[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/2HsmQcf.png[/img][/center] [center][color=gold]Location: Kina City, Dark District[/color] Interactions: IO[@ERode][/center] [hr] [i]Liberated artifacts from Ghaba Madina. Liberated my foot.[/i] Artificer Marius Hierophox had been standing over the subdued bodies of a couple of thugs. The Kina City Ministry of Order very rarely goes into the Dark District to deal with petty crime, but when the words 'artifact smuggling' and 'magic weapons in the hands of civilians' come up, its a big deal. A very big deal. A deal big enough that even the nobles of the Light District might have to sweat under the order of a judge if they dared buy, or gods save them, sell such contraband. This gang of miscreants were using their 'weapons' to essentially form a protection racket through the entire district. Apparently their weapons didn't help when a platoon of City Watchmen stormed their warehouse. Thats where Artificer 'Pox' came in. In order to access the dangerous technology they've uncovered. Criminals with artifacts. Order was hard enough as it was with all the beastman propaganda getting everyone in a stink so that unfair policies could be implemented. There's a food riot, blame the beastmen. Taxes are up cause of those damn beastmen. It was ridiculous. It didnt even make any sense, but they were an easy scape goat. Easy enough that people in the city could treat each other like dirt to vent their frustrations. Gods, there hasnt been an engagement in years, were they even at war anymore? Holding a [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/shop-heroes/images/4/40/Gauntlets_Frostfire_Gauntlets.png/revision/latest?cb=20160112235448]Crystal Bracer[/url] in his hands, he adjusted his glasses, the spell within them assessing and appraising the device until he came to a rather surprising conclusion. [color=gold]"Its fake."[/color] The boss, a huge guy chained up thanks to a restrainer golem keeping him tight. [color=tan]"W-wha?"[/color] [color=gold]"I mean it didn't work during the attack right?"[/color] The boss seemed both pissed and completely dumbfounded. [color=tan]"But I-I saw it. I used it my-"[/color] [color=gold]"Oh, you probably did use a real one, but then you got a crate of fakes. Guess your seller also told you it had had limited uses so you never actually would use if you didn't have to. Frankly its not a bad idea. Someone brandishing one of these would probably make a lot of people think twice about resisting. And you were just using it to bully people into giving you money. We've seen this kind of thing before. Its not that uncommon."[/color] The boss seemed bristled. [color=tan]"You're lying... he would never-!"[/color] [color=gold]"No I'll show you."[/color] He put his teeth on one of the jagged edges and actually bit the supposedly indestructible crystal right off. He chewed it. [color=gold]"MMm... sugar crystals. Sorry, you got conned."[/color] The boss' whole world seemed to be crashing down. [color=tan]"W-why, how could he-?"[/color] Pox smiled down at him casually. [color=gold]"Real question you should be asking. Why are you still protecting him?"[/color] That is when the boss gave up. He'd tell the city watch everything... [hr] Pox was outside the warehouse on a pretty crummy street, the watch keeping the crowds from hanging out too long, keep things moving so there wasn't a riot all of a sudden from some frustrated people. Without the protection racket, it should ease some of the burdens here. Maybe people can find work... maybe. Sadly this was a story all too common, and the watch didnt look here more then they should. Pox was proud of his work, but also dejected. So much suffering and he was stuck at the top of it. Maybe someday... a few of his projects protected, maybe he could help. He heard a crash of a bottle, some shouting down an alleyway. He sighed. Another fight. He wasn't going to let another person get hurt, he'd seen enough suffering today. [color=gold]"Just going for a walk."[/color] He waved off to the other watchmen. They protested that it was dangerous. [color=gold]"I have my kit. There shouldn't be a problem."[/color] He turned down the alley and saw a big muscled man yelling at a boy... a- a girl... a kid. What the heck, a father beating their kid. He saw the man raise his fist and Pox ran forward. [color=gold]"Hey! HEY! STOP!"[/color] A smack uttered through the alley followed by a wailing scream. The guy just struck that kid! He ran forward without thinking, his heart and concern reaching out for- [color=gold]"Hey kid you-- you're okay."[/color] Pox seemed confused for a split second. Not even a blemish as he looked over his/her almost porcelain face. It was an odd sense of jaded malaise he saw, almost inhuman. Then the man roared with pain much to Pox's surprise. His hand looked bleeding, gnarled, he clutched it for dear as he howled. Pox turned his attention to him. [color=gold]"Sir? Sir? Are you okay!"[/color] The man spat through rotten teeth. [color=brown]"Ya damn freaks! I'll teach you to mess with me!"[/color] Through the pain he swung back with his uninjured hand. Pox raised his own hands ready to defend himself when, there was a spray of whitish smoke from under the Artificer's sleeve into the man's face. Some kind of concealed aerosol dispenser... or something. There was a quick ruffling of movement under the nobles uniform. At any rate, the man seemed to stop dead in his tracks, slump down on his knees and then flop onto the pavement. Pox face twisted into one of disappointment. [color=gold]"This day is just awful."[/color] He commented before leaning down and taking a bottle from a satchel at his side. The mans hurt knuckle would have this blue gel slathered across it, disinfecting and helping to properly dress the wound. It was all Pox could do right now. Hopefully the man would get proper treatment when he wakes, and sobers up. Gods what a stink. Pox stood back up and addressed the child. He smiled. [color=gold]"Are you hurt?"[/color] He asked concerned. [color=gold]"That wasn't your father was it?"[/color] There may be a social services problem here.