Do feel free to check under the spoilers for my rolls... might as well do away with the whole concept, as when I want to roll something and I don't want to clue you in there's someone Hiding beneath your noses, for example, I can just put "???" as the roll's headline.
So yes, Erik took a nasty hit but you are still up, and your DR eats one point of that, I believe. So, at 6HP.
And that one flurry hit is more than enough to knock Ziki sensless. Feel free to wrap her up, perhaps experience momentary terror as one of you fails his Fort save and everything goes black for a minute, and then tell me what you are going to do with her.
And well done!
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Phin's body succumbed to the poison even though she was willing it not to. The pain and pressure became too intense and suddenly everything went black. Even though she knew she couldn't see because of what Ziki threw into the room, what she didn't know was what it was or if it would be permanent. Fear flooded her mind with the thought that it could be permanent and this panic was evident in her voice as she cried, "I can't see! Khyber Below, I can't see!"
The elf dropped her weapons and groped around for something or someone familiar to get her bearings. With her hands flailing wildly, she tried to move towards the kitchen hoping to find some water to flush the poisonous substance out of her eyes. She never made it to the kitchen in that she stumbled off the table she was standing on twisting one of her ankles and then ran into the edge of Alua's desk hard enough to bruise her hip. Unable to think clearly and completely disoriented and in complete darkness, Phin sank to the floor and dissolved into tears. If she couldn't see, she was useless.
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Alua saw the changeling go down through her slitted eyes, and felt the danger pass as the poison thinned out in the air. Seeing that they were safe, moved to the door and fanned it open a few times, breathing in relief as fresh air rushed in.
If she couldn't see, she was useless.
Khyber Below! I can't see! The sharper had exploded just as Jilly had popped her head out of the trench for a quick recon. She was blown backwards into the trench, the upper half of her face a ruin of shredded meat. One eye had a piece of shrapnel stuck straight through it, that moved grotesquely as she moved her eye. The other eye had been obliterated, along with the cheekbone on that side.
The blindness registered before the pain, and Jilly cried out in panic. Alua leapt to her side, drawing healing energy from the spirits, and was able to mend the damage to her face, and keep her from bleeding out. But there was nothing the oracle could do for her eyes, and they pulled Jilly from the battlefield, still screaming in the darkness.
Alua was on her knees beside Phin, patting her mutely, unable to speak, or cast, or do anything useful at all. It was only slowly that she realized she was in the office, not the trench, and that Phin's face was whole and undamaged.
Erix found himself on hands and knees over the unconcious Ziki. His eyes stung, and his lungs burned. Somehow he'd finally managed to get his blade out, and the curved steel hung poised under the changeling's jaw.
'Can we hold her? She's resourceful. She's professional. She can change her shape. Manacles won't do it. We'd need a lockbox. And if she gets out she keeps killing...' the knife drifted closer to Ziki's skin, with a straight shot to her brain. 'Maybe Phin...'
Phin's collapse hit him like a blow. No Boss to hand this decision off to... He looked up to Roctar, trying to read the man's eyes.
Erix shook his head 'No. No, can't go back to that. Can't let her get away, either.'
In one smooth movement the waveblade flipped, dropped and sliced, Ziki's clothes parting under the razor sharp bade.
"Alua - see to Phin. Roctar. Find a box, and sheets. I'm going to make sure she's not carrying any other surprises."
Erix's voice pulled Alua back to the present. The poison had almost fully dissipated, and the air was fresher. Moving closer to Phin, she said, "Take a few deep breaths. Blink. It's only temporary. You're okay," she rubbed the elf's back, hoping she wasn't lying to her.
Once Phin was back on her feet, Alua moved to Erix's side to help with the search. Seeing the contusion on his jaw, she put a hand on the side of his face and pulled energy from the nearest spirit to mend his injury. Seeing the spirit resist, Alua held out her other hand imperiously, "More, you lazy thing!" The swelling and bruising faded from Erix's face, and she smiled then pulled her hand away.
Together they stripped the changeling naked, and bundled her up in the sheet from Sebastian's bed. Taking Phin's rope, she asked, "Can we just tie her up in the sheet with this? Then stick her in the boss's trunk? It has a good lock on it."
Erix nods his thanks to Alua "Is Phin okay? Felt like I've heard Nights-eye dust described." he shivered "Description didn't do it justice."
"Alright, Roctar; I think you and I carry her. Keep her head visible. Alua - lead the way, carry her stuff. Phin, if she wakes up make sure she realises any movement is going to be her last." Erix grimaces "We're going to have to make sure they've got some way to detain her. Not sure how without magic..."
Take a few deep breaths. Blink. It's only temporary. You're okay,"
Phin allowed herself to be comforted by Alua and the girl's calm voice and gentle touch soothed the elf's frazzled nerves. She forced herself to do what Alua said and clung to her words that it was only temporary.
It doesn't take long for the poison to be flushed out of the elf's system. Between airing out of the office, her tears, and blinking, Phin's eyesight begins to clear and blurry shapes appear.
As soon as her sight returns enough for her to be convinced she'll be fine, Phin is immediately embarrassed by her reaction. Here she had been acting like a child while the threat remained. She squared her slight shoulders and did her best to pretend nothing had happened. Giving her eyes one last swipe, she started for Sebastian's room. "I'll get the sheets but I'm not strong enough to bring the chest." She motioned at Roctar to follow her while Erix and Alua stripped Ziki of belongings and weapons, "But you are. Come."
Phin stripped Sebastian's bed and then emptied the contents of his foot chest onto the bed. She took the sheets back to Erix and Alua while Roctar manhandled the chest. The rogue's voice was all business, "Let's get her back to the Sergeant as quickly as possible. The sooner we do this, the sooner it's over and the sooner we get paid."
"Alright, Roctar; I think you and I carry her. Keep her head visible. Alua - lead the way, carry her stuff. Phin, if she wakes up make sure she realises any movement is going to be her last." Erix grimaces "We're going to have to make sure they've got some way to detain her. Not sure how without magic..."
Roctar was glad to receive orders to follow and the four of you secured the unconscious killer as best you could, with yards and yards of linen strips after first removing from her person everything that might be used to cause mischief were she to wake during her transport. It took a bit of work to stuff her into Sebastian's storage chest, and no little effort for Erix and Roctar to manage its weight out the door and into a waiting skycoach. The driver seemed curious what valuables you were transporting that merited such eagle-eyed vigilance but decided from your expressions that it might be best not to pry.
The flight to Oakbridge took mere minutes, and the Watch officers looked with some interest as the chest was manhandled inside. Once through the door, Roctar hurried to see his wife and relay to her the good news that the cause of their fear had been put to rest. Viduk came out of his office, looking at the package you had dragged in with you.
"Right, is that what I'm thinking it is?" he asked, having noted the look on Roctar's face as he rushed past him and the wary way you kept looking at the chest.
"I'll be damned," the 'forged said, as several of his officers moved in to secure the prisoner. "Must have got real desperate to try for a direct assault like that. Mind you, a bit of luck and it might just have worked out for her. At least as far as skewering Mr. Herfast was concerned. But it wasn't like you could do away with all the risks, as finding your girl without luring her to you was pretty much your only option."
"Got the job done, though. It's unfortunate how many of her marks she managed to strike before you found her, but considering all those other trophies you recovered, I can't rightly complain. The lady will go before the court; considering all the evidence against her, there's only one way that is going to go down. Thanks to you, the good people of Oakbridge can sleep their nights in peace again. All those other buggers as well. I'll have your reward delivered to you as soon as I have finished with the paperwork. And thank you - you need a friend in the Watch, you can give me a call."
Anyways... first mission, successfully concluded!
Feel free to do some RP with the Watch officers, your two survivors or Ziki if you want to - she'll come to her senses after an hour or two, safely behind bars. Also, if you have some OOC questions about the adventure you wanted to get cleared to your personal satisfaction, now's a good time to tackle them.
After this, you'll have about a week of downtime before your next case. The first couple of days are peaceful and uneventful, with the exception of Sebastian introducing you to a new and resourceful employee! Cue for Baran's introduction at that point ;^)
On the 7th, Sebastian's fate will be made clear, followed by a couple of days of turmoil - I'll include that bit in my next turn summary. After that, you'll need to select a new leader for your agency, for the somewhat lengthy absence of your previous boss. And a day after you make that decision, he or she will get a message from Sebastian's good ol' friend Gentledwarf Einkil Kolkarun, who offers you his condolences and voices his heartfelt hope the change in management will not in any shape or form alter the business arrangement he had with your predecessor. You are all, after all, civilized people so there is no need for various bits to be removed from your person before you accept to shoulder Sebastian's dept.
Right?
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Also, a reminder about expenses...
- Dining, 2s day minimum to stay energetic, 14s per week for poor quality meals and watered ale. Up to 6s a day and 42s a week for common quality meals and acceptable drinks.
- Lodging in an inn, 14sp a week minimum (meals not included, place near fire), to 35s a week (bed in common room, breakfast included), to 14g a week (small private room with minor amenities, breakfast and simple dinner included).
- Renting a room, 2g a week (poor residence, unfurnished, no amenities, single room) to 9g a week (common residence, simple furnishing and amenities, two small rooms)
- Taxes, 10% of monthly income, for established businesses like your Inquisitive agency.
- Property tax for your office: 20g a month.
- Loan interest, 50g a week. Total loan amount: 5200g.
So... 30g of that 300g reward has to go to taxes, unless you try to hide it. And loan interest for the coming week takes 50g of that remains, leaving you 220g of actual profit, split three ways for 73 and spare change for the each of you.
"Sir." Erix requested of Viduk "If it's possible, before she's.. while she's restrained but conscious... I for one would like to know why. Why do this? She claims a murder - but witnesses say there was no murder. Is she wrong? Or is there another murderer walking free?"
"Sir." Erix requested of Viduk "If it's possible, before she's.. while she's restrained but conscious... I for one would like to know why. Why do this? She claims a murder - but witnesses say there was no murder. Is she wrong? Or is there another murderer walking free?"
Phin nodded emphatically, "Definitely. We need to speak with Ziki before we leave." It was clear that the rogue was mulling something over in her mind until she came to a decision and addressed the Sergeant. "The picture that was in Ziki's things, is that considered evidence or can I give it to her? I think it would help getting her to talk to us."
The elf led the way to Ziki's cell with the picture in hand having gotten the go ahead from the Sergeant. Seeing that the changeling was alert, Phin pulled a chair over and sat in front of the bars. "Are you finally ready to tell us your story?" She held up the picture and said, "How about starting with telling us who you lost, who was murdered." She handed the picture through the bars, "I thought you may want this back and the Sergeant agreed."
Phin felt like she could sleep for days. She'd have to crash at the office because her place had been destroyed. Maybe she'd check on it tomorrow to see if her landlord would allow her to return. "Do either of you know any lawyers who may agree to represent Ziki? I feel like someone may want to fight for Changeling rights. This all happened because Ziki felt there was no justice for her kind."
"A Lawyer? I'm pretty sure we made her list. It's not a long list - not anymore. She gets free, one day someone turns out to be Ziki and stabs us. If I thought she was going to get out I wouldn't have handed her over." He shakes his head "You want to work out what actually happened, sure. You want to free someone who killed that many people probably just doing their jobs, we've got a problem."
"Damn prejudice started it though, would be my guess. Changelings aren't monsters - Ziki was all too human. I fought things that tortured for fun. She killed for justice - but she killed."
"The picture that was in Ziki's things, is that considered evidence or can I give it to her? I think it would help getting her to talk to us."
”Can’t see the harm in that, or in you satisfying your own curiosity,” Viduk said, shrugging. ”The way I see it, she’s not going to find much in the way of comfort in what’s left of her life. No reason to try and make the time even harder for her than we must.”
You knew the way to the cells well by now, and as you stepped in you were met by Roctar and Corlina coming the other way. The two survivors were visibly relieved now that the threat to their existence was safely behind bars and were profuse in their gratitude – well, Corlina at least got overly emotional as seemed to be normal for her, and while Roctar didn’t waste any unnecessary words there was no mistaking the look in his eyes and his gaze shifted between the object of his adoration and those who had ensured her safety.
It took some waiting for Ziki to return to her senses and you suspected it took you some few moments to realize when she had – the Changeling took inventory of herself and her surroundings before sighing, the simple sound ripe with defeat, charging and frustration. She gingerly rose to a sitting position on the stone floor of her spartan cell and glared balefully at you through the bars.
The elf led the way to Ziki's cell with the picture in hand having gotten the go ahead from the Sergeant. Seeing that the changeling was alert, Phin pulled a chair over and sat in front of the bars. "Are you finally ready to tell us your story?" She held up the picture and said, "How about starting with telling us who you lost, who was murdered." She handed the picture through the bars, "I thought you may want this back and the Sergeant agreed."
”Why? Why?” Ziki spat. ”For justice. For revenge. Take your pick. You got told the same old story, right? No casualties? Well, that’s a lie. There was one life taken that day,” she said, fighting back tears as she remembered. ”I was there with all the others, watching the Circus people... those were not good times for us – I had only just got word that my husband had fallen in battle, so I took my baby to see the colorful lizards dance, to cheer us up a little bit - not that she knew she wasn't ever going to see her daddy again. Only... partway through their act, something happened. I don’t know what, but the beasts went wild. It was horrible – people rushing in every which way to get to safety, but we were directly in their path. Someone knocked me down – no way to say who or what – and I blacked out.”
”When I woke, three weeks had passed. I had nearly died of my wounds, and would have, if not for some of the friends I had in the town, who took me in and cared for me. They couldn’t save two of my fingers that the lizards had torn off,” she said, showing you her mangled and scarred left hand, ”but that was nothing. Nothing compared to what those beasts had done to my baby girl! Torn to shreds!”
It took Ziki a moment to compose herself, and when she continued the light burning in his eyes was unmistakeable. ”By that time, the Circus people had already been released and were long gone. And according to the official report, there had been no deaths or serious injuries sustained. But what there had been,” she growled, ”three beasts put down after the incident. Three! I’ll leave it to your imagination what the third one was, after the two berserk dinosaurs.”
”Both I and those friend of mine who had sheltered me tried, but we couldn’t get any justice done – even the body of my little girl had been burned along with the beasts that had killed her. So. If there was no justice to be found in the world, I decided to see to it those responsible would be held accountable for their crimes. I began with the local Watch – they had all either participated or turned a blind eye to the crime. Then, all the members of the Circus. It took years to track down all of them but finally, I was down to the last six. And just as I was about to finish it all... You people got involved.”
”I hope you are happy with your part in covering up this little bump on the road of the law and justice of this Sovereign-forsaken country.”
When Phin told the others about her conversation with Ziki, Alua shook her head. "It's such a shame. Her murderous rampage certainly won't help her cause any. Killing dozens of innocents over the tragic accident that happened. It won't help people see changelings as "people" instead of monsters."
Giving her blond head a shake, she dismissed the case from her mind. Perhaps it was all the horrors she'd seen during the war, but Alua wouldn't be losing any sleep over this case, which they'd solved and even saved two lives.
Now that statue of the hand, however....that she was curious about. Why had the spirits been so interested in it? Perhaps she could find her way back to the artist for a conversation one day.
”I hope you are happy with your part in covering up this little bump on the road of the law and justice of this Sovereign-forsaken country.”
Phin frowned, "Happy? No. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for your loss. Your daughter was blessed to have someone love her as much as you do. Not everyone is that lucky. Now you'll be able to tell your story and maybe things will begin to change for your kind."
A Lawyer? I'm pretty sure we made her list. It's not a long list - not anymore. She gets free, one day someone turns out to be Ziki and stabs us. If I thought she was going to get out I wouldn't have handed her over." He shakes his head "You want to work out what actually happened, sure. You want to free someone who killed that many people probably just doing their jobs, we've got a problem."
Phin's stride slowed until she was almost at a standstill, "I hadn't thought of that. What you said makes more sense in that the amount of killing far outweighs the reason for the killing. Forget I brought it up. I guess I wanted to see the best in a parent who actually loves their child so much that they would mourn and avenge their death."
Game on! And happy midsummer, people!
Phin was reeling. In the twinkling of an eye, everything changed. She understood why Sebastian had done what he did but that left a lot of guilt laid at Phin’s feet. If she had stopped to help then Ziki would have gotten away and the elf clearly remembered not wanting to help. As far as she was concerned, that man had gotten what he deserved but now Sebastian was paying the price. This also generated a lot of anger for the elf. Just because the bigot came from money and influence, Sebastian was wrongfully accused. She was beginning to understand Ziki's anger at the lack of justice. Not that she was prepared to murder everyone involved but she was definitely unamused. Phin had taken to sitting on Sebastian’s bed and playing her lute. It helped her process and her choice of music suited her mood.
But she also had to keep working. The amount of money they had made from their recent job would only pay the bills so long. The played her usual gig at The Forlorn Elk but she also returned to The Bluebird and talked to Graff about picking up a night a week playing there as well.
Even though the rogue was spending more time than usual at the office, she was happy that she had been able to return to her previous residence. Turned out there wasn’t as much damage as previously thought and the landlord had been more than willing to have a tenant back that was quiet and paid their rent on time. Not that she was there that much. Between work, the inquisitive agency, burglarizing, and avoiding Bartholomew she only got home occasionally.
One afternoon when both Alua and Erix were hanging out in the office with her, Phin posed the question that everyone was thinking but also avoiding. ”So what now? Without Sebastian what do we do? Keep taking cases or go our separate ways? I’m more than willing to keep taking cases but I don’t know the first thing about running a business…do you guys?”
Baran finally got out of his chair. It was time and his nerves would have to be swallowed. We paced his meagre residency and started gathering his street things , combing his hair before donning his scholar's beret and heading out the door. He got down to the end of the residency hall before stopping, humming and hawing, then headed back to his room. He dug into his traveling bag and pulled out a bottle of wine.
He looked over the label. It was Aundairian. Under the Fairhaven label and import stamp it read "Without wine there is no conversation. 1976YK" He grimaced. It was all now so worked up in his mind. He felt like he was going for an interview for a minor position as a practical arcanist rather than meeting an old friend ... friend? acquaintance ... old acquaintance ... old brief acquaintance. Baran was going to try to make a short membership to the same fencing club into something more.
But Sebastian had been so familiar, talked about his plan to open an agency so freely and with such detail. It felt like an open invitation even if it wasn't said explicitly. Was that Sebastian's way. Was he good at reading people? Was Sebastian good at reading him? Did he know that Baran needed practical experience, was dying to see the breadth of Sharn, as eager to see it as his fellow scholars were to see its' depths.
He was off again remembering his mentor, Prof Thorn's words, People all start and end the same. The dissection table proves it every time. Don't let things get too complicated in that dream factory you call a brain, boy. You have everything they got. Keep it simple.
It was a long trip on foot and he had to catch his breath a time or two. The out of the way walk over the Cassan Bridge wasn't helpful either. A long parade of shops he couldn't afford - Daddy's money only went to tuition, room and board. Then it was through the lesser districts of the middle plateu. It was hours before he even reached Tavick's Landing, but it was intoxicating. Menthis was diverse but university life had been so much work he hardly got to see it.
Finally, he had tracked down the address. He was there, outside ir'Brock Inquisitive Agency.
As he stood before the door he looked himself over. His pillow shouldered scholar's robe of black velvet was faded in places and now soiled in sweat and the grime of the city. His black leotard a bit gathered, and his cap had flattened and looked sad. His enamelled whale bone cuirass was rubbing uncomfortably, and his rapier hung awkwardly at his side.
He shook his shoulders, thumped his quarter staff on the pavement, and, remembered his prose, spoke to himself in the street "Imagine a young man upon the streets of Sharn, wearing the robes of a scholar and, as befitting such a fellow, impeccably manicured with the bearing of one common nobility - the nobility of the virtuous, not the nobility that is so tied to affluence as to make it again unclean. Purpose, bearing, and earnestness. Such a man was he." He imagined the words to be true of himself and slowly his appearance improved, though all the cleaning in the world didn't hide the slightly dark circles beneath his eyes, nor his slightness of body.
He summoned up confidence and wrapped on the door three times firmly. Then he panicked a bit thinking he might change his appearance, maybe add six inches to his 5' 7" frame. No that wouldn't fly. Probably not with Sebastian.
Alua sat quietly at her desk...a desk devoid of papers. She had come here every day and sat, so that the others could find her easily, so that if by miracle Sebastian came back, she'd be ready.
Phin and Erix -- well, mostly Phin -- had explained to her about the arrest and the settlement. The refrain, "But he didn't do anything! It wasn't his fault!" still rang in her ears, but she knew that voicing it aloud would only upset the others.
She still went back to the Temple every night, and spent a few hours in the morning tending the ill and healing the wounded. But her heart wasn't in it. Alua knew that if she was just a little smarter she could figure out a way to get the boss back.
One afternoon when both Alua and Erix were hanging out in the office with her, Phin posed the question that everyone was thinking but also avoiding. ”So what now? Without Sebastian what do we do? Keep taking cases or go our separate ways? I’m more than willing to keep taking cases but I don’t know the first thing about running a business…do you guys?”
Shocked, Alua said, "We can't leave! We have to keep things running, for when the Boss gets back." Alua opened her filing cabinet, and pulled out a thick file. "I think everything is in here. We pay the taxes, we pay the loan, we pay the license, we do the work, we get paid. It's very simple."
When the knock sounded on the door, Alua cried out, "A client!" Pushing her chair back, she dashed around the desk, knocking the file onto the floor in the process. Papers spilled onto the ground, scattering far farther than they ought to in the windless environment.
Throwing the door open, she eyed the young man standing there. "Welcome to ir'Brock Inquisitive Agency! Come in! How can we help you today?"
Ushering him in, she said, "I'm Alua, Mr. ir'Brock's assisstant." She gestured towards the best chair, then remembered the papers and immediately began gathering them up. "Sorry about the mess." Some of the papers seemed to be deliberately eluding her hands, and it took a full minute to get them back in the file. Turning back to their guest, she said, "What did you say your name was?"
Thank you for the lovely intro, Baran!
And while you are having fun getting to know each other and sorting out the leadership issue and whatnot, here's a little bit of something that your characters aren't aware of, and won't be for a while, but which might amuse you...
Throwing the door open, she eyed the young man standing there. "Welcome to ir'Brock Inquisitive Agency! Come in! How can we help you today?"
Ushering him in, she said, "I'm Alua, Mr. ir'Brock's assisstant." She gestured towards the best chair, then remembered the papers and immediately began gathering them up. "Sorry about the mess." Some of the papers seemed to be deliberately eluding her hands, and it took a full minute to get them back in the file. Turning back to their guest, she said, "What did you say your name was?"
Baran followed her into the room leaning his staff against the doorframe and was about to sit as ushered, until Alua started to gather the paperwork strewn on the office floor. He stood up again not wishing to be rude. As papers escaped her grasp he tapped his toe lightly on the floor like a metronome, "Ahem ... It was like a slow invisible draft entered the room and with advantageous direction seemed to always move the dissembled papers gently together and in remarkable lucky order. As arbitrarily as the waft began, it ceased." As he spoke the delinquent pages collected themselves and slid towards her, already started, collection.
The young man, of maybe nineteen or twenty years, waited for Alua to take her seat and then gratefully took the best chair. He looked about the room and noted the absence of his acquaintance. His shoulders dropped none-the-less. The cordiality of Alua brought him to his ease quickly. He gave her a quick look over.
He smiled and, despite the faint circles beneath his eyes, when he did so he was quite hansom.
"I'm so sorry. I aught to have introduced myself at the first. I'm Baran, Baran 'Elmswright. I'm looking for Sebastian, excuse me, Mr ir'Brock. Some time ago he suggested I might visit, take a look at his designs to open an agency. I'm pretty tardy I'm afraid. Could you let him know I'm here?"
We can't leave! We have to keep things running, for when the Boss gets back." Alua opened her filing cabinet, and pulled out a thick file. "I think everything is in here. We pay the taxes, we pay the loan, we pay the license, we do the work, we get paid. It's very simple."
Phin gave a small, sad smile, Ah, the exuberance and ignorance of youth. She held up her hands as if surrendering, "Alright, alright, we'll keep things running...somehow. I just wanted to find out what everyone was thinking. We were barely making ends meet with Sebastian. Without him..." The elf let her last sentence remain unfinished and she placed her hand on Alua's shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "But you need to prepare yourself for the fact that the Boss won't be back for a while. Whether we like it or not, whether we agree with it or not."
The rogue's voice was barely audible but full of bitterness, "Ziki had the right of it. There is no justice when those in power - the rich, the authorities, the influential - have their own agendas and pull strings to make it happen."
The knock at the door cut their conversation short. Phin's head snapped up as memories of Ziki's assault were still fresh in her mind. Her body spurred to action getting closer to the door without getting too close. She drew her thornblade in one graceful movement and hid it behind her back, her other hand ready to receive her dagger should she release it from it's hiding place. She barely got into position before Alua was flinging open the door. The elf studied the man warily while she waiting for his answer to Alua's question.
Alua stared in amazement as the papers cleaned themselves up. This is what it would be like if the spirits were kind, instead of asssholes.
Sitting in her chair, she put the file away before it could make another mess, then sat with her hands folded on the desk. "Thank you, Mr. 'Elmsright! I wish my voice could cajole mess into order."
Noticing Phin still hovering like a nervous assassin-fly, Alua gestured to her, "This is Phin, another of our team. Phin, sit down! He's a friend of the boss." Turning back to Baran, she continued, "Our third member, Erix Thorn, is in the back and will be out in a moment." Clearing her throat nervously, she said, "As for our employer, Mr. ir'Brock is...indisposed...for a while. Possibly a long while. Probably. But we're happy to answer any questions on his behalf!" she smiled brightly, though it didn't reach her eyes.
Phin watched Baran's display of magic with interest. It reminded her of how directors of theatrical plays set a scene and directed the actors around the stage.
While Alua and the new guy spoke, Phin quietly resheathed her blade. She nodded in acknowledgement of Alua's order for her to sit but didn't obey. Instead she remained standing, ready to react. "He says he's a friend of the boss. Do you remember Sebastian ever mentioning a Mr. 'Elmswright?"
The elf fixed Baran with a cool gaze. With Sebastian's arrest there had been a few less than scrupulous reporters sniffing around for additional gossip and she wasn't about to help add to any unfounded rumors. "How do you and Sebastian know each other? Why would he have suggested you stop by?" She took in his beret, leotard, and scholar's robes and tried to remember any case that had required any book learning. "Did he need you for research or something?"
Did I ever hear of this guy?
Well, none of you are famous enough to be heard from with that kind of roll result ;^) Whether or not you remember hearing about him from Sebastian is entirely up to you. I might suggest someone recalling something, just to get Baran added into the team ;^)
"How do you and Sebastian know each other? Why would he have suggested you stop by?" She took in his beret, leotard, and scholar's robes and tried to remember any case that had required any book learning. "Did he need you for research or something?"
Normally he would be getting nervous about now, things weren't going as well as he hoped. Also, there was something strange about the way Alua said 'indisposed', the pause beforehand and the drop-off into 'for a while' or perhaps he was over reading. Baran was not tensing however. In fact, things seemed a little disheveled here and this was making him feel more at his ease. His worry for the impression he was making was being displaced for some growing concern over the agency and Sebastian.
He looked over his shoulder and with slight disappointment, "Baran? Baran from fencing club? He didn't mention me?", three beats passed, "It's no real matter. It was some time ago. Yes, he said there might be an opportunity for me to help a bit on some background information, though he didn't seem to have anything specific. I think he was 'building connections'. I can say that I can speak five languages. I also have training in the vagaries of practical arcana, political studies, history both ancient and recent, natural history, heraldry, and comparative religion ... though Sebastian ... sorry, Mr. ir'Brock, did seem more interested in my recent switch to studying mortuary science. I have some ability as a healer and I can do some interesting things with a Hulusi flute."
Erix stomped down the corridor.
Ziki had left him in a dark mood, a mood that had darkened to black when Sebastian was taken, and then somehow darkened again when he learned of the miscarriage of justice that had been perpetrated. He'd turned to drinking in cheap, dangerous places - both for the alcohol and the bar fights - to stop himself carrying out the plans his mind presented.
He was in no mood for company, but had enough self awareness to know he needed advice from one of the few people he was actually prepared to accept advice from - Phin. Thus he stormed down the corridor to the agency.
"Phin!" he called in an all too loud voice as he walked through, cutting off when he saw Alua with a client. He blinked, and looked from face to face as he tried to puzzle out what was happening. "Pardon."
I can say that I can speak five languages. I also have training in the vagaries of practical arcana, political studies, history both ancient and recent, natural history, heraldry, and comparative religion ... though Sebastian ... sorry, Mr. ir'Brock, did seem more interested in my recent switch to studying mortuary science. I have some ability as a healer and I can do some interesting things with a Hulusi flute.
Phin began to warm up to Baran ever so slightly as he listed his qualifications. Five languages could come in handy as could the magic. She perked up further at his mention of an instrument. "What kind of interesting things? Hopefully you actually have some skill because I've heard that flute played by amateurs and it was similar to a cat having it's tail stepped on again and again."
"Phin!" he called in an all too loud voice as he walked through, cutting off when he saw Alua with a client. He blinked, and looked from face to face as he tried to puzzle out what was happening. "Pardon."
Phin was immediately on alert as she heard Erix call her name. The elf couldn't tell from that one word if he was in trouble or just trying to get her attention. She had seen him struggling ever since Sebastian had been taken. Truthfully they all had been but he seemed a little more self-destructive than Alua or herself. He most likely thought he was hiding it well enough from her but she had noticed the bloodshot eyes and the increased number of bruises and the cuts on his knuckles. She knew him well enough to know that he would seek her out when he was ready and that her confronting him before he was ready would be unproductive. Not that she would let him completely spiral but he was also no longer a youth.
Seeing that Erix wasn't in immediate danger, she relaxed somewhat and said with a tight smile, "Erix, this is Mr. Baran 'Elmswright. He is an acquaintance of Sebastian's and he was just in the middle of telling us why the boss suggested he drop by." She motioned from Erix to Baran and back again, "Mr. 'Elmswright, meet Erix Thorn - our other associate."
It took Alua a minute to understand why the pleasant young man was giving them his resume. "Oh! You want a job! Well, that's great! We could use another person, right guys?" She looked to Phin and Erix for support. "We get paid by the job - once it's done, we pay the bills, then split what's left. How does that sound?"
Pleased with herself, Alua thought, See! Managing a business is simple!
She perked up further at his mention of an instrument. "What kind of interesting things? Hopefully you actually have some skill because I've heard that flute played by amateurs and it was similar to a cat having it's tail stepped on again and again."..."Erix, this is Mr. Baran 'Elmswright. He is an acquaintance of Sebastian's and he was just in the middle of telling us why the boss...
Baran stood up and nodded at Erix. He had a gentle grin and pondered the fellow who stood more than a head above him. "Just Baran is fine...", he reached quickly under his robe - then slowed down seeing Phin tense a little. He unclipped a strap and pulled out his hulusi, a black enamelled gourd with a tiny mouthpiece in the top and three different length flute ends in the base.
It took Alua a minute to understand why the pleasant young man was giving them his resume. "Oh! You want a job! Well, that's great! We could use another person, right guys?" She looked to Phin and Erix for support. "We get paid by the job - once it's done, we pay the bills, then split what's left. How does that sound?"
Baran looked to Alua, smiled and wetted the reed. "I thought maybe a little consulting work to start? A ... get to know you?" He tried to read the room, Erix didn't have the entertain me! look about him, but it was becoming a little more obvious that he had come at a bad time, and no Sebastian. They needed something more than a tune. "Apologies, my music tends to be a bit ostentatious. Something more sombre perhaps."
He began playing, half watching for Phin's approval. He starts off slowly. The flute sounds like the lonely prayer song of some cloistered monk. Hulusi solo The music starts to deepen and wander, an endless walk over steps cut into the sides of hills. The meander became stronger, a march, determined but not without a hint of sadness. The flute dives high into the air the free falls to the middle. It slows. Goes low. The cloistered monk is home again.
Baran removes the reed from his lips. He pauses for three beats. "Forgive me. I'm still learning. Music has power but I prefer my own brand of arcane narration when I want to try to move people.", trying to change the subject, "Um. Have you had much work? It must be difficult with the Finders' Guild and the Warning Guild taking the choicest jobs? Have you been journaling you progress? It'd make for most interesting, and sobering, reading I'm sure."
Phin let the music wash over her and she sank into one of the chairs, feeling completely at ease. Music always had the ability to relax her and there was something about the music that Baran played that seemed to infuse her with more than just good feelings.
When Baran finished, the elf smiled. Phin pulled out her lute, "I'm definitely not as good as you but maybe we can play together sometime."
Um. Have you had much work?
Phin shrugged, "We get by. In fact, we just wrapped up a pretty high-profile case."...that got our boss arrested..."So we're hoping that it will bring more work our way. But truth be told, we all have other work that we do to make ends meet."
Thank you; and you will find out... assuming you'll stick with the campaign for the next 10+ missions ;^)
Anyway, thank ye all for some lovelt RP. Feel free to keep on going, but I think I'll start writing you into your next case in the next couple of days.
Now, I believe you still haven't come out and said who's going to be the next boss (on paper, at least), and whose are the ears that will be nailed to a handy wall if the loan payments are not done in time...?
Erix perked up the march, and while he sunk down again when it turned mournful he didn't descend to the same depressed depths.
"Stories? Might be something to that, Baran." he considered "People sometimes want privacy, sometimes not. If we could get our - or Sebastian's - name in the papers, might draw more clientele."
"Trouble is, Sebastian's the name, and the brain. I'm muscle, Alua's our pretty people person, and Phin here is the jaded voice of experience with legs that go all the way up to kicking you in the teeth. We take whatever jobs we can get, but without Sebastian to follow clues I'm a bit worried we'll end up more mercenaries than investigators."
"I was thinking if we could find that 'Forged, maybe we could spring Sebastian." he continues, apparently oblivious to Baran's lack of knowledge.
I'm muscle, Alua's our pretty people person, and Phin here is the jaded voice of experience with legs that go all the way up to kicking you in the teeth. We take whatever jobs we can get, but without Sebastian to follow clues I'm a bit worried we'll end up more mercenaries than investigators.
Phin commented on Erix's comment about her but her gaze was fixed on Baran, "And don't you forget that, Cub." She then looked over at Erix, "But if we each have a say in what jobs we take - although beggars can't be choosers - we can make sure we don't become mercenaries."
I was thinking if we could find that 'Forged, maybe we could spring Sebastian.
"And then what?" The rogue tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, "That 'forged was associated with House Cannith. No one is going to risk making them angry to free Sebastian. A better plan would be to disgrace the man pulling the strings for the boss' arrest. If he becomes a social pariah then no one wants to appease him by charging Sebastian with the death of his bigot son."
Alua felt herself respond to the music on a visceral level. She felt her spine straighten, and a sense of optimism, that everything would work out all right, came over her. Even the spirit in the room stopped its ceaseless movements near the ceiling, and seemed to pay attention.
"That is really pretty!" she said, a bit disappointed when he stopped playing. She wasn't entirely sure how it would help with a case, but it certainly couldn't hurt.
"And then what?" The rogue tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, "That 'forged was associated with House Cannith. No one is going to risk making them angry to free Sebastian. A better plan would be to disgrace the man pulling the strings for the boss' arrest. If he becomes a social pariah then no one wants to appease him by charging Sebastian with the death of his bigot son."
Mortified, Alua stared at Phin and Erix in horror, then glanced at Mr. 'Elmsworth to see if he'd understood what they were saying. Seeing his head tip slightly to the side as he began to put two and two together, she said hurriedly, "It's all going to be okay! It was a misunderstanding, and he was framed anyway. It's all political. And we're definitely going to get him back. Especially now that you're going to be working with us!"
Seeing Phin's expression, Alua said, "Well, I'm the only official employee now, so that puts me in charge. For now. And I say he's in. If he wants to be." Turning to the young musician, her voice became almost pleading. "You do want to, don't you, Baran?" she said, trying out his first name to see if he minded being addressed so familiarly.
When Baran finished, the elf smiled. Phin pulled out her lute, "I'm definitely not as good as you but maybe we can play together sometime."
Baran nodded with a grin, "I would like that."
-
"Trouble is, Sebastian's the name, and the brain... I'm a bit worried we'll end up more mercenaries than investigators." ... "I was thinking if we could find that 'Forged, maybe we could spring Sebastian."
"But if we each have a say in what jobs we take - although beggars can't be choosers - we can make sure we don't become mercenaries." ... "And then what?" The rogue tried to keep the frustration out of her voice, "That 'forged was associated with House Cannith. No one is going to risk making them angry to free Sebastian. A better plan would be to disgrace the man pulling the strings for the boss' arrest. If he becomes a social pariah then no one wants to appease him by charging Sebastian with the death of his bigot son."
Sebastian's in prison, Baran started to memorize the details, There's a warforged from House Cannith, and a powerful man who's son, a racial purest? was murdered. The man has blamed Sebastian. He or another party has framed him, Baran looked at his feet, They are inquisitives for the working week, practical, and they're mired in some dark political mess on their first? job. I'm walking into a dark and possibly politically dangerous alley. My father would hate this.
... "You do want to, don't you, Baran?"
He looked up from his shoes. A little hook appeared in the left corner of his mouth, "I do ... Alua."
Turn 024 - Unexpected Audience
Game on!
Action 1:
Well, I'm the only official employee now,
so that puts me in charge. For now. And I say he's in. If he wants to be.
Phin grinned, "That's settled then. Alua's in charge and I'm not about to argue. Welcome to the agency, Baran."
Once things had settled, Phin pulled Erix aside, "You called for me earlier. Something you want to get off your chest?"
Action 2:
Phin couldn't stop yawning as she stumbled gracefully into the office the next morning. Her gig at The Forlorn Elk had gone particularly late the night before so she was running on three hours sleep. She had just finished stuffing a pastry into her mouth as she entered. Alua was standing behind her desk reading something, an excited look on her face. "Did we catch a case? What is it?"
When Alua shared who the letter was from, the hair on the back of Phin's neck stood up. "Werem...on the bridge, when we were chasing Ziki...I saw that name written on a lot of the banners and signs that were interspersed in that crowd. I wonder what he wants." The elf snorted, "And what's this nonsense about 'willing to grant us an audience'? Did someone ask him for one? Or is he just that full of himself?"
Well, Phin's not a mover or shaker in the religious community, so that roll won't recognize the name - other than the fact you recall he seems to be a contestant for a High Huntmaster's position.
Alua and Baran can add to that (Baran's roll was pretty good, and Alua has inside knowledge, as she works in a temple of the Host), that a High Huntsmaster is a rather serious rank in the church... the ranks grants a seat in the council that oversees Sharn's whole church of the Sovereign Host, and may open one a position of power to influence the church over the whole of Breland.
So, whoever he is, this Werem character is no stranger to wealth and power.
Oh, as a side note, temple politics are a real thing in my Eberron - there's a lot of wealth and power that comes with the highest ranks, and the battle to reach those lofty heights can be vicious.
Baran felt there was some lingering desire for privacy amongst the three partners and he didn't want to press a greater degree of familiarity so quickly. Everything he had desired had come to pass with the exception of the assurance Sebastian's presence would have provided. He moved to the door, turned and adjusted his robe to get ready for the street, "Thank you for your welcome and this opportunity. Whatever happens next, I'm sure it will be very interesting. If you need to contact me I will be in the lesser residency, adjunct the biology department. I'm the only 'Elmswright." With that he swept out into the lane and headed back to Morgrave.
He didn't tarry this time and headed straight back to the dorm with a combination of nervous excitement and need to get back to his studies. More than once did he have a minor collision with someone. His attentions were everywhere but in the present. When he finally returned to his room he sat directly and opened his books - causes for postmortem pneumothorax wasn't going to learn itself - and leaned over with every intention of memorizing tuberculosis case studies, but it wasn't taking. He left and went out into the common spaces and tried to engage other students in conversations about politics and stories about the great houses ... but only really perking up when the conversation turned to House Cannith.
When it was quite late he returned to his room with a light meal and practiced his hulusi with some eye on how to accompany the lute. He fell asleep doing so.