"Phew, another week, another session, ain't that right Histy?" says Neptune, sipping on some juice.
"Right. I think I said that we'll start back to Keydento."
"Yeah, you did. Though, wouldn't the gems continue to have effects while we're travelling..?"
"Well... uh... you did all hide it back in the village."
"Oh yeah, we did! We'll head back to town, grab some researchers or whoever, to figure out the gemstone."
Histoire nods quietly. She looks towards the clock, noting the time. The others should be here soon. She checks one more time the state of the table, and as usual, everything's there, she even placed their sheets ahead of time to their usual seating arrangement. Scratching her head with the butt of a pencil, she struggles to think of what to do in this session. She found herself busy the last week, and it was already too late to call the session off. Perhaps a lighthearted session, allow them to explore the world for a bit, while the gemstones are being investigated on their behalf?
"I guess that could work..." she whispers to herself.
"Did ya say somethin' Histy?"
"Nothing important, don't worry. Anyway, get yourself ready, we're about to start."
"Right, lemme just grab Nepgear..."
Neptune leaves the table, leaving Histoire alone with her thoughts. Histoire sighs deeply, and thinks about a nice small festival for their characters to relax a bit and possibly make this hook into the yellow gemstone, somehow.
A few minutes later, Neptune returns with Nepgear, wiping her face with a towel, some of her hair wet from, what Histoire guesses is washing her face to wake herself up. Nepgear waves slightly to Histoire as she takes her usual seat next to Neptune.
"So, how are you feeling Miss Nepgear?"
"Oh! Um, well I took a nap just so I'm sure I won't be feeling sleepy if the session ever goes too late..."
"I see, that's all well and good, your sheet should be there, and everyone else should arrive here soon."
Nepgear picks up her sheet, and looks over it. "Miss Histoire, do you think we could get new sheets, or maybe should we go with a soft copy of our sheets instead?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Well, if we keep erasing and replacing the numbers on our sheets, it'd get really dirty. A soft copy like on my..." Nepgear pulls out the small device on her thigh. "Well, this, I think it'd be easier to keep track of, wouldn't it?"
"That's true, erasing and replacing the numbers on your sheets would eventually make it dirtier, if that's the case I'll just re-print new ones. Regarding about using digital copies, it feels more ... erm, how do I say this? It feels more ... real? Like how it still feels better to be reading a book rather than an e-book? Or perhaps, I'm just old fashioned."
"Hm... I think I know what you mean..."
"Although, I will keep digital copies of everyone's sheets, that would make it easier to replace them if somehow we spill water on the sheets, but knowing that still be careful around your sheets."
As the two discuss, the familiar ding of the elevator indicating visitors interrupt their discussion. The elevator doors open, and in comes the others. They all take their seats, and as how Histoire organized their sheets, they take their seats accordingly. Histoire pumps her fist in her mind.
Histoire clears her throat, "Alright, everyone is here, so how is everyone?"
"We're fine, Lady Histoire," says Noire. "Just the usual work, papers, and all that."
"Same here," says the others, nodding their heads.
"Alright, now, where did we leave off from last week?"
"Ah, I do believe we would end up in Keydento, as the trip back would be somewhat uneventful," says Vert.
"Right, okay then, so the party is in Keydento, their caravan master, Creed, wishes them a good day, and he does his business. What does the party want to do now?"
"Well, Sir Puddington would like to return to Mayor Manual, and report what happened to that abandoned town."
"Okay, the party arrives to Mayor Manual's office, where he is seen signing off documents. He looks up and sees the party, he looks like he's looking for something from the group."
"Sir Puddington will greet the mayor, ahem, 'Ah, Mayor Manual, we just got back from the abandoned town, and cleared the place out, now you might be wondering why we got here empty handed, well, the thing is, the gemstones may easily affect the entire town if we bring them back here. Especially with how many there were, it seems that they may have a stacking effect, the more there are, the more dangerous they become.' Then I'll wait for his repsonse."
Histoire thinks about it, and that reasoning sounds quite good, and perhaps, the more different gemstones there are, they counteract each other, or at the very least somehow make it less dangerous to handle. Taking a quick mental note of it, she nods her head.
"The mayor nods his head, 'I see, so what did you all decide on the best course of action?'"
"Ah," says Noire, "Albedo will say, 'We left them in the village, in a secure hiding spot, at least, as hidden as we could make it. I'm certain the effects would still be permeating the area.' Wait... shouldn't we have at least brought one back?" says Noire, looking at everyone else, whose eyes are all growing larger in realization as well.
"Um..." says Rom, "Weren't we worried about the possible effects it has on people..? That even a single gemstone might be dangerous...?"
"I think, we were sort of unsure how big the effect or how dangerous the effect is, so even bringing one could have been a disaster," says Ram.
"Well, would you like to say that to the mayor then, Miss Rom, Miss Ram?"
The twins look at each other, nods, then turns toward Histoire. "Yes," they both say in unison.
"The mayor says, 'I see. Well, if you have cleared out the area, would you please report what you have found? I would be sending out a research team there if that is the case. And, include the effect of the orange gemstone as best as you are able to. We might bring clerics in order to counteract the effects on our men if possible.' He then gives the group what looks to be a report form."
"Well, that's convenient, and official looking," comments Vert. "Let's see, we'll fill it out with everything we know about the place, the skeletons, the fact that they were seeing trash as treasure whilst under the effects of the gemstone. Add in that gigantic worm... and erm, oh right, the sensation of feeling faster. Haste, I think. Is there anything else I've forgotten?"
"I don't think so," says Noire. "Alright, let's finish the report."
Histoire nods. "Alright, the group fills out the report, and hands it to the mayor. He thanks the group."
"So, now what?" says Uni. "What's next for our group?"
"Do you want to ask that to the mayor?"
"Sure."
"Mayor Manual says, 'No, not right now, we're still looking for confirmation for the other gemstone colors. Right now, we're going to have a celebration in the town in a day or so, that's why I'm currently entrenched in documents. It's quite fortunate that all of you have arrived by this time, perhaps you should join the festivities in order to rest. You may leave if you wish.' That's what he says before he returns to the documents, looking up every so often.
"Oh, a nice break in-game huh?" says Neptune. "Celebration means, music, and music means, bard, and I'm a bard, which means this is the perfect time for me to make some extra dough doing performance checks!"
"Well, that's Neptune's plan," says Histoire to the table. "What about the rest of you?"
"Hm... I'm a paladin, I think I'll go back to the guard post, and keep things secure."
"That's just like you Noire," says Neptune, with a chuckle, "you can't stop working even in a game."
Noire shoots daggers at Neptune, making her freeze in her seat, and then quickly twiddle her fingers, looking away from Noire's glare.
"I wonder if there would be some strength contests in the festival?" says Blanc, "Blunga could probably play some of those, or maybe even be the challenge that people have to beat... hmm, sounds like a good way to find strong challengers..."
"Burt would... hm, well as a cleric, probably make some money volunteering as for any medical issue. Or get more followers for Steve."
"Steve?" asks Noire.
"Yes, my patron deity," says Vert.
"Right... go on."
"I think that's it. I'll roam around the festivities, wait, I just realized, this might be the best time to perhaps get better equipment. Some magic equipment from merchants all around..."
Histoire purses her lips, realizing now she has to see if there are any common magical items. "So, what about you Miss Rom and Ram? What will Paul and JC do?"
"Uhhh... probably just enjoy the festivities!" says Ram.
"Janette will ... look for books! For magic! Is that how I gain more magic spells?"
"You are a sorcerer, correct, Miss Nepgear?"
"Hmmm... yes, I am!"
Histoire frowns, much to Nepgear's surprise. "Well, Miss Nepgear, sadly, that's not how sorcerers work... wait, is that how it is? Uh... hold on. I may have misunderstood. Hm... ah. It says here... 'A scroll or spellbook detailing an unusual spell ... one that is not on the spell list of this book, could be selected as one of their new spells for attaining a new level.' Oh. So homebrew, I suppose."
"Erm, what does that mean?"
"Okay, so sorcerers can only learn a fixed amount of spells, and their spell list is based on the spell list in the handbook. It's because unlike wizards; sorcerers learn their magic, naturally. Due to ... whatever reason, the great cosmos, uh, dragon blood, or just pure luck, magic has entered a sorcerers life and they are naturally proficient at it, but only if they are attuned to it. I guess."
"Go on..." nods Nepgear.
"To be more direct... wizards learn their spells by reading and studying them, eventually they will have lots and lots of spells, but they can only ready specific amounts of spells and cannot change depending on the situation, meanwhile a sorcerer, they can only learn a specific amount of spells, but they can use it as much as they want, as long as they have the spell slots for it. Just like how Miss Vert can use her spell slots as all healing spells if the situation calls for it."
"Let me see if I understand Miss Histoire... mmm... so wizards have to prepare everything beforehand, if they know they'll be in a spot they would need lots of firepower, they would prepare maybe damage spells, and some defense, but if for whatever reason, they suddenly don't need it because of, of uh, reasons, then the wizard becomes basically useless that day."
"That's a bit harsh, but otherwise correct, Miss Nepgear. A wizard needs to be able to accurately determine what spells they would need for the day. Meanwhile sorcerers can cast any spell they've learned."
"And for sorcerers, well, if I learn nothing but damage spells, that's all I'll be, a turret spewing out fireballs. But if I learn a balanced spell list... I'll be useful for most situations. Wait, what's stopping a wizard from preparing a balanced spell list? Wouldn't that mean sorcerers are kind of useless...?"
"Uh, wizards require plenty of money and they are ostensibly frail. Wait, so are sorcerers, but they have the benefit of having their spells for free. Oh, now that I'm looking through the wizard section, they also have something called specialization, which would give them some bonuses for choosing it at the price of neglecting two schools of magic. Another thing, erm, wizards rely on their spellbooks to cast spells. If for whatever reason you lose your spellbook as a wizard, you cannot cast any spells."
"Books are expensive," comments Blanc.
Nepgear is taken aback from the spellbook clause of wizards. "So, sorcerers can cast their spells willy-nilly, no need to worry about spellbooks and such..?"
"None at all. They can cast magic that they learned through ... natural causes."
"Oh, I see... So there are pros and cons to both wizard and sorcerer... I think I'm happy with being a sorcerer instead... I think we got into a really long tangent."
"I believe so. So, uh, what were we talking about now...? Ah, yes, I believe you were wondering if there would be any spellbooks, and the simple answer to that is, sorcerers don't use spellbooks to learn their spells. Hence, there is no real need for Janette to look for spellbooks."
"Oh...um, maybe I can cast some entertainment spells instead...?"
"Prestidigitation should be usable in that manner... So depending on what you do, will determine the result along with some performance checks."
"Okay!"
"Um... did I forget someone?" says Histoire, scratching her head.
"Let's see, Histy... uh, Sir Puddington is done... Nepgear just got finished... Noire is working again, as a righteous paladin... Burt is going to do clerical things... Blunga will be performing as a strength contest, Rom and Ram will be enjoying the festivities, and Uni is... not yet done!"
"Miss Uni? What about you?"
"Oh! Um, let's see... as a rogue who specializes in ... uh... rogue things like hiding... what can I do...? My appraise is pretty high... maybe I can make use of that as a way to get some quick money? Local appraiser, done cheap..."
"That sounds good, Miss Uni."
"Huh? Is it? Oh, okay! Yeah. I think I'll do that. I'm also pretty high up on forgery... so I could use that to check if something is a forgery... But I don't think I've ever seen a stall that would be offering appraisals like this... but uh... if it's alright with you Miss Histoire..."
"Erm... I think that's fine. Although for now, we did basically spend a good amount of time discussing tangent about sorcerers and wizards..."
"S-sorry Miss Histoire..."
"That's alright Miss Nepgear. Let's take a quick break before we continue the rest of the session for the festivities."
The rest of the table nod, as they stretch and get some snacks.