So just to confirm, Garidan, he's making the "good cop/bad cop" and "CSI" kits?
For the next few days, Heward continues to struggle with his report. He will also try to haul the other team members into the gym or practice yard for a go at combat training and team tactics. "We need to work on this. Both times we met Veristan we were ineffective."
Unfortunately his main idea is to hand the casters crossbows, polearms, and clubs so that they can help in melee.
Awgin will join in Heward's training. He uses the time to get better at disarming and tripping foes.
For the next few days, Heward continues to struggle with his report. He will also try to haul the other team members into the gym or practice yard for a go at combat training and team tactics. "We need to work on this. Both times we met Veristan we were ineffective."
Unfortunately his main idea is to hand the casters crossbows, polearms, and clubs so that they can help in melee.
"You were ineffective," Auriel corrects him, passing through from the kitchen to the front door, juggling three pieces of fruit. "I did what I set out to do. And I already have a crossbow." If asked where she is going, she replies, "Out"; if asked when she'll be back, she says, "Later." With a careless wave over her shoulder as the door swings shut behind her, she turns toward Lowcleft.
Despite her familiarity with Lowcleft, it takes Auriel almost the entire day to track down Teeka, but she eventually finds her bussing tables at The Fiendish Wagon, a typical Lowcleft dive.
"Auriel"" the halfling practically screeches in delight. "You're safe! Thank the gods! I couldn't believe it when I saw you running back into that house with the crazy noises and fighting. I heard there was a giant snake, too! What ever possessed you? I can tell you I won't be going back up that cliff for work if I knew they'd be a hundred good coins waiting for me at the top. Let the rich mucky-mucks come down here. It's not worth not getting my bottom pinched if it means that kind of trouble! You sit here. I'll get you a drink." she dashes off to the bar before Auriel can get so much as a hello in.
As Auriel seats herself, she hears Teeka pointing her out to several patrons and serving wenches, telling them how brave she was fighting monsters in the Alabaster District, and saving all the servers. By the time she comes back with the drink, she also has a small crowd clamoring to hear the real story.
While Auriel has gone, and Calatin gives you the most incredulous stare at the suggestion, the rest of you make your way to the largest open space on the HQ grounds, the roof. Here, nothing except a few chimneys and a small garden plot (half-finished) break up the flat stone surface. Crenellations line the outside - clearly, the roof had been designed to be manned and defended, but now it makes an excellent practice 'yard'.
Auriel smiles, enjoying being back in the company of friendly people. When Teeka returns to the table, she tells the story of Lord Stafford's party, turning it into a comedy and playing up the way she tattled to Lady Marina about Stafford's girlfriend and kicked the sauce onto the snake, finishing up with the image of the fat wizard rolling on the floor in flames, skipping over Markiv's death entirely. By the time she finishes the story, she has the whole gaggle around the table laughing and is joining in herself. "You're right, Teeka," she leans over to the halfling with a smile. "It's much better down here in Lowcleft."
While she might not be prepared to bring up the MSI, she hears others who aren't so keen to avoid the topic. Word seems to have spread around Lowcleft that a group of city Watchmen were responsible for preventing a collapsing building from falling over the cliff and onto Lowcleft. Of course, other rumors abound that this same group was also the cause of the collapse...
As for the back at HQ sparring, feel free to role-play your afternoon of training however you see fit. I'll give you a bit before advancing things to Markiv's funeral and then on to your next case.
Auriel feigns ignorance of the Rimblesnuffin's incident, although she listens keenly to find out what the rumor mill is saying about it. Sitting comfortably in the heart of the community that was spared the tragedy, Auriel thinks to herself, That wasn't a grain of sand; it was a whole seaside resort. Couldn't have done it alone, though.
Up on the roof top, Heward tosses a collection of quarter staves and turned wooden billy clubs onto the garden plot.
"Auriel and Calatin aren't coming. I'm not sure where Laya went. Too bad because they need this work more than any of us."
"The way I see it, we had three problems in the fights with Garidan. First, there was no real coordination. The second fight was better, but Markiv and Auriel were cut off from us. And Laya was cut off from both other groups. We couldn't help each other.
"Second, even when we were together and tried, we didn't mesh as a squad. We need to learn each other's styles so that we don't get in each other's way.
"Third, we were helpless against Mikobar's magic. We need tactics and magic to counter that. Garidan, that's where you can help. You know that stuff and maybe you can talk the other casters into training with us. I failed pretty badly. We're not walking a beat and collaring pickpockets. We need to practice against magic.
"For today, I figures we could start slow. Basic club and staff work. Cut and parry drills, then maybe some sparring. I'm open to ideas too."
Laya manages to miss the fact that there's any training going on. She's sequestered away in her room writing her report for the captain. It ends up a very, very lengthy report (just under 15 pages), but very detailed.
Awgin collects the weapons from the garden. "Don't mess with my garden." He goes about making sure that it is in good order before resuming training.
"Sorry. Didn't realize that was your plot. What are you growing?", Heward apologizes sincerely.
He picks up a billyclub and shakes it. "Who's first?"
Mostly, people argue over whether or not MSI was responsible for causing the collapse. Everybody agrees that they prevented the collapse in the end, so mostly people agree that they were heroes in the end and many toasts are made to them in their honour.
As for the rest of you on the roof, the afternoon sun starts heating the place up, and by the time Mrs. Brigglespan comes with your lunches, you're hot and sweaty. The cool water she brings is welcome. "I spoke to the others. Maybe they'll show themselves."
As the evening wanes, Auriel is still enjoying the company so much that the thought of going back to her lonely room in MSI HQ is giving her a headache. Well, that and all the drinks people keep buying her. "Teeka," she asks the halfling, "you have somewhere to stay tonight? You think I could crash with you? Wouldn't matter if the furniture's too small; I don't mind curling up on the floor."
Teeka's expression falters as Auriel asks about her place. "Oh, I don't think that would work very well. It's really small. Really small, and crowded. I honestly don't think I even have enough floor for you to curl up on."
Auriel is disappointed but offers a smile anyway. "'T'salright. I know what it's like. Last time I slept in Lowcleft, it was in a corner booth with an unfinished drink in front of me to justify me taking up the space until morning. It's not like I don't have a place to stay. Has a bed, a door that locks, even a kitchen with food in it. It's just ... it's like living with my parents, you know. Everyone disapproves of me all the time; everyone's wanting to change me. I think I prefer a floor or a corner booth."
As for the rest of you on the roof, the afternoon sun starts heating the place up, and by the time Mrs. Brigglespan comes with your lunches, you're hot and sweaty. The cool water she brings is welcome. "I spoke to the others. Maybe they'll show themselves."
"Thanks, Mrs. Brigglespan. We're probably ready to throw it in for the day anyway. I've got to finish my report. Maybe we can get them tomorrow."
Laya looks up from her work when Mrs Brigglespan comes in. "Oh!" she says. "Are they? Yes, yes, I would agree. Very definitely a sensible use of their time. It's important they keep in practice."
She turns back to her work, writes a single word, then pauses and looks up again. "That reminds me, I should do some practising myself. I've just recently realized that I can prepare a couple more spells each day than I used to be able to. I have to make certain I keep up with the theory behind them. Time to hit the books, I think!"
She grabs a sandwich from the tray, takes a big bite from it, and turns back to her writing. "Thrnks!" she mumbles while she chews.
Auriel is disappointed but offers a smile anyway. "'T'salright. I know what it's like. Last time I slept in Lowcleft, it was in a corner booth with an unfinished drink in front of me to justify me taking up the space until morning. It's not like I don't have a place to stay. Has a bed, a door that locks, even a kitchen with food in it. It's just ... it's like living with my parents, you know. Everyone disapproves of me all the time; everyone's wanting to change me. I think I prefer a floor or a corner booth."
Teeka sighs. "I'm sorry, Auriel. Of course you can stay with me. You'll just have to hang out here till closing time."
Laya looks up from her work when Mrs Brigglespan comes in. "Oh!" she says. "Are they? Yes, yes, I would agree. Very definitely a sensible use of their time. It's important they keep in practice."
She turns back to her work, writes a single word, then pauses and looks up again. "That reminds me, I should do some practising myself. I've just recently realized that I can prepare a couple more spells each day than I used to be able to. I have to make certain I keep up with the theory behind them. Time to hit the books, I think!"
She grabs a sandwich from the tray, takes a big bite from it, and turns back to her writing. "Thrnks!" she mumbles while she chews.
"Time. Timing. Strange things, in many ways," Mrs. Brigglespan says from the threshold. "I remember, must be ten years ago now, seeing a clock, I think it was called, from Alkenstar. Amazing thing. Little mechanical arms moved to indicate the minutes and hours. Inside were gears and springs, every one moving in perfect harmony to drive those arms, even components that were completely unlike the rest had to work together with the others. One little bend in a gear tooth or spring coil, and the thing would grind to a halt. The whole thing...dead. Quite a marvel to see it in action."
Once training is done, Awgin begins working on his garden again.
"Not a problem," Auriel assures the halfling, finishing off her latest drink. "No plans to leave here until they ask me politely to leave the building. Do you know this one guy, back where I've been staying, said I wasn't as smart as a cat? You believe that? There's a lot of standards I've been told over my life I wouldn't measure up to if I didn't buckle down, but I always thought cathood at least was in my grasp. Don't want to cause you trouble, Teeka, really. I've had such a good time tonight. Say, did you ever even get paid for that debacle at His Lordship's?" she wonders with concern. "Didn't see you when the guard showed up."
"Not a single copper, but" she pauses, rubbing her shoulder and stiff neck, "but I got out of there alive, so I'd call it a wash, wouldn't you? I suppose I could go back to see if it's not too late...". She trails off, then, shaking her head, moves off to answer a call for more ale.
While Teeka is away, Auriel quickly digs in her pouch, removing a generous night's payment for wait staff, and piling it on the table. When Teeka comes back, she pushes the coins toward her and says, "Here. They finally coughed up after the Watch came and hauled that guy away. Even included a little extra for hazard pay. I guess they noticed a bunch of people had left so they could afford to be a little generous. I got in line twice." She quickly casts a prestidigitation and turns her hair from shocking red to a pale blond color to demonstrate. "Figured as long as they were giving out money, I'd get all I could," she shrugs. "But you deserve it. Us Lowcleft girls have to stick together."
3sp would probably do a normal pay for a night of service, so she probably gives Teeka 5. She gives a little yelp and her face lights up with excitement (and, is that relief?). She gasps as Auriel casts a spell, though. "You do magic?" she asks incredulously. "Then what are you doing waiting tables and sleeping in bars?"
"'T's not real magic," she mumbles, shrugging, a little embarrassed at the attention. "Not like the students at the Stone of the Seers. Just a few tricks I've picked up. Hells, I've seen gnome children doing this. Only lasts an hour. What am I supposed to do, rent myself out to some aging noblewoman and follow her around touching up her grays all day?"
Auriel's report is written in looping longhand on several sheets of parchment. She has obviously not written anything formally since school, as it resembles nothing more than an essay or book report, right down to the name and date in the upper right-hand corner, albeit one that focuses excessively on footwear. Although she describes the shoes of virtually everyone she met, she does not mention Lyeban Lerath, Timmery Chader, Mara, Teeka, Willis, or the state of the Staffords' marriage. She does point out what she sees as the high points of her career thus far: the way she found the invisible summoner, her successful evacuation of Lord Stafford's guests and servants, her saucepot-assisted escape from the snake, and her successful summoning of Taverson. After a brief but scathing aside on Hawk Dancer's apparent ambition to work with an all-feline team, she places blame for Markiv's death on Lord Stafford's refusal to send in more of his men or call for the Watch.
Teeka's shift goes well into the wee hours of the morning. As the bar's bouncer is ushering the last drunk out into the streets, Teeka comes to collect Auriel. "Shall we?"
The streets are quiet, though not silent, as a few drunks and working folk still move about. Some of the shadows move as well, though none bother the two women this night. Teeka leads you into the small halfling district of Lowcleft (known simply as Littletown by the locals with an even mix of fondness and ridicule), and from there to a rather run-down tenement building. You ascend three flights of stairs (the smell is certainly interesting) and come to Teeka's apartment. She pauses outside the door for a moment, and it seems to Auriel that she's on the verge of changing her mind, but then opens the door and leads her in.
Her home is small and sparsely furnished, though neat and clean, save for one battered chair next to the window. Several glass bottles line the window ledge and the floor, some in various states of fullness, most empty. A door at the back presumably leads to a bedroom.
As Teeka shuts the door behind you, a gruff voice calls out from the bedroom. "Teeka that you?"
"Yes, Cobb. It's me."
"Bout time, woman!" Cobb, a rather scraggly halfling wearing a ragged shirt that doesn't quite cover the fact it's all he's wearing,comes out of the back room. "Who's this?" he asks, nodding at Auriel and seemingly unconcerned with his immodesty.
"This is my friend, Auriel." Teeka takes out the 5 silvers Auriel gave her. "She came to give me my pay from that Millis job! See, we got pai--"
"Whatever. I've been working all night, and I'm half-starved. Get some breakfast made!"
Teeka puts the coins down on the rickety table and scampers towards the tiny kitchen to heat up the stove. "Yes, dear. Sorry I was so late," she tries to apologize, but Cobb has already gone back inside the back room and shut the door.
"I'm sorry about Cobb. He's been working so hard lately, and the stress is hard on him. It'll turn around soon, though. He'll start winning again."
"It's really nice," Auriel lies, forcing admiration into her face and voice. "Gosh, a place of your own. I'm still in the crashing-with-friends stage. Obviously. Can I help you cook? I mean, I can't actually cook. But I can follow instructions reasonably well. Chop things? Get water?" When the two women have the meal started, she asks, "So, your ... husband? boyfriend? He's been working all night? What does he do?" please be something illegal please be something illegal please be something I can get him busted for
"My husband, Cobb? He's a professional gambler. Card player. He's had a dry spell lately, so things are tight, but once his luck turns around, things get better. It shouldn't be much longer," she adds to herself as she busies herself in the kitchen.
"You know, I bet there are lots of rich noblewomen who would pay lot of coin for somebody to fix their grey hairs. Cobb says the only reason nobles get all the money is because the gods made them too stupid to not lose it to us."
"You're married?" she asks blankly, as if Teeka had just confided she had only six months to live. She's never met anyone in Lowcleft who was married before. All the artsy types she typically hangs out with believe marriage to be a bourgeois institution that promotes conformity and crushes individuality and that if two people are truly soulmates, they don't need a piece of paper from the city of Magnimar to validate it. Then again, it's hard to imagine Cobb being anyone's soulmate. Feeling that offering her condolences isn't appropriate, she busies herself with setting out the crockery and utensils. "I'm sure things will get back to normal soon," she offers, not sure what 'normal' is for Teeka and Cobb but hoping it's very different from what she's seeing now. "I guess being some rich old lady's personal touch-up artist would pay pretty well," she admits, "if you could stand following her around all day, holding your tongue and acting like an idiot servant. Because they'd never admit they were getting magical help to anyone." She stops and considers shrewdly. "Which, again, would up the price. I mean, they couldn't cut your tongue out; you need it to cast the spell." She grins at Teeka. "Might keep that in mind if I'm ever desperate for a new gig."
Cobb comes back out as "supper" is laid out, thankfully with pants this time. Once finished eating, he heads to his chair and drinks himself unconscious before the women have the dishes cleaned up. With that done, Teeka finds a clean-ish blanket and pillow for Auriel, though the blanket only covers to her waist, and bids her good night.
"Thanks a lot, Teeka. I really appreciate it," she whispers to the halfling woman. "Just give me a nudge in the morning if I'm in the way, and I'll get out of your hair."
When Teeka has gone into the bedroom, Auriel stares at Cobb snoring in the chair. Sleeping in the same room with a drunken man and no witnesses is bad enough under normal circumstances; him being your friend's creepy husband is even worse. And a halfling! She shudders. She's heard that some of them have things for taller women. The pants are on, yes, but will they stay on? She finds the most unobtrusive corner of the room, one that isn't in the way of anything so the only reason someone would go there would be to approach her, and carefully unbuttons her belt pouch, letting the marbles inside roll out quietly onto the floor. Leaving the empty pouch lying artfully with them so it will look like it accidentally came undone when she was settling down for the night, she curls up in the corner behind her makeshift barrier. A drunken halfling and a dark room: if he steps on the marbles, he ought to make enough noise to be heard in the bedroom, and by the time Teeka is up in the morning there should be enough ambient light for her to see and avoid the hazard.
Despite the company, the hard floor, the smell, and the undersized blanket, Auriel hasn't spent enough nights in a real bed at MSI HQ to have lost her ability to sleep in almost any level of discomfort. She is soon asleep, her hand under the pillow clasping her sap, just in case.
Heward struggles with his report. The responsibility to get it right wears at him. He doesn't want Mikobar to walk on a technicality. He tries to affect an offical tone. He tries to jam in everything he can remember, but a lot of it was hazy, especially the bits that the other team members investigated. Finally he groans aloud. "Why didn't we just kill him? This would have been so much easier."
He rereads his last paragraph. "This is terrible." Sighing, he scrapes off his last paragraph and puts a small hole in the parchment. He stares at the hole. It will have to do. I'm not copying that page out again. He dips quill in ink and joins the battle again.
Hours later his candle gutters out. He is asleep face sown at his desk.
Auriel wakens the next morning, unmolested. Cobb is still asleep in his chair. Teeka is sneaking about ever so quietly preparing some breakfast. When she sees Auriel stirring, terror spreads across her face for a moment as she frantically motions for Auriel to be very quiet, with an occasional glance over at sleeping Cobb.
A small group gathers on this day to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of Markiv, briefly a man of the Watch. Captain Percival and Mrs. Brigglespan are there, of course, as is Taverson, though he attempts to avoid your group and give you space. Several other representatives of the Watch are on hand, as well as a few Councillors, including Councillor Pellerin, who gives anybody who approaches him subtle shakes of his head in warning.
Laya stands at the front, Markiv's coffin laid out before her, and...
Auriel puts her finger to her lips with a nod to show she understands and tries to very quietly repopulate her pouch with marbles. Gathering the rest of her things together, she picks up the borrowed pillow and blanket, stretches some of the accumulated kinks out of her back, and tiptoes across the room to Teeka. Folding the blanket, she nods toward Cobb in the chair and whispers, "I thought he'd end up in the bedroom with you. I mean, it's none of my business ... but you did say you were married."
"Markiv was a good man and a member of our team. Anyone of us could be in his shoes tomorrow. He tried to protect the citizens and the law, without him Rimblenuffin's might be sitting in Lowcleft or that damn snake might have killed some of us or the bystanders before Taverson answered your call. Markiv deserves some respect from us and from Magnimar."
***
Heward spends the afternoon of the ninth cleaning and polishing. He wants to look his best to honor Markiv.
***
Funeral service.
Heward shows up early in clean, oiled, hair and mail. His tabard is spotlessly white. The headpiece of his halberd shines. He's left his javelins behind because they might shift and clatter in their long quiver. He stands at full attention for the duration of the service.
The worship area of the temple to Pharasma dwarfs the small group assembled there for the funeral. Laya stands at the front, behind the altar. She is dressed entirely in black with a black veil over her face. Four other priests carry in the body of Markiv, freshly washed and still dripping from having been immersed entirely in water. They carry him the length of the temple and lay him on the altar. His casket sits in front of the altar, waiting to receive him when the ceremony is finished.
Laya pulls out a dagger as two more priests approach with a funeral shroud. They spread it out in front of her and she begins to slice the shroud into five pieces. When she has finished, the priests begin wrapping Markiv's body in the five pieces of shroud. While they do so, Laya moves around in front of the casket and addresses those assembled.
"I didn't know Markiv particularly well. He was only a member of the Watch for a short time before his unfortunate demise. But I know how he presented himself during that time and if the rest of his life was lived in the same way, then he was a good man. He fought to protect the city from harm and he died saving the lives of many people.
"When we die, we go to stand before the Lady of Graves for judgement. What is less well known, however, is that She already knows the judgement she will make from the day that we are born. In very rare cases, this judgement can change, but most cannot escape the fate that She lays out for us that day, the fate that will take us to salvation or damnation. Although none of us here know for certain what judgement Pharasma has lain upon Markiv's soul, I think we can all be confident that She has found him worthy of salvation, for if he lived as well as he died, then he is most certainly worthy of salvation."
One of the priests brings forward a chalice and hands it to Laya. She holds it up and presents it to the others. "It is traditional that the immediate family and closest friends mark their eyelids with this black ash for five days following the funeral. Unfortunately, we do not know Markiv's family or if he had any close friends. However, I call upon anyone else here who would choose to mark their eyes thus, in respect for our honoured dead. There is no obligation, but if you wish it, please come forward now and I will anoint you." She waits to see if anyone comes forward.
The worship area of the temple to Pharasma dwarfs the small group assembled there for the funeral. ...
One of the priests brings forward a chalice and hands it to Laya. She holds it up and presents it to the others. "It is traditional that the immediate family and closest friends mark their eyelids with this black ash for five days following the funeral. Unfortunately, we do not know Markiv's family or if he had any close friends. However, I call upon anyone else here who would choose to mark their eyes thus, in respect for our honoured dead. There is no obligation, but if you wish it, please come forward now and I will anoint you."...
Heward steps solemnly forward to be annointed. He kneels so Laya can reach his face easily. When she's done he returns quietly to his place and returns to full attention.