The office door swings wide, and a new Inspector steps in with a folder tucked under one arm. He scans the desk, the petition, and the faces around it without slowing down.
The Inspector
All right. I see the grievance logged. I want to know why it took this long to reach my desk.
The Clerk stiffens, ink still dark on her thumb. The Organizer keeps her shoulders square, while Elias watches the Inspector like he is measuring a weak hinge.
Hunter McCready
Hunter asks him to review the petition as filed, not split up or pushed aside.
The Inspector
That is exactly what I am here to do. I am not interested in office games, I am interested in a clean record and a clear answer.
He sets his folder down beside the petition and reaches for the top page, expression flat but not unfriendly. The room holds still, waiting to see whether he reads it like a warning or a form.
✓ Quest Accepted
Get the Inspector to validate the vendors' petition
“I lean forward and point to the signatures on the petition.”
SUCCESS (Superb Willpower, rolled -3)
Hunter leans in and points straight to the signatures. The page shifts under his finger, and the desk lamp catches the crowded names in a bright strip of light.
The Inspector
Those are real signatures. Good. That is what I needed to see.
He draws the petition closer, scanning the lines with a slower, more careful look. The Clerk’s inked thumb tightens against the desk edge, and the Organizer’s shoulders ease by a fraction.
The Inspector
This is not an unsigned complaint. This is a record of agreement from the vendors themselves.
Hunter’s sleeve brushes the paper as he keeps it in view, and a fresh smear of ink stains the cuff. Joy watches the mark, then looks back up at the Inspector without speaking.
The Inspector
I am validating this as filed, and I will note that the office tried to narrow it before review.
The Clerk blanches at that, while Elias lets out a short, satisfied breath near the doorway. The Inspector taps the petition once, already reaching for his folder to make the correction official.
Quest Complete
Get the Inspector to validate the vendors' petition