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Trust Neither Snarling Wolf nor Smiling Fox (Astarte) GMed by Hafnium


Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Fine.

The sun hung in the middle of the sky as Senka approached the city of Ustrul. Its rays bathed the walls and all the battlements and guard towers that lined them, allowing even distant travelers to take in the sight of the city's defensive shell nearly in its entirety when combined with the careful deforestation of all the land within half a mile of those city walls.

To someone who had grown up unexposed to such things, the view from the nearby hills probably would've been majestic. Stones as large as the average human male -- noticeably larger than Senka -- had been harvested from some quarry or another before being hauled to the city and emplaced by stonemasons, some of whom had certainly lost their lives in the process, in order to build a wall that was at least four men tall and wide enough for as many abreast. Parapets lined the wall, offering defenders safe positions to launch arrows at any incoming attackers, and every hundred feet stood a guard tower with a catapult atop it ready to rain fire on incoming siege engines. The stone structure stretched for miles and could probably offer shelter to tens of thousands. In addition, it was bisected in the center east to west by a mighty river capable of providing water for that many and more. An unworldly person could likely be forgiven for feeling safe upon seeing all those things combined.

But to somebody used to Acheron's grand walls, Ustrul's were terribly lacking. What could mortals who by and large eschewed magic hope to accomplish in comparison to Xeon and the demonic lords and ladies whose loyalties she commanded, after all? Ustrul's walls weren't half as tall nor half as sturdy as those of Acheron. They weren't warded against magic, they weren't magically strengthened against conventional forms of siege engines, and they had no real defenses against flying attackers. And, in what was perhaps the most fatal blow to their ability to keep the inhabitants safe, they were guarded by simple humans who were not paid enough and didn't feel pride enough to do their jobs well.

And while Senka, with her mixture of demonic and kitsune blood, wasn't particularly affected, human perception was hampered even further by the day's unnatural heat, even relative to the norm for early summer months spent in northwestern Badaria. The stillness of the air combined with the sun's unrelenting rays combined to send most of the residents of Ustrul hiding in the shade. When the diminutive kumiho disguised as a human approached the southern gate -- more a wooden set of double doors than a proper gate and another detail that fell short compared to Acheron -- she would find no resistance to her passing. Instead she found a bald, middle-aged guard with a square face that was plastered in sweat who had cast away his pot helmet and appeared to be more engaged in a struggle with whether or not he should remove his chainmail than he was with properly vetting travelers. He waved her into the city proper with nary a word, and might never know just how badly he had just failed his duty to protect the inhabitants of the city.

From the inside of the walls, she would find a city layout which had probably never received any proactive planning. Buildings had been allowed to sprout organically wherever they would, and they were all packed so tightly together that it was rare to find a set of them which a person could squeeze between. Walking through the gate put Senka directly onto a road paved with stone which was wide enough for a few carriages to travel side by side, lined with lampposts. That same road split off into dozens of branching forks into paths which curved this way and that and were made up of everything from plain dirt to cobblestone to properly smoothed stone, though it was impossible to tell where each led due to the sheer number of buildings that lined them all and hid most everything behind them.

Of particular, immediate notice among those buildings was a tavern which was no more than a stone's throw from the gate. It was a wooden building as large as four of any of its neighboring buildings combined, and its rowdy patrons made enough noise through its many opened windows to be heard even beyond the gate. Above its main door hung a painted sign with the words The Horseless Knight upon it. In addition to the tavern, dozens of shops lined the main route into the city proper. Forges, tailors, craftsmen, merchants, and more plied their trade along the street, with numerous choices for each. And where there were shops, there were, of course, people. People of varying ages and levels of wealth pushed through the crowd as they traveled through the markets, with some traveling elsewhere, some doing their daily shopping, and some merely content to browse. There were likely as many as a hundred city inhabitants on the road when Senka first steppe through the gate.

Few, if any, seemed to take note of her arrival though, which might suit her just fine. Senka could choose her own methods of acclimating herself to the city which would likely become her hunting ground by nightfall. She could also decide what her priorities were. Shelter was, of course, always valuable for a diminutive woman when night fell, even if she was a demon in disguise. Getting more information on the city's layout might also be wise. She could also do some shopping if the desire arose, as it was likely that she'd be able to find a shop capable of supplying most Badarian desires within easy walking distance. She might also choose a more direct method of mapping out the city, like simply choosing a direction and heading that way. In the end, the choice was none but the hunter's own as to how to get acquainted with her new surroundings.
 

Astarte

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Re: Trust Neither Snarling Wolf nor Smiling Fox (Astarte) GMed by Hafnium

Despite the pride the people of Ustrul likely took in their walls, Senka paid them little more than a glance. They were perhaps impressive, if one found large piles of stone impressive, but they meant little to her. They didn't even appear to be warded against magical attack, or even flight, meaning they would provide no barrier to her even if the gate had been closed. The guard at the gate was equally unimpressive: A simple, boring man just like all the others who didn't even bother to question her before waving her inside.

She didn't appear particularly threatening, of that she was keenly aware, but she was most certainly suspicious. He should have been able to see that much. A diminutive girl in a dress more suited for parties than travelling—even if it was the simplest, most practical one she owned—approaching the city by her lonesome, with little more than a small bag slung across her back. She couldn't help but grin once he turned away, it was always so easy. Not always this easy, a few words and a convincing act were usually needed, but the people here were truly ignorant of the dangers outside their walls. Her kitsune features had been hidden of course, and to the mundane eye she looked like nothing more than a well-dressed human girl, but that was exactly the problem. The people here hated or feared magic and the supernatural so much that it was rare to even find one with basic knowledge, much less any real understanding of how to protect oneself from them.

Fortunately for them, she wasn't the sort of demon who would seek to infiltrate a town and bend its people to their whims. Unfortunately for them, she was still far more dangerous than she looked. Her goals for the moment at least were not malicious, but she had begun to feel the gnawing hunger creeping up on her. Her supernatural heritage granted her considerable stamina, leaving finding food and a place to sleep as only minor concerns she would have to worry about at some point during her stay here, not the pressing concerns they might be for ordinary travellers. This hunger was different, though, something bestial and monstrous. Once, she had done her best to stave it off, but that had only ended in heartbreak for her.

It was still midday, far too early to hunt unless she was desperate, but fortunately the cravings were still minor. Controllable. For now, it was better that she spend her time enjoying what few sources of amusement a town like this might hold for her. The market, to be specific. While she had little coin remaining, she would likely be able to correct that this night. For the moment, she could indulge in one of her few weaknesses and browse the shops and merchant stalls. Of particular interest to her were tailors who might craft dresses, but she had a soft spot for jewellery as well. Both were beyond her means to purchase at the moment, and simply stealing such easily identifiable things, even if she was confident that she could get away with it. She wouldn't be able to wear them if she did, and that would defeat their whole purpose. What she could do was figure out whether anyone in this place was selling anything she liked. She could always return in the morning, after all.

Beyond that, she simply intended to wander around the city, familiarize herself with its layout. It didn't seem to follow any logical pattern she could see, buildings seeming to simply be built wherever they would fit. A good hunter needed to know their hunting grounds, and so familiarizing herself with the streets would be in her best interests. Her favoured targets, when she wasn't craving something in particular, tended to be the less desirable denizens of any given city. There was a sense of satisfaction of turning the tables on someone who believed themselves to be in control, and it was one such person who caused her to reveal her secret to the one person who she had actually cared about, so it always felt like a little bit more revenge, even if the culprit was already long dead. Deciding on targets and methods could wait, however. For now all she needed to do was see what was available to her, both in clothing and hunting grounds.
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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Re: Trust Neither Snarling Wolf nor Smiling Fox (Astarte) GMed by Hafnium

: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Shopping.

The kumiho's road would take her north and force her to weave through and around crowds in order to proceed along her set path. The street which seemed to serve as Ustrul's main thoroughfare was in many ways akin to a river. It curved this way and that through what was approximately the middle of the city, being fed a steady supply of shopping travelers by dozens of tributaries which disappeared into roads lined by residential buildings. No matter how far the small kumiho walked, however, her own ability to get a feel for more than the path she walked was blocked out by the dozens of stalls and stores and the press of humans all around her.

One thing that was immediately evident, however, was that the value of what each store carried was inversely proportionate to its distance into the city. The finest stores were the ones closest to the gate Senka had entered through, while gazing into the distance revealed less and less proper stores and more roadside stalls. Near the gate she saw wondrous, gorgeous items in buildings that had been designed with plenty of windows to show off their stock. Many of them seemed like they were specifically looking to attract traveling adventurers with large purses and no real idea of the value of a denarius. Overpriced adventuring supply stores were in abundance. She passed two different alchemy shops with "specials" on healing tinctures that had their price at five times what it would've cost Senka to brew. She also passed a specialized armorsmith shop and a specialized weaponsmith shop in addition to a general purpose blacksmith shop, all three of which had loaded their display windows with enchanted metal crafts that cost as much as a small castle.

It wasn't difficult to find a worthwhile jewelry store in that initial stretch among all the rest of the stores targeted at rich clients. It was a large, square brick building with windows as tall as the kumiho herself on either side of a heavy metal door placed squarely in the center of its front beneath a sign reading 'Silvie's Jewelry.' The windows showcased a few different items of potential interest set upon fine wooden tables. A silver choker with a cut emerald set in the center, several ornate rings made of precious metals or even polished bone or horn and set with precious gems, and a sleek silver necklace were all visible, among a few other items. The kumiho would also detect that the windows were heavily enchanted to guard the stock they displayed, and that anyone attempting to break them would have better luck breaking through steel plating.

She found two different tailors of note as well. The Fashionable Adventurer, a name she determined by reading the giant letters painted on the building itself, was another square, brick construction only a few dozen steps from Silvie's Jewlery, which opted for a larger window that took up two-thirds of the storefront with a wooden door to the side of it. Three mannequins were present in the windows -- which, also in contrast to the jewelry store, were unenchanted -- and each wore a different outfit. One wore a white shirt under a black fencer's vest with matching black pantaloons and black leather boots, wielding a replica rapier in hand. The second wore an elegant jade ballroom dress with a matching feathered cap on its head. The third had a slim, red dress of Amazonian design, sleeveless and with leg slits on both sides, with dragons embroidered across its right side in what appeared to be a metallic gold thread. But while each outfit was different in design, all three were similar in that they had easily detectable enchantments on them that would allow them to defend against a blow much better than clothing could

The second shop, simply called Eva's Tailoring going by the sign that hung above the door, was a timber construction with a thatched roof. Its owner was apparently content to share a storefront design with the Fashionable Adventurer with a large window to display merchandise and a door to the side. Its two mannequins wore magically mundane but physically unusual clothing. One of the two wore a frilly, skimpy maid outfit the likes of which Senka likely hadn't seen since she left Acheron. The second wore a black gothic dress with white frills around the edges and extra frills on the skirt, which primarily looked out of place in prudish Badaria because it showed a generous amount of cleavage and skin due to the top's bustier design.

Senka would be able to tour any or all of the three stores if she liked, or any other that might've caught her eye. Alternatively, she could continue north along the road, though her prospects there were less impressive. It wasn't much further before the roadside transitioned into stalls instead of stores, most of which sold the sort of mundane items the city's inhabitants needed to survive on a day to day basis. Her chances of finding quality clothing and jewelry was slimmer there.
 

Astarte

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Re: Trust Neither Snarling Wolf nor Smiling Fox (Astarte) GMed by Hafnium

It didn't take long before Senka noticed the fact that the most interesting shops were the first she had passed, and the farther she went the less interesting they got. Many were "adventuring" supply shops and the like, but there were several more in line with her interests. A look through some of the windows as she turned around and began to make her way back towards the gates showed that many were significantly overpriced, obviously hoping to use their location to draw in travellers with too much money and too little sense before they could find the more reasonably priced shops. That wasn't what she was after, however. If she needed healing tinctures she could simply brew them herself for a fraction of the cost, even if she simply found an alchemist's shop to purchase the ingredients from, and her demonic nature left her without the need for as many supplies as a human traveller might need.

Instead she located a handful of shops providing what she was looking for. There was a jewellery store which stood out among the others, and she filed its name and location away for later. It wouldn't be her first stop, but she wouldn't mind taking a look when she had the chance. The real subjects of her interest were quickly narrowed down to a pair of tailors' shops. One had two beautiful dresses on display in the front window, and even at a glance she could tell that they were enchanted, similar to or possibly even moreso than the one she was wearing. The second, however, piqued her interest even further, though she would be sure to visit this "Fashionable Adventurer" afterwards.

The other, presumably belonging to someone named Eva based on the name, immediately drew her attention. Aside from obviously carrying something in her favoured style, even if the dress in the window wasn't quite her style—It was clearly designed for someone much... curvier than she was. The other outfit on display was something she would never consider purchasing either, but it was for that reason that she found herself interested. In Acheron such a display would have been a common sight in tailor's shops, but here? It looked positively scandalous next to the other such shops on the street. That such a shop could not only get away with such a brazen display in such a conservative society, but stand among the wealthiest shops in the town intrigued her. That, and she wanted to see if there was anything that might suit her better inside.

Pushing her way through the crowd on the street and keeping a firm hold on her bag, Senka made her way to the door to Eva's Tailoring. Her senses were dampened when taking this human guise, but she kept herself as alert as she could, looking for any hint of strange magic. Surely there was some trick to this place, she had lived most of her life in Badaria and she couldn't imagine such a shop existing here, and presumably being successful without some secret—Even if it was something as mundane as being owned by some eccentric noblewoman who kept it afloat.
 
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Hafnium

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Re: Trust Neither Snarling Wolf nor Smiling Fox (Astarte) GMed by Hafnium

: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Passersby Can Tell That She Sells at Hot Topic.

The interior of the store was relatively plain, all things considered. As she walked through the door, Senka found herself in a respectably-sized room, probably twenty feet by twenty feet in dimension. From what she could see of the walls, they were made of plaster which had been painted white, a few minor marks which had exposed the material's underlying dark gray coloration and old yellowed water stains disturbing the otherwise uniform look. In front of them stood maple bookshelves with dozens of outfits on them folded such that Senka couldn't really make them out without approaching them and inspecting them.

The center of the store was occupied by rows of mannequins displaying the tailor's wares, and they proved easily the least plain thing in the store due to the outfits they wore. The maid outfit and risque dress outside proved to be completely indicative of the type of clothing which Eva's Tailoring peddled. At her position at the door, Senka could only quickly make out a few of the many displays. One wore a slender, black evening dress with collar designed like a choker made of fabric but with a completely open back and no sleeves. The cloth above the bust of the dress was sheer and allowed anybody to see the skin below it, but it was decorated with patches of more solid materials in the shape of stylized cats. Another wore something more modest, consisting of a white, button-up silk blouse with flowing sleeves and a black ribbon tied around the collar in a bow, and a black high-waist skirt affixed with gold buttons. A third mannequin wore only underwear, with a black bra and panties made of the same sheer material in the same style as the dress worn by the other mannequin, but using stylized spiders instead of cats for the solid spots.

The floors those mannequins stood on consisted of naturally brown hardwood planks which had been sealed with oil and appeared untouched for the most part. A noticeable path of wood which had been worn away by footsteps existed from the door through the center of the mannequin displays, however. At the other end of that path, close to the wall opposite where Senka had entered from, stood a sturdy wooden counter that ran almost the entire length of the room, in front of even more bookshelves which were stuffed to the brim with bolts of various fabrics. The countertop was cluttered with items. Just from what Senka could see, there were at least three lengths of measuring tape, a few pairs of scissors, and six bolts of varying cloth scattered with no apparent order across it.

Behind the counter stood the apparent shopkeeper. For a tailor, she wore some of the most unimpressive clothing a human could ever wear. A brown apron with several pockets crammed full of sewing supplies rested over a plain white tunic and dark pants. She seemed to follow the same haphazard approach to personal appearance as she did to her wardrobe. Her raven hair was pulled into a messy bun, made messier by the presence of a stick of white chalk behind her ear. Her face was plain, even by human standards, and she hadn't made a hint of effort with makeup to change that. Her cheeks were just a little too round for conventional beauty and her lips were thin. Her most striking feature was her emerald green eyes, which seemed to try to be picking up the slack by single-handedly giving off a sense of youth and energy which wouldn't have otherwise been present. They all shined with excitement beneath her half-rimmed glasses as Senka entered the store.

And as soon as the disguised kumiho met her eyes, she was eager to greet Senka. "Hi," she exclaimed, putting both hands on the counter and leaning on it as she spoke. "I haven't seen you around here before! I'm Eva! Come on in and look around! I can tell you've got great taste," she added as she eyed Senka's extravagant dress. "If you like something, just let me know and I can alter it for you. Or if you'd like something more fresh or unique, I can do that too! I do just about everything that can be done with fabric! Repairs, adjustments, commissions, and more! Er, not that I'm trying to push you into anything, I just don't get many customers..." she mustered an uncertain smile. "So, uh, yeah. Just take your time and look around! I'll be right here if you need me!"
 

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The interior of the clothing shop was rather plain, exactly what she had come to expect from such a place. She had seen many clothing shops like this in her travels, at least in terms of structure and layout. What set this one apart was the clothing on display, as the mannequins in the front window turned out to be quite indicative of the rest of the shop's stock as well. It really did remind her of the sort of clothing she'd have seen back in Acheron, not the sort she was used to seeing here in Badaria. Many were of familiar styles, but all seemed to have something more risque than ordinary about their designs—some more than others, she thought as she glanced over the line of mannequins inside, raising an eyebrow at an odd set of spider-themed lingerie.

"Ah. No, I'm just looking for the moment." Senka replied to the tailor—Presumably named Eva—who yet again looked entirely different than she expected. This time it was for the exact opposite reasons, the woman looked completely normal, almost entirely unremarkable both in dress and physical appearance. That was exactly what she had come to expect from humans, especially here, but she realized that the shop had been leading her to half expect the shop's owner to turn out to be a demon in disguise or something of the like.

"I only just arrived in town, and I always take a look at the local tailors when I'm somewhere new." She explained. "The black one in the window caught my eye. It's always so hard to find something good in this style," She motioned at the dark red and black dress she was wearing, its general style quite similar to the one on display, though certainly more covering in design, leaving no visible skin below its own frilled neckline besides her hands and a small window of sheer material from the upper chest to the collar—but unlike the one on display the display was much more modest in scope. A ruffled skirt extended just past her knees with similarly black stockings beneath. In truth, she was a little surprised that nobody had questioned her choice of clothing in this weather.

"Though I'm afraid that one wouldn't suit me. I don't really have the... shape for it." She shrugged as she spoke, not particularly bothered by that fact. Unlike a human, she could adjust her body's proportions as she wished, within a certain limit. She could certainly fill out a dress like that if she desired to, simply by shifting a little mass from elsewhere on her body to her chest, although she didn't have too much of that to work with. She didn't wish to change to fit a dress though, she wished to find a dress that suited her. This woman clearly had skill and was enthusiastic about her work, and she had experience with Senka's preferred style of dress, so buying something here was an easy choice. She was, however, low on coin at the moment, and nothing she could see on display was quite what she was looking for.

"You said you do commissions?" She spoke up again, looking back to the tailor after some time examining the displays and their quality. "I should introduce myself first, I suppose. My name is Senka, and if you are willing, I would like to commission a dress. You do your own designs, yes? I would like to see what you might come up with for me. Something in the same style, though I appreciate creativity, so I don't wish to give too many rules. If it is acceptable to you, I can pay a portion of the price now, and perhaps return tomorrow or later today to finalize any details?" She offered, quite interested in what this tailor might come up with. If she accepted, Senka expected her to ask for measurements as well, and she was willing to submit to that. Along with any other minor questions the tailor might have.
 
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Hafnium

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Senka's admission that she was just looking would receive a nod from the tailor, and for a few brief moments Eva would make a token effort to try to busy herself with something beyond watching her only customer. She started by tidying up her already clean counter, sweeping a hand brush across it in order to clear away nonexistent dirt and crumbs. With her now doubly clean workspace, she set about the important task of taking out a square of scrap fabric and setting it on the counter to meaninglessly fiddle with it and measure it. After a few seconds of that, however, she folded it back up, put it away, and seemingly gave up on appearing like she was preoccupied or interested in doing anything other than trailing Senka around the shop with her eyes.

A wave of relief washed over Eva's face when the kumiho chose to continue engaging her in conversation, allowing her watch the smaller girl without seeming overbearing or coming off as -- gods forbid -- creepy in her interest. "Mhm! A lot of the tailors around these parts like to play it safe and conservative because it's easier to get customers that way. I just enjoy doing unique, fun designs though! That's more important to me than business," she interjected in response to the comment about finding things in the demonic fox's usual style. But her obvious excitement during that initial interjection would serve as a contrast when she next replied to Senka's remark about not having the shape for the dress displayed in the window. "Ah. I see," she replied in with a carefully neutral tone and expression. It might have come off as a diplomatic way for Eva to agree that the kumiho was about as curvy as the door she'd walked in through, if she hadn't departed completely from the mannerisms and tone of voice she'd been using since first introducing herself in her effort.

And indeed, when Senka asked about commissions after she was done searching through a seemingly endless collection of wildly different designs, Eva brightened right back up with nearly unconstrained bubbly energy. "Yes, yes, and yes! I think I can come up with something perfect for your build, Miss Senka! Off the top of my head, based on your size, the dress you want me to base it off of, and materials.... Hm.... If I do that.... I'd say I can have it done in two or three days and it'll be five denarii in total! I ask for a down payment of half on commission work, which we can just round down to two denarii. You can stop back in tomorrow to take a look at it before the finishing touches are all done and point out any changes you'd like for me to make. If that's all acceptable to you, once I have the down payment we can step into the backroom and get you measured!"

Assuming Senka agreed and handed over the two gold coins, Eva would waste no time in ushering her into the backroom. The woman -- who Senka would realize was about half a foot taller than her once they were side by side -- brought the traveling kumiho behind the counter and toward a plain door which, when opened, revealed a perfectly mundane backroom possessing more plain white walls with shelves populated by carefully organized bolts of various fabrics. To the left as Senka entered was a workbench which was empty other than a neatly organized sewing toolbox and a cloth measuring tape, the latter of which Eva would pick up in order to begin the process of getting the demonic foxgirl’s sizes.

The measuring would turn out to be an utterly mundane affair for the most part. Senka wouldn’t even need to remove her clothing as Eva went about her work, measuring around the cloth. She took the kumiho’s neck, bust, shoulder, arm, waist, hips, and hollow-to-hem measurements in a wholly professional manner, completely free of the 'accidental' gropes and entirely too in-depth bust measurements that sometimes accompanied Acheron tailoring shops. Her neutral, serious expression only slightly cracked when she accidentally found one of the foxgirl’s hidden knives by brushing across it as she was measuring. Eva's expression cracked with surprise, though only for an instant before it was carefully neutral again. “I guess it’s really dangerous on the roads for girls these days, huh?” Her remark came as an obvious attempt to dispel any awkwardness at her discovery.

Unless the kumiho wished to take some major action in response to Eva’s accidental discovery though, it wouldn’t be much longer before the tailor finished her measurements, put her measuring tape back, and guided the kumiho into returning to the main part of the shop. The already energetic woman looked positively bursting with excitement to begin work, with a wide smile on her face as she addressed the foxgirl again. “Alrighty! I’ve got everything I need. I’ll be starting on it tonight. I think you’ll be really pleased when you come back!
 

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"Yes, of course." Senka nodded, retrieving two coins and handing them over to the tailor, careful to avoid showing the fact that she currently only had two more. That would change before she returned for the finished product, of course—there were plenty of foolish people with too much money around. While she might steal many things rather than pay for them, Senka also appreciated good work, and it was far too much of a hassle to steal clothing like this. Not only would she need to do the fitting herself, she'd never be able to wear it until she'd travelled far enough away from here. That, and she liked custom work like she was ordering now. It was easier to simply pay for unique work like this with someone else's money, since coins were decidedly not unique and were much harder to track down.

The kumiho submitted to being measured without complaint. It wasn't a new experience for her, and it was important to let the tailor collect accurate measurements in order to get a dress which fit properly. Senka broke into a small smile—almost a full grin, but she controlled herself—at Eva's reaction to noticing one of her hidden knives. Fortunately it was only the one, the girl might have been a bit more worried had she found the full thirteen. "Indeed. It never hurts to have some protection at hand," she replied offhand, as if carrying concealed knives was the most natural thing in the world. In truth, Senka simply loved to see the reactions people gave her when they discovered that she was more than she appeared to be. Typically in response to something far more violent and shocking than this, so the tailor's response was far more composed, but amusing nonetheless. Fortunately, while unusual, a girl such as her carrying a concealed weapon was no particular cause for alarm, and a knife or small dagger was a common self-defense tool, so she wouldn't have to worry about any major suspicion directed her way.

"I'll be back tomorrow, then. I'm looking forward to see what you come up with." Senka returned the tailor's smile as she made her way to the door. While she hadn't initially intended to commission a dress in the first shop she visited, the tailor's tastes seemed compatible with her own, and her enthusiasm and the skill showed in her other works left Senka feeling happy with the decision she had made. Now there was simply the matter of finding the money she needed. She had spent half of her remaining funds, so she decided to pass on visiting the other shops she'd seen for today in favour of securing a place to stay for a few days. She could always visit them at a later time, after she had secured herself a source of funds.

While outwardly appearing oblivious to her surroundings, Senka kept an eye out for potential easy marks based on the looks she received along the way while looking for a place to stay. In her experience, the ones who showed a particular interest in her were always the easiest to lead on, and her naive act was an excellent way of drawing out those with less than savoury intentions. Between her clothes and the attitude she projected, she could easily be mistaken for the daughter of a merchant or minor nobleman, sheltered from the outside world. In other words, an easy mark. She always did prefer to turn the tables on those who believed themselves the hunters, those reactions were her favourite.

For now however, she would keep her eyes open, but her first goal was to find somewhere to stay. While she could go far longer than a human without sleep, she wanted a safe place to stay, to store her things, and to change her clothes. Besides that, it would be suspicious for a girl to have nowhere to stay. She didn't need anywhere particularly high-class, though something too cheap wouldn't fit her image either. Ideally something in a safe part of town with reasonable prices, and somewhere she could come and go without being noticed, though she could rely on her magic for assistance with the latter if she needed to.
 
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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Probably being accosted by a Jehovah's Witness.
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Perception Check: 0 successes

Eva smiled and offered a nod in response to the Kumiho's departing comment, as if to reaffirm her previous remark that Senka would like what she had in mind. She ultimately said nothing else about the demonic foxgirl's self defense armaments, apparently willing enough to wave it off as nothing unusual. And if the tailor had noticed earlier that the small traveler only had 2 coins left to her name after the down payment then she either hid it expertly or simply didn't care.

So in the end, Senka was able to leave the store after finalizing her commission and return to her business with nothing else of note occurring until she was a block further down the road and the perceptive girl noticed that she'd gained an 'admirer,' for lack of a better term. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a scruffy human who was barely a man by the standards of his species. Even though he wore a dirty, grey bandana and a baggy tunic and baggy pants in matching color and condition, she could tell using her unique vision that he barely had any meat on his bones and might snap in half if she so much as punched him. Yet he looked at her and her relatively rich clothing like a predator preparing to stalk an eventual meal, unaware of the truth of the situation, and kept his eyes on her even as she progressed along the road.

Before she could decide whether or not to take on that hunt and potentially sate her hunger, however, she would find herself approached by someone else who had almost completely escaped her noticed until they were an arm's length away from her. When she returned her attention to her more immediate surroundings, Senka would discover that a small girl was standing immediately in front of her and delicately grasping a sealed envelope in both hands.

The girl had even the demonic fox beat in terms of smallness, with a Senka standing at least two inches taller than her. The rest of her features did little to make her stand out either and, combined with her general tininess, her pale skin, waist-length black hair, and plain white dress would've allowed her to easily disappear amidst the throng if she so desired. But now it was clear that she wanted to be seen, as she stood very intently in front of Senka and proffered the envelope for the kumiho to take.

"You're not from around here, I think," she stated rather than asked. "Please take this. It's a gift for weary travelers."
 

Astarte

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Senka kept her eyes on the people around her as she walked, sizing up potential marks just as they might believe they were doing to her, though she was careful not to let her gaze linger on anyone. It wouldn't do to let them realize she'd noticed any attention she was receiving, it might scare them off. Even if they didn't think she was a threat, they'd still have to worry about the possibility of her causing a commotion. She did spot at least one man who seemed to have taken the bait, though a quick glance as her eyes passed over him told her that he wouldn't make for a particularly good meal. Still, food was food, and she'd take a snack if it was offered.

Just as she was looking for a quiet street to make her way down, however, a girl she had somehow failed to notice interrupted her. Senka wasn't used to being caught off guard like this, and had to fight the urge to immediately go for one of her knives. She'd evidently been too focused on identifying potential targets that she had only been looking up, not down. That was something she'd have to correct, children could be good pickpockets, and while she had little coin to lose at the moment, she still had no intention of allowing herself to be robbed.

This girl did not seem to be that sort though, more likely a messenger of some kind. But whose attention had she attracted? It wasn't likely to be the local authorities noticing her demonic nature, they would have sent men with swords, not a girl with an invitation—and a quick look at the envelope revealed that it indeed contained nothing but a card of some sort, her eyes easily piercing through the outer layer to check for any sort of trickery.

"Ah. Thank you." Senka did her best not to allow her surprise show on her face or in her voice, accepting the envelope that was offered to her. "May I ask who this is from? I don't believe I know anyone in this town who would send me a gift." She asked, though she wouldn't press the issue if the girl declined to answer, and her words made it sound more like this was being given to her because she wasn't from around here, which was unusual. Already knowing that there was no hidden trickery in the envelope she was handed, she carefully opened it, examining the contents.
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = The small should fear the even smaller.
Rolls
Senka's perception: 3 successes.
Stealth: 4 successes (on a -2 check)

Unrelated perception thing: 1 success.
Senka does not have an associated lore trade skill, so she misses out on an automatic answer to a specific thing she noticed.

If the small girl noticed Senka's initial fight or flight reaction, or even the suspicion directed at her, she expertly avoided letting it show. She simply smiled and waited patiently as Senka scanned the envelope with her enhanced vision, finding nothing but a postcard-shaped piece of card stock inside, and then smiled almost imperceptibly more widely when the kumiho accepted it.

"A friend you haven't met yet," she replied unhelpfully to Senka's question, though she wouldn't leave it at that. "We understand how taxing it can be when one is so far from home. We simply wish to alleviate that for certain select travelers." The mysterious girl would curtsy following her explanation, and after straightening up she would clasp her hands in front of her thighs and go eerily still as she waited for the kumiho to open the envelope and read the contents. She went so still, in fact, that she could've been mistaken for a doll rather than a living being were it not for the hunter's keen senses, though even with those Senka could only barely detect the microscopic movements and almost inaudible noise created by the girl's soft breathing.

When the demonic traveler moved to open the gift, she would find a that red candle wax had been pressed with something circular with a square hole in the middle in order to create a seal and prevent anyone from tampering with the envelope undetected. Breaking that seal and inspecting the contents, Senka would find the postcard shaped item she'd seen when she scanned the envelope earlier. Removing the card and taking it into her hands, she would discover that it was made of ivory-colored card stock with gilded leaf patterns around the borders and similarly gilded font. If she chose to read it, she'd quickly find that it was a combination of an invitation and a ticket.

Weary Traveler,
You are cordially invited to the House of Many Tales.
When the moon is highest in the sky, let the invitation guide you to a place where you can remove your mask and relax free of worry.
We graciously await your company.​

After reading the card, Senka would also detect a slight spark of magic as an enchantment on it activated and flared into life. Rather than anything dangerous, it seemed to be a location or finding spell. The kumiho could feel the magic of the invitation guiding her somewhere in the western part of the city, though if she experimented she would find that the magic was only active while she was holding the card with her bare hands and that putting it away would at least temporarily extinguish the magic.

Perhaps more alarmingly though, when she looked to where the small girl had been standing the kumiho would find that the solicitor had disappeared seemingly into thin air. However, the girl had at least left one small trace. Using her keen tracking senses, Senka could still smell the barely distinguishable scent of the girl on the wind and might be able to follow her based on that. Her quarry would've had a head start, but the demonic traveler had plenty of experience when it came to hunting down people trying to escape her grasp.

But if she wasn't interested in pursuing either of those mysteries immediately, Senka could just as easily continue her search for a place to rest while she remained in the city, or explore anything else that might've caught her fancy.
 

Astarte

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Senka frowned slightly at the girl's words, not missing the hint they contained. It was possible that this was just the usual spiel for this girl, but if it was then it struck quite close despite coming from someone who should have known nothing about her. Not only that, but she could tell that this girl was not ordinary. When she was first approached Senka might have only been too distracted to notice, but now that she could directly observe the girl she could tell that it was more than that. The girl looked plain, but that only helped her blend in, and the way she moved was anything but amateurish. She was quiet enough that someone without senses like Senka's would barely hear her, and showed no discomfort while standing almost perfectly still. She was certainly experienced or had been trained for something, but Senka could only guess exactly what.

The contents of the card inside the envelope only further solidified her suspicions. Someone here knew something about her, or else this was a very strange coincidence. "remove your mask and relax free of worry" felt like a particularly pointed statement, though perhaps that was only because she had so many secrets to hide. That however raised the question of which secret they knew, if they in fact knew any at all. Unfortunately, it also made it difficult for her to decide how to approach this invitation, as she did not wish to reveal the wrong secret if it wasn't already known.

Her moment of distraction with the envelope and its contents also seemed to have been enough for the girl to slip away without her notice, causing Senka to frown even further. She'd been paying attention this time, and even a moment's distraction was enough for the girl to escape without her notice. She could most likely follow the girl's scent if she tried, but the fact that she'd managed to escape Senka's sight so quickly spoke of her abilities. That girl was certainly not normal, and it made her wonder what exactly she was being invited to if they employed someone like her as a messenger.

The invitation was not something Senka could ignore. Whether or not they actually knew anything about her, it had successfully piqued her interest. The invitation said "When the moon is highest in the sky", so it would most likely be too early to investigate now. That meant that she could continue with her previous plans for the time being. While she could try to track the girl, she still had other things to do. Stowing the invitation away with her other possessions, Senka scanned her surroundings one again to see if there was still anyone eyeing her who looked likely to come after her. If she spotted one, she would continue with her original plan of splitting off from the busier street to somewhere quieter, but if they'd given up after her encounter with the girl she'd simply continue her aimless walk until she felt that she'd hooked someone. All the while she kept her eyes out for places that she might want to stay the night.
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Literal H doujin guy bait.
Rolls
Stealth: 8 Successes.
??? Perception: -1 Success, 0 Successes.

Senka perception: 2 successes.

Scanning her surroundings following her odd encounter, Senka would find that the man who'd originally been watching her still had his eyes on her. Likewise, she'd find no difficulty at all in luring him as she began making her way into decreasingly populated parts of the city.

She found a side street that had no more than a tenth of the population of the market road and made her way down it. Carefully playing the part of prey, she kept a subtle eye on her surroundings and soon discovered that he'd clumsily followed her. He clearly thought himself a clever predator, peeking out from around a building to keep an eye on her, but he was out of his depth compared to her. He'd know that soon enough, but for now she could use his ignorance to set her trap directly under his nose. Or the nose of him and a comrade, Senka soon realized, as she noticed a shorter, stockier man who had conspicuously been nearer and nearer to her 'hunter' the more she isolated herself from the city's population.

While she didn't know the city by heart, her keen senses allowed her to find the most barren places nearby as she worked to lead them to their demises. She would be able to make her way to those isolated locations while feigning being a lost tourist, luring her pursuers deeper and deeper into streets and eventually alleyways with fewer witnesses. She was almost more spider than fox, weaving the web which would soon trap her meals. And as a side bonus, as she made her way to her improvised hunting grounds she even noticed an affordable and isolated inn which she might be able to seek accommodation at after she had fulfilled her hunger.

Soon after, she found an isolated alley which might be a functional place to perform the grisly work of capturing and preparing her lunch. While continuing to lead the pair of prey down an unpopulated portion of road in the backstreets, she spotted a cobblestone road to her left that led between two multi-story, seemingly abandoned buildings without any windows or doors overlooking the potential hunting ground. The path itself was no more than three feet wide from wall to wall and only progressed ten feet before reaching a dead-end made of a pile of literal garbage. Based on the sound of the footsteps behind her, she could be reasonably sure that if she went down the alley she would soon be 'cornered' by her intended meal. The only remaining questions were whether the place felt suitable for Senka to hunt and if she wanted to take the time to prepare the area in any meaningful way.
 
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Astarte

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It seemed her prospective target had taken the bait. As she turned onto a less populated street she noticed him training behind her, along with a friend. Just the one friend as far as she could tell, so she doubted that it would be a problem. Winding through the streets, acting like she was just taking in the sights—it helped that she was taking in the sights, she was still looking for a place to stay, and even found a decent option along the way—before adding some nervousness to her movements, glancing around a bit more frantically, as if she was lot and trying to figure out where to go. Finally, she turned into a deserted alley, a perfect place to corner someone. If her stalkers were more professional she'd worry about the effectiveness of putting herself in such an obviously vulnerable position, but these two seemed quite clumsy in their attempts to follow her, so they most certainly were not professionals.

Coming to a stop halfway through the alley, Senka pulled two of her longer knives from beneath the folds of her skirt, palming one in each hand so that the blades ran up from her hand and lay across her wrists, hiding them from casual observation. She waited until she heard noises from the mouth of the alley before curiously looking over her shoulder, twirling around once she spotted her targets with her hands behind her back, positioned as if they were clasped together.

"Ah! Do you know how to get back to the market from here? I think I've been walking in circles, I have no idea where I am right now..." Senka called out to them, putting on her best expression of naive innocence. She was watching them carefully though, ready to throw one of her knives the moment one got too close to her or made too aggressive a move. She wanted to lure them a bit deeper in before striking though, just in case they were smarter than they looked and one tried to run away once she showed her true colours.

Not attacking immediately, she'll respond first if they try to talk to her without immediately trying to grab her, but readying Sudden Shot with Deadly Aim if one of them tries to approach close enough to make a grab for her. Sudden Shot allows her to make an overwatch-type attack against an approaching enemy, with a stealth check (7d10) to make it count as a sneak attack. Also trading 10 points of Dodge to give her +10 Attack and Damage on the attack, leaving her at 14d10-9 Dodge. Assuming she's within the first range increment (15 Feet) for these numbers, if somehow she's not she loses 4 damage (just 4 damage total, not per increment), and 4 attack per extra range increment.

If she is successful with the sneak attack: 3d10+14d10+50 Attack, 125 Damage (Ignoring 5 AV plus all worn AV and any defensive bonuses from worn armour)

If she is not: 3d10+14d10+30 Attack, 6d8+25 Damage (Ignoring 5 AV)

Will also activate Terrify if she kills one with this attack.
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Slightly less stealthy than a Black Oak at the moment
Rolls
Preserved for future generations.
[23:05:33] <Internets> :: Total 29 / 70 [41%] :: Results [6, 10, 4, 1, 4, 3, 1] ::
Rerolling a 3 from Senka's talents
[23:06:09] <Hf> .d 1d10
[23:06:09] <Internets> :: Total 1 / 10 [10%] :: Results [1] ::
Rerolling a 1 from the Thief perk
[23:07:03] <Hf> .d 1d10
[23:07:03] <Internets> :: Total 1 / 10 [10%] :: Results [1] ::
[23:07:06] <Astarte> ...
[23:07:07] <Astarte> What

Senka's Stealth: 1 Success thanks to ignoring a single 1.

Perception: 1 Success and -1 Success. Tie so it goes in favor of the PC.

Surely enough, her two 'hunters' would follow her to the alleyway shortly after she went in. They 'cornered' her there, standing at the entrance to block her from being able to run past them. As she turned toward them, she would find them smirking at her. And when she asked her question of them, those smirks became grins. It at least seemed as if they were perfectly clueless that they were likely drawing their final breaths.

"Oh, little lady, m'afraid you stumbled into a pretty rough part of town, don't you know?" The stout one responded. "People come up missing in this part of town all the time, never to be seen again. Yer lucky we found ya! Would be a shame for something to happen to such a pretty little thing such as yerself."
"Yeah.... Yeah," the lanky young man added. "You kinda... got yourself into a pickle. Wandering around here, that is."
"Indeed! But like I said, yer very lucky! We can get you back to the market in no time. Before that though.... Y'know, working men such as ourselves have certain needs. Living here in the city is pretty expensive these days, what with all the unreasonable landlords. You look pretty well off, if'n you don't mind me saying, so maybe you'd find it in the generosity of your heart to donate a few coins to us for our trouble? You know how it is, surely. Coin makes the world go 'round."

For the time being, the two seemed content to remain at the mouth of the alley, not approaching the 'cornered' woman. While this meant that Senka was under no serious threat just yet, it also meant that she hadn't been able to draw them in as much she'd hoped. She could continue the act, if she liked, and perhaps try another ploy to get a more desired reaction out of them. Or with a flick of her wrists she could try and end their lives before they even had time to scream. The choice was up to Senka.
 

Astarte

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Just as she'd hoped, the two took the bait, buying into her act. Unfortunately, they seemed content to just block off the mouth of the alley rather than approaching her as she'd hoped. Still, she doubted they were the patient sort. If she stalled a little and didn't approach them, they'd likely grow tired of playing and resort to physically moving her to wherever they planned to take her—assuming they didn't simply plan to use this alley, which was just as likely, but would still require that they come to her.

She gave them a thoughtful look for a moment before replying, deciding to play the part of the merchant's daughter. It might even be good bait if they thought they could get a ransom for her too. "I'm sorry, my father handles the coin. He didn't give me any since I was only looking around the town, he said I could shop tomorrow. I'm sure he'd let me reward you with something if you helped me, though! We're staying in an inn near the main marketplace, if you could just direct me there..."

All the while she kept her grip on her knives, ready to throw them at a moment's notice, as soon as her targets moved close enough. She could probably take them out from here if she needed to, but she didn't want to risk being seen by anyone outside, or to have to drag their bodies down the alley.

Maintaining the same actions as last round
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Eviscerating the proletariat
Rolls
By rule of coinflip, the lanky one approaches first so Senka attempts to give him the business.
Senka's Stealth: 5 successes.
Lanky Thug's Perception: 2 successes. Fail.
Attack: 150.
Dodge: 46.
Damage: He ded.

Terrify DC: 17.
Stout Thug Willpower Result: 22. He does not fear this fluff, and so he attempts to enact the PUNCH OF VENGEANCE against her.

Stout Thug Attack roll: 43.
Senka's Dodge: 62.

"Tsk, shame on your father. Sending his lovely young daughter out into the city all alone without a coin," the stout thug responded. "But we're understanding sorts, and you seem like a good little lady, so we'll lead you back. Just hopin' you see fit to repay the favor when you're able." It seemed that Senka would finally have what she was after, as they began to approach her with grins still plastered across their faces. The lanky one was in the lead and so, when she decided they were close enough, he was the first to die.

It truly was as simple as that. A small motion of her arm and just the smallest flick of her wrist, and the lanky youth's journey was at its end. It was akin to a magic trick, the stout man watched Senka pocket his ally's life without a clue as to how she'd done it.

How could he have understood, after all. They had been walking toward her, a knife had seemingly exploded from inside his comrade's throat, and then the younger of the two had stumbled sideways into a wall from the demonic strength behind Senka's throw. Whatever the blade had pierced on its way in, he could not scream or cry or call for help. He only helplessly gurgled as he slid down the wall into a sitting position, his hands clutching at the implement as he seemed to be struggling between the panicked desire to rip out the intruding implement - as if that would undo the damage - and optimistically trying to hold his blood in as if help might arrive to save him. It wouldn't, of course. He closed his eyes soon after likely never to reopen them.

"Kid!" The stout man called out, no more aware of what to do in the situation than the dying man had been. He started to rush to the dying youth's side but his prey's instinct seemed to kick in and remind him that there was still a predator about. He would give a panicked look around, as if expecting to find some beast hiding behind Senka who'd been responsible for the attack, but when he couldn't find that imagined beast his eyes finally settled on the seemingly unassuming 'noble' girl. Senka would almost be able to taste his fear in the air.

But he didn't retreat. Somehow, he managed to overcome his terror enough to come charging at her with a wild haymaker. It was likely quite a sight, having a man on the verge of tears between his friend and his fear charging so clumsily while shouting at her. "I don't know how you did that, but you're going to pay for what you did to the kid! Take this, you bitch!"

Of course, such a clumsy attempt to seek revenge fell short. Senka needed to do little more than side step him, allowing him to harmlessly swing past her and nearly fall into the pile of garbage that had been behind her as he did so. The fight was likely all but over at that point, though the hunting kumiho would still likely want to be quick. Too much shouting would surely attract a crowd even in an isolated part of the city, and with the sun still overhead she'd have a hard enough time hiding her activities as it was.
 

Astarte

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The moment the first of the two men stepped close enough Senka's hand shot forward, the knife she'd been hiding burying itself in his throat. Senka allowed her previously carefully-maintained expression to shift into a grin as she watched him fall, the shock of the sudden reversal clearly evident. Before he'd even hit the ground she had already retrieved a third knife with her now-free hand, this time making no effort to conceal either of the weapons she was holding. It was actually new to see someone so concerned over someone she'd killed. Afraid or angry were normal, but grief was a new one. Perhaps she simply didn't normally go after the right targets to see it. She certainly hadn't had someone attack her in such a grief-stricken state before, so this was a fresh experience.

Regardless of his feelings, it wasn't as if she could simply stop now. He was being loud, and loud shouting tended to draw attention. Attention was something she didn't want during her meal. She twisted around his clumsy punch, shooting him an all-too-innocent looking smile as she stepped around him "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to follow strangers into dark, secluded places?" She spoke as if simply giving advice, but she didn't wait for a response before throwing the two knives in her hands simultaneously, at near point-blank range.

No sneak attacks this time, just using Deadly Aim and Rapid Fire to throw her two remaining heavy throwing blades:

3d10+11d10+20 Attack, 6d8+17 Damage each, Ignoring 5 AV. Senka takes a -10 Dodge penalty.

Attack penalty for making ranged attacks in melee range is included, and her dodge is the same as last turn, 14d10-9
 
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Hafnium

Hafnium

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: HP = 61, PP = 47, EP = 56, Status = Clearly not familiar with Miss Manners' rule about not murdering strangers in alleys herself.
Rolls
Senka's attack: 102.
Dodge: 46
Damage: 51 ignoring 5 AV. He ded.

Gain 2 EXP.

The stout man turned to face her and opened his mouth as if to retort to her remark, but the only noise that would escape him was a mixture of a grunt and all the air rushing out of him. The second of her collection of knives hit him in the chest before he even realized she had thrown it, likely piercing a lung, and the force behind the demon's throw was powerful enough to send him stumbling backward. But before he could even put his arms up to raise any kind of last ditch defense, the third dagger pierced his eye. The man was dead before he even landed on the slope of garbage.

The hunt was over. Senka had claimed her prey. But she wasn't safe, not yet. It was still light out and there was always the risk of someone stumbling by, even in such a remote part of the city. The fact that the man had gotten the chance to shout even a little bit didn't do her any favors either. She would have to be quick and methodical in her feeding if she wanted to minimize the risk of being disturbed.
 

Astarte

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Warning for readers:
Just a warning to anyone who might be reading this thread who is not already aware of the nature of the character, or of Kumiho in general. Senka eats people, which is what is happening here. Specifically, Kumiho can gain power from eating the hearts of slain enemies (though also any other bits, for a more temporary benefit). Not overly graphic about it, but wanted to leave a warning here just in case it caught anyone by surprise, since it might be unexpected if you didn't read her full character sheet.

As the second man fell, Senka paused for a moment, looking back towards the mouth of the alley and listening for any sounds of commotion outside, or anything else that might indicate someone had been attracted to the man's shouting, brief as it had been. She bent down to collect her knives as she did so, a quick application of basic magic—magic she'd learned entirely for this purpose—cleaning the blood from the blades before she returned them to their hidden sheathes.

As long as she hadn't heard any signs of anyone immediately coming to check, her next step was to ensure she wouldn't be noticed by anyone simply passing by. Picking out a particularly dark corner of the alley, she cloaked it in even deeper shadow, a veil of darkness impenetrable to the eye. That done, she dragged the two bodies under the veil, where she could see just fine, but nobody from the outside would see her. She needed to be quick, as the freshness of the body was important to her ability to absorb strength from them, but this was messy work.

Setting her bag down at her feet, on the least dirty patch of ground she could find, Senka proceeded to unlace and finally remove the dress she was wearing and carefully place it within to keep it from getting dirty or bloody. Blood stains were quite difficult to remove. This left dressed only in her undergarments—black and slightly lacy, much like her dress—stockings, shoes, and the numerous sheaths holding her knives strapped to her legs and arms, normally concealed by her clothing. Finally removing the bra and placing it along with her dress, she got to work.

Drawing one of her thinner knives she began to carefully cut open the chest of the first one, who the other had simply referred to as "kid". Her cuts were precise, her past experience in surgery evident, and darksteel blades could cut through the ribcage with reasonably little effort, preventing her from having to do any messy breaking. With that, the heart was uncovered, and she set to severing it from the body. This was the messiest part, as even though it had already stopped beating the man still had blood in his veins and heart itself, quickly dying her hands red before she finally removed her prize. She let her instincts take over and her body return to its natural state, fox-like ears and tail taking their normal place on her body once again and—more importantly—the sharp fangs that bit into the heart in her hands.

Sighing contentedly as she finished the first part of her meal, she repeated the process with the second. She wasn't full yet, however. She unfortunately had to be a bit picky as she couldn't keep the bodies for later, and she certainly couldn't eat everything before her, but there were a few bits she was particularly fond of. The livers were next, and with that Senka felt sated, between the two of them. The bodies remained remarkably intact, her cuts made precisely to only get at what she wanted. To whoever found them, it would certainly look like the work of someone aiming to harvest their organs, though she doubted they'd guess her reasons.

Once she finished with her meal, she quickly rifled through the pockets of the two dead men for coins or any other valuables. She wasn't expecting much, based on the look of them, but she might have some pocket change she could pay for her lodgings with. Otherwise she'd have to find another source of coin before night fell. Another application of water magic would serve to rinse the blood from her body and any valuables she might have found, before she once more shapeshifted into her human form and redressed herself, ready to leave her victims behind.

She didn't want to be seen walking out of this alley, just in case anyone happened to look in afterwards and see the bodies, so before releasing the patch of supernatural darkness she'd created, she let herself sink into the shadows, emerging in a secluded spot on the opposite side of the street, from which she stepped out after making sure the coast was clear, and began to make her way back the way she'd originally come.

Using a few spells/powers here. First is a casting of Clean (and then again later). DC1 but her base casting is only 2d10, though she can use dedicated concentration to make that 6d10 by trading away her dodge (If it even needs to be rolled, since it's a 0 EP level 1 spell and she can just retry if she manages to fail)

Following that by using Patch of Darkness to create her privacy curtain in a dark corner where it ideally won't be easy to notice as being unnatural darkness at a glance, and having her meal. At worst, it'll let her react if someone does notice, and they won't be able to identify her. This costs 5 EP and 1 Upkeep.

Assuming she makes it this far without interruption, once she cleans up she'll use Shadowstalker (Also costing 5 EP) to teleport to somewhere nearby that's relatively out of sight. Assuming there's nobody waiting out on the street, she'll just continue from there so she isn't seen leaving murder alley.

If she still gets the temporary buff from Feast of Flesh on top of the heart-specific ones, she'll take the Dodge buff I guess.
 
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