Forged in the Dark

A blog for all things Forged in the Dark: from Blades in the Dark, to Scum & Villainy, to Girl By Moonlight. Tracks #Forged in the Dark

[raving-luna]

Space opera system musings

I am considering what system to use to run my next campaign. I am a little burnt out on fantasy, so I am probably going to do something sci-fi. However, my players don't want it to be depressing, so I can't lean too heavily into Cyberpunk or Post-apocalypse stuff. I want to run something more narrative focused with lots of creative freedom, but I am a little apprehensive about trying to find new players with that kind of system.

Here are the top three I am considering at the moment:

Otherscape - a Mist Engine game. It's incredibly flexible, and I would run a Space Opera campaign with it. However, it's incredibly dense, and takes a lot of skill to run and play well. Characters can be so interesting, though, with how themes work.

Star Scoundrels - a space opera version of Freeform Universal. This is basically "Otherscape Light". It has all the freedom of Otherscape, but is a lot lighter, and simpler to run/play. Characters are not as deep/detailed as Otherscape though.

Scum & Villainy - space opera hack of Blades in the Dark. Much more focused than the other two. This might make it easier to get new players on the same page, but sacrifices some of the flexibility. It's a really good system though.

[thedantianinitiative]

The Dantian Initiative

A xianxia/wuxia TTRPG using the Forged in the Dark system by EDEWorks.

Currently in development with dev logs, lore, and previews posted on Ko-fi and here on Tumblr. The project itself is slowly ongoing as I have time, inspiration, and time.

Once development has progress, playtesting, materials and games, will be opened up. Stay updated by following here and on other socials.

See you soon, disciples!

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Blades in the Dark Idea: your character’s vice is an obsession with some kind of ongoing media. Penny dreadfuls? A radio drama? Maybe a book series that’s close to its final volume? You spend hours re-reading and theorizing about what happened and where the story is going, trying to track down apocryphal editions that support your ideas. Overindulge in your vice, and you might get metaphorically trapped in a fantasy world, literally trapped in your conspiracy stringboard, or arrested while confronting the author in a tea shop.

I think there’s some good plot hooks and NPC connections here! Who can you meet among the literary fandom of Doskvol? Who’s your vice purveyor, who doesn’t just get you the latest issue of Sharkman vs Dr. Phantasm but convinces you to research the actual bite strength of a shark to see which of them would win?

[onlessdev]

Trans Day of Visibility

ttrpg meme edition

i will not apologize for how cheesy these are

(featuring Girl by Moonlight, Defy the Gods, Thirsty Sword Lesbians and Pathfinder!)

[bryanharryrombough]

Welcome to Dream Pod 9

Wil Hutton & Logan Rollins' Tribes in the Dark ―a Forged in the Dark edition of the post-apocalyptic Tribe 8 TTRPG― is on sale now.

Was a big fan of the original Tribe 8 setting, though Dream Pod 9's house system, Silhouette, didn't feel like a great fit. Forged in the Dark should be a better one.

[powernappin]

and it's my whole heart burned but not buried this time

tried out an experimental style for fun! guys will do anything except draw ref sheets for artfight

[thedantianinitiative]

Restricted Abyssal Record | The Return of Daji

Addendum: Mortal Court Jurisdiction Dispute Clearance: Lead Archivist Clearance Only Circulation beyond Abyssal Archives is punishable by erasure.

Subject: Daji, Leader of the Fox Clan Charge: Attempted Murder, Murder, Identity Fraud, Sect Concealment, Heretical Cultivation Practices within Mortal Jurisdiction

From the notes of Adjudicator Xu of the Ministry of Justice:

“The accused entered the Mortal Court under the stolen identity of Guan Yazhu, the second daughter of the Holy Turtle Clan. She assumed the position of one of the nine Imperial Concubines within the Inner Court. Using heretical magic, poison, and influence gained by false identity, she bewitched the Emperor and rose to the position of Honorable Consort. She exerted influence over appointments, military advisement, and led to the deaths of countless officials and concubines.” “The accused concealed her identity as an Abyssal Sect Master and as a jiuweihu, a nine-tailed fox. It is believed that she siphoned court resources and possibly the spirits of the deceased to strengthen her inner core.”

Declaration of Execution:

By order of the Ministry of Justice, by the authority of the Emperor Huanglong, the convicted is to be executed publicly at the center gate of the Outer Court on the twenty fourth day of the seventh month. 

Notes attributed to proxies of the Celestial Adjudicator under the authority of the Heaven Sect.

“The Court of the Yellow Dragon is within its rights to administer justice to those who violate the boundaries of their law.”“Execution is the precedent within the Mortal Sect for the crimes committed by Daji. However, should the Demon King contest the ruling, the Celestial Adjudicator advises restraint to avoid escalation.”

Formal Reclamation Decree of Heilong:

“Lady Daji of the Fox Clan is Abyss-born and Abyss-bound. Her actions, however objectionable and unacceptable to the Mortal Sect and its government, fall under the jurisdiction of the Abyss. No court other than that of her birth possesses authority to execute one of my clan leaders. The Abyss will retrieve its own.”

“The execution is to be commuted and the convicted is to be remanded into the custody of Lord Boroobold of the Tiger Clan. The Mortal Sect will retain its right of public denunciation of Lady Daji.”

“Let it be known. The Abyss does not abandon its own.”

The seal affixed to the decree is that of the Demon King, Heilong, Son of the Chthonic Pearl, Sovereign of the Underworld.

Record of Political Exchange

The Mortal Court accepted commutation of the sentence to avoid escalation between the Abyss and Mortal Sects. Heaven registered no formal objection and remained silent. 

After Lady Daji was escorted to the North, many Abyssal patrols in the contest territory, the Forsaken Expanse, withdrew as a sign of goodwill. Several gambling dens and businesses were found deserted and evidence was uncovered that they were intelligence operations under orders of the Fox Clan. 

Lady Daji was presented to Lord Boroobold at the border without visible injury. She displayed a silent, steady confidence, no overt triumph or contrition. The mortal who delivered her, General Shui, hid his anger well.

Sealed Report from the Spider Clan

Written by Lady Zolzaya, member of the Spider Clan’s Intelligence Network.

Upon returning to main camp, a physical examination was done by Abyssal healers. They found her core intact, stable, and thriving. When questioned by a curious, but foolish healer about how she could have been caught, Lady Daji merely stated after patting his cheek:

“The weak will always fear what they cannot understand or control.”

The healer was found dead, strewn across the camp two days later. 

Lady Daji, once she was in her private ger, expressed continued ambition despite the ‘perceived loss’ in the mortal capital. She spoke at length and in great detail of how dull it had been and how she imagined the Demon King was far more strapping and virile than the human Emperor ever could be. It appears as if our King continues to be the object of her obsession. Several members of other clans spoke in praise of Lady Daji’s cunning and their gladness of her survival. While the happiness stems from the decree of our king, it is clear that Lady Daji holds much sway even after her long absence. 

Recommendation: Contain Lady Daji by keeping her under continued monitoring and close at court. Direct elimination is inadvisable. High risk of martyrdom. 

Notable anomaly:

Part of the Fox Clan retinue arrived, including Ireedüi, her son. Lady Daji kept him close as she was debriefed and recovered. Ireedüi recently requested access to restricted primordial texts from the Abyssal Archives. Request denied. Immediate monitoring recommended.

Archive Footnote 14-A: 

Historical precedent indicates that periods of heightened Abyssal ambition often precede the emergence of mysterious and anomalous cultivators, events, or prophetic realizations. Correlation not yet to be confirmed. Further inquiry into primordial source texts has been restricted by order of the Demon King.

Sealed Sovereign Audience

[SEALED BY DEMON KING AUTHORITY]

Portions of this audience record have been removed.

Recovered fragments:

Daji: “The power of the Abyss still is strong even after these few years. And yet…I felt something amiss when I crossed into the steppes.” Heilong: [REDACTED] Daji: “You rule because no one else can. But what happens when the flame grows cold?” [EXTENSIVE REDACTION] Heilong: “Your crime is not ambition. Your overreach is.”

Audience concluded without disciplinary action.

Filed under Abyssal Archive Authority. Unauthorized duplication punishable by erasure.

[avalynramsaygames]

For those who have had a look at or tried Time Passes, what do you think is most urgently missing from the document?

Time Passes - PLAYTEST by Austin Ramsay

Heroes face a generational threat, and the Immortal that will remember the fallen.

[thedantianinitiative]

「 ✦ Dev Log #01 | Foundations ✦ 」

The Dantian Initiative centers around cultivation, identity, and consequence. As I've started to delve into major development, I wanted reimagine and retool many aspects of the Forged in the Dark SRD to fit the puzzle pieces together. First, I decided to focus on character creation with a focus on playbooks and the twelve actions. 

「 ✦ Action List Update ✦ 」

The original twelve actions were as follows:

Attune

Command

Consort

Finesse

Hunt

Prowl

Skirmish

Study

Survey

Sway

Tinker

Wreck

Since Blades in the Dark's setting is based around the players being in a crew of scoundrels and thieves, I wanted to flavor the actions to the new setting of magic, gods, and sects. I decided to adjust the actions and divide them into three separate sections based on the three major sects of the world: Heaven, Mortal, and Abyss. These replace and follow the Insight, Prowess, and Resolve sections from the original playbooks.

Heaven Sect

Cultivate

When you Cultivate, you focus and hone the otherworldly power you seek.

Cultivation is a major part of  the xianxia/wuxia genres with the idea of cultivating enough power to ascend to immortality so this action was given. Depending on the playbook and focus of cultivation, this fits into the original actions of Attune and Tinker. 

Contemplate

When you Contemplate, you ponder the world around you and search for the answers.

Contemplate is a play on Study from the original action list mixed with a hint of Investigation (from DND 5e). Pondering and searching for information can be internal or even external depending on what the situation calls for. 

Detect

When you Detect, you use all your senses to discern and perceive your surroundings.

An action based on Survey and (partially) Hunt, I wanted to give have an action that was perception based, but could also be enhanced by certain playbooks and levels of power.

Foretell

When you Foretell, you open your mind to prophecy and predictions to foresee what could and will be. 

Another Attune adjacent, this action specifically deals with fate and soothsaying. A roll can herald a future of possibilities of feast or famine.

Mortal Sect

Wield

When you Wield, you employ your skills to use weapons and artifacts with precision and accuracy.

I can see an argument being made that Wield and Strike could be one in the same. However, Wield is meant to follow the idea of handling weapons and artifacts that may have not been used before or require knowledge yet to be unlocked. 

Strike

When you Strike, you engage in combat whether a magical duel or a fight against monstrosities.

Strike is based off both Skirmish, Finesse, and Wreck with the understanding that combat can be begun in blind fury or calm collection. The choice of how you enter combat can cause effects to positions for the roll. 

Navigate

When you Navigate, you move through this world in your way. Whether it is through elegant grace or quiet stealth, is up to you.

Navigate falls in line with Prowl and Hunt as well as adding some broader possibilities of evasion and even acrobatic feats.

Improvise

When you Improvise, you think on your feet and adapt quickly to what Fate throws at you.

This action was specifically put into the Mortal Sect as a nod to the quick thinking humanity has always had. It serves as an option for you to think on your feet especially if other actions don't seem to align with what you want to do. 

Abyss Sect

Connect

When you Connect, you bond, inspire, and converse with those around you.

Connect draws on the action Consort. I wanted to allow for characters to talk with NPCs and comrades in ways that are positive leaning.

Withstand

When you Withstand, you hold fast and endure the hardship that Fate has wrought.

Withstand highlights the fortitude of many cultivators of the genre. Often, when attempting to ascend, tribulations and trials occur from the Heavens.

Rebel

When you Rebel, you directly fight against Fate and defy the control of others. 

While Withstand and Rebel deal with Fate, Rebel is an open defiance to opposition. It could be a physical, mental, or emotional rebellion.

Pressure

When you Pressure, you intimidate, coerce, or perhaps even overpower those around you. 

The contrast to Connect and inspired by Command, Pressure can be used to strike fear into the hearts of enemies or would be betrayers. It can even be used as a form of manipulation.

「 ✦ The Dantian Initiative's Future ✦ 」

Within the Dantian Initiative, the cultivators you create are defined by purpose. They will face tribulations and trials caused by fate, consequences, and the world around them. Every choice made is a declaration of intent for the future they wish to forge. 

Future updates will be when and as I'm able. For the new folks who don't follow my X/Twitter, I'm gonna do things for myself from now on. I will be showcasing playbooks, cultivation advancement, and future campaign playtesting. Some stories and other lore tidbits will also be posted here occasionally. 

[the-art-block]

PARTY 2025 ✨✨✨

All of my PCs from the ttrpgs I've played in this year! They are getting on a plane and they are going somewhere warmer and calmer. If you see them waiting at your gate it is very important that you do not board that flight.

I feel so grateful and fortunate to have as many awesome table top friends as I do, and I cannot wait to see what we all get into together in 2026!

The Characters - starting from Bottom Left

Saunter - They/Them The Leech | Blades in the Dark | GM @renaissancebadboy

Red the Cannibal - He/Him Gith Wizard | Spelljammer PbtA: The Greatest Prize | GM @syntheticmortal

Harper - She/Her Toreador Alleycat | VtM: São Paulo by Night | GM @klaciate

Alzagir - She/Her Hobgoblin Paladin | PbtA: Solar Bastion | GM @syntheticmortal

Gregory "Graycub" Montblanc - He/Him Shadow Lord Ahroun | WtA: Mountain Law | GM @syntheticmortal

Kvana Firstaway - She/Her Goliath Fighter | Spelljammer PbtA | GM @syntheticmortal

Tally Carver - He/Him Halfling Ranger | PbtA: Three Perfect Wishes | GM @syntheticmortal

I wanted to do more with this lil poster but I ran out of time! I will probably revisit this with full color sometime soon, but I do want to put this up before the New Year arrives!

Remember to enjoy yourselves and start anew!!

[transmisc2]

i drew fanart of the player characters from the court of blades game i’m running!! my players are all wonderful creatives and so fun to have at the table. 🥲🖤🦷👑

[ur-fav-is-autistic]

In case I haven't suggested her already, Lilith Cappellanaga from Oxventure Blades in the dark is autistic. If I have, please ignore this message.

Lilith Cappellanaga from Oxventure: Blades in the Dark is Autistic!

[verminfuneral]

sometimes the only road to take is the darkest [oc]

[theresattrpgforthat]

On the Conventions of Genre: Protect the Child and Hopeful Storytelling.

You might put them in the wrong dimension or have to talk them down after a nightmare, but at the end of the day... The Kid is going to be Okay.

The following is my first attempt to talk about a concept I hope to communicate in my tabletop roleplaying game Protect the Child, but might be helpful for other tabletop games as well.

In the Romance genre, there are a number of tried-and-true conventions that aficionados have come to expect and enjoy. One of the most important conventions is that of the Happily Ever After. The relationship of the couple is strained, put at stake, but a well-versed audience knows that by the end of the story, love will win out. Heated Rivalry & Bridgerton are two of the most mainstream, iconic representations of this - and due to their launch into the mainstream, are introducing new audiences to these conventions.

Ice Age. Monsters Inc. Star Wars: Bad Batch. Nimona, The Mandalorian, Tokyo Godfathers. If you look close enough, Lion King 1 & 1/2. These are not romance movies, but they share certain conventions within their own genre, a mix of "lone wolf & cub" and "found-family" tropes. Protect the Child draws from these genres in a couple of ways, especially in how the playbooks are constructed: the characters are jaded, hurt and emotionally-stunted, with arcs that are meant to propel them upward as you play. The Child is special and carries within them a special power that both gives them autonomy and puts a large target on their back. Their mechanics are meant to represent how children learn various lessons from the adults in their life, often not exactly the lessons that those parents hoped to impart. The Child in these stories also manages to teach their guardians something about themselves that previously went unaddressed.

But there's another trope in these stories that can be harder to communicate in a roleplaying game without stating it plainly to you, before you sit down and play this game. It is this:

The Kid is going to be Okay.

The thing about genre is that it isn't just storytelling's shorthand; it's also a tool for talking about concepts that are incredibly important to us as people. Science-fiction is a medium that places incredibly complex modern problems in a setting that is divorced enough from reality to allow us to engage with these problems without making them feel too personal. Romance is a fantasy that can allow its participants to communicate about the needs and desires they have surrounding intimacy, vulnerability and power. Protect the Child, and the media that inspired it, is a fantasy of its own, and (if you let it), it can be about something that is in its own way, incredibly complex and vulnerable - your childhood.

Genres also have tropes and patterns that allow you to enjoy the story, even if you're familiar with them; just because you know the ending will be happy doesn't mean that the journey to get there isn't worth watching. The formula doesn't take away from the value of the story; we draw value from how the storyteller works within it.

When picking up games similar in style to Protect the Child, an oft-repeated mantra is that you are playing "to find out." This is what makes roleplaying games as a hobby distinct from media such as movies and television. You sit down to discover the story as you go along, and even in games that are steeped in genre, like Brindlewood Bay, MASKS, and Slugblaster, the end is not written before you reach it. The joy of the experience is telling the story as you make it up.

To some extent in Protect the Child, this is true. However, before you start playing, it is very important that you recognize that you are not playing to find out if the Child is going to survive The Horrors; instead, you are playing to find out how the Child survives. Your Child is going to doubt themself; they are going to rush into danger, get mixed up in complicated situations, and get their heart broken. But at the end of the story…

…the Kid is going to be Okay.

Character bleed is a common accessory to roleplay; pieces of our characters seep into us, and pieces of us leech into our characters. There are a number of opportunities hidden underneath the dice rolls and downtime scenes to plant a minefield of moments that are close to home. I don't think this is a bad thing. There are plenty of instances in which I have rejoiced that this in fact, happens. At the same time, I think it's an incredibly vulnerable thing, and as a result, it's important to be prepared for that possibility.

Part of this preparation exists in the conversation you have during your Session Zero. This conversation should go over the Concept, Aim, Tone & Subject Matter of your version of Protect the Child. What do you want the story to be about? What kinds of outcomes are you hoping to see as you play? What real-world topics might show up as you play, and how do you want to navigate them?

In Lily's Angels you might touch on transphobia, religious trauma, or police violence. In Digital Glitch you might talk about ownership, medical debt, or disability. Your Session Zero is a chance to outline your boundaries on these topics, and make decisions about how they are going to be portrayed and how these elements might affect your characters.

When it comes to the kids in these settings, you as a table should affirm that the threat of harm will likely saturate the background of the story, but it will never actually come to the fore-front. The cops might chase you, but they'll never actually get a chance to hurt Lily. The shady laboratory might imply with their needles or Bunsen burners, but you will always be able to prevent them from putting Nova on the operating table. When you fail, the adults could get hurt, the Child might learn the wrong lesson, or perhaps a relationship is strained… but any threat that is too close to home can be averted.

The Kid is going to be Okay.

The danger in this scene is present, but we know that at the end, the kid is going to be fine.

Protect the Child is, in part for all of those kids I know that did not get a happy childhood. But this game is not meant to be a memorial; it is meant to be a gift. It is a chance for us to give the Child a safe and stable family that assures them that they are loved, and in turn, it gives us a chance to help ourselves conceptualize a family that we very much deserve. It is a game of danger and heartbreak and struggle, but it is also meant to be a hopeful story. It is a chance to give the storytellers and the audience the ending that they wanted.

Regardless of whether or not the game you are playing is Protect the Child, having these conversations before you start play gives you the ability to dive in deeper & closer to personal vulnerabilities with the assurance that your companions aren't trying to be malicious. This concept isn't new to the scene; I highly recommend reading about Meguey Baker's philosophy of I Will Not Abandon You Does Not Equal Nobody Gets Hurt, and the linked description of PH Lee's Luxton Technique. And the next time you sit down to play, consider making sure that everyone at your table knows what genre you're playing in, and what kinds of beats everyone can expect to see within that genre.

Also… maybe try out Protect the Child? I promise you, the Kid is going to be Okay.

[eliainside]

I might have started playing Blades in the dark. I know, me playing something that is not DnD?! Incredible. But a couple of my friend bullied me into trying it and I’m liking it so far.

Sirio got traumatised in his first session so I say we are doing good. My little levathan enthusiast is ready to cry and make friends with the worst people immaginary

[malhavok]

Chester Gub Kinser and Angie Kinser

Art by Seabones

Art by Me<3<3<3

Chester Gub and Angie are honestly some of the most fun chaotic characters I’ve gotten to play around with in ages. They came out of a basically rules free rp, anything goes type thing. Anyone could fuck with the main plot and the others had to go along with it.

Cross Plains, Texas is the town of choice for this rp, the Robert E. Howard house being part the original reason. Author of Conan the Barbarian and father of pulp fiction, it was a big jumping off point for the kind of stories we’d be telling.

The framework of the story telling was through the radio station KINO 670AM, where Oscar Kline is the host and the rest of us “call in” in between songs. It’s a very fun starting point.

Gub here was introduced first, got in around session 3, and I came in with a wild addition to the town.

Chester Gub Kinser owns The Rodeo, hot bed of activity in town, willing to rent out to basically any group. Of course it does function as a controlled area for equestrian activity, but very quickly I realized that anything funny should be true, so I made Wednesday nights “Adults Only night, where you can ride more than horses” and we all agreed it’s active.

This set the tone for Gub, he became a kind of every man. A wide set of skills gained no one’s quite sure where, he’s looked the same for ages, and is the nicest guy you know. The trans part only came about a bit ago. It wasn’t part of his character at the start, but the idea came into my head and wouldn’t leave, so I had to take it as fact. I like it for him, I’m glad he finally got me to realize it.

Angie Kinser came around a good while later in the story. In which Oscar Kline is asked to DJ at the high school prom, I needed a character who had a reason to be there. It was that point Angie decided to take over my head. Chester Gub’s niece, a small chaos child was what this rp needed.

Her story is simpler by din of being a lot younger than Gub. Real close to Gub cause her mom’s not great and dad’s not in the picture, she has pretty much free range of town until the evening so she is known. Some ambiguous issues that don’t have labels yet, I’m basically playing her like a young me.

She’s honestly a personal favorite, it’s hard to describe why without even further ranting.

I’ve loaned Gub out as an npc to my buddy Fezman, he plays Oscar Kline, for the sake of a Slugblaster campaign he was running set in the same universe. I had influence over his actions still, and even recorded some dialogue and singing for the time loop episode and ending cd compilation respectively.

That’s kinda the end of my current ocs thoughts, hope yall enjoyed

[victorluvsalice]

Not-Incorrect Valicer Quotes, Valicer In The Dark Edition, Volume VI

Victor: [walking down the hall toward the gang's living room]

Smiler: [unseen, from the kitchen] Hi Victor!

Victor: Hi Smiler!

Smiler: [coming out of the bedroom on the opposite side of the hall] Oh, hi Victor!

Victor: [pause]

Victor: [looks at Smiler, then at the kitchen archway, then at Smiler again] Er -- did you learn how to throw your voice?

Smiler: [puzzled] No...

Alice: [emerges from the living room] What's going on?

?Smiler?: [still unseen in kitchen] Hi Alice!

Alice: [starts, looks at kitchen archway, then at the clearly baffled Smiler standing in the hallway with her] What the...

Victor: I -- I-I don't sense anything other than Elder Gutknecht... [cautiously enters the kitchen, followed by Alice and Smiler]

Sooty: [is sat on the lip of the cauldron in there, watching them]

Smiler: [waves] Hi Sooty!

Sooty: [IN A PERFECT IMITATION OF SMILER'S VOICE] Hi Smiler!

Victor: [nearly jumps out of his skin]

Smiler: [starts backward into Alice, eyes wide]

Alice: The fuck?!

Sooty: [laughs just like Smiler]

Elder Gutknecht: [floats in through the wall] What's going on down here?

Sooty: [still imitating Smiler] Hi Elder!

Elder Gutknecht: Oh, you've learned how to do that.

Victor, Alice, and Smiler: What???

Elder Gutknecht: Ravens can imitate human voices.

Victor, Alice, and Smiler: What?!?!

--

Smiler: [doing the usual song-and-dance of introducing the trio to a fellow scoundrel] Alice here is our Cutter, Victor our Whisper, and I'm the Slide and the Leech!

Scoundrel: [stares at them a moment, then looks at Victor] Er -- aren't you Victor Van Dort? Son of the canned fish guy?

Victor: [slight grimace] I -- don't like to acknowledge that anymore, but -- yes.

Scoundrel: [turning to Alice] And you're Alice Liddell, right? The girl from Rutledge that the Doskvol Illustrated was always going on about?

Alice: [folding her arms] I'm a little less mad and thus a little less interesting to reporters now, but that's me.

Scoundrel: [back to Smiler] And you're the one with those Advocate people -- Smiler Alton? Got that 'Happy Serum' product everyone loves?

Smiler: [big grin] Joy Serum, but yes, that's me!

Scoundrel: ...how do any of you actually get away with any crime?

Alice: We're very good.

--

[at the Kingsleigh Manor in Brightstone]

Adelaide Kingsleigh: [enters her father's study to see a tall dark-haired gentleman in a long blue coat going through the safe, gasps]

Gentleman: [freezes]

Adelaide: [immediately leans up against the doorway in her most seductive pose, undoing a button on the front of her dress] Oh -- a gentleman thief in my house! Now that I've caught him, I wonder if he shall descend upon me and ravish me before I call for the guards!

Gentleman: ...

Gentleman Victor: [turning around with narrowed eyes] The last time we met, you said that a woman would have to be insane to want to kiss me.

Adelaide: [stares because this was not how this encounter was supposed to go]

Alice: [suddenly appearing and putting a knife to Adelaide's throat before any screaming for the guards can happen] Well, I suppose you can be slightly satisfied by the fact that the woman currently kissing him has spent considerable time in a madhouse. Let it be a balm to the loss of all your jewelry.

Smiler: [also appearing on the scene, wetting a rag with slumber essence] Yeah, we actually took this job specifically because of the whole masquerade incident where you laughed in his face when he tried to ask you for a dance, so... [grins as they press the rag over her face] Consequences!

Adelaide: [lets out one muffled protest before slumping unconscious]

Alice: [to Victor] Did she really say that about someone wanting to kiss you?

Victor: Yes, and I happen to know that necklace she's wearing was valued at two Coin.

Smiler: Excellent, let's start with that.

--

Victor: [up in the tower library, sitting in his favorite armchair, pouring over a scroll with narrowed eyes]

Alice: [appearing at the top of the stairs and knocking on the banister to announce herself, Smiler behind her] Victor? We have lunch!

Smiler: [peering around her] What are you studying?

Victor: [jumping slightly and giving himself a shake] Oh -- sorry, I must have lost track of time... [stands up and shows them the scroll as they approach] It's a new ritual spell I found tucked away in one of the Elder's books, "Toll of the Dead." Allows one to enchant a bell so that, when you ring it, it'll sound like the Bellweather Spirit Bell. It's supposed to paralyze all that hear it with dread over their own mortality.

Alice: Oh -- sounds like it might be useful to keep us out of a fight. Though wouldn't that attract the attention of the Deathseeker Crows?

Victor: That is something that I was worried about, yes...but I'm honestly more worried about the fact that it says "all that hear it."

Alice: ...right, that would be a problem.

Smiler: Surely whoever came up with that spell would have at least made sure to exclude themselves, right?

Victor: Until I can be sure, if I do decide to try this spell, we're all carrying earplugs.

--

Smiler, Alice, and Victor: [being chased by a couple of Bluecoats after a job, whip around a corner in the maze of alleys]

Bluecoat #1: [reaches the same corner and find a couple of smaller alleys leading off in different directions just beyond it] Damn it! Where'd they go?

Bluecoat #2: [ventures out a few steps, slapping his cosh against his hand] Come on -- give yourselves up now and we won't even break any fingers.

Smiler's Voice: [from the left-hand alley] Ha ha ha!

Bluecoat #1: [grabbing her fellow officer's sleeve] This way! [drags him off into the left-hand alley]

[Silence]

Sooty: [flies out of the left-hand alley and into the right-hand one, landing on Smiler's shoulder as the trio hide in a doorway]

Smiler: [pets the bird's head] Good Sooty.

Sooty: [still in Smiler's voice, bobbing up and down] Good Sooty.