If my old friends from 2025 saw me now, they'd say: "Bro, you couldn't convince a dog to fetch, how the hell are you running cons in 1920?"
Answer: gamification.
See, in the real world, lying feels scary. But here? It's basically a turn-based RPG. Each sentence I spoke had a percentage roll hovering above it, each smile was a skill check waiting to happen. Suddenly, small talk wasn't terrifying—it was like grinding XP in a cozy MMO.
And today, I was about to grind like my life depended on it.
The Tavern Hustle
The tavern was smoky, loud, and smelled of sweat mixed with cheap spirits. Dockworkers and traders crowded the tables, dice clattered in corners, and I spotted at least one man muttering a cantrip over his drink to keep it refilled.
Yeah. Real magic. Not "keep your chai warm" level—actual functional spells.
I swallowed hard. "Okay, note to self: the world hasn't forgotten magic. It's just… hiding under the Empire's boot."
[Quest Activated: Make Allies Among Both Worlds]
Objective: Gain trust of one trader and one mage.
Reward: +200 XP, Unlock: Mixed Network
Failure: -30 Reputation (Rumor: You're a fraud)
No pressure.
I adjusted my jacket, tucked my forged "Barstow letter" safely into my pocket, and scanned the room.
Trader? Easy—there was a man counting coins with greedy eyes at the bar. Mage? Harder, but the guy with glowing tattoos on his arms muttering to his beer seemed promising.
Time to do what I do best. Talk.
Silver Tongue, Activate
I slid onto the stool beside the coin-counting trader. "Long night?"
He glanced up, ready to dismiss me, but my system perk shimmered faintly in the air.
DING!
[Silver Tongue in effect: +15% Trust Modifier]
He grunted. "Work never ends. Supply, demand, taxes. Bloody sahibs keep raising tariffs."
I lowered my voice. "Tariffs are bad. Smuggling, though? Profitable."
His eyes narrowed. Then widened.
DING!
[Persuasion Check Success: Convince Minor Trader You're 'In the Know']
+25 XP
"Who are you?" he asked.
I smiled. "Someone who moves quietly, with connections. Someone who could help a man like you double his profits while avoiding those tariffs."
His face broke into a greedy grin. "Now you're talking."
One trader contact: secured.
Enter the Mage
Step two. I swiveled toward Tattoo Guy, whose cup was now magically full despite the bartender glaring at him.
I raised my cup. "Good spell. Haven't seen a refill charm work that clean in ages."
He blinked, suspicious. "You know spellcraft?"
Crap. I barely knew my Hogwarts from my Witcher, but I had one weapon: confidence.
"Of course," I lied smoothly. "I studied under… uh… Pandit Ramananda, before his exile."
DING!
[Storycraft Roll: 62% Convincing → Success]
Created Temporary Persona: "Apprentice of Ramananda"
Duration: Until Disproven
The mage leaned closer. "You knew the Pandit?" His voice dropped. "He was driven out because he wouldn't let the British suppress his rituals."
Inside, I fist-pumped. Outside, I gave a solemn nod. "A great man. He believed magic and knowledge were India's true wealth. Not something to be caged."
[Patriot's Heart Triggered: +10% Persuasion with Indian nationals when speaking of freedom/prosperity]
The mage's eyes shone. "At last, someone who understands." He clasped my arm, the tattoos glowing faintly. "Brother, I will share with you a cantrip. Use it wisely."
DING!
Reward Gained: Minor Arcane Skill — Glamour (Disguise self slightly for 10 minutes).
Mana Bar Unlocked!
Current Mana: 20/20
"Oh hell yes," I whispered. "I finally have magic!"
Mixed Drinks, Mixed Worlds
The rest of the night blurred into laughter, whispers, and negotiations. I exaggerated war stories, invented magical exploits, and hinted at "discreet channels" for trade.
For the first time, I wasn't just forging papers—I was forging an identity. A smooth-talking fixer, standing at the intersection of science and sorcery.
And damn, it felt good.
[Quest Complete: Make Allies Among Both Worlds]
Reward: +200 XP
Skill Upgrade: Storycraft → Lv.3
Unlocked: Mixed Network — Trader/Mage contacts expand quest lines.
The Inner Fire
Later, walking through the quiet streets under a moonlit sky, I couldn't shake the weight of what I'd seen. The trader feared tariffs. The mage feared suppression. Both bent under the British, both hiding their true potential.
I clenched my fists.
"This isn't just about hustling, or XP, or loot drops. If I can bridge traders and mages, science and magic, then maybe…"
The system pulsed.
[Hidden Quest Unlocked: Forge India's Future]
Objective: Unite science and magic under one banner.
Progress: 0%
Reward: ??? (Epic Tier)
I stopped in my tracks, heart pounding.
Unite science and magic. Unite India.
"Alright," I whispered to the void. "Challenge accepted."
The Smooth Talker wasn't just a conman anymore. He was a revolutionary with a gamer HUD.
And this game? I was going to win it.