Name: Charisse Race: Human

Ht: 5’6, Wt: 130, Sex: Female,

Archetype: Rogue

HP: 7 / 7 Mana: 0 / 0

Stats:

Physical : 2, Moxie : 3, Spiritual : 2, Luck : 3,

Agility : 3, Magic : 2, Mental : 2, Energy : 2.

Relevant Skills: Archetype - Awareness, Mental - Resist Compulsion, Moxie - Deceive, Physical - Intimidate

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"Did you steal the ring?" Jax said softly, but his squinting eyes, as if he was trying to pierce through any lie Charisse told. He stood in front of Charisse, several villagers standing behind him. Waves of good energy and calm projected from all of them.

"No," Charisse felt something take hold of her, making it difficult for her to think of anything except the truth. Mentally she ran through the scene from Liar Liar. Choosing her next words carefully before saying anything more.

Success! Mental Roll 3d10; 4, 9, 9. Two Success; Skill Mental - Resist Compulsion gained 2 Experience.

Skill points to the next level, 2.

"It is fine if it is stolen, we can return it," Jax squeezed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"It is not stolen, we fought some bandits, and I got it off one that I killed." Charisse said then immediately added, "during a fight, they'd started and were trying to kill us."

"That will have to do; I cannot tell if she is lying," Jax said.

"She shouldn't be able," One of the villagers standing just behind Jax.

"If she was perhaps," Another villager behind Jax said.

"I'm not lying, and I'm right here," Charisse said. She stood up straight, clenched her jaw, and glared at the villagers.

Success! Physical roll 3d10; 9, 3, 7. One Success; Skill Physical - Intimidate gained 1 Experience.

Skill points to the next level, 95.

Both of the villagers behind Jax took a step backward. "Let me apologize; I mean no harm towards anyone here," Charisse added.

"I believe you; in the future, perhaps when a magical item comes into your possession, you should let everyone know," Jax said.

"Perhaps you," Charisse bit her lip and stopped herself from speaking further, and mulled over what she was going to say. Several silent seconds passed before she restarted, "Perhaps you are correct." Before anyone could say anything further, she turned and walked away.

"Don't go too far," one of the villagers said.

Charisse sped up and made a point to walk far enough away she couldn't see any villagers. She stopped next to a fallen tree, brushed some leaves and dead branches away to make a spot to sit. Focusing on herself, she controlled her breathing and worked on relaxing.

Success! Physical Roll 5d10; 5, 6, 9, 1, 2; One Success; Skill Archetype - Awareness gained 1 Experience.

Skill points to the next level, 8,543.

Focusing on the trees and the gentle swaying of leaves, Charisse took in the beauty of the forest. Looking to the north, she started mulling over seasons when a breaking branch derailed her train of thought. Still looking into the woods, she carefully pulled out a dagger, keeping her body between the blade and the direction of the sound.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The soft crunch of boots stepping onto some leaves gave away the person's position. Charisse estimated the person was a dozen feet behind her.

"Oh, there you are," Reggie's voice said.

Charisse lept up and spun around, swinging her dagger as if she was going to throw it but held on as Reggie came into view. Reggie quickly threw up both of his hands to protect his face.

"It's me!" he yelled.

"Shit, sorry," Charisse sheathed her dagger and held her empty hands out toward her friend. Reggie peeked out from behind his hands before lowering them.

"I just came by to see if you were ok; between the constant fighting, the douche appearing, Todd, and Mark, I thought I'd make sure you were alright," Reggie said.

"Who the fuck do those guys think they are? Without Jax and us, they'd be still living in shacks outside a city that didn't want them." Charisse spat out. She threw her dagger to the ground; it sank in to the hilt. Pausing, she couldn't remember pulling the weapon back out. She bent down, pulled it out, cleaned it, and put it back in the sheath,

"They are the ones who are putting the lives of their families and their own on the line for us," Reggie said.

“So are we!” Charisse spat out.

"Yeah, but we die, we get to come back and try again. Also, these guys are the ones who have to clean up whatever mess we leave behind if we are successful."

"It is just a game, who cares…" Charisse stopped herself as she considered some of the villagers she had trained. "I get it, just not used to answering to a committee full of NPCs."

"Don't think of them as NPC's; think of them as just another group we are playing with." Reggie sighed and glanced back in the direction of Jax and the rest of the group. "Jax took steps to ensure this movement will continue without us. He was concerned when we are successful that suddenly the people would suffer worse consequence from our actions."

"Should we head back then? I'll try to play the good little rogue."

"Sure, but remember Charisse, we need their help. You saw how the royal douche responded when he saw us. We had gotten close before but failed."

"I get it; we can't fight an army. I'll be Miss Goody-two-shoes."

"Be serious; they could ask that you be removed from the group or cause the group to split. I'm certain Jax will go with them."

"Why, though, Jax didn't even want to play this game."

"I think archetypes mess with our perceptions. Todd seems to be a little more willing to rush into battle, Jax is all into faith, and you seem to be a little more bloodthirsty."

Charisse let the silence hang in the air for a moment.

"And you?" Charisse said.

"I find myself praying and asking for divine help, even when I'm not preparing spells or casting spells. In the back of my mind, there is a voice that keeps reminding me I'm an atheist."

"I'd say Mark is different, but he's always been about throwing fireballs and a little pyromaniac, though the recent thing with the life draining." Charisse nibbled on her lip. "I've never considered how things will be once we get out of this damn game. Is this permanent?"

"I'm not sure, but you are not asking the big question, though," Reggie said.

"What is that? I mean, I would have come out to you guys eventually."

"Not that,"

"Don't play this game with me, just fucking tell me."

"How do you continue in the real world, after knowing that magic in some form is real?"

"Fuckity, fuck, fuck," Charisse borrowed her friend's favorite phrase.

"Yeah, so considering that, imagine then how easy it is to believe this world is real and these people are alive." Reggie waved a hand toward the villagers.

"Now, I kind of wish you would have left me ignorant." Charisse put on a quick smile. "Thank you, though; I'll try to be more careful with my actions and words."

"Do you mean that, or are you just saying it?" Reggie crossed his arms over his chest.

"I mean it, now let's go back before they think we've run off or I've killed you."

Charisse led Reggie back toward the rest of the group. Reggie joined Jax and the villagers; Charisse wandered over to Mark, taking care to keep a hand slightly in front of her. Mark stood by himself near some trees, both hands clasped in front of him.

"I'm not gonna kill you," Mark said, looking at Charisse slowly approaching.

"Wasn't worried, just thought I'd start a new walk," Charisse slowly switched, which hand was in front of her, turning a little to the side as she stepped closer to her friend. A few more steps, she changed the lead hand and swayed her hips a little.

Success! Moxie Roll 6d10; 7, 2, 2, 5, 10, 5. Two Successes; Skill Moxie - Deceive gained 2 Experience.

Skill points to next level, 9,701

"As silly as it sounds, I almost believe you," Mark said.

"I want to make sure you are ok," Charisse said.

"I'm, I'm ok," Mark said.

"I got something to distract you with then, don't need an answer now, but something for you to ponder." Charisse walked up to Mark and leaned in close to his ear. "Magic exists in the real world." She whispered.

"Yeah, of course, otherwise how would this all happen?" Mark took a step back, looked at Charisse with squinting eyes and a scrunched up face. "Now, only just magic, but the possibility of gods and possibly a pantheon of some sort."

Charisse stood frozen, mouth slightly open, her head still tilted at the angle she used to whisper in his ear. Slowly opening her mouth as she worked through her surprise.

"How long did you know?" she finally said.

"A while, things clicked." Mark smiled as he snapped some fingers. His eyes sparkled as he nodded his head a little, "I'm guessing your next question will be why I didn't say anything, well I was kind of hoping to confirm it, also…" Mark's smile disappeared, and he sighed. "I was hoping. That I'd be able to keep some of this over there."

Mark pointed a hand at the ground, and a small ice lance flew from it, sticking into the ground.

"Yeah, there are some things I'd like to keep as well." Charisse closed her eyes for a second and mentally sent a prayer with her request. Mark was still looking at the ice lance stuck in the ground when she opened her eyes. "If things do carry over to the real world, you remember that when using spells, you don't know the full details on."

Mark's head jerked up, his eyes boring holes into Charisse's skull. The muscles around his jaw tensed.

Success! Physical Roll 5d10; 10, 7, 3, 6, 9; Three Successes; Skill Archetype - Awareness gained 3 Experience.

Skill points to the next level, 8,538.

Charisse caught the look on Mark's face as if he was holding back a sneeze or fart. Every instinct in her said to kill him before he could cast a spell or run. She fought against them, stepped up to Mark, and hugged him.

"Remember who you are and who your friends are." She said.

Several long seconds passed as they embraced. When he pulled away, she let him go.

"Thank you," Mark said before he walked toward the group and everyone else.

Charisse stood there looking down at the hole in the ground from the ice lance spell. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she pondered how she would explain suddenly being a woman to her mother? Would it come with all the hassle of being a woman as well? Pushing the thought to the side for another day, she scanned the trees for any threats.

The woods were silent, now if only she could quelch her thoughts.