Raoul had heard rumblings that there was some nefarious criminal ongoing on the Crescent Isles. Innocent people getting scammed in some cases have their entire livelihoods taken away and what made it even worse was that they were scammed over a simple conch shell. A damned conch shell was something that people could pick up in the ocean. Whatever the reasoning was this criminal ring had made its way into the crescent isles and Raoul would put a stop to it. Once and for all they were going to be stopped dead in their tracks and at least pay the people they scammed back. That’s all that Raoul wanted and that’s what he was going to get.



He arrived at a decently sized festival celebrating some sort of holiday, this was a prime spot to scam people out of their money. With so many booths and families around it was only natural to take advantage of people’s pockets. For now, he had to just blend in. That would be no problem if he had left his coat and usual detective-like clothing at home. He was dressed in a traditional crescent isle yukata and had a similar bright smile that most of the people wore as they walked around. Now all he had to do was find the start of the ring and follow it to the source and put a stop to this once and for all. His goal was quickly reached as he heard a nearby vendor call him over to his stall.

Fluttering paper lanterns, the smell of fried foods, and the twang of stringed instruments playing in harmony only to be accompanied by graceful dancers with painted faces filled every available space of the courtyard. Stalls advertised trinkets and games and any manner of oddities fished out from the waters around the Isles. There was no denying it - life, teeming with joy and peace and unity from the people of Starlight City ushering in the beginning of summer. The season of storms, of heat and the blessings from the remnants of Solaria’s gifts. The summer festival was in swing.

And with it, the threat of crime.

The perfect place for a detective to bust it.

But would Raoul O. Ardelean find what he was looking for?

Somewhere along the line he’d caught word of a ring of scammers selling conch shells to unsuspecting tourists and locals alike, claiming that the shells possessed magical properties. Thus far, any questioning the detective might have done to random sellers would yield no results - no one seemed to know who their mysterious boss was. But at a festival with countless craftsmen and artisans looking to sell their wares, there was no shortage of people who would be shilling the bunk product. This time, maybe this time, the private eye would be able to follow this dastardly scheme all the way to the top.

The first step - finding someone selling the conch shells in the first place to interrogate.

The crowd was inordinately busy, but Raoul still heard the sound of a vendor calling out to him. “Good afternoon, sir! You look like you could make use of some trinkets… care to peruse my wares? I sell charms and protective talismans.”

As Raoul made his way closer to the stall, he would make note of the woman behind the counter. A reptile-folk woman, with long, dark hair and a yukata depicting dragons dancing along a rainbow sky covered in an inordinate amount of dangling charms that clicked together. Her garb was traditional of the Crescent Isles - her accent was anything but. And true to her word, spread out along the table were paper charms and folded talismans that promised any manner of enchantment or protection from evil spirits. There was no sign of the conch shells of interest, but perhaps this dame could still offer something. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to question her a bit.

As Raoul took in his surroundings, the woman offered him a small, sultry smile.

“Anything caught your eye, good sir?”

Her tone was innocent, but her eyes seemed sharper than her words. She knew, somehow, that Raoul was smarter than your average cookie. She’d have to play her cards carefully.

---

Bringing Minions
Bubbles (Warlord I)
Mariposa (Warlord II)
Ceres Celestia, Witch in Training (Earth Domain Apprentice)

Bringing Pets
Flitter (Flitten - Counts against pet cap)
Pink Lady (Crab Apple - Counts against pet cap)
Concorde (Scarecrow Squire - Doesn’t count against pet cap)
Junior (Black Bog Leech - Doesn’t count against pet cap)
Clawdius (Gargoyle Rook - Doesn’t count against pet cap)
Luna Rose (Mephit, disguised as a rosy maple moth, Beastmaster I - Doesn’t count against pet cap)

Quest Name: The Magic Conch
Participants: Two or more
Location: Crescent Isle's
Post Requirements: 5 post per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +1 Renown
Description: Rumors of magical sea shells possessing unique abilities have become public knowledge, and many people in the Crescent Isle's are selling these shells, claiming that they have magical powers and can make whoever wears one stronger, faster and smarter. However these shells are nothing but a scam, devious individuals taking advantage of the populaces fear and desire to become stronger. We need help with investigating and disrupting these fake shell selling rings. Go to the islands, investigate these fakes and help us in putting a stop to it all.

Raoul walked over to get closer to speak with a voice that had called over to him as he was walking by. The vendor at the stall seemed innocent and kind enough but Raoul had learned over his years of experience never to trust someone based on their appearances.



He stood in front of the stall looking around at their wares. Nothing screamed criminal scamming people out of their money with shells yet but maybe speaking to the vendor would get him better results.



Javal kept a wide smile trying his best to blend in and act like any other clueless passerby as he spoke, “Why hello there madame this stall here seems interesting what type of trinkets, charms, and talismans are you selling here?”.



Javal waited for the woman’s response before asking, “I heard that some of the vendors here were selling some really useful magical items for people who can afford them. I work in the government so I have the money to spare for such items. My poor brother has been afflicted by a terrible sickness that doctors haven’t been able to heal. Do you have any magic-boosting items by chance? I could use it since my magical abilities are weak so I can heal him myself”.

The reptilekin offered the customer a smile that could perhaps be considered sultry. A common tactic for attracting customers, the kind of movement where she batted her eyelashes and acted coy and interested while he spoke. When he asked her the manner of her business, the serpentine dame drummed her fingers against the table, a rhythmic tap-tap-tap.

“Why, I sell all manner of things.” She replied, an answer as frustratingly vague while it was charming. “It is a tradition of the mystics of the Isles during the summer solstice. Charms to protect you from tricky yokai who wander these stalls, talismans that bring good fortune in the coming months… trinkets that help you find the love of your life.” With each word she ran her hands over another kind of paper or cloth talisman with Islander script on the front, blocky letters that promised different kinds of boons.

Did they hold magic? It was difficult to discern from the naked eye alone how much stemmed from cultural belief and how much magic was truly contained within these items. But she sounded convicted in what she was saying. The lady fell silent, though, as he described his peculiar malady… a sickness that no magic could cure. It sounded like a heart-wrenching story, the kind of sad tale that would have anyone with half a conscience would bend over backwards to help with.

She was a little more cautious than that.

The lady tapped at her chin, thoughtful. “Something that enhances your magic… I think I know what you’re looking for, Mr…” She trailed off, waiting for him to offer his name.

Raoul returns the kind vendor’s sultry smile with a small innocent smile of his own; he does this to show her how excited he is to see her further wares.



“My name is Torrin Orelius. I work as a senior executive in a manufacturing company so I’m willing to spend as much needed on your wares if they are indeed useful”, he responds to the vendor’s leading question. He knew he was supposed to give a false name; giving his actual name might jeopardize this operation further; he just wasn’t expecting to give his sworn brother's first name.



Raoul says his name in such a calm and relaxed tone that it seems to be his actual name instead of a fake one.



“I would be interested in buying further talismans and such from you but I need something to increase my magical ability first. I’ll take absolutely anything I can, I’ve already been to a couple of vendors on the Crescent Isles but they have not given me anything that  has helped”.



He then stands around awaiting the vendor’s response shifting his body language to seem more desperate and innocent enough. He had studied and observed desperate nobles and tried to copy their movements and facial expressions.

The vendor’s eyes sparkled. An executive? Company? She’d hit the jackpot here, it seemed. In the reflection of her eye one could practically see the solars that she was imagining basking in. Avarice so strong that it blinded perhaps any caution she might otherwise have exhibited. There was a process to a good scam - the hook, the line, the sinker. A delicate game of give and take where you conceded to skepticism and drove home the things you thought they wanted. And this particular customer seemed too good to be true. Peddling the exact item that she was looking to sell, willing to pay any price to get his hands on it.

She didn’t even spare a second for the fact that it was too good to be true.

The reptilekin leaned against the table - sultry seemed to be her default mode. “Well, Master Orelius, I might know of a solution to the problem you’re describing.”

A glimmer of hope - would she give up the gambit as to what Raoul was searching for so early in the game?

“I’ve heard rumor of a mysterious mage somewhere around here that holds the exact item that you speak.” Her voice was so low it was practically a whisper, dragging the ‘s’ sounds between fangs and a forked tongue. “Though they don’t sell to just anyone. You have to be able to prove that you’re dedicated to earn one of the items that they hold. But its power is so great that it cannot be wielded by just anyone. You have to be able to prove that you’re dedicated to saving your loved one. Are you dedicated, Master Orelius?”

… Perhaps it would not be so easy, after all.

"I can certainly help you get your hands on what you want, but it's going to take a little extra sugar, if you catch my meaning." She rubbed her fingers together before holding her hand out. "Getting hold of the wizard is a difficult task, and obtaining one of their shells is no easy manner, either. If you sweetened the pot, though... I'm certain I could work ssssssomething out."

Raoul’s eyes sparkled as the vendor lady began pondering what he had said to her, he tried to portray his desperation through his eyes and other body language as he’s seen other people do before.



He then said, “Please miss, I'll do and pay anything to save my brother’s life, and any lead to a cure I would appreciate kindly”.



His eyes looked deeply in anticipation of the vendor’s telling of perhaps having a hint of his so-called problem. He moved slightly into the stall so he could hear her better while looking around acting like he wasn’t used to this sort of thing.



“What must I miss? How can I prove myself true? I'll do anything at all that I’m asked to do. Please I’m ashamed to admit that I am desperate and am willing to give up as much as needed to save my brother. I swear to you that I am dedicated to whatever cause you speak of”.



As Mariposa mentions some extra sugar he erratically reaches into his pocket and grabs his wallet.



He gives her several sollars and asks, “Do you need more, miss whatever your price is, just say it”.



“Damn it, thank the gods that I had asked the government for a large number of investigation funds otherwise I might’ve been less successful”, he thinks to himself.

Oh, yes, this would do nicely. She’d well and truly snagged a desperate one here. Hook, line, and sinker, she’d found the allure in this ploy and the promise of a customer. But criminal types were still notoriously difficult to read, and it was difficult to tell what her real game was as she leaned in closer, the skirts of her long dress swaying in the warm summer breeze. In the distance, the strumming of the shamisen carried in the air. The glimmer of solars slapped down on the table in bribe sparkled to the reptilekin.

She swept them seamlessly into her pockets and beckoned Raoul closer.

“You see, there is a powerful wizard around these parts that seeks greatly to share his power with the people and let wealth and prosperity flourish. But he has been taken advantage of so many times… oh-so many times by people that coveted their power with selfish and cruel intentions. Disheartened, the wizard limited access to their power. They devised these magical items… a conch shell filled with just a single drop of their own mana, extracted from their blood, and filled with their wishes to make a better humanity. Should your intentions be good and pure, these shells will enhance your magical capabilities.”

She paused, waiting for the information to sink in while enhancing the dramatic effect.

“Even so, the wizard has certain failsafes. They do not give these shells to just anyone, lest they fall into the wrong hands. You have to perform a test of loyalty that can only be obtained by speaking with a contact of the wizard, along with an offering of two-hundred solars. Once the wizard has deemed you worthy for an audience, they will meet you at the beach, where you will be asked to walk barefoot over hot coals while professing your deepest wish, thus sealing your energy along with the shell. Fortunately for you, master Orelius, I happen to have a line of contact with the wizard. I just need that offering of two-hundred solars so I can go meet them and procure an audience for you.”

A veritable font of bullshit spewed from her mouth. But now, would Raoul take the bait? How far was he willing to go to find the elusive criminal he was searching for? 

Raoul looked intently and his eyes grew wide once the vendor began speaking, he did this to portray that he was mind blown and desperate but also he was just flabbergasted that a crook had so surely given him information so easily.



“Damn I’m good”, he thought to himself.



He then took a minute to think and to portray his mind being blown he muttered, “Of course, of course”.



He then glances up to look at the vendor once more and says, “I can completely understand this master mage’s apprehension to seeing new clients. I need that shell at all costs. I am willing to pay top dollar and prove myself in any way that he’ll need me to. Where is this wizard missing? I have my two hundred dollars right here to take me to the coals and beach”.



He then reaches back into his pocket and with a great screaming in his head by his common sense he hands the vendor two hundred solars.



“This will pay off, I swear. It's better”, he thought to himself as he clasped his hands together looking desperate and with an excited look in his eyes awaiting the vendor's response. 

Oh, yes, this fabricated story had certainly caught Raoul’s attention. He was not the first one to be fascinated by the story of the conch shells, and he would certainly not be the last…

To be suckered in by the wizard’s ploy, that was.

The reptilekin grabbed Raoul’s hand, as if to reassure him through his frantic rant. He would be able to feel the scales along her hands, ending in sharp claws that were covered in a minstrel’s callouses. A musical performer, or so she appeared to be.

“And you shall have that shell.” She promised, her voice dripping with sincerity, dragging the ‘s’ sounds in a snakelike manner. “But I can’t tell you where the wizard is hiding. You see, as I said, they don’t meet with just anyone. They are a rather cautionary fellow. But if you wait here, I shall take this offering to them and request a meeting. Explain your plight. And if they are amenable, then I will return to you with the details of the meeting on the beach.”

She held out her hand, waiting for “Master Orelius” to hand her the money. Once he did, she scanned the bag and all its shiny contents, satisfied that she’d been given the right amount. Even if it wasn’t the full two-hundred solars, the weight and heft of the bag indicated that it had to be pretty damn close. She tied it to her waist with a wink.

“Now, you wait right here, darling. I’ll go speak with the wizard for you, okay?”

And then she just kind of… walked away.

Money and all.

Yep, she definitely just stole his cash.

Raoul smiled softly as the woman grabbed his hand. He was fully confident he had gotten her hook line and sinker. He was close to getting this case wrapped up; he could smell it even at this point, the nice payday he’d get once this was finished. He did notice that the vendor seemed to be some sort of musician type after feeling her grip and calluses that was an interesting fact he’d have to keep for later reporting.



Raoul nodded and said, “Of course, I can completely understand as I am also a very busy man due to my part in the business”.



He then stood by waiting for the woman to return with something related to the ringleader of this whole thing. After waiting for twenty minutes Raoul looked around the stall even hopping over the counter and looked around for any signs of the vendor lady.



He stood dumbfounded by the situation, “Gods fucking damn it”, he thought to himself screaming in his mind as he continued to hold a calm demeanor on the outside.



“Shit, I thought I was playing her turns out she was playing me the whole damn time maybe she’s not even related to this whole ring. I was hoping to get the money back once she was in cuffs dammit my salary’s gonna be extra low this month for losing 200 solars so easily”.



He then left the stall taking most of the small trinkets and charms and putting them into his pocket. If he was gonna get scammed he was at least gonna take some for himself.



He then started his fieldwork once again trying to find the nearest and most shady-looking vendors to get another lead about the conch shell.

Man, Mariposa couldn’t believe that things had been this easy! That guy was shrewder than he looked, but clearly, he either underestimated criminals or didn’t understand the depths of depravity they were willing to go for a quick buck. Either way he’d had too much faith in his own skills, and too much hope for a quick journey to his desired resolution that he’d not paid enough attention to the little details in front of him.

She grinned as she traipsed through the stalls, pulling the lute from her back and strumming it to herself. If Raoul were to follow her and try to get a sense for her movements, he’d notice that she wasn’t particularly going anywhere in general, and within ten minutes, the reptilekin bard had in fact spent every single one of her hard-scammed solars on a new dress before making her way to the beach. Not to meet up with any wizard, as she’d so promised, but to sunbathe on a rock near the water and take a well-deserved nap.

Meanwhile, Raoul had returned to the grueling task of casing the scene now that his most recent trail had gone stone-cold in a manner of seconds. Around him, there was no shortage of vendors selling their wares at various stalls, though given how disastrously his last attempt had gone, perhaps it would be best to try a different approach…? Aside from the usual, there were a few crowd goers whispering about a girl performing magic tricks a few blocks away in a spectacle that was supposed to be quite entertaining. A smattering of glitter on the cobblestone ground near a liquor store that looked like a party favor had exploded. And of course, there was the beach, where Raoul had heard of the wizard.

But where would he go? What course of action would he decide to take? How far was he willing to go to find this dastardly scammer?

Raoul then saw that vendor who had scammed him as he investigated the area for another lead that could point him to the source of this scheme.



“Damn it!!! I see you, you wretched witch”, he screamed in his head as he hid behind a stall following her movements, erratic as they may be.



His anger rose as he continued to hear her play her lute, had he fallen victim to this clown so easily he was making rookie mistakes.



His blood boiled as he saw her use his investigation funds in such a nonsensical fashion he was gonna be in so much trouble if he wasn’t able to bring them to justice soon.



He was fighting against every instinct he had to scream at the woman and chase her down, “No I am going to stay put and find a more credible lead. I am the freaking detective who solved the Arimina Murders and the Hatmer incidents I am not about to be fooled by some clown in a tacky dress”, he whispers to himself.



He decides to search elsewhere, seeing the vendor as a lost lead hearing about a magical girl performing tricks; perhaps some of the local performers would be able to give him some good information. He then makes his way over there determined to prove why he’s called to get the job down.

Not one to be deterred, Raoul O. Ardelean set off after the next lead he thought he could trust - determined to see things through. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Raoul to find the girl performing tricks in the festival, based on the sound of awe and the sheer number of people forming a crowd around a sort of podium, where bards were playing shamisen, dancers were moving in the traditional manner, and painters were doing calligraphy and caricatures for children. In the midst of all of this was a young woman, of elven descent, based on the point of her ears. Even at a young, nervous age, there was a natural regality with which she moved, waving around a gnarled wooden staff as she performed magic tricks.

She seemed to stand out in the crowd, though not just because she was performing miracles from thin air - but because she was not dressed in Crescent Islander garb. Given Raoul’s experience and wealth of knowledge, if he were to get closer, he might notice the patch on her robe that indicated her as a student of the Arcane Academy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, for my next trick, I shall call upon the spirits of the earth to make a spirit of the summer solstice!” She said, her voice wavering nervously. The crowd that spoke common broke into scattered applause, waiting on bated breath to see what she might do…

The young lady bent down, closer to the dirt and cobblestone path, tapping the emerald tip of her staff on the ground with a shyness and gentleness that kindly asked the primordial energy woven into the fabric of the universe to respond. And before their very eyes, it did.^[1] The ground began to rise and take shape, forming a small statue of Solaria out of the ground. She rose to her feet, a small, shy smile on her face accompanied by pink cheeks as the crowd broke into cheers once more.

“Oh, thank you, thank you! I’m going to take a small break, I’ll be back to perform more tricks in ten minutes!” She bowed before scampering away, taking solace by herself near a food stall. If Raoul were to keep an eye on the girl, he would notice her pull a handful of chance from her pocket and getting on her tiptoes to purchase a dumpling from a vendor, taking a seat at a nearby bench. Her feet swung off the ground while she ate.

A real, bona-fide mage. Perhaps a lead, for Raoul to learn more about these mysterious conch shells he was looking for! And she was on her own now. If he wanted to question her, now would be the perfect time to do so.

---

1. Mold Earth - Ceres Celestia

Raoul stood by amongst the crowd of people watching the young woman’s performance. He thought she might have seen some suspicious activity during or before her performance. As he stood by observing the mage he noticed she had a patch that students of the arcane academy had.



“Hm, what would an arcane academy student be doing here in the crescent isles? That’s a bit suspicious”, he thought as he continued watching her performing magic.



Raoul clapped along with the crowd in amazement at the performer’s trick she was skilled, to say the least, another reason to find her suspicious.



Raoul followed her from a distance as she proceeded to buy a dumpling from a local stall. He slowly approached her, acting like a random passerby holding bags of talismans and such from Mariposa’s stall. He drops into the bench next to the magician and sighs loudly crumbling onto the bench.



He then looks over, acting seemingly surprised to see her sit down. He then says, “Oh you’re that person who was performing a couple minutes ago right? I managed to see that last trick of yours. It was amazing. Are you a mage by chance? I ask because you see I have a bit of a problem. I heard about these powerful magic conch shells that increase your magic and was wondering if you heard of them?”.