100. Legwork

Danielle Geller and Thalia Mercer enter an astral space via a water aperture, emerging in a shallow turquoise lagoon bordered by rocky rises and a small beach. They note the opportunity to explore rather than fight at the entry, signaling a different kind of expedition.

In Greenstone, Clive Standish visits the Magic Society, where Deputy Director Pochard Finn grants him flexible leave to work an Adventure Society contract. Clive partners with Jason Asano to chase the high-profile thief plaguing the city.

At Jason’s lodgings, Jason reviews the Adventure Society–city agreement, speculating that Director Elspeth Arella is pushing boundaries for a hidden goal beyond her public agenda to curb aristocratic influence. He warns Clive that an unseen party may interfere once the thief is cornered, and they resolve to catch the thief to reveal any hidden hands.

They begin interviews, starting with Lord Vordis. By implication, Jason leverages perceived ties to the Mercer family to secure cooperation. Vordis admits smuggling sump coil rods—items that create small zones invisible to most magical senses—clarifying a tool the thief may be using. Jason and Clive conclude the rods are unlikely for a large hideout but are valuable for stealth operations that evade detection.

Over a week, they catalog seventeen jobs, splitting them into two patterns: flashy public snatch-and-grabs with poor-value loot to misdirect, and risky, targeted thefts of rare or restricted magical gear that nearly exposed the culprit. They infer a professional thief with eclectic magical methods involving aura masking and bypassing protections.

As they prepare their next move, Jason notes a powerful outsider has displaced local leadership to take over the ruin expedition connected to their earlier discovery. They plan to observe this arrival, continue their investigation, and use the thief’s capture to flush out any political interference.