"Right then," Morrigan said, pulling out a collection of documents from her robes. "Let me explain exactly what we're dealing with."
She spread the papers on a makeshift table formed by an overturned crate, revealing what appeared to be architectural plans of the Merchant's Consortium building. The detail was impressive and slightly concerning.
"The vault is three levels below ground, accessible through the main building or the service entrance on Copper Lane." She pointed to various locations on the plans with a gnarled finger. "Security changes shift at midnight, giving us approximately two hours before the next patrol."
"What kind of security are we talking about?" Kira asked, studying the diagrams.
"Magical wards on the outer doors, mechanical locks on the inner chambers, and a handful of guards who are more interested in their card games than actual vigilance." Morrigan's smile was unsettling. "The real challenge is reaching the specific vault without triggering the alarm system."
I studied the layout, my mind automatically cataloging potential problems. "And you just happen to have access credentials for a high-security Guild facility?"
"I have many resources, dear boy. The Merchant's Consortium and I have... a complex relationship."
That was reassuring in the way that most of Morrigan's statements were: technically informative while raising more questions than they answered.
"The vault we want is here," she continued, tapping a specific chamber on the sub-basement level. "Vault 247. Contains various items held in trust for absent owners. My property has been languishing there for entirely too long."
"What exactly are we looking for?" Kira asked.
"A small wooden box, approximately the size of a book, with brass corner reinforcements and a distinctive lock shaped like a raven." Morrigan's eyes glittered. "It should be clearly labeled as belonging to M. Ashworth."
"That's you?"
"One of my many names, yes. Now, shall we discuss the approach?"
For the next hour, Morrigan walked us through every detail of the plan. Guard rotations, ward activation sequences, the location of alarm triggers, and at least three different escape routes. Her knowledge was comprehensive enough to make me wonder if she'd planned heists here before.
"Questions?" she asked finally.
"Just one," I said. "How do we know this isn't a trap designed to get us arrested for burglary?"
"Because if I wanted you arrested, dear, there are much simpler ways to accomplish that." She began rolling up the plans. "No, I need that box retrieved, and conventional methods have proven... inadequate."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning the last person I hired for this job is currently decorating a cell in Guild prison, and the one before that had an unfortunate encounter with some very unfriendly magic."
Well, that was comforting.
"We'll need an hour to prepare," I said. "Equipment, final preparations, that sort of thing."
"Agreed. Meet me at the corner of Copper Lane and Third Circle at half past midnight. Don't be late, the window of opportunity is quite narrow."
As Morrigan melted back into the shadows with her usual unsettling grace, Kira and I found ourselves alone with the magnitude of what we'd just agreed to do.
"So," she said eventually, "we're really doing this."
"Apparently so. Though I have to say, 'breaking into a Guild vault' wasn't on my list of career aspirations when I woke up this morning."
"What was?"
"Mostly 'not dying' and 'maybe finding clean socks.'" I shouldered my pack. "Simple goals for a simple man."
"Right. Well, I need to gather some equipment. Know anyone who sells lock picks at this hour?"
"Actually, I might be able to help with that." I gestured vaguely toward the general chaos of the night market surrounding us. "I've got some... resources to tap into. Why don't we split up, handle our preparations separately, and meet back here in an hour?"
Kira nodded. "Good idea. Try not to get arrested while I'm gone."
"I'll do my best. You try not to get murdered by assassins."
"Always do."
We parted ways, and I made my way through the market's winding lanes until I found a suitably private spot behind a closed fletcher's stall. The alley was empty, dark, and far enough from the main thoroughfares that I could work without being observed.
Time to see what eight hundred points could buy me.
I pulled out the receipt, feeling its familiar warmth, and whispered, "Open Shop."
The translucent blue menu materialized, still showing the same two tabs from before. I checked the Standard options first, looking for anything that might help with our upcoming criminal enterprise.
STANDARD SHOP
Available Points: 800
WEAPONS:
Iron Blade (Enhanced) - 300 points
Crossbow of Piercing - 400 points
Mage's Staff (Apprentice) - 500 points
ARMOR:
Reinforced Leather Armor - 200 points
Chainmail Vest - 350 points
Mage Robes (Protective) - 400 points
SKILLS:
Basic Swordsmanship - 300 points
Improved Trap Detection - 500 points
Minor Healing Magic - 600 points
CONSUMABLES:
Health Potion (Minor) - 50 points
Health Potion (Major) - 150 points
Stamina Potion - 75 points
Antidote (Universal) - 100 points
Nothing particularly helpful for sneaking into vaults. The Improved Trap Detection might be useful, but five hundred points seemed steep for something I might not even need.
I switched to the Guardian tab, hoping for better options.
GUARDIAN SHOP
Available Points: 800
ITEMS:
Protective Ward (Ally) - 400 points
Emergency Beacon (Party-wide) - 300 points
Shield of Intent (Blocks hostile magic targeting allies) - 500 points
Silent Movement - 400 points
Now this was more promising. Silent Movement caught my eye immediately. Move without making sound. That was exactly what I needed for sneaking through the vault without alerting guards.
It was a Guardian ability, which made sense—keeping the party safe by avoiding detection altogether. And with 800 points, I could afford it plus something else that might keep me alive if things went wrong.
After scanning both menus, I made my decisions: Silent Movement for actual stealth, and Reinforced Leather Armor for protection. The combination would help me move quietly while keeping me alive if things went wrong.
Purchase confirmed:
- Silent Movement (Passive Skill) - 400 points
- Reinforced Leather Armor - 200 points
Remaining points: 200
The familiar sensation of knowledge flooding my mind began as the Silent Movement ability activated. My body felt lighter, more aware of how my movements affected the environment around me. I could sense which footsteps would make noise, which surfaces would creak under my weight, how to shift my balance to minimize sound.
Then the armor materialized around me, replacing my worn leather gear with something significantly more substantial. The new armor was sleek, well-fitted, and surprisingly light despite its obvious quality. Dark brown leather reinforced with thin strips of metal at vital points, designed for protection without sacrificing mobility.
I tested both acquisitions quickly. My footsteps, which had been clearly audible moments before, now made almost no sound at all. Even when I deliberately tried to make noise, the sounds were muffled, reduced to barely audible whispers. The armor felt natural, like it had been custom-made for me, offering protection without restricting movement.
Perfect for sneaking through vaults and surviving if we got caught.
I dismissed the shop menu and tucked the receipt away, then made my way back toward our meeting point. The night market was still busy despite the late hour, full of people conducting business that benefited from darkness and anonymity.
Perfect cover for a pair of amateur thieves about to attempt their first major heist.
Kira was waiting for me when I arrived, looking considerably more prepared than when we'd parted. She'd acquired a dark hooded cloak and what appeared to be a set of professional lock picks tucked into her belt.
"Any luck with your preparations?" she asked.
"You could say that." I adjusted my pack, testing how quietly I could move with the full weight. "Got everything we need for tonight's adventure in creative problem-solving."
"Creative problem-solving?"
"It sounds better than 'theft,' don't you think?"
"Not really, no."
In the distance, a bell tower chimed midnight. Time to find out if Morrigan's information was accurate, if her credentials would actually work, and whether two failed adventurers could successfully break into one of the most secure vaults in Ravengate.
What could possibly go wrong?
"Famous last words," I muttered under my breath as we headed toward Copper Lane.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Just contemplating the many ways this could end badly."
"Try to think positive thoughts."
"I am. I'm positively certain we're about to do something incredibly stupid."
As we made our way through the darkened streets toward our rendezvous with Morrigan, I reflected on how dramatically my life had changed in just a few days. From hiding behind rocks in kobold warrens to planning heists with information brokers.
At least the receipt system was keeping pace with my increasingly criminal lifestyle. That had to count for something.
Probably not much in a court of law, but still. Progress was progress.