<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/de/30FD3D63-6034-4098-B788-9E4ACF35E53A.jpeg)<br/></div><strong>Name: </strong>Katra<br/><strong>Race/Class: </strong>Human Psi-Fighter<br/><strong>HP:</strong>24/24<strong>Armor:</strong>5<strong>XP:</strong>5/9<br/><strong>Effects:</strong>(status effects, buffs, debuffs, etc. include remaining duration for each effect)<br/><strong>Action:</strong><br/><br/>Spout Lore Result: 2d6 (3, 2) + 2 = 7<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Stats</div><div class="spoiler_body">Strength: 8 (-1)    Constitution: 16 (+2) Dexterity: 9 (+0)<br/>Intelligence: 16 (+2) Wisdom: 13 (+1) Charisma: 13 (+1)<br/><br/>Human Reroll: 1/1<br/>Void Raven’s Feather: 1/1<br/><br/>Coins: 38<br/>Adventuring Gear: 5/5<br/>Dungeon Rations: 5/5<br/>Healing Poultice 1/2<br/>Healing Kit 5/5<br/></div></div><br/>The sudden hit caught Katra by surprise, taking her to the ground.  Recognition showed in her eyes; she wasn't fast because she was used to being intelligent, and her mind went into overdrive to soak all this in and figure out the pertinent information as she looked over the six.<br/><br/>"Let me see if I have this straight; please correct me where I get it wrong," she said, looking over the trio of married couples as she let her weapon dematerialize.  "I recognize the three veils: exceptional adventurers from the original guild that work with coordination tactics, meaning that you work best when you're all working together.  Your husbands likely professed a desire to be a gang of ruffians, since you helped them set up the masks.  Presumably you agreed to this because you figured you could protect them when things got rough, it makes them happy, and maybe you can pretend to collect the bounty on them when they make enough noise by showing the masks, depending on your personal scruples."  The last part was a more wild guess that lacked information, but she'd already thought things through to the end.<br/><br/>"Here are the many issues I see."  Katra looked to the middle woman with a combination of respect mixed with a recognition that her logic was superior and a hope the Veil would listen.  "One, this is inviting all sorts of danger on a man you no doubt care about, and you know that you have to protect him.  Worse, the<em>three</em>of you<em>all</em>have to protect your men," she looked over the Three Veils, "because you fight best in concert, and that means giving up lucrative adventuring deals because you have to babysit."<br/><br/>She gestured with an empty weapon hand.  "If you want to duel me, we absolutely can.  One of us is physically stronger than the other.  Maybe you kill me, maybe you don't, but that's not how this ends, because I'm just a symptom of the main problem."  Katra had changed, and others would likely notice.  It was less important to her to prove herself anymore.  "The way this really ends is that, sooner or later, an adventurer comes who wants to stop the gang that's terrorizing the locals, who we already found beating up on a merchant.  It doesn't have to be me, and you can protect your men from your own guild, but that just means more outside work for others.  Think how huge Wyrmfell is, and how many people come through."  Her gauntlet, open handed, gestured towards Billy.  "Sooner or later, he dies, because he wants to be part of a gang.  You know this; you have to protect him.  He's not even doing it for the money; he's costing you money because you have to stay home and protect him."<br/><br/>Katra let her hand fall as she looked to the Three Veils in turn.  "Do something constructive with them.  Maybe have them set up a tavern.  Maybe help them set up in the arena where they can fight for glory with Blue Rules.  Then, not only are they not a threat on the populace, but you don't have to babysit them because nobody wants to kill them anymore because they're not causing problems."  She let her hand circle everyone in gesture.  "That's what adventurers do: we protect people from monsters, we stop problems that nobody else can, not let the people we love become problems that have to be stopped by others."<br/><br/>Her eyes danced over the women in charge.  "I know my group, just as you know yours.  We don't want to kill your husbands if they stop this foolishness and start being decent members of the community.  Juro even went over to try to help when I tossed my sword by accident, so he knows what they look like.  You don't have to worry about him while this is going on; you have to worry about the inevitable bounty."  Once more she raised a hand.  "They already attacked one of the Shadowfolk.  How often do you think something like that would go unmolested, before bounties start piling up by people who want revenge?  How long do you think you can protect them if they keep doing this?"<br/><br/>Ultimately, the decision was up to the Three Veils, but Katra was smart enough to read through to the endgame in seconds.  She knew well the allure of bloodlust and battle, but had been at this long enough to know that other things could be far more important.  She'd even deliberately lost a battle to help prove it.