A girl in a hooded cloak.

Sure enough, it's nothing interesting. Being one of the first steps an aspiring thief will take into criminal quests, hooded visitors are nothing unusual. Stepping into the cellar from the noise upstairs, she removes the hood. Well, at least she looked different. Her skin was like caramel, and cradled by hair that was pure white. Her eyes were a bright red. She looked around curiously before spotting you. Something else different, she smiled and skipped right up to you. She probably came up to just below your chin.

She stopped right before you, and extended her hand. "Evenin' sir! Y'must be master Calvet, yeah?"

Alright. Never mind. This is a little interesting. You set down your cup and shake her hand. "Indeed, welcome to my little slice of... One afterlife or another. What can I do you for?"

She smiled wide. "Lookin' for a quest you've got. Heard you've got a mansion needs breaking into!"

Naturally. Another rogue for the chopping block. Although... Something about her gear seems off. Most people who show up are in brown or grey, with some pretty simple iron or steel weapons. Sure, some people bring more if they've spent time grinding. But... You get the feeling this girl might have a better chance than most. Her cloak, a deep red, is trimmed in gold, and the short swords at her hips seem very ornately crafted. The leather of her armor is black, either meaning it's higher tier gear or it's been dyed. Hopefully this means she's experienced.

"Ah, of course. Indeed, the mayor's manor is laden with wealth. Most important, both in price and in its importance to Levasseur, is the Rutherford Opal. Stolen from some other family a few generations back. He loves it more as something to spite the original owners. All we want you to do is break in, and bring the guild that opal. Anything else you steal is yours to do what you want with."

"Really? One lil opal is all? Not a problem. So, what's the best way in? Know the guard routes? How about any other valuables?"

Um... Shit. You know very little about the specifics. Hardly surprising, you've never left this basement. No one's ever asked these questions before. "Oh, well... The guild hasn't..."

Her smile disappears, and she looks very confused. "Y'mean you haven't worked out a plan? I thought you were in charge?"

Damn it. You are in charge. No one gets to tell you shit like this. Just some nameless low-level thief. Before you can vocalize your anger, she takes your hand with a newfound look of pity. "Oh my goodness! You've never seen it in person, have you?! I'm so sorry, I didn't even think! ... Would you like to?"

There are a few conflicting emotions. There's still the initial anger at her questioning of your quest. Then there's a genuine pain at the realization of how pitiable your life thus far has been. Finally... A glimmer of hope at her last question. "What do you mean by that? I... I have things to do here. You footpads and burglars are the ones who need to worry about that mansion."

She puts her hands on her hips and puts on an exaggerated pout. "Oh come on! I'm not stupid here. You don't think you can, do ya? You've probably not even tried leavin' this basement."

Before you can protest, the girl takes you by the hand and begins dragging you toward the door. "C'mon c'mon! A mansion this size, a mark this arrogant, I'm sure you don't wanna just sit here and do nothing, right? You deserve to take that opal yourself!"

"Hold on!" You yank your arm free, and prepare to lash out. But her look is one of genuine disappointment. You feel disappointed at yourself, honestly. Haven't you always thought about trying to get out of this place? Now someone walks in who claims you absolutely can, and your first reaction is to try and resist her? With only a few seconds' thought, your plan changes. "If we're doing this, let me do it properly." You make your way over to a wardrobe.

From it, you quickly gather things that you have lying around, but have never really used. Great for stealth, less so for fending off town guards or dissuading pick pockets. You strap three crude flash bombs to your belt, swap one of your daggers out for your trusty blackjack, and flourish a dark hooded cloak over yourself. You look to the girl, noticing now that she carries a bow. Good, no need to bring your own.

"Alright then... Let's go." She smiles wide as she once again drags you, bringing you up the stairs and into the Dueling Doves. The light and warmth creeps around her frame to greet you. "The name's Robin, sir. Nice to finally meet you."