Mordekai and Tam
The murder has just occurred. Your father, a reserved man inclined to patience seemingly despite Tam’s criminal activities has never appeared angrier. When you, Mordekai, returned your sister Elaine to the family home allowed you only the scant amount of time required to gather your things before banishing you. With your kit firmly in hand, the only possessions you believe you can now lay claim to given your father’s dismissal of you, you wander towards the seedier districts of town hoping to find your brother. Only, you are no criminal, and having traveled much the past few years, you cannot fathom where he would be at this hour. You ask a few locals, but they shy away from your authoritative gait and voice, then whisper behind their hands when you have moved on.
You, Tam, arrive home late that evening, smelling of cheap liquor, dank smoke and the filthy corners of the underworld you haunt, only to find that your normally quiet home is in an uproar. Lanterns are lit everywhere, and your father’s office, which is almost always closed, stands open. He spies you before your mother descending on the stair, has a chance to reach you, rises and begins cursing at you in a somewhat shrill and strained voice, telling you to remove yourself immediately. Your mother, Felicia, interrupts, throwing herself between you two, at which point your father simply breaks, shakes his head and walks upstairs and enters Elaine’s bedroom. A few moments later you hear sobbing, but it does not sound feminine.
Your mother recounts the story as she has it from Elaine. Some villain assaulted her and your brother, Mordekai murdered him. Your father has banished him from the house, not wishing to invite legal reprisal on the family, least of all your sister in her delicate state. Your mother begs you to find Mordekai, and stay with him, and promises that she will do her best to ensure that the two of you are safe through whichever means are necessary. After all, you are both her sons, and she is your mother. It is her duty.
It is not difficult for you to track Mordekai’s whereabouts. He is a large man, and one completely unaware of the nature of the underworld you skirt so well. The thought occurs to you that if it is so easy for you to track your brother here, it might be equally easy for others to as well. You hurry and find him in a dive that you are known to frequent on occasion, nursing an ale, looking so haunted not even the regular ladies will approach, despite his handsome face and rugged features.
Tam seemingly does not notice his brother and instead walks up to the barkeep who immediately recognizes him and greets him with a scowl.
"I told you Tam that I don't have the money I owe you yet business has been slow since this latest uproar with some criminal found dead in an alley. Apparently he was found with five different bones broken the last being his neck. So shove off." he greets him gruffly as he finishs wiping "clean" a bottle before stowing it under the bar.
Tam winces inwardly Damn, I was hoping to head this off before it exploded, wont be long now till the guard come arresting any man big enough to have done the deed. Tam thinks as he quikly thinks opf a plan trying to not look over to Mordecai just yet.
"Well barkeep lets say we write off this debt and say....you owe me a favor sometime. Tam winks as he replies to the barkeep and glances around to see who all had come to the bar. Seeing no one that he recognizes smarter than the average gutter rat he comes up with a plan. "But about this murder now....I think I may have seen the man that did it. Now you know my reputation with the guard so I cant exactly go up to them and let them know see? So I need a trustworthy accomplice to turn in the deed."
Bluff
Tam continues but raising his voice slightly just so some passersby could hear him. "So anyways I bet there is some huge reward out there for who turns in the killer. But heres the thing I couldve sworn this guy had short blond hair and great big beard all yellow like gold. Made me think of this reward see? So I say whoever can get to the guard and tell them about this guy would probably get rewarded from them.I could have sworn I saw him make his way to the north gate heading out of town. So as I was saying barkeep I need a reliable man to go deliver this message for me and say we split the reward 50 50? Tam grins to himself as he sees several patrons get out of their seats and hurry to the door. He knew the barkeep would never give him his share but this distraction was all he needed. he gets up nodding his head to the man and gives him his most wining smile as he slips into the crowd going unnoticebly the other way.
Stealth
Tam walks up to his brother's table and sits down at keeping his cowl up.
"You just had to bust up one of the more notorious thugs in the city didn't you?"
Tam glances up at his brother and flashes him a quick smile as he feels his chair bumped by several more people making their way to the door to go report the murder was done by a blond man heading north.
During his brother's overly-loud ovation to the tavern patrons, Mordecai keeps his eyes on his mug, trying to keep himself from either chuckling or catching Tam about the mouth to silence him. His eyes still burn with fire at the memory of the man bearing down on Elaine in the alley, approaching her with knife drawn and an evil lust in his piggy eyes. It was the luck of Cayden that Mordecai had been passing by at that time that he had heard his sister's screams and rushed forwards into the darkened street.
His torn knuckles burn from the repeated blows he had delivered to the convict's body, feeling the breaking of bone beneath his hands as he threw the man about the alley before wrestling him into a grapple where his hands had clamped about the ruffian's neck...and then snapped it in one quick jerk.
Mordecai glances up at his brother as he reaches the end of his speech and the patrons of the tavern instantly begin hurrying out, the only thing on their minds being collecting a possible bounty for the murderer of a known criminal. The large man sighs, his scale-mail resting more heavily than ever on his broad shoulders as he again takes a deep pull from his flagon, the bite of the alcohol bitter and sharp in his throat.
"You weren't there..." he mutters at Tam when his younger brother seats himself next to him with that cheeky grin in place on his face. "...Thank you..." he adds eventually, nodding at the now nearly empty tavern. He finishes the rest of his ale, winces, and then stands up, grabbing up his cloak and tieing it on. "I need to go. Father...disowned me. Figure he didn't want a...murderer on his plate." his eyes burn but he ferociously puts a fist to his eyes before they can shame him with tears.
He then bends down and retrieves his hurriedly packed rucksack and his iconic half-and-a-half sword from where it had been laying against the table. He straps the backpack and the blade onto his back then gives a sad nod at his younger brother. "I don't know where I'm going but..." he pauses then shakes his head. "You need to get home. Now that I'm...gone...you will need to look after everyone. The gods know that they'll need it."
He then turns and begins making his way outside, pulling up the hood of his cloak over his head.
In a small office across town, the light of a lantern flickers off the walls, lending just enough light to make out the only person still at work at this late hour. An empty tea-cup sits precariously close to the edge of a desk, otherwise dominated by ledgers, papers, tomes and a few scrolls. A small but well fed thrush comes flying in the window as the slender man closes one of the ledgers with a sigh of finality.
"Master! News!" the thrush chirps in a pleasant high note, but the words seem to weigh down the man's shoulders as he slumps forward a little more "Officer Mattis Drevlic reports there has been another murder."
The man sighs and nods "Last day of service for the season, well past the stroke of ten, and yet, the good officer finds more work for me." he gives a somewhat forced chuckle "A sign of confidence, if nothing else. What details do you have on this? I will have to make a report for the morning shift."
"The victim's identity is still not confirmed, but there are speculations that indicate that the victim is a known rapist and a killer, so Drevlic suspects it is a revenge killing." the thrush lands and turns its head to the side, pausing, before it speaks without any note of assuredness "The reports on the killer... are mixed, master. Some say giant with blonde hair, some say blonde beard, some say both, some claim big ears, and one even seemed to he wore an old false beard... however, they seem to agree he headed north."
"So a killer who leaves women broken in Restov's alleys was found broken in one? If chaos and criminal turmoil ever had a redeeming feature, it would have to be that it erodes itself as well" The man groans and starts moving the pen in a trained fashion "I do not envy the one who has to deal with this mess... hmm... likely ulfen, motivations may include revenge for raped or killed kin, friend or such, be hired for such by slighted party..." his dialogue takes a more internal mantle as he devolves into mumbling as he writes, before stamping it and putting it in a large pile of cases that are currently being investigated, knowing that if no killer is found tonight, it will likely not be resolved. And one could question if the less rigid city guard even cares, considering the victim's history.
Tam keeps his grin fixed on his face as he watches his brother rise and speak. He just stands as well and moves behind him dwarfed in his brothers shadow until they were outside going a different direction then the tale he had spun earlier. Coming up beside Mordecai he just laughs easily and says " Funny thing about that, father's decided that it was high time I get out of the city as well. I suppose it was time after all, I mean after you left things went downhill. You remember what I was up to back then right? Ah the tender age of fourteen, gambling as usual and the like and ALLEGIDLY stole a few coinpurses. Well things have changed brother mine. Things that father has now decided to kill two birds one stone you know? I dont think father disowned you by the by, you know him he is mindful of his position and most likely put on a farce for the benefits of the servants. He still loves you brother, but now he gets an excuse to get me out of here and not in disgrace think of it that way. So where are we headed? I have never been outside Restov but you! You the brave mercenary that slays bandits and humbles vetern guards!"
Tam finishes with a smile flashing up to his brothers cowl neverminding the dark thoughts probing his mind as he regarded his brother's perpetual scowl. He unconsciously checks his knives quick litle finger taps on the handles and blades of his knives strapped about his body, rolling his shuolders to find the ones hidden in his long scarf, rubbing his ankles slightly to check the ones in the sheaths around his ankle. He was glad that he had put on his favorite boot, the one that hid a knife in sole of the leather just below the toes. Tam takes a quick look behind them, listening for the whistles of the guard and drum of hooves and booted feet hurrying down a street. But hearing nothing he looks back down the road wondering where they would go though he does't let his mouth move from his irreplaceable smile.
Perception
Guard Perception
Prostitute Perception
Tam Sense Motive
Tam Knowledge (Local)
Tam Knowledge (Engineering)
Tam, when you look behind you, you are treated to a sight that should not be unknown to you. An off duty officer propositioning a working girl. He seems to be distracted by the woman's display of busoms and the fleetness with which she parts her legs to accommodate the shake down rather than make a scene, but she is aware of your and Mordecai's movements. She gives a shrug and indulges the guardsman, and you believe that she simply does not care for either of you as anything more than a momentary curiosity to pique an otherwise rather routine day. She kisses the guard with some amount of passion, turning his face from you both, capturing his attention.
You and Mordecai, your dear brother and fresh murderer are now otherwise alone in the scummy, poorly lit district of Restov where thieves and worse congregate. Neither of you can go home, and you have taken it upon yourself to point the manhunt towards the north. It is fairly late in the evening, about ten o'clock. You know that the guard are quite quick to react to persons coming and going at the gate this hour, and given the hours that have passed between the murder and now, they are likely to be informed to be especially careful screening persons wishing to leave the city. You are aware of one safe house in the area, a dilapidated building that you are fairly certain will not fall in around your head in the night. It is by no means the lap of luxury, but it is shelter, and though it is spring, the nights this far north are wicked cold.
Tam notices the courtesan and gives her a grateful wink and turns back to his brother and then thinks to himself of a plan remembering the run down house and looks up to his brother. "We need a place to stay at least for tonight. Then we can come up with a plan. Going to be cold. Just had to kill someone in the spring couldn't be convenient could you? Couldn't just kill him in the summer? Well lucky for you I know a place best free place in the land, it even comes with a beautiful assortment of windows and a great roof access."
He smiles to himself while he inwardly grimaces knowing his cloak would be poor covering in place of his bed.
Mordecai gives a small snarl, giving his brother one simple look that says, quite plainly, "Shut up about it...Now." When they reach the warehouse, he turns and throws down his backpack and walks to the farthest corner to draw his sword and begin practicing a more complex pattern of slashes, parries and thrusts to take his mind off the events of the day.
After about an hour, Mordecai sheathes his sword again and walks over to his pack, folds up his cloak and lays down with his back to the wall, head propped up on his cloak, his scale armor over the heavy padded jerkin beneath enough of a blanket to keep him warm. Years sleeping in his armor provide him with the endurance (haha no pun intended) to wake the next day without feeling exhausted.
Closing his eyes, he tries to slip into a dreamless sleep, where he is not a murderer and everything is as it should be once again.
Indeed, your mood is somber as you settle into this filthy hovel that can be heard to groan and shift with a stiff draft. You toss and turn and try to find a comfortable position while sleeping in your armor before settling on your back, keeping your face as far from the ground as possible, given that there are vermin about. Sleep eludes you for a long while, you are not sure how long, but it seems like an eternity, given your situation.
Your dreams are... strange. You find yourself walking through a wood wearing only your armor, and that feels so oppressively heavy that every step is a struggle. The air here is not that which you remembered falling asleep to, in fact, it is so clear it is almost sweet, as though faintly perfumed to entice. As you progress into the wood, you begin to hear the faint stirrings of a happy tune, at first far ahead of you, barely audible, and then all around you, as though the wood itself is playing just for your benefit...
Both enthralled and made wary by the music echoing from both nowhere and everywhere, Mordecai slowly advances through the woods, not knowing what to expect, wishing he had a weapon in hand in case the beautiful dream would turn into yet another nightmare. Finding nothing to use as a club or spear, not wanting to defile the sactity of the woods about him lest the music stop, he keeps moving as if pushing against a thick torrent of water constantly pushing down against his shoulders.
His blood sings with the tone of the music, and he moves as quickly as he can to find its source, eyeing around the trees he passes, his armor weighing him down. Otherwise he would have loped like a hound through the trees as fast as he could. With the armor, however, he kept going, knowing that taking the easier path was not the way of the warrior.
As you continue to struggle with the weight of your armor, the sound of laughter begins to accompany the music. At the edge of your vision, you see little creatures dart about quite quickly, peaking out from behind leaves, or from under exposed roots, peering at you with overlarge, alien eyes, seemingly moving with you as you go.
The music fades slightly as you continue, and you hear the softer sound of a babbling brook on your right. Feeling parched from your exertion, you approach it, and hear a beautiful song sung in Hallit, the tongue of the common folk in these lands, a song about a warrior set to wander aimlessly having lost his way home. The song is enchanting, drawing you further towards the stream. Heavy brush lies between you and it, but it seems to part as though water with your steps.
Within the stream, you spy the source of the song, a woman so lithe and beautiful she makes you almost wish to weep longing and desire. Honey blonde hair you estimate might touch her ankles when fully free floats on the surface of the stream as this woman bathes herself. At present her arms are lifted, and she is turned from you slightly. Her thick hair covers the majority of her nudity from this angle, but the curve of her body is more than just suggestive, it is wholly erotic.
Her song stops when you approach, and you catch but the quickest glimpse of her body when she turns to you before she ducks down into the stream to obscure herself. She regards you with the softest of smiles when she speaks, apparently not at all upset that you have discovered her in the nude. "If you wish to see more, come and find me," she says.
...
You wake in a much different position and your body aches as though you have strained yourself, in several ways.
Mordecai rubs at his eyes hard for a moment then blinks an sits up, groaning from aches and pains he thought long driven out of him. "Damned if that wasn't...the strangest...nicest...dream I've ever had..." he mutters quietly to himself, the image of the woman in the stream strangely vivid in his mind's eye. He shakes himself and stands slowly, groaning very softly, feeling every pound of his scale-mail armor as he bends to retrieve his gauntlets and helmet from the floor.
His mind flashes to the woman's last words. Come find me, she had said...Find her I will...but where? Nowhere in this city would house such a lovely...ethereal creature. he shakes off the dredges of the dream, storing the image of the lovely woman's face in the back of his mind as he goes through his usual morning routine. Whether it was on the road, the family estate, or even in a dank warehouse, he never shirked his morning exercises, and he swung his sword in practiced and methodical strokes over and over, slashing, parrying and countering away each complaining muscle until the ache was real.
Once finished, he removes his helmet, gauntlet and redoes the tie at the back of his hair, scratches at his stubble, then glances at Tam. He scowls to himself at a thought and checks his face in the blade of his sword and all over his armor for demeaning pictures or illustrations, as he was used to finding. Once his brother had even had the gall to draw cat whiskers on his helmet! He could never be too careful. Finding no such jests pulled upon him by his dozing brother, Mordecai allows him another hour of sleep before jousling him by shaking his shoulder.
"Are you planning on sleeping away the whole day or are we going to figure out a way out of this?" he asks, but without much enthusiasm or strength behind his words. His voice is almost cracked and he has to clear his throat and repeat the question before it sounds right.
Tam watches his brother practice his smile slipping into a more grim set line as he retreats to the darker corners of the house checking the windows occasionally for signs of pursuit. the courtesan earlier had been a break but he knew of others that would turn them in for a copper piece.
When he finally hears his brother settle down he sighs and looks up to the stars muttering a quick prayer to Desna, goddess of luck and wraps his thin cloak about his small body and hunkers down to sleep.
Your dreams begin little differently than they have been most your life. You do battle with your inner demons and anxieties, hoping to catch up to an image of your brother that is so much larger than he is in life. You struggle through shadows that tear at your limbs as you pass, threatening to drag you into the dark. You do not know why, but you feel as though you must reach your brother, and soon, but you are unable to.
Thinking quickly, you open your mouth to call out to him, but you find that your voice has been silenced. The shadows pulling at your legs seem almost alive, twining around your body with weight, and presence, as though they are almost alive. The touch is vaguely soothing, like a caress, but given your extreme sense of worry for your brother, it seems wholly wrong, as though someone or something is trying to force you apart. You try to scream, straining your lungs and chest with the effort, and hear a mad sort of cackle directly in your ear. Long, delicate fingers pet cheek, hair, and work deftly over your shoulders and elsewhere, almost like a lover's embrace.
"Where he leads, you, weakling, will never be able to follow," a hauntingly beautiful voice sneers.
Ahead of you, you see Mordecai consumed by shadow, and for a moment among them, you believe you see a face with the very same expression the voice in your ear owns smirk at you as it embraces and kisses him, looking at you all the while. This is the last image you see as the shadow engulfs you as well, blinding you.
Tam closes his eyes in the dream and awaits the voice in his mind knowing it would find him, he had heard echos of this dream before but never so intense or so meaningful. He could see this would be different than any adventure he or his brother would partake and he would be dammed if he would let his brother go without him.
Your bold words are met with nothing but derisive laughter, dredging up all the disappointment and bitterness between yourself and your father left unsaid, opening all those wounds anew so that they are awash with fresh pain.
You wake slowly, as though rising through a damp and inky murk, as though the shadow is still clinging to your mind, and in some ways, you still feel its caress on your body. Although, it could be your imagination. It is quite chilly in the morning, and this shelter is hardly optimal.
Tam blinks up at an armed figure above him and he reacts out of instinct a knife now appearing out of his left sleeve ready in his hands a snarl upon his lips. All the pain of his family apparent in the tone, the rejection of the demon, if that what it was, only made the pain all more unbearable. First rejection by his father and the light and now even demons plaguing his mind reject him. Blinking he sees it was just his brother and he slaps a smile on his face quickly as he gets up with his brothers help, the knife still in hand, he address his startled brother.
"Don't you know its never good to waken a sleeping Hawk brother? Might find its talons waiting." He says in mock cheerfulness as he turns to wind the mechanism that sprung the knife into his hand.
Sleight of Hand
MOrdecai starts and almost draws his sword out of instinct of a dagger flashing in front of his eyes before his brother draws the blade back. He gives a small shake of his head and then a wry chuckle as he half picks Tam up by the arm to help him stand. "Duely noted Tam, now quit laying about and put that keen mind you keep boasting about to work on how we are going to get out of here. Call it pride if you will but I will not live day after day in a broken down old warehouse..."
He sighs and turns from his brother to sort through his rucksack. His hurried departure from the mansion had not allowed him the sense of neatness he was used to when packing for an extended voyage. 'I wonder if Captain Eidan is still in the city...If we was we might be able to sign onto his corp of mercenaries.' after some thought though Mordecai sighs, remembering that during the spring months, Eidan and his troupe of sellswords were across the mountains, seeking out jobs from those willing to pay for their steel.
He scratches at his stubble for a while as he takes to polishing his sword blade, trying to lose himself in the bright steel of his favored weapon.
"First things first brother, we need money, food, blankets as such come on merc, what all do we need to survive on the road? And while you work on that maybe I can rustle up some coin to buy the stuff with I never got a chance to grab much coin from father. Im sure you didn't either, how much do you have?"
Tam leans against the side of the doorway peering out trying to think of what would be open this early in the morning,they needed coin, food, clothes, maybe even horses. This was exciting but first money. He drew out his favorite dice and rolled them around in his palm.
"Enough to buy some traveling rations and supplies. Just over 200 crowns, which should get us a ways away from Restov in any case" Mordecai stands and sheathes his glittering sword and then gives his younger brother a stern look, eying the dice in his hands with disapproval. "Why don't you try EARNING the gold instead of swindling it out of people for a change?"
Mordecai then scratches his stubble, contemplating the best place to buy horses and supplies. With only 200 crowns he wouldn't have enough to buy much more than their mounts and some rations and feed, but anything else would simply be useless beyond appearances. He sighs again and tucks his coin purse within his vest instead of leaving it on his belt. Knowing the kind of people who lived their lives day by day in this part of Restov, a purse on a belt was all too easy to steal.
Peeking outside first to check for any guards, Mordecai's noble heart sinking at having to resort to this tactic, he then marches out of the warehouse with his brother on his heels.
Your knowledge of this area is greater than most, as you have spent a great deal of time here. Games of chance are frequently held at this hour, but their proprietors and their patrons both are are less than savory. They are the type of fellows that one would much rather avoid even in the daytime. And it stands safe to reason that given a night, the guard is going to be quite active in this area and possibly on the alert for anyone large enough to crush a man's throat. It is highly unlikely that it is very safe for Mordecai to be seen walking about, whatever his intent might be.
You, however, recall that your kind and generous mother Felicia assured you that she would use whatever power in her sphere of influence to provide for you and your brother. You know your mother's side of the family is in fact considerably influential. This does not mean that they are able to turn back the guard once they have found what it is they are looking for, but perhaps someone further up in the bureaucracy owes a favor. The point is, that she said that she would try to help you, and as of late, your future is uncertain.
With your particular skill set, your theory is sound. You can easily skulk about and pick up on information, perhaps throw some dice or play at some cards in the taverns and learn what it is people are thinking today, get a feel for how many patrols are currently in the area, essentially scout and come back with more and reliable information about how you two will get out of the city.
You might wish to communicate this to your brother, and tell him to cool his enthusiasm, so to speak.
"Now what would be the fun in that?" Tam says as he hurries to catch up to his brothers long strides, a flash of his dream goes through his mind but he shakes his head and smiles gamely as he looks for a favorable tavern.
"Look its either I win us some or we get to use all of your gold, horses are expensive at least any ones that are worthy enough to be called horses and not fleabags with hooves."
Mordecai stops at that, his purse suddenly feeling a lot lighter and he winces at his brother's wisdom. Years on the road have made him forget just how overpriced everything in Restov really was. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and growls out from between clenched teeth.
"...Fine...I'll see about the horses...You...just go. I'll meet you back here at dusk. If you aren't back by then I'm coming to look for you, crime over my head or not." He sighs and looks back at his brother whose jaw seems to have dropped open. "Oh close your trap before another fly buzzes into your skull. I'll see you this evening."
He then pulls his cowl up over his head, and marches off towards the nearest horse salesman.
Among the first things that you notice in the morning is the sunlight. Your late night, the quality of your sleep and your disturbing dreams and resulting lethargy for Tam has caused you to get a somewhat late start in the morning. It is about nine in the morning, and this particular part of the city appears to slumber still. There are some food stalls open, however, mostly greasy, easy fare catering to the types of habitual drunks and other filth you see stumbling about at this hour. Anyone with the misfortune to work for a living and reside here has already quitted the area to their respective places of employment at dawn. Mordecai, a career soldier, you feel a pang of regret made even greater by your crime that this morning, you were not among their number.
Tam, you know of one tavern in the city that will suit your and your brother's needs. It is frequented by traveling folk, petty traders and their guardsman, thieves and cutthroats and general ne'er do wells. The guard are quite aware of its existence, but so long as there are no murders or various other unsavory crimes reported in the area, they tend to ignore this area as though the plague, unless someone is looking for a quick buck. You do not believe that your luck could be so awful that today, especially at this hour, is that day.
This tavern is named the Salty Strumpet, although you cannot say why, it is no where near a dock, or the sea, and as many times as you have come here and maybe thought to ask you have never received a clear answer why. The occupants are muddled, there are some professional women who look up when you two enter, but seem generally disinclined to peddle their wares this early, although that could be their resting state. The patrons are filthy and scummy, some sporting very bad tattoos with nautical motifs, a grossly inaccurate mermaid here, a gull there, a compass rose elsewhere. Men and women alike are missing teeth, and sucking back ale and worse, a foul concoction that smells of cheap liquor and rank.
There is a dice game currently in progress at a table about halfway into the room. There are currently three men sitting at this table, which is the only in the room that is not littered with empty tankards or bottles. It seems that these men are intent on their game.
Would you gentlemen kindly throw up a diplomacy roll for me? Stanis, you can preview yours in the beginning of your "what I do in the morning" post, and I will get to you.
Diplomacy:
Diplomacy
Wisdom
Mordecai, as you are walking about, speaking to persons who appear to be in the know in this place, you begin to recognize that this is not the area of town where persons have at their disposal the requisite amount of money to buy horses, and as such, there is very little demand. You suspect that if you travel to the more affluent areas of the city to search you will have a better chance of finding what it is that you are looking for.
Mordecai sighs but wastes no time in leaving the dank and filthy undercity, instead making his way to a different part of the city in hopes of acquiring mounts for both he and his brother. In his mind's eye, he is hoping of purchasing a strong mount that can both carry his armored weight as well as not panic at the merest sound of combat. For Tam, he chuckled at the thought of his brother astride a pony for his size, then shakes his head and decides upon a lighter, and less expensive, mount. Tam never was one for horses in the first place, but then again, neither was Mordecai.
The morning rays licks through the panes of glass in the second floor of a large brown house near the government district, rousing the mage from his rest, awareness heralded by the chirping of a familiar that has always appreciated this particular hour. A book about quasi-natural horrors and phenomenons slides down his chest as he sits up, bringing the mage to full alertness with a grumble "For a book about sex-crazed fey and such, that thing sure put me to sleep. I have to give the author credit for being capable of making a dichotomy on scandalous woodland spirits a dull read." he hums as he closes the book and puts it down on a nightstand.
"Quill! The breakfast is ready soon!" a young man's voice sounds through the door, making the mage jerk slightly in surprise, realizing he has slept longer than usual. "Blessed paperwork, how you keep me in the embrace of night." Stanis mumbles sarcastically and sheds his nightgown, revealing a lithe, yet healthy body with very few developed muscles, which a trained anatomist would associate with nimbleness and endurance, appearing more like a 12 year old acrobat enlarge to a 5'9" frame than an age-adequate man of the north.
Stanis weaves thin, nimble hands through a simple, practiced gesture that causes a small foamy orb of water to spring into existence and proceed to wash him as he brings the blade of his dagger to bear against his stubble. "Notarius, I need you to fly over to the temple and convey that I will be missing the coffee before service. And that I will impose a 3 copper fine on myself for tardiness in addition to the regular tithe." he tells the familiar, worried what people might think of him if he does not give word.
Tam makes his way towards the dice game, keeping his back to the wall he observes the dice game intently looking at his opponents as he keeps his head down, his eyes open and looking about for possible tells or dangers. He was used to this kind of situation but caution always helped in any situation.
After he sufficiently scouts out the players he settles down with a smile and greets the players.
"Greetings gents care to add another player to the game?"
Mordecai
When you exit the slums you feel a profound sense of relief, modified by a sense of terror that you might be recognized by a passing patrol. The streets here are cleaner, the people upon them too, some even appear happy to be alive. The air is fresh, and tastes of freedom. Guiltily, you seek to avoid speaking overly much to these people, hyper aware of your position at the moment, and your goal.
At a crossroads, you notice that a sign has been erected, around which a group of law abiding citizens are gathered, chattering amongst themselves. For a moment you feel compelled to withdraw, as you suspect that such a gathering might draw the attention of a patrol, so you choose to wait a few moments, minutes even, circling around the area. People come and leave you notice, but the sign seems to be attracting their attention.
You step forward finally to inspect what it is that has captured their attention, and see that among the various city notices there has been placed one announcement of exceptional quality tacked to the board above all others. It reads
Swordlords of Restov seeking qualified mercenaries for exploratory mission to the Stolen Lands to combat the bandit scourge. Interested applicants should apply directly to the offices of the Lord Mayor Iosif Sellemius.
Stanislaw
When you arrive at your place of employment, upon sensing you in the area Notarius immediately flies to you, and lands upon your shoulder. You sense that he has something to communicate to you when your employer, the Banker, appears from around a bend in the hallway, seemingly coming from the direction in which you know your office to be.
"Rare for you to be late," he says frostily. "Of all the mornings. I have received your communication regarding the fine, all is well and good. You are to report to the office of Lord Mayor Sellemius for your duty today. He has need of a scribe to witness the signing of this charter of his," he hands you a leather portfolio with a number of documents inside of it. "You are to deliver those directly. Brother Ladislaus will be joining you when he has completed his current casework."
Tam
The three established players each give you a sideways, calculating glance. You have discerned from your observation that they are not playing with anything larger than silver, and from the amount on the table, do not seem the type that seem to worry over much about losing. The probability that these are ill gotten gains to begin with is extremely high, after all, the patrons here are known to you to be scum. There are no real distinguishing features of note that would make you recognize one from the other, it appears as though this is the way that they prefer to operate.
"Show us whatcha got, first, darlin' one says snidely. "Maybe we'll be inclined to dance wit' cha." the one on the right replies, indicating their scattered coin with a gesture and a flash of rotted teeth in a unwholesome grin.
Mordecai's eyes light up at the notice, a crazy idea forming within his head. Forgetting the horses for the moment he hurries back through the crowd towards the inn where he knew Tam would most likely be to inform him of the charter. It seemed a mad, impossible, crazy venture but it provided Mordecai a way out of this skulking about and back onto the open road. Moving as quickly as decency and discrepancy allow, he hurries back towards the undercity to find Tam.
Tam grins and then moves his hand quickly flourishing a knife and then stabs it down into the table leaving it there stuck in the wood smiling all the while as he meets each mans gaze. "This is what I have, but these darlings, are what im interested in." He pulls out a stack of coins, 10 silver, and lays it neatly on his side of the table, before drawing out his dice (white) and rolls them about in his hand.
Sleight of hand with the knife
"Shall we play then gentlemen?"
Stanis felt a certain pressure weigh down on him, and he had to will himself to not cower, as his instincts still told him. He remembered the sentences he had rehearsed on the way and bowed, taking a deep breath to steady himself "Swift as the bolt flies, Banker. Additionally, I have filed my leave of absence vis-a-vis the cartography project integral to this charter." Stanis recited with practiced effort "Though one could extrapolate a compulsion of self-actualization infringing upon duties from my course of action, and have grounds to fine me for committing a willful disruptive act, I dismiss such charges under the Civil Servant code, paragraphs three, sections four and seven. I accept my responsibility to pay partial salary, up to fifty percent, to a temporary vocational scribe in my absence, and expect a complete bill to be waiting for me when I come back. Or sent to me, if I fail to return within the timeframe of 3 months."
Stanis left with a heavy sigh, feeling a certain intangible quality to his step, knowing he would finally be doing a project that was not only in the spirit of his god, but a real chance to test himself and make a real contribution to society. However, the notion of standing before the infamous Swordlords to be measured if he is found worthy sent a certain chill down his spine. Hopefully, they would only send a single representative. And it would not be the infamous Jamandi Aldori herself.
Perception 1 Sense Motive
Perception 2 Sense Motive
Perception 3 Sense Motive
Tam
Each pair of eyes on the three men narrow as your fancy work with the blade seems to impress them, though not in a particularly good way. However, it does not seem to occur to them that your deft fingers may work to their disadvantage in this game. The one who spoke to you violently kicks a chair in your direction, as if to test your abilities further, and you dodge it fleetly, set it upright and sit down beside him with your innate grace.
"If you're done playin' wit chaself" he says gruffly, and passes you the cup with the die, "toss the die, son."
"Well then sirs are we playing kings crowns? Highest number wins? Lets keep it friendly and one silver each then?"
Tam
thug 1
thug 2
thug 3
Thug 1 collects the pot. lost 1 silver
Tam
Thug 1 wins again. Lost 1 silver
Tam
Thug 4 takes the pot. Lost 1 silver
"Well gentlemen these dice seem to not like me today. Think Ill switch to my other set."
Sleight of hand Black ones, they will get opposed sleight of hand as well as dc 30 perception to recognize fake dice.
Perception 1 Sense Motive
Perception 2 Sense Motive
Perception 3 Sense Motive
The scum who invited you to sit sneers at your offer, sensing something is wrong. "And when these die go your way?" he grunts. "What then?"
You look around the table at the other two participants, you appear to you to be clueless to your little act of deception. It is just the first man who has suspicions about your motives for changing dice all of a sudden.
"Then I suppose Desna just favors me and believes I have suffered enough, here a roll without wagering to belay your fears."
Tam throws the dice and they come up with the total of 19.
"Now does that seem very abnormal to you? A common die roll. now if we are past accusing me shall we proceed? He says smiling disarmingly and lays down another silver.
thug 1
thug 2
thug 3
Tam grins and pulls the pot to him as he rolls his dice and comes up with an 18. He had then just made a hismoney back plus one. Now to see how far he should take these gentlemen.
Tam
Wisdom 1
Wisdom 2
Wisdom 3
Tam Sense Motive
Laying your bets efficiently, you manage to win about twelve silver before it appears that one of these fine gentlemen you afford yourself the dubious honor of scamming seems to have picked up on your uncommon streak of luck. An intelligent lad like yourself, you have been watching their faces for any hint of reaction to your plot, and it appears as though this gentlemen is getting mighty upset that you are interfering with his game. His right hand darts under the table, and a smirk blossoms on his face as it remains there. You cannot decipher his intent from his expression alone.
Mordecai
Mordecai untrained knowledge (local)
Mordecai untrained knowledge (geography)
Mordecai Perception
Bolstered by the seeming opportunity afforded you and your brother by your knowledge of this charter's existence, your feet carry you swiftly back into the scummier side of Restov in search of your little brother. You are optimistic, even hopeful, and the happy tune that accompanied your dreams springs to mind as you contemplate your speedy exit from this place with purpose, a charter signed by Lord Mayor Iosif Sellemius himself to explore the area to the south known as the Stolen Lands. You think on what you know of the area, while you walk, as any other intelligent soldier, you know that knowledge of the field is essential to success.
The Stolen Lands is well known for its tenacious resistance of colonization efforts. It is considered "stolen" from your nation's southern expanse by bandits and barbarians from Numeria, Iobaria or the River Kingdoms themselves. The area has remained wild despite earlier attempts at settlement, and is said to house monsters, criminals and dangerous secrets.
You contemplate these truths as you walk, and consider that you and Tam are not enough to conquer these lands. This fact weighs heavily on your mind, and you consider speaking to your brother about how you might possibly find reliable companions to assist you in this task you are considering under taking.
Speaking of the thief that you have come to adore, your thoughts about the region have inexplicably carried you to the storefront of the Salty Strumpet, which appears to you more like a crudely carved female figure that has been the subject of many stray dogs, men and vomit too during the night. It seems just the sort of place that people would much rather not think about, and highly likely that your brother might be found within.
Tam smiles at the suspicious man and slowly adjusts his scarf fiddling with the dagger hilt hidden there as he collects up the last set of winnings as well as his knife slipping it back into its sheath on his belt letting them all see it.
Sleight of hand for the dagger not to be seen in scarf
Feeling that it is time to leave tam collects up his dice and nods his head to the men, his hand readjusting his scarf as if it was bothering him. "Well gents Desna gave me turn around here, and I think before i lose my ladies grace I shall be retiring for the morning. hope to see you all, and your coin very again soon." Tam then makes to stand "accidentally" bumping into the table to make it jar against the man who had been eying him. Sending coins spilling down onto the floor.
Mordecai is just about to push the door to the tavern open when it opens by itself, his brother immediatly greeting him while men scramble about on the ground to pick up fallen coins. He has doubtless used his 'special' dice to help him win and is even now making a quick escape. That was the only thing that really irked Mordecai about his brother. The fact that his brother cheats always gets on the warrior's badside but he quickly suppresses the urge to tell him off by making sure the men he was playing with are not making as if to pursue him, drawing weapons and the like once they have finished scrambling about on their hands and knees.
'Even if Tam DIDN'T cheat them, any of these men would no doubt seek to mug him to reclaim their lost coin.' he thinks moodily, hand instinctively closing about the hilt of his sword, ready to rush to his brother's aid should things turn violent...again.
The charter still burns hot in Mordecai's mind and he steps forward to his brother's side just as the thugs begin to rise from the floor. His obvious height and stature give the men no small pause, and Mordecai allows himself a secret smile. While he was no bully, he took some small pleasure in the fact that by simply standing above a would be attacker, he has defused many fights before they start from intimidation alone.
He claps his brother on the shoulder, almost making him drop his winnings. "There you are, I've found some news that might just solve our...problem." he says quietly into Tam's ear then nods to the other 3 men and the other occupants in the bar. "Good people, if you will excuse me and my brother, we were just leaving.
Tam Perception
When jog the table, Tam, the occupants rise and shout curses at you, rousing some of the career women to eye you with some interest. The dice players are far too interested in the coin that slides to the floor to bother with you now, however, especially as they have each become at least passingly aware of the ease with which you make a knife disappear. A working gal calls out an invitation to you, even daring to step into the path of your exit, after all, you have collected a good deal of coin in your earnings, and it appears as though the others are unwilling to share with the likes of her.
Your time at the tables has netted you 17 silver and 29 copper pieces. it is more than enough to buy bedrolls, blankets and other assorted common pieces of the standard adventuring kit, which can be found in any part of town.
Tam smiles at the woman and whispers sweet nothings to her speaking of everything and nothing even while he listens to his brother. At the mention of a solution Tam breaks off from the girl and pulls or attempts to pull his brother outside.
"Think you could be any louder mentioning our current situation?" He hisses in annoyance as he hands Mordecai the newly acquired coin.
"Now what is this solution, oh and there's coin enough to buy whatever I don't know what to buy but least we have more coin now. Now spill it whats this big idea."
Unconsciously Tam has a flash of insight, remembering the shadows swallowing him whole once more and he shivers and shakes his head, cold sweat from fear beads along his back and he loses his act of keeping a smile on at least for a second.
Making sure only Tam can hear him, Mordecai relates everything he saw and thinks about the charter, his excitement barely contained. "...And so what I'm thinking is...you go into the officer's office and sign us both onto the charter! I'm sure this adventure into the Stolen lands will attract all kinds of adventurers! Well? What do you think?"
Tam nods along to his brothers words, it was crazy yes, dangerous, but could be fun...though that dream last night....he shivers again and hugs himself rubbing his arms with the opposing hands.
"Just one problem a city official will not just allow me to sign for two names, your going to have to come with me. Look by now my rumor has hit every street here. We should be safe enough to sign on to this charter and get away before anyone is the wiser. Lets go get the supplies, the horses, and think about this. Ok?" Tam was nervous about striding up to some official with doubtless guards standing about but they had to risk it, least this way they would have an excuse to get out of the city.
Mordecai nods at this logic and stands fully, looking down literally at his younger brother, arching an eyebrow as he rubs his arms as if cold. A wash of brotherly affection comes over him and before Tam can complain, Mordecai plops his heavy winter cloak over his brother's thin shoulders until his chill passes. Then he starts marching off down the street with Tam hurrying to keep up, almost taking two steps for each of his single strides.
They make their way to the marketplace, where their first order of business emerges, the purchasing of two horses to suit their needs. Mordecai tries his hardest to be discreet, allowing his gregarious brother to handle the talking and haggling.
Tam frowns as he tries to find a sufficient couple of mounts for them but shrugs and moves on to find the rest of the gear. Standard gear he supposed for adventurers bedroll, a blanket, some trail rations and the like. Before it gets to late Tam supposes they should move on and go sign up maybe this late the guards would be tired and wouldn't be so alert.
"Lets go brother we have most of the supplies we can find the horses after."
Mordecai nods, shouldering their newly bought items and following his brother through the crowd towards the office where he and Tam will sign their names onto the roster to join the sojourn into the Stolen Lands. Mordecai tries not to look at any of the guards too much in the face, not exclusively, merely finding other things to keep his eyes on. He secretly wonders who else will be joining their adventuring team, eager to meet others willing to try and settle the barbaric and untamed forest land he had only ever heard rumors of from his mercenary days.
The old crossbow felt familiar, yet heavy, in Stanis' hands. The year he served with the watch as mandatory service before he could become a public servant was one laden with frightening memories of killers, gangs, rapists and thugs, all looking at him as if they only wanted him to die for upholding the code of law that impeded their foul agenda. His slender fingers slid across the string, checking that is had been correctly tightened, so the bolt would not fall short, not be too hard to load. "As precise and mechanized as a financial transaction. Crafted within the laws of engineering, for a singular purpose. How like Abadar to favor this work of lethal order." he mused, his stomach turning from a memory of metal-tipped wood tearing into flesh, making him happy he had a light breakfast, and dispelling thoughts about lunch.
"Master, are you sure this undertaking is wise? Forgive me for saying so, but you are not too good with violence and bloodshed." Notarius the thrush chirps from his perch on the wizard's shoulder "As with all things, one will not learn how to handle it by sheltering oneself from it. Besides, I intend to find a couple of more physically adept people to shelter myself from blows, and rather focus on supporting them..." Stanis deflected, a statement even he knew would not hold water in the long run. But while the fear ran in him, he could not let it own him. "Relax, soon Ladislaus will be here, and he can do more of the talking." Stanis reminded himself as he entered the town hall, a familiar building that suddenly felt oppressive and dangerous, for here, his status quo would be buried with the stroke of the pen on this day.
James
As though to spite your previous passions and adventures, your term of service at the temple of Calistria in Restov has been almost pedestrian. Your afternoons are spent trailing after various figures of political import, sifting through their garbage, noting who they speak to, and who they do not – on a good day. On an average day, you are simply sent to investigate whatever small tidbit them greater than you dictate. You take your vengeance where you might, feeding false information in the guise of advice, after all, who would expect that a smooth operator like yourself would know better, and, if they act upon it, more fool them.
Your evenings, however, are your own. No Calistrian would begrudge you the opportunity to earn your keep by whatever means necessary. You, intrepid hunter of men, have at your beck and call a seemingly inexhaustible resource, aimless young men and women seeking something to believe in. One such young man you have been grooming for weeks under order of your superior, Ursian the Cruel, who has a peculiar interest in Lord Mayor Sellemius’s office of late. This boy, a young clerk named Theodrick, reminds you of yourself several years ago, fresh, timid, and full of passion. His lips are sweet, and loose. His idea of pillow talk is fronting you his employer’s secrets. Theodrick is in love with the Lord Mayor, you believe, a form of hero worship for the master swordsman, and his lust for adventure matches your own.
Theodrick speaks to you of the Mayor Sellemius’s negotiations with House Surtova to offer a charter to adventurers to settle the area directly south of Brevoy, the Stolen Lands. Ursian the Cruel has pressed you to learn more information about this, and you have. Somewhere in the midst of the deception you have managed to deceive yourself into a sense of adventure. Or have you?
When the news of the charter hits the city, you have already prepared yourself. You have heard that there are more than a few persons who have expressed interest already, and are eager to get your hands upon one, eager to escape. The deception of Theodrick is not anything you would pursue on your own, and frankly it makes you ill. This is the type of dismissive behavior that has inspired you to take the name Herecea, a name which you seek to promote for yourself. With your gear slung over your shoulder, you start for Lord Mayor's Sellemius's office...