Novice 1.7

Palanquin was a well known nightclub, so finding out its location didn't take too much effort. Approaching the building a bit warily Thomas noted that it was actually open, although looking relatively quiet and empty at that time.

Still, he walked in and headed on towards the bar section, noting the group of early twenties and some older teenagers dancing around to the beat of music. The bar itself was mostly empty, a couple of guys and gals stopping by to get a drink and retreating to stalls along the side walls with small parties gathered at some of them, leaving the actual bar counter mostly empty.

Taking a seat, he watched the bartender glance at him and move over. An attractive mature woman with a professional look about her, clean uniform and her hair tied up in a ponytail. He briefly wondered if the part about Faultline working in the bar unmasked was just fan works bit he'd read somewhere or if it was possible he was actually looking at the woman in question.

"Welcome to Palanquin, what would you like to drink?" There was a friendly tone present at least, but he wasn't sure how long it would last.

"I'd like some Jagermeister if you have any in stock, and a couple of questions if I may."

She moved to lift a bottle off the shelf and pour him a shot, earning a nod in gratitude as he paid for it. Lifting the shot glass up, he silently wondered if his gamer body would allow him to get drunk in the first place but gulped down the shot in quick order. At least the taste and effect seemed to be as he remembered, a little comfort in an otherwise screwed up world.

"Phew. Another, please. Also, I am not sure of their accuracy, but I did hear something about this place possibly having connections to a group I am kind of curious about. Faultline and her crew." He watched the bartender pour him another shot but look at him seriously at the mention of Faultline, before pushing his drink in front of him.

"There is nothing illegal going on at this club, and I would prefer you do not insinuate anything like that or I may be forced to ask you to leave." She stated this calmly but the look in her eyes was a bit warning.

"Fair enough, I did consider the possibility it was merely a rumor but I had to ask. After all, I wanted to try and contact her about a possibility of some work. Bodyguard work, nothing bad." He let out a sigh taking the drink. "Though it is not as if there's that many leads on how to do it, so I apologize if my question seemed a bit crude and blunt." Tom smiled while gulping down the second Jager shot.

"I see." The woman seemed to look at him seriously for a short moment, before lifting the bottle and looking at him. He pushed his glass over still holding onto it, and she poured him a third shot that he paid for promptly. It was about as much as he was going to drink in a single evening anyway, too expensive and he could feel the alcohol having an effect, a slight one but still an effect.

"I would imagine the rumor got started because some of their group occasionally do visit. I can't promise anything as they are clients like any other, but I can pass word onto them if you wish to leave a note of some sort."

"Got a pen and some paper?" He inquired in turn, and watched her simply hand him a sheet of paper along with a ballpoint pen. He returned the empty shot glass in turn, and began to write down a short message. This could turn out to be a risk and the chance was there that he would not get any reply, but he decided to take that chance and wrote down a relatively short message in the hopes of drawing their interest.

'I am a stranger in a strange land, my memories seemingly lost to me, yet spoken to by PRT showing no signs of the usual mark of such an occurrence. Yet when I awoke I already had some power, a slight stronger body and a touch sharper mind. This is what the PRT learned, but not all I gained.

Within me lies a bit more power, but that is power that takes some time and effort to tame. I am vulnerable for now, and a man without a home and regular income may not last long in this city, especially a cape who seeks to stay apart from the conflict of the gangs and the PRT and Protectorate. At least stay apart from them until strong enough to survive any small skirmishes.

One of the powers I gained however, is a somewhat simple healing power. It is not useful for fighting off disease or poisonous substances and such, but it is capable of restoring body from wounds inflicted by violence or accidents, making body heal in moments what might otherwise take weeks or months to recover from. Limited as it currently is, I believe it is still a gift that might be worth using, especially for those who might not be able to simply walk up to a hospital for treatment.

I would like to ask for some shelter and protection in exchange for an equal share in any payments acquired through such healing. I would be quite willing to work to earn my stay, though hoping to build up some spending money while doing so.

One last thing. The letter imprinted on the bodies of unfortunate few? From my blurred memories and arrival here, a name did stick to my mind that might tie into it, though I know not for sure exactly how.

Cauldron

I urge for caution should you investigate the name however, for their relative anonymity seems to be evidence of ability to erase traces of their presence quite effectively.

I'll wait in the bar till it is late, and then head off. I shall seek to return tomorrow again should I not meet you today.

Dated January 1st, 2011

'Medic'.

Folding up the letter and then handing it over to the bartender, he returned the pen as well and glanced about. Most of the place was still empty, it was just some youngsters gathered to continue partying after the new years eve it seemed.

"I'll have a beer and moving to a booth to wait for a bit, I'll head out if it gets too busy." He said this in a serious tone, and waited as the bartender poured him one as per his request. Paying for the drink he then headed over to a booth, still enough money in his pocket for a motel room but not much more to spare. Drinking at clubs wasn't too cheap after all.

Tom sipped on his beer while settling back to wait. He pulled out the phone he'd turned off earlier, briefly wondering if he should just abandon it, or keep it around even if it risked him being traced. He had turned it off for now, but abandoning it somewhere would be a safer option, after a prestidigitation to clean off any evidence of him off of it.

On the other hand, he might be overthinking it and being paranoid. Having a chance to surf the web and see about the PHO might prove interesting too after all. He doubted he'd made anyway waves yet personally, but it might be worth having a look about the rest of the business going on the boards might illuminate him on.

He had fallen into thought while sipping on his beer, when someone walked up besides his booth and spoke up in a serious tone of voice. "Sir? I will have to ask you to come with me for a moment."

She was dressed in a uniform similar to the woman at the counter, but had a more guarded expression, and looked a touch taller and stronger as well. She might just be one of the local bouncers, but she might also be someone in touch with those who he sought.

Standing up, he finished up his beer setting it down, and then moving to follow along after her. She seemed only interested in having him follow along thankfully. Leading him to a door to the back, he was feeling a bit more hopeful he wasn't just getting thrown out, but at the same time a little nervous about the fact he might just be walking in to a meeting with people who were quite possibly dangerous criminals regardless of any perceived neutrality.

He found himself lead to a small office, where he found himself faced with a woman in a familiar mask and outfit.

"I am a busy woman, so let me start by telling you now that if you are serious then you will need to prove your ability. If you are merely foolish cape-chaser, you better come clean now when all it will yield is a severe warning and being thrown out. I give you one chance to back away, after this, you'll need to prove you can do what you claim."

Thomas nod his head and stood still before her. "I am serious, and if you have someone who has suffered an injury or bruise nearby I can demonstrate the power on their person."

He had just said that when the woman who lead him to the room raised her foot up and slammed it onto the nearby desk, rolling up the pants leg enough to show a nasty bruise somewhat above her ankle.

"Then you will get your chance. Rachel here is very good at keeping rowdy troublemakers in check, but the new years eve brought in a few particularly nasty sorts, and she suffered a nasty kick from a steel tipped boot in the middle of it. I expect you to prove you can heal by helping her."

He nodded his head and then moved to place his hand down on the injury, a short chant under his breath not going unnoticed by either of the women though they did not comment. The brief glow of his hand and the affected area was followed by him raising his hand off of it.

The bruise was still there, but smaller, and looking like it was well on its way to recovery.

"My ability sends a small amount of healing energy to the individual I am touching, I can apply it multiple times for bigger injuries." He stated this while lowering his hand on the leg again, and after a repeated casting saw the bruise was mostly gone, followed by raising his hand and showing the difference to the two quiet women. Pressing his hand down one final time, he cast the spell once more, and withdrew a hand from unblemished skin.

"Rachel?" Faultline addressed the woman he had tended to.

"Just a short rush of warmth and a light numbness which passed rather fast, the pain it was giving lessened from the first use, was practically negligible after the second one, and no evidence of it having been there left after the third."

Faultline nod at the woman, who then moved her foot off the desk, and covered it up again. She moved to a corner of the room while Faultline turned to regard him in turn.

"Regarding your offer, I am willing to connect you with people in need of a healer's services as well as provide you with temporary accommodations as well as necessities. However, it will be seventy-thirty split, as I am taking a risk on you." She spoke in a no-nonsense manner that made him get a feeling she wasn't looking to bargain with him but making an offer.

"Panacea's skills are better, but she works at a hospital where some wounds would call for a lot of unwelcome attention. I believe the Empire has a healer in their rows, but it is unlikely she will aid others beyond the Empire's ranks. While my powers are limited, I believe they are still a valuable commodity. Fifty fifty seems more fair, I am grateful after all, but I do hope to also make some profit out of this as well." He answered her in a same serious fashion. He had another option remaining still, but he would prefer some protection on his person and that meant having to find either allies or at least willing companions.

"Sixty forty, there will be expenses from keeping you here under watch after all. The higher the price the less people will come, but I don't know your limits. Can you keep healing indefinitely or will you need a break ?" She watched him after posing the question.

"I can heal five times without issue, and after that it takes me just a short break of a couple of minutes to go again. Assuming I can tend to a client in a minute or two, I could easily handle having people come in every seven minutes or so, in a crisis I could push to recover a bit faster, but might probably end up worn down faster that way."

He didn't want to give her all the information but claiming there were no limits would be dangerous, and making it sound like he felt at least a little strain might probably seem more plausible. Powers might be bullshit sometimes, but they did seem to occasionally come with muscle fatigue or something similar with them as well.

"Then, if you are willing to agree to sixty forty, we can do business." She watched him intently as he considered it. Losing ten percent more after having been willing to part with as much as half was annoying, but he was somewhat weak and while she was a mercenary he felt she would keep up her own end of the deal. With a nod from his part, they had an agreement.

"Well then 'Medic', I'll have Rachel arrange a room for you to stay in, and I'll start making some calls. You will face your first clients tomorrow. I also suggest you wear a mask in their presence, because the word will get out there's a healer here and while it will draw some attention from clients, it will also draw some interest from the gangs. Which means you will likely be remaining indoors for most of the time, and will have to be careful about what the clients will see when they come here."

It was like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Having a place to stay and a source of some income for the future made a definite difference. Of course, they had not talked about exact sum for the healing yet, but given she also wanted to benefit from his skill he was reasonably sure she would look up a fair price for the services rendered. He would just have to make sure it was the price she also told him. While he doubted she would try, the thought of getting swindled certainly did not appeal to him.

Nevertheless, not a word about Cauldron was spoken while Rachel was in the room, so he assumed while she might be aware of some things, there would be matters that would not be spoken of in presence of anyone but the actual members of Faultline's gang.

Author's Note: I am not sure if I should make an Informational reply at some point about the magic system in use or not. Nevertheless, it is a bit of a mixture, DnD may be the original source, but being somewhat more familiar with Pathfinder I have made use of its systems and structure for this as well.

Arcane and Divine magic are separate, though similar systems he has access to thanks to his picks. He is able to pick from a vast library of spells thanks to Archive, and select the spells he 'knows' for the rest of the day, utilizing them like a sorcerer afterwards with select amount of charges per spell level that he can use on any of those 'known' spells. As such, stealing the best parts from Wizard (the vast library of options) and Sorcerer (relative freedom to cast whatever he has picked as an option).

Additionally, rather than a 'charge' being expended for the rest of the day, he can recover them over time. For the first level spells, it is a short amount of time, but the later levels, once he might reach them, may prove to take longer to recover and thus necessitating some more strategic use for them.

The 'recovery' is something stolen from Video Game systems, played in by his Gamer power, and the aspect that makes him more or less a broken build, if given the chance to grow, learn, and harness the stronger powers.

However, while he may have started early before the others, that grace period of time is limited.