Conversation · Plaisance

"Well, my husband would definitely agree with you." Her mouth has become a single tight line. "He's the one who suggested selling books. Less... stupid, he said. More cultured."

"But being cultured doesn't offer any protection against the curse, does it?" She looks around the dusty store. "Maybe I shouldn't have listened to him after all..."

"Great idea. What happened?"

"My husband suggested otherwise. He said it's less... stupid. More appropriate. Cultured and all that."

"You could try to be friendlier with the customers."

"My voice is trained to perfection by true sales professionals, good sir! I paid good money for those courses."

"Too much money, even..." She looks around the dusty store. "Perhaps I should have bought some wards instead."

"I'm only trying to help... What about some neon signs and blinking lights?"

"Sir, this is a bookstore, not a stripclub. No one would take us seriously if we put up some horrendous neon lights."

"Besides, this would only tempt the phantoms of doom... They can sense the desperation, you know."

"Have you ever thought about a sale? Maybe this could lure in some customers."

"Discount my wares?! I can see, sir, that you don't value books very highly."

"There are hardly any customers in the store. Do you think it's really working?"

"Why didn't you just tell me right away it's the curse?"

"It's not good to talk about the curse, not in detail. The negativism..." She shivers. "It's dangerous. Talking about the void wraiths angers them!"

Wow. Void wraiths. You have new words.

Such wraiths may prove a formidable enemy. Suit up.

"Would you like me to take the case? I could investigate, see if the curse is real." (Conclude.)

"Most certainly not! I don't want anyone who's not familiar with the psychic arts to get involved in this mess. Stay away. Leave the spirits be, so they can return to their slumber."

My liege! You know what this case calls for? A para-detective!

Tell her there's a dead body involved. That will make it easier.

Wait, mention the dead body! People hate those.

Psychic arts? Sounds right down our alley.

"I don't think the curse is real, I just want you to let me in there." (Conclude.)

"Most certainly not! I'm not letting you open the gates of hell. In fact, I don't want anyone who isn't familiar with the psychic arts involved in this mess. Stay away. Leave the spirits be, so they can return to their slumber."

"I heard that the Union has squeezed out all the local business to fund their strike... How is your store still up and running?"

She fingers the pendant around her neck, thinking. "It must be these very spells and wards of protection that keep me safe from all the ill and wicked deeds."

"Never mind, I had other questions."

"How does this curse manifest itself?"

"The curse... is so much worse than you could imagine. It's a disease, eating at the very foundation." A shiver runs through the woman, as she looks around the dimly lit store.

"It's the curse of financial distress." Her voice drops to a whisper. "Of ruin -- and bankruptcy." She peers at the curtains again...

Didn't... didn't that curtain just move?!

"Okay. I'm a little confused. What does that mean?"

"Everyone knows that all the previous companies in this building have sooner or later declared bankruptcy. And their malicious spirits are still here, feeding off bad business practices and disappointing income statements!"

"There's something wrong with this building, I can tell you. Ever since I arrived, I've sensed an eerie lingering presence -- as if I was unwanted here."

Sounds familiar.

"Strange... I feel unwanted too. What does it mean?"

"Truly so?" Her eyes narrow, as she tries to get a read on your energy. "Perhaps the dark energies are leeching off you? You shouldn't stay in the store too long, it may be dangerous."

Don't mention it.

She nudges her glasses, anxious and tense.

"Wait, that's it? I was hoping for something more... paranatural."

"But officer, there's nothing natural about entire companies declaring bankruptcy! I'm talking about caco-daemons feeding off bad business practices and disappointing income statements!"

"Ah! Annette mentioned that the previous tenants have experienced some financial troubles."

"It's not just that, officer, we're dealing with something supra-natural here. It's the caco-daemons feeding off bad business practices and disappointing income statements!"

"Never mind, I had other questions."

"What about the wards on the back door? Are these Semenese as well?"

"Yes, the Semenese are very crafty and their wards are extremely powerful. Lesser wards simply won't do here."

"And what's behind that door if I may ask?"

"Failure... so much more failure!" She turns away from you, shaking her head.

"Have you sought help from anyone?"

"Yes, I've contacted numerous parapsychologists and even a pair of Semenese mediators -- they provided me with the wards." She nods at the strange cage-like trinket on the curtains.

"The wards help to keep the doom at bay and protect us against the darkness that lies further in the building. Even though now I fear... it's not enough."

"Okay... fine! It's because this place is cursed, just like everyone said! They don't call it the Doomed Commercial Area for nothing!"

"If it's just a storage room then it wouldn't hurt if I just peeked inside... It's not like it's cursed, right?"

"No!" She wavers under your gaze, mouth pressed into a tight-lipped frown... then she breaks down:

"If it's just a storage room then why does it have a Semenese ward protecting it?"

"It's just for decoration!" She wavers under your gaze, mouth pressed into a tight-lipped smile... then something breaks:

"If it's just a storage room then why do you have that strange trinket on the curtains?"

"If it's just a storage room then why are you so tense?"

"I'm not tense, I'm just..." She wavers under your gaze, mouth pressed into a tight-lipped frown... then something breaks: