drug often sold on the streets of the Rim at night. A mildly addictive stimulant said to raise productivity, creativity and mana output. Overdoses are possible and lethal. Usually leading to either a heart attack or soul rot (deterioration of mental ability and the senses). Is said to be found mostly in powdered form and many police officers can be bribed with it.

Auto: Local slang for a car/automobile.

Commu: Local slang for a mobile phone (a communicator).

Mana charge: A crystal that can be charged with mana to power autos/cars, commus, home appliances, arcane devices and even weapons.

Quarrier Ale: The local ale brand. In Quarrytown it is dirt cheap and of average quality. More upscale brands are Dwarven Red, Highmills and Lloranfell.

Fiordanfeller salamander curry: The local delicacy named after the region.


Character sheet:

Name
Age
Gender
Species
Occupation
Education/training
Likes/Dislikes
Skills/Abilities
Personality
Background
Any criminal history?

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

It was late afternoon. Many people were still out shopping, mainly after getting of work. In the large Quarrytown strip mall, probably three dozen stores stood next to each other surround a main building on three sides. The main building was a food court with a cinema and a department store. The parking lot was situated in the inner court of the strip mall around the main building as well as outside it around the rest of the stores. The parking lot was maybe quarter full. Of the three dozen store lots, two were vacant and one was closed already due to short hours.

At the north end of the strip mall, there was a medium sized health food store. If you wanted to look for druids and hipsters, this was the place. The clientele were in many cases a bit obnoxious, either chatting about their lifestyle or asking for something special and unknown. The store had everything from artisanal soap to organic salamander curry to craft ale to even "magic herbs". While the druids may be more competent in knowing what they are buying, the hipsters would just try anything that seemed in-fashion. The store was known as "Druid Jim's".

Inside Druid Jim's, a bespectacled woman with very long brown hair, a long beige bell-sleeved tunic with a square neckline, black lace trimmed capri leggings, bordeaux red flat sole shoes and a black lace ribbon choker sat at a counter playing with her commu. The manager came up to her and said: "Aenera! Don't play on your commu during work hours. There might be customers needing assistance." Aenera looked up at him with a gaze that could pierce a soul. Her green eyes staring into his dark blue eyes. She then said: "I am clearly sitting within view of anyone who needs assistance and the counter even reads customer service. I already stocked the shelves. Now if anyone came up to me, I would divert my attention to them. Now cut me some slack."

The manager was irritated by Aenera's response, especially since they had just unloaded the boxes with the wares in it. It just wasn't possible that she restocked everything in a couple minutes. "Don't lie to me, Aenera. There is no way you restocked everything in a couple minutes." He said. Aenera smirked and said: "Check for yourself, everything has been restocked." While the manager thought she was telling him so he would run around the store checking shelves like a fool, he did it anyways. To his amazement, the shelves were restocked. The manager rushed back to Aenera: "W...what? How?" Aenera then waved her hands in front of the manager and said: "Magic!" She was a wizard specialized in bending laws of nature like changing gravity and manipulating temporal forces, so it was very likely she just flexed her magic just to not become rusty.

Aenera thought she would show him by moving to somewhere else so fast that he couldn't see. She did a quick cast, slowing down time so it nearly came to a halt. Aenera managed to move behind her boss before the spell wore off. To the manager, it looked as if she had disappeared, with her reappearing behind him. "See? Magic!" Aenera said. The manager confused then just said: "I need to take a break. J...just don't slack off." Once the manager was gone, Aenera mumbled under her breath: "Douchebag." The spells had used a considerable amount of mana. Maybe she was getting a bit rusty after all.

Just after Aenera began staring back at her commu, a customer with ear gauges and a long fringe came up to her and said: "Yah, excuse me. I heard there's, like, a special edition super spicy free-range salamander curry out. Where can I find it?" Aenera put on a smile and said: "We just set up the display for that. You will find it at the end of the third aisle." What the customer said next was irritating to Aenera. "Thanks, dude. By the way, you are, like, hot. Can I have, like, commu number? So that we can, uh, maybe get a drink." The customer said. Aenera then told him off: "I don't give my number to strangers. Especially ones who just hit on my for my looks and don't seem like they have very much mana in their system." "Bummer." The guy said and walked away.

Soon closing time came around. After leaving work, she took out a long smoking pipe and filled it with a pinch of herbs. She lit it with her thumb and took a drag. Where she was worn out after getting off work, she was now re-energized from the mix of herbs in the pipe. After another few drags, she hit the wood and metal pipe against the curb to clear the chamber of ashes and put it away. Aenera then went to the liquor store at the strip mall. It was the only store in the strip mall that was open until late-late, whereas everything else closed around 10 or 11 pm. She bought a case of Quarrier Ale and a large bottle Fiordanfeller hard tea. After leaving the store, she went to the usual hangout spot to wait on some friends.

The hangout spot was a forgotten alleyway between the buildings. Patches of grass grew from the cracks in the pavement, glass shards from a broken bottle was nearby and the blackened outline of an addict was visible on the wall when he overdosed on crystal magic and he vaporized from the mana overload. That incident however was two years ago.

Someone approached Aenera. It wasn't a friend of Aenera however. It was her probation officer. He looked a little disheveled and scratched his neck. "Hey, Aenera. I have been feeling like crap for the past few days. I think I am having withdrawal." The man said. Aenera, annoyed said: "Get to the point already. I know what you want but you need to ask me correctly instead of beating around the bush." "Y...yes. Ms. Manabrook, may I have more crystal magic?" The guy said. Aenera then chuckled: "A bit too formal, but at least you got it out." Aenera then took out a little baggy with a pink powder in it. She could see the probation officer get anxious and lick his lips. "I already prepackaged it especially for you. Now use it responsibly, you don't want to overdose and end up like..." Aenera said and motioned to the shadow on the wall. "Th...thanks." The guy said and ran off, possibly to a more secluded area to take his pink stuff.

There Aenera just had to wait for others to come now.

 

[Xafin]

Another day of working hard. The sun is setting and Jax is packing up for the day, shutting down their computer, shutting files in drawers, and generally dragging their heels to leave work as late as possible.

"Underfell! Thank the gods. Where's that spreadsheet with the meeting times?" As Jax is packing up, throwing their threadbare black evening coat around their shoulders, one of the frazzled secretaries of the company comes half walking, half jogging up to them. They glance at the clock as the woman, a human in her early thirties with lovely rusty hair, continues. "I thought it was in the files under Mr. Jaggedstone's usual scheduling spreadsheets, but it's not there!" She sounds exhausted, and yet, incredibly anxious, and Jax groans internally while putting on a small smile. People who just aren't organized are the absolute worst.

"Did you check under last year's spreadsheets? Maybe it was put there by mistake. Or did you try searching the system for this month and year? Normally the spreadsheets are there." Their voice, sounding a bit like they've swallowed a bunch of sharp rocks, comes out rusty with disuse, and sickly sweet with thinly veiled annoyance. They don't often talk to people, down in the archives, as everybody keeps their eyes glued to their computer screens. They grip the phone in their jacket pocket, ready to pull it out and send a message to the group chat to mention that they'd possibly be late, even though they had a couple of hours to kill. They were already one of the last people to leave the building, often pulling overtime just to make ends meet. As to why Ms. Mezzine was still here was anyone's guess. She's probably been looking for that damned spreadsheet for hours now, Jax thought to themselves as they send off the quick message.

"Yes, I checked under last year's spreadsheets! I didn't... search the system... though... How does one do that, again?" The secretary smiles an embarrassed smile at Jax, as they take off their coat and fold it neatly in half, and place it gently on top of the desk next to their computer. They throw themselves into the chair with a thump, and start up their computer once more. Thankfully, it starts up fairly quickly, even for the older models the filing clerks get. At least it isn't the mail room. They sigh, telling themself once again that it could always be worse, and they rub at their aching shoulder. Poor posture makes for sore muscles, and it's been a long week. The computer boots up, and they go about the arduous task of explaining once again to the secretary how to search the system.

About half an hour later, after finding the file, putting it in it's proper place, and sending the secretary an email detailing how to search the system for files, telling her to star the email when she eventually gets back to her desk, Jax Underfell finally leaves the office. It is dark outside, now, and they fold their coat around themselves, not bothering to do up the buttons, as it's a rather nice night, too nice for the coat, really. They adjust their glasses in a motion well-practiced and often habitual, and tuck a hair behind their ear. "Incompetent assholes." They mutter to themself darkly, their eyes narrowing as a wind blows through the quarry. Not exactly in the richest part of town, they board the nearest public transportation to get to an even poorer part of town. They stop by their apartment, ignoring their roommate's loud music blasting through paper-thin walls, and change out of their slightly sweaty business attire. The Archives aren't exactly air conditioned, and can be rather stuffy, being underground.

They change into their usual attire of loose clothing, their shirt practically a size too big, and slip into a pair of worn out sneakers. "Time to replace these." They remind themself, for the fourth time in two weeks. They undo their ponytail, twisting the hair tie onto their wrist and snapping it once. It's probably best that they make their way to the Loser's Club's normal hangout spot. They would never tell the others that that is what they called it, but it was true, wasn't it? They were all losers, in one way or another. On their way out of their room, they gently run a finger over the edge of a partially done bird's wing on their desk. They smile a weak, half smile down at the work in progress, thinking of the kid two floors above them and how they had been quietly whispered a request they weren't exactly going to refuse.

When they finally arrive in the forgotten alleyway that they often met up with Aenera in, it was just in time for a disheveled man to bump into their solid body, hurriedly stashing away a bag of a most likely illicit substance. They roll their eyes, and shove their way past the man on their way into the alleyway, annoyed once more. The drug problem in their town... well, not exactly a surprise, to see someone with something to hide. Shoes slapping against the ground, the stocky enby takes in the scene. They had never really gotten used to the unsettling scorch mark against the wall, and even now their eyes slide past it to land on Aenera. They waggle their fingers at her, before shoving their hands into the pockets of their hoodie.

"...Good evening. Friend of yours?" They nod towards the direction of the fleeing man, face cast in shadow by the buildings around them. Their tone is neither kind nor judging, just questioning in a way that suggests they don't really care.

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

Today Rizza's Pizza was closed. The old van was having some thorough checkup ever since Ursula felt like the brakes weren't as smooth as usual. The van being repaired was a good enough excuse for the elf to induge herself in her impulsive behavior to pass the time, pachinko and liquor. Fortunately, she was able to get a few bottles of Dwarven Red before any other local drunkard take the last stock. Unfortunately, the rest of her money was drained down into the pachinko.

The Dwarven Red was a very decent brand of liquor. Popular among the middle income dwarves and famous for its strong burning sensation. Despite being a regular drunkard, Ursula's elven body couldn't handle the strong ale so she wasted herself inside one of the abandoned building in the Loser's Club's hangout spot to avoid collapsing randomly on the street.

"Tommy, go get me some drink..." She mumbled at herself during one of her sleep.

It was already late night when Ursula finally woke up from her slumber. Her head was spinning and she felt like vomitting. She needed water so she grabbed the nearest bottle and drank its content, which she soon realize was the Dwarven Red. It only took her several minutes to be drunk again.

Drunk Ursula opened the window nearby and was welcomed by the night breeze caressing her cheeks gently slapping random pamphlet on her face. She was on the third floor of what used to be a pawn shop and the window she just opened happens to be exactly two floors above where Aenera and Jax were standing.

"Ahoy, Tommy one! Tommy two!" She yelled at the two figures and waved her hand to draw their attention. Not that she didn't know Aenera or Jax, but it's well-known that when Ursula got drunk she would call everyone Tommy. "I have a few Dwarven Red here, enjoy!" Without much thinking, she picked one of the bottle that was still full and dropped it right above Jax's head.

TanteRegenbogen Xafin

 

[Xafin]

Jax looks up, first in exasperation at Ursula's antics, then alarm at the falling bottle aimed right for their head. They, as quickly as possible, try to sidestep the falling bottle, and narrowly avoids the object, the bottle smashing into bits at their feet, splashing their pants with Dwarven Red and bits of broken glass. The commotion upsets a nearby raccoon, that scampers off into the night with trash held in its mouth. Jax looks down at the bottle in horror, before shaking broken glass off their now wet pants, muttering profanities to themself.

Again, they look up to Ursula, face pretty much unreadable from the distance between them, and they slowly raise their middle finger up at Ursula. "Ursula, what the fuck!" They shout, the anger in their voice so strong and the volume so loud that their voice cracks in the middle of the fuck. They then look around, making sure that only Aenera and Ursula are the only people around. Their hand falls down to their side, quickly being covered by the pocket of their hoodie once more. Nobody else seems to be around for the moment as far as they can tell, their glasses slipping down their nose.

"She's drunk, right?" They mutter to themselves, the anger at almost being hit by a falling bottle pounding in their ears. "She's gotta be drunk."

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

Once Aenera's probation officer was around the corner, Jax approached. "Good evening. Friend of yours?" They said. Aenera then replied: "Good evening. My probation officer needed his fix. Makes sure that I don't have him or the police harassing me the entire time. There is corruption everywhere. Without it, I could be a grand wizard or researching useful stuff." She then pulled out her pipe and put some lizardwart and glowleaf into it. Then she lit it with her thumb again. The flavor was a sweet herbal flavor, comparible to a herb liquor, but without the alcoholic sting. The effects of the herbs made Aenera relax a little and lifted her mood a little. She didn't feel irritated by the crappy day anymore.

Then smiling at Jax, she asked them: "I hope things aren't as hard as usual for you today. Here have some ale." Aenera held out a bottle of ale to Jax. Just then above them, a drunk Ursula then yelled: "Ahoy, Tommy one! Tommy two!" and then dropped a bottle of Dwarven Red almost hitting Jax. Luckily Jax noticed in time and dodged the falling bottle. Understandably angered, Jax yelled: "Ursula, what the fuck?!" and made a rude gesture at her.

Aenera heard Jax mutter to themself: "She's drunk, right? She's gotta be drunk." "She's obviously drunk. What do you expect from her?" Aenera said. She then yelled to Ursula: "Ursula, get your ass down here and clean up this mess before I come up there and freeze you in stasis!" While Aenera never actually did freeze anyone into stasis, she knew she definitely could.

"I gotta find a way out of this town. Find a place where I am not known, where I could have a fresh start and do at least some stuff I was trained to do, like making boosters and potions or studying mana for more efficient spells and devices. I can't just spend every week dealing with hipsters and getting wasted after work and making pink crystal to keep the fuzz off me." Aenera said. She then raised her voice so that both Ursula and Jax could hear: "You guys up for an adventure sometime? Like a road trip or something. Just as a break from our usual routine?"

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

"Damn it Tommy! I just need you take a damn drink!" Ursula yelled back at Jax, even though she didn't register much of what they were actually yelling. She did went downstair though, carrying a very dirty broom full of cobwebs. She arrived at the bottom of the building in time for Aenera's question about having a road trip.

"I don't have money, Tommy." She replied to Aenera while sweeping away the scattered glass and spilled Dwarven Red with the dirty broom, making the concrete floor looks even more dirty with trails of evaporating ale and bits of shattered glass here and there. "I might need to take some loan from Don Fluffel after this. Else I wouldn't be able to get my van out of the garage."

 

[Xafin]

"Ugh. Today's just been... fantastic." They say with a crooked, fake smile, tight on their wide face. "I was even later than usual in the office, you know. Because some people are incompetent." They sigh, heavily, seeming to slump inwards on themselves as they half heartedly swat at Ursula. Why am I friends with Ursula, they ask themself every day, but to be honest she has her good moments, good enough to make up for how much of a mess she is.

"You're thinking... an escape, of sorts, yeah?" Jax hums, thinking it over, their face slightly pinched with thought and maybe a little bit of doubt. "I could stand to get out of the office, for once. My skin itches with how cramped I feel sometimes, you know? I wasn't meant for an office job." They kick at some of the broken glass on the ground, sending it towards the wall and watching as the already broken piece of glass shatters further. They look extremely tired all of a sudden.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

Jax seemed to be sarcastic about the their day being fantastic. Probably the average shitty day in an office. Jax then elaborated that they had to stay later due to the incompetence of others.

"I don't have money, Tommy. I might need to take some loan from Don Fluffel after this. Else I wouldn't be able to get my van out of the garage." Ursula replied to Aenera.

Aenera then snapped back: "If you didn't drink so much, you could maybe save up a little. You wouldn't need so much in the first place. We could take my auto and as much mana I have, I could just recharged the mana charge without having to stop at a charging station. I do it all the time and it freaks people out when their vehicle is dead on the parking lot and I just jumpstart with with my own mana. You just need money for food, drink and maybe some outings. Plus maybe I can make some money alone the way with some... ahem... concoctions."

"You're thinking... an escape, of sorts, yeah? I could stand to get out of the office, for once. My skin itches with how cramped I feel sometimes, you know? I wasn't meant for an office job." Jax said.

Aenera then nodded. "That would be the legal and relatively low risk idea. Alternatively, I heard that wyverns have been causing havoc a few towns over and we could go... poaching. On one hand, the hunters legion doesn't seem to care about them, so maybe we should just do some hunting without a hunting license. Maybe sell what we catch at the underground bazaar in Hillstead. At least we would experience some combat again." She said grinning maliciously.

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

Ursula listened silently throughout conversation while keep sweeping away at the mess beneath her with the dirty broom. She didn't say anything when Aenera talked about using her auto but when she mentioned about poaching some materials from wyverns, Ursula stopped her sweeping.

"If, we end up doing... poaching, or balls cleaning, as we said it... I can contact my old friend to get us a cleaning permit." Since Ursula used to be a fire lookout, poacher was not something she's unfamiliar with, and she even dabbled with it a few times. She knew they usually use varius other terms instead of the P-word so they could get away in case someone overheard them, one of the most common one was balls cleaning.

"We can just barge in and take some wyverns of course, but it might anger the local kingpin that holds the teritorry. I don't want a Don to write my name on their hit list." Even something illegal have procedure if ones wants to be safe. It's just now they would have business with mafia instead of the authorities.

"How about it, Tommy? Still in?"

 

[Xafin]

Jax sighs, heavily. "You're lucky I still have some weaponry laying about, Aenera. This whole idea is fuh-reaking crazy, don't get me wrong. I mean, I didn't exactly cut it in the monster hunting world." They shuffle about in place, moving awkwardly and uncomfortably. They rub at their shoulder almost absent-mindedly, before continuing. "And I don't exactly relish the idea of angering the local authorities or criminal underbelly."

"... It's not like I'm doing anything terribly important at work, though. How long would I be taking off for?" They ask, looking between Ursula and Aenera with a slightly perturbed expression, eyebrows crinkled and mouth twisted into a deep frown.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

Aenera smirked at Ursula. "With the stuff I had to deal with in my life, a triad or a criminal clan is barely a concern to me. The bigger issue would be gaining attention for the trail of corpses or suspicious missing of people from dealing with such criminals." Aenera said. She then pulled her bangs back showing the forehead crystal. "The authorities say I am too dangerous to be a wizard because I tampered with this. And if we do get attacked, I might know a couple spells to boost your strength, endurance or speed without damaging your bodies."

Turning to Jax and listening to what they had to say, Aenera replied: "It is your decision what we should do. A road trip would be refreshing and give us a little breather from this crappy life and would probably prevent me from killing my boss. A hunt however is high risk and could eventually change our lives forever, depending how much trouble we get into. On a road trip, Ursula might be the most dangerous and risky part of the group. On the hunt, I can guarantee that I will be more dangerous. But in regards to vacation time, for a road trip, I would say a week, maybe a little longer. And for a hunt, maybe just a day or two for a long weekend."

Aenera herself didn't care about which plan the others would prefer. She didn't have anything to lose. She just had to lay low for a while until the story about "accidentally" imploding a grand wizard like a black hole and getting partial blame for creating a dangerous narcotic died down, even though it has been almost ten years since that happened. If the others were ready to cause a little trouble, Aenera would gladly join in and enjoy herself.

Ace Cream Xafin

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

"W-what? What corpse? You and I know we already killed enough, Tommy..." Ursula was taken aback by Aenera's mentions of corpse, just for a brief moment the elf seems to sober up. Though she immediately looks like a drunk elf again when she realized she was currently talking with Aenera and Jax. "I mean, no kill needed.. No kill... Just clean up, take money, leave."

 

[Xafin]

Jax sighs, slightly spooked by the talk of corpses. "Please don't kill anybody, I don't particularly feel up to going on the run. There's enough dead in our lives." They tap their index finger against their chin, ruminating on the possibilities. It takes them a while to respond, breathing slowly and eyes far away as they think.

"... You know, I have a bunch of time off saved up. I think I could swing it. It's awfully boring at the office, and the amount of incompetence and negligence is too high for me to stomach right now. We could stand to get in a little bit of mischief, right?" They smile slowly, the spark in their eyes warm and exciting to see. It's been too long since Jax has had any sort of fun, other than drinking in an alleyway after work. They could stand to loosen up a little bit. "So what'll it be? Road trip, or hunt? I'm down for either."

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

So Jax didn't want any killing to avoid being on the run and Ursula didn't seem to feel comfortable with the idea of possibly killing mafia like structures in a conflict. Then Aenera had an idea: "How about we hunt a wyvern or two, sell the sellable parts and then use the money from the hunt to finance a road trip? Then we can actually afford to do more stuff and not just go camping in the backwoods or so." She explained.

"If we do it that way, I am just wondering if I should come in professional equipment like my old scholar outfit or if I come in something casual like shorts and a top. I can only do chrono magic and bio magic. If you are unfamiliar with the terms, chrono magic isn't regarded as elemental magic as it deals with spacetime and bio magic is basically just what support mages used to use to enhance the abilities of attack units in their group. I also can try to make potions at home before we go on a hunt." Aenera said.

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

"Getting money, is always good." Ursula's eyes wondering to the sky. "I want to buy... A personal jet. Or maybe an RV first. Yeah, RV sounds good."

"No need to concern about clothes, also, what kind of auto do you have, Tommy?" She asked the question at Aenera, a sly smile could be seen as she was thinking about her old days hunting down some beasts. "I want to bring my old toys... big toys."

 

[Xafin]

"I'm just good at hitting things really hard, unfortunately. I have a few weapons left from the days of monster hunting, most of them melee weapons and quieter than, say, a gun. I think your plan is sound, Aenera. Perhaps professional equipment would be best, in case we have to deal with anyone who finds us... suspicious. On the other hand, though, the professional equipment is suspicious in itself." Jax bites their thumbnail, looking Aenera up and down and thinking.

"Interesting magic abilities, however. What kind of potions could you make? I'm not familiar with most magic fields of study, only really elemental magic. It is the flashiest kind of magic, after all." Jax smiles a crooked smile, slow to arrive on their face but when it does it is nearly blinding with how bright it is.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

When Urusula asked what kind of auto Aenera had, Aenera pointed to the blue lifted SUV. Looked basically like an offroader with a body kit and the tires were large. It looked like Aenera poured a lot of her own time into customizing it. It was also lifted high enough that you could speak of just getting into it, but rather climbing into it. "If we go offroad, we should be fine with my auto, plus it has some nice features on the inside too." Aenera said.

Then to Jax' question about potions, Aenera replied: "Well healing potions for accelerated healing or concoctions to raise your physical endurance. Many things go and potions save using mana for the same purposes. In the easiest scenario when hunting wyverns we wouldn't need potions. Like I could lock a wyvern in stasis and you guy could just launch a bunch of arrows into it or stab it a couple times."

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

Ursula was busy examining the van while Aenera was explaining the potion. She was checking the vehicle's exterior to see whether the van was suitable and to her delight, it was. She was afraid that she would need to pimp her food truck to its off-road mode but Aenera's was more than sufficient for the job.

"This is a real good job, Tommy. Looks like you planned this for quite some time." The elf chuckled and approached.

"Now this looks even more promising, I suggest we do it as soon as possible, or else another cleaner would already took all the loots." Ursula raised her hand forward and raised her fingers.

"Three days. Prepare for three days. Then we go hunt some wyverns. Sounds good?"

 

[Xafin]

Jax bites their thumbnail again, a nervous habit that they've had for many years. "We could get swarmed by wyverns, but hopefully that won't happen. I don't exactly have many weapons that are good for crowd control. Hopefully you could keep the majority of them off me- I am, after all, going to be up front, in the thick of it."

They listen to Ursula, nodding their head along with her proposal. "Right. Sounds good- I'll need to ask for the appropriate time off, get my gear upgraded, or at least maintained..." They trail off, muttering to themselves, ticking off an invisible checklist in their head. They tick things off their fingers as they mutter, before slowly raising their head to look at Ursula. "Earlier you mentioned toys. What kind of toys, exactly?"

 

[Ace Cream]

Ursula

"My toys? Oh, yeah. I did said that. I will bring my legendary pebble thrower of dragon-smiting..." Ursula let her voice trailed off for dramatic effect. Her eyes seems gleaming as she explained her toy. While she didn't sounds serious with the answer, she did sounds enthusiastic about it, but then again she's still drunk.

"Made from the unbreakable mythical metal of uranium, forged by Grim Reaper the master blacksmith. Weapon that shred flesh apart and torn scales asunder... After used to defeat the final wave of the first demon lord's draconic army, the gu- I mean the artifact was sealed away deep inside my family's crypt. A prophecy said that one day its power would once again needed to save the world from calamity... and that day, is three days from now." Ursula ended her exaggerated exposition of her old automatic sniper rifle.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

(Sorry for the late reply.)

"Three days sounds fine. Gives me enough time to make a big enough supply for certain customers to cover enough for a couple weeks absence. Then I can make potions and emergency charges for the hunt." Aenera said. She then turned to Jax and told them: "Don't worry. If we get swarmed, I can maybe hold them in stasis long enough for you to kill them. Using such a spell however comes at a risk. That risk is being noticed. Wizards get kind of jumpy if someone uses chronos magic. Something about the great tyrant a millennium ago and abominable magic that is not meant to be. If that happens, I will make sure you guys are safe and don't get into trouble because of me."

Aenera then listened to Ursula's colorful exaggeration of her weapon and giggled. "That is one interested description of a hunters weapon. I just hope you are sober when you use it. We don't need any hunting accidents."

 

[Ace Cream]

URSULA

"Allright, Tommy. Seems like we have a deal! Don't forget, three days!" Having reached the conclusion, Ursula turned her back and started walking away. She might need to visits several people who's currently holding her guns, but before that-

"Bwheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" She vomitted a stream of colorful liquid just at the entrance to the base. Just great, she felts much better.

---------------------Three days later----------------------

Ursula was fortunately sober enough to remember their deal about hunting some wyverns and already done her preparations. She came into the base with a briefcase and a giant duffel bag. She also wore cargo pants and her old hunting jacket. The elf looks like she was going to a safari site with the sunglasses on her forehead, the cowboy hat on her head and a handheld game console hung on her neck.

"Howdy!" She greeted everyone she met on the way there with a slang word that she learns through the internet.

 

[Xafin]

Jax, too, remembered their deal about hunting wyverns. They did a lot of prep work with their weapons, and touched up what bits of armor they had left from their scouting excursions. They arrive to the Loser's Club hangout with sunglasses on their nose, and two duffel bags in hand, both worn down and faded in color, wearing a bulky hoodie with the hood pulled up and leather pants, their sneakers slapping against the pavement as they approach. A scowl is on their face, but that's not exactly a new development. Their roommate had been bugging them all the way out the door, reminding them that they better make rent, despite their vacation.

They slip into the alley with not a single word, and drop their duffel bags on the ground with a soft thump and a metallic clank, one sound for each of the duffel bags. They would lean against a wall to wait, but the area is simply too dirty to do so, so they stand with their arms folded across their chest, grumbling under their breath about their stupid roommate.

 

[TanteRegenbogen]

After saying goodbye to the others, Aenera went to her auto and drove home. She only had two ales, so she still was relatively sober. Three days was enough time to get her side business in order so that her customers wont starve for the next couple weeks. She only hoped she wouldn't come back to a bunch of burnt shadows on walls from overdoses. Aenera then got home. She parked on a gravel parking lot in a wooded area in The Rim. She then walked down a couple steps and along a pathway to a long house. It was two floor high with the first being halfway underground. A bit further downhill was a flat grassy area with a dock. Tied to the dock were two rowboats and small barge. In the flat grassy area, two dwarves, an elf, a human and two goblins sat around a fire with a grill tripod over it.

One of the dwarves noticed Aenera and raised his hand in greeting. Aenera reciprocated the gesture. She then headed into the long house. A muscular man with a towel around his waist just came out of a steamy room. The room looks like a large, yet rustic sauna. The culture in the Rim was vastly different to that of the main town. It was heavily influenced by dwarven and goblin culture. The saunas and the partial underground built longhouses were of dwarven origin. The large community living and shared facilities were of goblin origin. The rules were a mix of elven and goblin ethics. The food was a mix of human and dwarven culture. The Rim was a relatively safe place for Rim dwellers, yet had a reputation for being dangerous to higher standing citizens. By Rim dweller logic understandable. Outsiders usually brag about their wealth and don't share with the community. They leave the unfortunate to die while enriching themselves. Rim dwellers lived with a sort of solidarity and it worked. And those who didn't have work outside of the long houses had to tend to community duties such as cleaning and cooking.

"Good evening, Aenera. Just getting home from work." The man with the towel around his waist said. Aenera nodded. She always was a little nervous around this particular guy. He was good looking, fit, a relatively kind and agreeable personality and a fellow magic user. Even in these times, magic users were to partner with each other to produce strong offspring. The man was also slightly taller than Aenera, however significantly weaker in magical power, yet still relatively strong. He was just an arcane device repairman or a technician.

"You look cute when you blush." The man said. Aenera's face went totally red. "D...don't tease me." Aenera replied. She pulled herself together and then said: "I need to get some sleep. I need to prepare for a hunting trip. I have three days to get stuff sorted out." Then man then chuckled: "A hunting trip you say? Are your skills really suitable for such? With chrono magic will you just freeze them in time and cut them up while they are still in stasis?" "I am not going alone. I am going as a support wizard to heal and enhance my party." Aenera replied.

"That brings back old memories when I hunted with friends. But nowadays such adventures are solely for pleasure. It was nice when people were able to make a living off of repelling dangerous creatures. Well go get your rest, then." The man said. Aenera then smiled at him and left towards her room. On her way to the stairs there were still a number of people up, a couple dwarves drinking in the dining hall, a goblin was cleaning the kitchen area. There were probably 40 people who lived here. About 30 men and 10 women. All of them either trained warriors or specialists of some kind. There were stories of lodges and long houses full of criminals and people who generally didn't want to contribute anything. But eventually the rules of the Rim would catch up with them to correct their behavior, usually threatening eviction or closure of especially problematic lodges with a six month probation period. Most would improve in that time, however in the past ten years, two such places have been closed and the most problematic members of these banished from the Rim, even from Quarrytown.

Aenera went upstairs to her room. It was left down the hallway, second last room on the left. The ceiling was just high enough so she wouldn't bump her head. The floor was wooden with stone underneath. The outer walls were thick and her room had one window which could be opened or tilted. It was rather simple. It had a closet, a desk with a chair, a single bed, a wall screen for she could watch programs on and lights. She shared a bathroom with showers with the entire left wing of the house. Men and women were to avoid looking at special parts while showering at the same time unless they were partners. However they would still talk to each other as if it were any other day.

Aenera quickly changed her clothes to a long button down nightgown and put on some slippers. She went down to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then went back to her room. Aenera then turned off her lights and closed the door. She concentrated to illuminate her forehead crystal to find her way to the bed and snuggled into her blanket.


In the next few days, Aenera worked in her lab that was in a shack not far from the long house. There she made a large batch of crystal magic for her clients and made some potions for the hunting trip.

The day before the hunting trip, Aenera went into work just to tell her manager that she will be quitting as she had more important things to do and had ideas to make money otherwise. Her manager objected, saying that while she was irritating oftentimes, she would be one of the best employees as the other staff would either work too slow or not know anything about what they were selling. Aenera told him that one way or the other, she will be gone for a couple weeks.

She then headed to the police station and dropped off a packet in the chiefs office telling him that she will be on a trip and this should cover their deal for the next couple weeks. After that she went to where her probation officer lived and dropped off another packet at his place telling him that she will be gone for a couple weeks and that he should use it responsibly so that it lasts until she gets back.

---The day of the hunting trip---

Aenera got up. It seem to be a warm day. She grabbed a bottomless sack from her closet. And packed some clothes and her old wizard outfit just in case. She then took off her nightgown and put on a bathrobe and went to the showers. There, she took a shower, dried off and went back to her room. Aenera put on desert camo BDU shorts, a dark blue bikini top with white stars on it, a plain black choker and a sleeveless blue-white tartan top. As shoes she put on some brown boots for hiking.

After getting packed, she loaded her stuff into her auto and then let everybody in the long house know that she will first be back in a couple day. Aenera then drove to the parking lot near the loser hangout and honked near the alley. "Alright! Let's go and have some fun!" She yelled out of the window of her auto.