Match ends 9/23 4 PM CST

Match ends 9/23 4 PM CST

Chris looked at the guy that Hector had nodded at, then back at Hector, then back at the guy, then back at Hector. “Anyone else?” he said. He meant it two ways; “Are you sure that’s the only one who responded?” but also, “The families I’ve wronged haven’t come back here yet, right?” After confirming that both were the case (one piece of news was certainly easier to receive than the other), Chris said, “I imagine I’m going to need a drink in a second,” and made his way over to the neurotic mage. “Hector said you’re looking for me,” Chris said. Again, he was trying to speak out of both sides of his mouth. He wanted confirmation, of course, but if this was some sort of prank, he needed to show some measure of strength. Perhaps too much strength, it turned out, because the person looked at Chris, screamed, and fell out of his chair. Chris immediately had to pivot. “Are you okay?” he said, now very conscious of every other eyeball in the tavern (not to mention Hector’s stifled laugh). The worst part was, Chris already knew the answer to his question. “Ah, no, no, no I’m not,” they said. “I’m not okay. I’m terrible. A terrible, terrible, clumsy oaf!” They struggled to get back in their seat, their hooded cloak only barely staying on and looking all the more disheveled for it. Chris opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He tried again, “Well,” he said, “regardless, you’re here to help me out?” “Yes,” they said. “Well, I can try. I can't make any promises. I never said that I could for certain help you out so you have no reason to be mad at me if I can't actually help you… right?” Chris looked back at Hector, feeling for the first time in his tenancy that the innkeeper had betrayed him in some way. Either Hector didn’t notice or he pretended not to -- either one wasn’t great. That’s what he got for operating on relatively short notice, Chris thought. Desperation breeds desperation, and you get what you pay for. Well… “In my line of work, people tend to pay based on results,” Chris said. At the very least, that was something he could settle early. “My name is Chris. We’ll be out at the docks tonight. Hopefully it shouldn’t take too long, but be prepared for anything.” Unfortunately, he could already guess what sort of response a phrase like that would bring.