Thanks .
.
Cheers.
Here!
Present
Still patiently waiting.
After a warm early autumn day, heavy rain has moved into the city from the west off of Conquerors Bay, bringing a chill with it. The pounding waves of precipitation seem to have washed away all but the most stubborn souls from the streets. The increased cloud cover has blocked out any moon and star light as well, making things look even more desolate.
Paddy and Orion: After an uneventful night, the two of you have just finished your shift walking the beat. The last leg of the patrol takes you to The Highbridge District in Eodred’s Square. The plaza is mostly empty except for a colorful tented stall at one end named Arayan’s. It’s run by a cheerful Garundi man and is best known for it’s Oliphant ears (a flat buttery pastry filled with dates and raisins) that are served with a strong coffee in the Katapeshi style.
Arayan greets you both through the open tent with a smile. ”Come in friends. Get out of the rain and warm up with a coffee and pastry. On the house of course, for the protectors of our fair city.” With your uniforms and armor soaked, it’s tough to resist the allure of getting under cover with a bit of warm food and drink in your bellies...
Elegad: You’ve managed to carve out a small cubby for yourself amidst the shingles atop Garrison Hill. It’s just a spot under a ramp connecting two other shacks, but it’s got a beautiful view of the Jeggare river on it’s open side. That view is good for all of squat tonight though. Almost everything out past 50 yards or so is obscured by the heavy rain. You had a brief moment of excitement when a pair of house drakes came careening out of the wall of rain, slamming an imp in the building next to you, but it was fleeting as the chase led them back out of sight within seconds.
To pass the time, you reach into your tobacco pouch to roll up a cigarette, but come up empty. There is an old gnome woman a few blocks down who will sell you five pinches of tobacco for a single copper. It’s the best deal around, though you're pretty sure she spends her days scavenging the tobacco from old butts around town. Your other options are nicking someone else's pouch or bumming from a neighbor. You could also go without, but that could lead to a loooong night.
Red Feather and Sauldin: Mother Noor gave Saul the duty of replacing a few sections of broken pavers in one of the sidewalks leading to the Dawn Flower House, a church run orphanage. “Putting all of those muscles to good use” she said. Saul was given a requisition by the church to purchase the supplies for the repairs, as well as to hire a laborer to help with the job. The Revered Mother knew that it would be Red Feather. The man had entered their outreach program and since then, Sauldin had clearly taken an interest in him.
Red Feather jumped at the opportunity to get some honest work. Some coins in his purse and the chance to busy his idle hands were exactly what he needed.
Everything was going so well. The sun was shining down and the two of you had half of the walkway work knocked out, when the sky opened up. You’ve been sitting under cover on the front stoop, waiting for things to clear up for a few hours, but there seems to be no end to the deluge rolling in off of the bay. The sun having long since gone down, you’ve both decided that it’s time to pack up the tools and try again tomorrow. Just then one of the sisters bursts through the front door. ”Ella??” she calls out into the rain. She stops short of running off of the porch, just noticing the two of you. ”Oh! Have either of you seen a little varisian girl, about this tall pass through here?” She holds her hand about 4 feet off of the ground. ”Ella is a bit of an escape artist and she loves the rain. I swear that child has the spirit of Gozreh in her..”
Bas: You and Dask sit at your favorite table in The Jittery Quill, a popular bar/ coffee house for Acadamae students. It was tough coming back here at first after the murder and dropping out of school, but it remained a convenient place to meet up with Dask, and in some ways it kept you feeling connected with the Acadamae. Your high top table sits right in front of a large picture window, looking out onto the cobblestone road being pounded by waves of rain. It’s a quiet night at the quill, with a few locals, yourself, Dask and bard that you recognize as an Acadamae student testing out a few new ballads for the small audience. Dask gives you wry smile from across the table. ”He’s clearly got some work to do on these songs. I’m not even sure his lute is tuned!” he says with a laugh.
Paddy counts out an appropriate number coins from his pouch for his and Orion's treats, and places them carefully on the counter.
"The protectors of this fair city," he says with a gentle smile, "would not want to be thought of as a burden to honest men."
To Orion: "This one's on me, partner."
Sipping his coffee and looking at the rain, he says to the proprietor, "A foul evening indeed, my friend." Then, hearing himself, he adds as an aside, "You know, it always amazes me, how we talk weather and local news with our acquaintances, and we talk religion and politics with our relatives."
Arayan laughs. "Ah, but weather and local news are much less contentious subjects than religion and politics, yes? Our family are captive audiences, much harder to drive them away I think." The man puts the coins in his satchel and slides two warm Oliphant ears toward you both.
Bas was nervous returning to anything remotely connected to academia, even if it was just a bar. He could feel their stares, their sideways glances, the hushed whispers seemed to creep along his spine and he begins to sweat. He was an innocent and free man, but the prevalent opinion always weighed him down like iron shackles.
Bas stares mostly at his cup, as his friend seems to be having a decent time. But he prefers to remain out of sphere of attention.
"Right, Right. Keep it down will ya?" Bas takes large gulp of whatever's been distilled in his cup. Some kind of spirit kept bottled up and watered down. Maybe after a few more he'll return to his cheerful self, dancing on tables, pulling out his own ingredients and creating drinks so wild they'd hardly remember the night.
He felt a stab of guilt laced with worry.
That was what got him in this mess in the first place.
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Orion started his shift in high spirits. The finely-crafted tool kit rode easily in his sack, and he felt muchly more prepared with it at last in his possession.
Alas, even with his winnings, so elegant an item had set him back considerably, and his purse was flattened for it. He faced few hungry days until next payday, and this prospect, combined with the hard, cold rain, gradually wore on his mood.
At the prospect of an oliphant ear, though, his heart lightens and a ubiquitous smile takes a young bloom on his face. 'With such a feast I could last until the morrow! And then who knows what may come?'
Inside the warm, aroma-filled tent, Orion sits down heavily and gratefully next to Paddy. "And we are most grateful, kind Arayan! Paddy, wasn't I just saying how good and noble the honest Merchant Arayan was? Why I might--eh?
Eh, Paddy, the man did say it was on the house, you know?"
Ah, well, 'twas Paddy's coins to part with as he saw fit, and Orion was none the poorer and still feasting on an oliphant's ear, so what of it?
"So anyway," Orion starts again, speaking through a mouth half-full of pastry and coffee. "the nature of man is not just defined by his actions but -only- defined by his actions. What good is it if a man claims to be good, yet commits actions of evilness? Or if he claims to care about a thing, but all his actions result in the harm of the thing he claims to care about? Whether this happens out of spite or ignorance, what matter it? The result is the same---"
Orion is warm and eating. This may go on for a while.
"An interesting line of thought, Orion. If only actions count, as you say," muses Paddy, "a man who eats an oliphant ear he has not purchased would be guilty of theft, is that no so?" Waiting to see if Orion sees the next step, he smiles and adds, "Your credit is good with me, of course."
Sitting there, up against the wall and just staring out towards the Jeggare river in the distance, Elegad rustled through his pouch of tobacco, only to be disappointed at the lack of anything in it.
Damn. Should'a known I'd be out by now.
It was late, but not too late and while the rain dripped down onto him from the overhead ramp, he figured he had nothing better to do than to head to that old woman for more of her tobacco.
The weather's s#$@, but I may as well head out. F@@~ it. It's the only thing keeping me sane in this s!!@hole.
Lifting himself to his feet, Elegad poked his head out and peered around the building where the imp had landed, deciding to then move up to it before kicking it twice, making sure it's dead.
Yea, this thing's going nowhere, but.... he momentarily paused, noticing a couple of Copper pieces among the debris surrounding the dead creature.
That'll do he said, pocketing both coins as he made his way to the old Gnome woman several blocks down for a decent amount of tobacco.
Fortunate enough to live within a shack, Elegad knocked twice on her door, wiping the back of his hand across his nose as he sniffed from a cold he'd just recently got. He stood there saturated, as the rain had turned him from street rat into drowned rat in a mere matter of minutes.
As the door opened, the boy looked towards the woman with a pained expression, before uttering the words I'm out, gesturing towards his empty tobacco pouch and flashing two copper coins to the woman with his other hand.
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Orion puts a hand to his chest in mock hurt and outrage. He swallows his bite to respond. "Ah! You wound me, sir! You wound me! I was given this bountiful gift freely, and would simply be showing good manners in embracing my hosts generosity! Would you call a babe at his mother's breast a thief? Or a child that opens their gifts upon their Nameday? Nay, sir, nay! Nay! A thousand times nay!"
He laughs and winks and takes another bite of his pastry.
"Right, Right. Keep it down will ya?"
Dask laughs. "Hey, I wouldn't want to keep the guy from practicing. He clearly needs it." He adds with a smile.
Your friend finishes off the rest of his ale and wipes a bit of suds from his top lip. "Alright, I've gotta hit the can, then get out of here. Professor Azura is starting her exams at 7am tomorrow, the sadist." Dask stops himself short realizing that he hit a sore spot. "Hey, sorry." He reaches into his coin purse and quickly changes the subject. "I've got the drinks tonight! Just grab the tab from the bar maid. I'm gonna burst if I don't pee soon." Dask slaps a few coins on the table and runs off to the restroom.
A moment later, your regular waitress, a young Half Elven woman named Aleera drops off your receipt and collects the coins with a smile. "Stay dry out there Bas!" she shouts as she walks back to start washing your glasses behind the bar.
When you look down at the check, something catches your eye. There seems to be something written on the back, clearly not written in the same hand as the receipt.
As the door opened, the boy looked towards the woman with a pained expression, before uttering the words I'm out, gesturing towards his empty tobacco pouch and flashing two copper coins to the woman with his other hand.
The old gnome woman flashes El a wide toothless smile and tosses him a rag to dry off. "You'll catch your death out there young man. Come in and warm your hands by my fire." The "fire" in this case is a few barely glowing coals in a brazier.
"Ooooo twoo coppers worth?" The ancient woman shoves a fistful of tobacco into a pouch and passes it over. "I'll throw in a few of my best papers to go with it too!"
Satisfied, El heads off to roll up a smoke. When he pulls one of the papers though, he finds that there is writing on it.
Oops!
Satisfied with the amount of tobacco given and the welcomed hospitality, Elegad pulled the papers from his separate pouch and went to roll a fresh cigarette inside the Gnomes residence and out of the damp, before realising the piece he'd pulled out was actually a note addressed to him.
Surprised, he unrolled it, reading the content within.
Whoever this is...I don't care. We've both got the same goal. Yea, I know. It could be a ploy to lure me out, but I won't ever know unless I go there and this......THIS could lead me to the path I've been searching for, for so long now.
Standing in front of the door, Elegad clenched his right fist and with an expression of ill-intent, simply uttered the word Lamm!
Having a sudden change of heart about things, the boy turned to the old Gnome woman, looking down towards the ground and asked with a somewhat forced smile I need to be somewhere a little later on. Mind if I stay here a few hours more? I won't spark up until I'm gone.
He clearly didn't expect a positive response.
Dunno if this woman wrote the note, but if she didn't and it was somehow snuck into her stash, I'd better keep this to myself.
Red Feather looks up alertly at the cries of panic. "Wait where was she last seen? We should begin to look there. Come Sauldin. We must not tarry before this cursed rain removes any clues to her path".
Assuming he is led to that location he begins to look for a trail, before it gets ruined by the rain.
Perception
Survival
Paddy and Orion:
Arayan smiles at the back and forth and goes back to mixing dough for his pastries.
Once Paddy and Orion finish their oliphant ears, they both notice that there is a note written on the wax paper under Paddy pastry. You could swear it wasn't there a moment ago.
I need to be somewhere a little later on. Mind if I stay here a few hours more? I won't spark up until I'm gone.
The woman flashes her gums and another wide grin. "Of course!! You can have some of my famous soup!" She uncovers a pot and gives it a few turns with a ladle. The smell that issues forth reminds El of that time his ingrown toenail became infected.
Red Feather looks up alertly at the cries of panic. "Wait where was she last seen? We should begin to look there. Come Sauldin. We must not tarry before this cursed rain removes any clues to her path".
Assuming he is led to that location he begins to look for a trail, before it gets ruined by the rain.
1d20+5 Perception
1d20+5 Survival
"Well I saw her last in the cafeteria at dinner, but she wasn't present for roll call before bedtime. She's gone missing before and every time we find her out in the weather."
Looking around, Red Feather's eye is immediately caught by something unusual. An open window in the front of the building. Not something typically seen during a rainstorm.
"Come on! This way!" Red Feather calls out to Sauldin.
He heads towards the open window to investigate.
Perception
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"Eh? What have you there, Paddy?" Orion asks, chasing the last of his pastry with the last of his coffee, pausing for an appreciative belch. "Is it a note from one of your many love--" Orion cuts off as the contents of the note are shared. He looks sidelong at Arayan, suspecting him the writer of the note.
"Hmmmm. Well, the...person, whoever he is, for we can not know who this mysterious person is...whoever they are, they have the right of it," he says, mostly for Arayan, if he's eavesdropping. "Indeed, a chance like this, to take out trash of that magnitude would be interesting. I trust we shall make an appearance?
We'd hate to get a reputation of letting down mysterious admirers," he finishes with a wink.
"Come on! This way!" Red Feather calls out to Sauldin.
He heads towards the open window to investigate.
1d20+5 Perception
Red Feather dashes out into the rain, to the open window. Draping down from it is a tied off bed sheet. After a moment of searching, he's able to find a set of small foot prints in the mud leading across the street into an alley.
Worry creases the normally upbeat Saulden's brow after Red Feather points out the tracks.
"Ella!", he calls out as he approaches the alley,"We've played this game before and I always win eventually! Come on now!"
Paddy glances an apology to the proprietor for Orion's lack of finesse and pats the man on the shoulder. "Many thanks for the refreshment, and for the opportunity to come in out of the rain a bit. We look forward to more conversations with you in the future!"
Turning to Orion, he says, "Come, we mustn't overstay our welcome, and it seems we have places to be." When they are out of earshot, he put his head close to Orion's and says, "As a hunter, I'm sure you're adept at stalking prey and hiding in blinds and whatever it is you people do. My thought is that it might be best if we arrive slightly early and reconnoiter, and that you maybe keep an eye on the place, invisibly as it were, from a suitable vantage while I go in. No sense in both of us being caught in a trap."
As they approach, Paddy strains to intuit what to expect.
Paddy is used to coming across murder scenes after the fact, and lacks any skill or practice at assessing them beforehand!
Bas looks around, as if merely holding this note would draw the intentions of others, and quickly tucked it away. His business squared with the pub, Bas exits quickly into the night, pulling his long sleeved cloak over his usual vest-tunic. He was always one to keep his arms free, too many accidents could occur if something got snagged while he was mixing.
Gaedrun Lamm....
Bas moves quickly, returning to his small apartment to retrieve a few items. His get-away bag, some weapons, even donning the scale mail that fit snugly against his sturdy torso. You could never be too careful, and Bas had a feeling something would happen tonight. A chance to clear his name....or a chance to tie up loose names.
Bas heads to the noted location.
"You want me to get to a rooftop now?" Orion asks Paddy as they approach the meeting.
"I'll leave the vantage point to your judgment. But please have your crossbow ready -- one thing I've learned through ministering the Goddess' word is that her 'protection' can be somewhat fickle... Then again, let's not just start shooting on sight; only if there's an actual threat against my life."
"Look! I bet those are her tracks. Let's follow them before the rain wipes them away".
Survival
"Lead on, my friend! She's out far past her bed time!"
Red and Saul head across the road into the back alley. Red's tracking skills easily allow him to see a muddy set of prints leading to a nearby dumpster. Underneath is Ella, petting a scraggly grey cat who is holed up, out of the rain. As the two of you approach, the girl looks up with a smile. "Look Saul! This kitty had a scrap of paper under its collar with your name on it!"
Saulden laughs, squatting next to a dumpster in the rain.
"Isn't that something! Thanks, Ella. You know, I think Sister Esme was getting pretty worried about you- course, I knew you would be fine- but coming back covered in mud from under a dumpster isn't going to make her feel much better about you sneaking out. So let's run back with your kitty friend and you can tell the Sister that you're sorry for climbing out the window again."
He extends a hand to pull Ella out, handing the note to Red Feather with a serious look.
"Aww, okay." Ella tucks the cat under an arm and scurries back out of the alley toward the orphanage. She stops briefly to look up at Red Feather, waving at the Shoanti man as she passes by.
Saulden heads back under the cover of the front stoop, reading the note.
"Someone's finally pinned down Lamm it seems. You think you're ready to face him down, Red?"
Paddy remains outwardly pleasant, but curses silently to himself as Orion suddenly scraps the plan and insists on barging in with him. He makes sure his mace is loose on its thong -- ready to beat assailing criminals, or, if need be, would-be vigilante police "associates." He also adjusts his lanyard so his holy symbol and police badge are clearly visible.
As soon as the smell hit El, the boy politely declined, regardless of how hungry he actually was.
Th-thanks, but...I'm not all that hungry. I've got a lot of s!#% to deal with tonight.
Saulden heads back under the cover of the front stoop, reading the note.
"Someone's finally pinned down Lamm it seems. You think you're ready to face him down, Red?"
Red Feather actually pales a bit at the contents of the letter, though it's hard to tell if it's from fright, or anger. He take a moment to compose himself, and probably more self-assuredly then he really feels replies. "If you only knew".
Lancet Street is a steep cobblestone hill in North Point leading down to The Jeggare River. Both sides of the road are outfitted with ramps for rolling barrels and wheeling crates down to the docks below. The area is mostly dark except for a warm colorful glow emanating from one building.
A sign hangs from the front that reads "Zellara! Seer of the spirits! Cipher of the city!"
Paddy and Orion arrive first and find the door unlocked.
Inside: The interior of this small, humble shop consists of a single cozy chamber filled with a fragrant haze of flowers and strong spice. The aroma comes from several sticks of incense smoldering in wall mounted burners that look like butterfly-winged elves. The smoke gives the room a dreamy feel. The walls are draped with brocaded tapestries, one showing a black-skulled beast juggling human hearts, and another showing a pair of angels dancing atop a snow-blasted mountain. A third tapestry on the far wall depicts a tall, hooded figure shrouded in mist, holding a flaming sword in a skeletal hand. Several brightly colored rugs cover the floor, but the room’s only furnishings are a wooden table covered by a bright red throw cloth and several elegant, tall-backed chairs. A basket covered by blue cloth sits under the table.
A note sits on top of the table under a stone paper weight.