The station house was cramped, cluttered, and grimy. All of the new recruits were gathered in the main room for their ‘orientation’. A lovely young half-elf stands in front of you, her brilliant red hair cut short, giving her a pixie-like appearance. Her violet eyes coolly assess each one of you.
“Good morning,” she says, loud enough for everyone to hear, but not shouting. “I am Lt. Nicoletta Amakiir and you will be reporting directly to me during your tenure with the Watch. Most people refer to me as Nico. As I’m sure you are well aware, the Warrens are the hub for most of the criminal activity that takes place in our fair city, as well as the last refuge for those who can’t afford to live anywhere better. Representing the law here is dangerous work, which is why you will not be given uniforms. Part of my job is keeping you alive, and that means not painting a target on you, no matter what the regs say. You will each be given a badge and a set of manacles. Also, there are blunted arrows available for those who favor archery. Shifty-Eye will be passing those out to you,” she says, indicating a robed mongrelfolk standing to her left near a table with several baskets on it. He nods to you, but does not speak.
“I expect you to work within the law as much as possible. There are already enough gangs on these streets. I will not tolerate watchmen who behave like them. And I will be watching you. I will be giving you a complete list of all the gangs currently active within the Warrens,” she sighs and rolls her eyes., “as soon as Kitty gets around to making one.” A petite woman with an orangeish ponytail and what looks oddly like a collar with a bell on it around her throat gives a quick wave from behind an enormous stack of paperwork.
“You’re going to sign in with Keriton,” she says pointing to a thri-kreen with several pens in hands, “and then I’m going to give you some time to get to know each other. It’s important that you watch each others backs out there. Most of you are used to working alone. That’s fine when you’re out for just yourself, but let me tell you, a watchmen in this part of town, the whole world’s against you. It doesn’t matter if you like each other. You watch the backs of your fellow watchmen so that they’ll watch yours. Once you’ve had a chance to get to know one another, I’ll fill you in on the rest of what you need to know and hand out your assignments.”
Father Timmis steps forward from the group of enlistees. Unsure of exactly how he should act, he offers Nico an awkward salute.
"Err, Father Timmis reporting for duty...sir, er... ma'am..." he trails off, fidgetting nervously with the straps of his armor. "It will be a great honor to serve the city, I'm sure we won't let you down." Although offering a friendly smile to the other recruits, he begins to feel slightly uncomfortable and hurries over to register with Keriton. After giving his details to the Thri-kreen, he moves over to Kitty and introduces himself.
"Kitty is it? I'm Father Timmis. I used to work as an archivist," he introduces himself with a smile. "If you ever need any help with that paperwork, let me know."
"It will be a great honor to serve the city."
The tall elven woman standing at the rear snorts loudly as Father Timmis says this.
She pushes her way to the front, steering clear of the Minotaur the only one she sees as a threat, eager to be done with this. She walks over to the Thri'kreen and slaps her hands down on the table.
"Yarden Talazac reporting for duty." She says the last word with all the venom she can muster.
Signing in and collecting her badge and manacles, she turns and sees the others looking at her. She flashes them a cocky smile, making sure to grow her fangs so that they are showing as she does so. She moves away to let the next recruit up and watches them all carefully, especially the Minotaur.
Harden surveys the other Watchmen around him, though to his surprise many of them are women.
Hmm, this might not be so bad after all he says looking about with an appraising eye.
He coughs as Timmis speaks up attempting to cover up a laugh.
God's I hope this old man doesn't get us killed
Smiling as he watches Yarden sign in he does a small take as she flashes her fangs. Interesting...
He steps forward, "Harden Sull. Looking forward to working with most of you," he says as he glances at the ladies.
Checking his gear he walks over to the thri-kreen to temporarily sign his life away. He slips his badge into a pocket of his shirt and nestles the manacles in his backpack and stands back to watch the rest check in.
Somos takes two steps to get to Keriton.
"Good to meet you Keriton. Somos Racemeis reporting in. I'm looking forward to it."
Somos takes the manacles, puts them in a pouch, and the badge.
He takes a step back ties a leather thong to the the badge puts it around his neck, tucking it into his shirt.
"This should be a good time."
He then sits on the floor facing the room.
Savrial quickly shuffles over to Keriton and gives the thri-keen her details and swiftly takes the badge and the manacles, and then retreats back next to the minotaur, glancing round the room with a worried expression on her face pausing when she See's Yarden and watches her curiously.
Father Timmis steps forward from the group of enlistees. Unsure of exactly how he should act, he offers Nico an awkward salute.
"Err, Father Timmis reporting for duty...sir, er... ma'am..." he trails off, fidgetting nervously with the straps of his armor. "It will be a great honor to serve the city, I'm sure we won't let you down." Although offering a friendly smile to the other recruits, he begins to feel slightly uncomfortable and hurries over to register with Keriton. After giving his details to the Thri-kreen, he moves over to Kitty and introduces himself.
"Kitty is it? I'm Father Timmis. I used to work as an archivist," he introduces himself with a smile. "If you ever need any help with that paperwork, let me know."
"Oh thank the gods," the small woman says with a sigh of relief. "Someone who knows how to deal with the blasted paperwork. I'm no secretary let me tell you and I really don't think it's fair that I have to deal with this just because I...umm, well, anyways, that's neither here nor there. You'll have to get through your training same as everyone else, but I'll be more than happy to let you tackle the paperwork after that."
A tall slender half elven woman walks forward, managing to make no noise despite the high heeled boots she wears. Tucking long dark hair behind one ear she confidently strolls directly up to the Lieutenant.
"Pleased to meet you Lt. Nico. Hagen's told me a lot about you," she says offering a salute. "Blunted bolts huh, I'm sure somewhere the inventer of the crossbow just turned into an angry shade, but I get the point....or I guess the lack of one. Heh"
She walks over to the mongrelfolk and hands him 4 clips of crossbow bolts, taking blunted ones in return. A close observer can see that she still has a few clips of "live" bolts in her possession.
She turns and faces the assembled recruits raising an eyebrow as she passes over the aging cleric, frowning slightly a the fanged woman and glaring at the one who snickered. The minotaur gets a lingering gaze, one that is half measuring, half probing as if trying to determine a weak spot.
She turns and faces the assembled recruits raising an eyebrow as she passes over the aging cleric...
On seeing the half-elf's expression Father Timmis gives a self-deprecating smile, bowing slightly to her.
"I may be old and a little less spritely than I once was," he confesses with a twinkle in his eye. "And it's true that I've spent more time in libraries than I have in battle. Nonetheless, I can assure you I am fit and ready to serve the city. I'm called Father Timmis, by the way, servant of Irori. What should I call you...?"
...glaring at the one who snickered.
Harden grins widely at the half-elf woman. He eyes her up and down, not letting her beauty fool him as she looked plenty deadly.
"I suppose I should get some of those blunted bolts as well," reaching under his coat he pulls out 15 bolts and steps over to the mongrelfolk trading for the blunted bolts.
"Least with these we can't get shot in the back by our comrades," he glances at Liandra with a grin, "Though I'm sure that'd never happen anyway."
Anya stands close to her identical twin, the pair occasionally sharing a seemingly meaningful glance but neither remark aloud. Calmly, almost serenely the pair watch the interactions around them, making mental notes and their faces perfect mirrors of one another.
Patiently waiting their turn signing in with Keriton, the pair move with the grace of well trained dancers when they spot a gap in the stream of people approaching the thri-kreen. "Anya.."
"..and Elya. reporting in" The second twin finishes her sister's statement utterly seemlessly, in a matching lyrical tone of voice. The two petite women give identical smiles as they claim theirbadges and manacles. Briefly they both look tempted to say something else but they let the moment pass with a friendly expression.
"Liandra, Liandra Nightwind. My friends call me Li." she extends a hand toward the old man, shaking it firmly.
"I will start. My name is Somos. I can hit targets hard. I can see at night and find people by smell. I am also helpful on getting people up to the third, or forth, floor quickly. I am a recent graduate from the Fortine War College. I am looking forward to helping out my city however I can."
Yarden rolls her eyes at the Minotaur's statement, thinking "Oh great he's definately going to be one to watch," to herself.
She stands slightly apart from the others, not introducing herself further (unless someone calls her on it) and taking note of everyone.
"And you Red?"
Savrial stays silent and moves away from the minotaur as he speaks,
she goes over to stand next to Harden giving him a slight smile,
and then goes back to watching Liandra and Yarden.
Harden eyes the woman as she moves next to him. She seems a bit shy which never bothers him a bit.
He quietly asks her, "And you might be the lovely miss..." He trails off expectantly.
Savrial...
Wonders what is the problem with fangs and ghostie.
"And you Red?"
Yarden turns her gaze upon the half-elf and raises an eyebrow.
"My name is Yarden. My business is that I am forced to be here and put up with you people. I will endeavour to watch your backs to the best of my abilities and pray to the Dark Lady for the day my service here ends."She smiles her fanged smile again, this one looking quite predatory. "Any other questions?"
Fangs and Ghostie
Savrial...
"A lovely name for a lovely lady" Harden says attempting to walk the fine line between being dashing and laying it on too thick.
As Yarden speaks her name he turns to her, initally thinking she was talking to him. Harden and Yarden, this could be interesting
Harden bites his tongue from commenting on what Yarden says. Not because he's intimidated, no, just...because he doesn't want to start things off on the wrong foot.
Both of the twins smile gently as they listen to the others talk, clearly fascinated with the eclectic grouping around them.
"I'm Anya and Elya" They both declare in perfect unison. "I am trained in the arts of diplomacy and in the histories and general behaviours of many races."
"Yarden, how is that you are forced to be here?"
"And you Red?"Yarden turns her gaze upon the half-elf and raises an eyebrow.
"My name is Yarden. My business is that I am forced to be here and put up with you people. I will endeavour to watch your backs to the best of my abilities and pray to the Dark Lady for the day my service here ends."
She smiles her fanged smile again, this one looking quite predatory. "Any other questions?"Fangs and Ghostie
"Heh, don't worry I'll be watching your back too."
"Anybody got a specialty we should all know about? Somos here was pretty forthcoming, and well, kinda obvious. I'm a shooter first, stalker second."
"Yarden, how is that you are forced to be here?"
She turns to the towering Minotuar and her demeanour changes. It is clear from her stance and tone that she is one who is used to giving respect to those more powerful who she sees as worthy and so far he has been the only one here she is wary of.
"I was caught by the Nightwatch in the process of doing something slightly less than legal and as punishment the Magistrate thought it funny to assign me to them. I am sure I could see him smiling as I was led away."
"Maybe he thought you are worth taking a chance on and that you could accomplish something good by being a part of the Nightwatch. You could learn any number of things that will become a part of you. Not to mention helping those that can benefit from your talents would be a good thing for you too."
Somos is obviously excited and it can be heard in his voice.
"Maybe he thought you are worth taking a chance on and that you could accomplish something good by being a part of the Nightwatch. You could learn any number of things that will become a part of you. Not to mention helping those that can benefit from your talents would be a good thing for you too."
Somos is obviously excited and it can be heard in his voice.
She raises her eyebrow at this, but refrains from the biting comeback, still wary of offending the potential juggernaught. Instead, she just flashes another smile, this one without any apparent fangs, and nods politely.
Spoiler:Are your wings always out or do control on when they appear?
Somos:
"I have a variety of specialties," Harden says with a grin, "Some of which will help with my duties on the watch."
He bends his arm at the elbow, raising his hand up in front of his face.
"While most of my abilities are more towards blasting things, or burning them alchemically, my...heritage does allow my more agility than I would otherwise have. And, I've found that I am good at disguising myself so that people don't realize who I am."
He smiles wryly as Yarden tells her tale, noting the similar reason's for their current employment. He also doesn't comment as the massive minotaur speaks. While he finds Somos a bit simple and amusing, he is also over 12 feet tall, and Harden, while brash, is not stupid.
"Now that we've all had a chance to get to know one another," Nico says, having no trouble making herself heard through the noise of several people talking, "Let me make one last thing very clear. While you are of course permitted to defend yourselves, you are expected to bring in offenders alive if it is at all possible. Anytime that you use lethal force you will have to face an inquiry to make absolutely certain that your actions were truly necessary. So don't do it. After a perp has been arrested, all of his or her possessions are confiscated and placed in lockup until after the trial. If said perp is convicted that gear becomes the property of the Watch and is considered a supplement to your pay. Anyone who tries to raid the lockup should know that the Watch is not responsible for any injuries you might sustain from whatever surprises Thissus and Spider have cooked up. Should you happen to survive you will of course be facing disciplinary action.
During your training you will be staying in the boardinghouse next door. They offer a discounted rate for watchmembers. After you finish your training, you can choose to live where you like."
"And now for the part I'm sure you've all been waiting for...your first assignment."
"Yarden, Somos, Anya and Elya, you lot will be patrolling Ragpickers Lane. Timmis, Harden, Savrial, and Liandra, you will be patrolling Blind Man's Alley. All of you keep your eyes open, and never let your guard down. Now, are there any questions, or are you ready to get to work?"
"Yes ma'am," Harden says throwing a sloppy civilian salute.
"Conscript, er, volunteer, Sull is ready for duty."
Harden grins widely at the Lt.
"Yes ma'am," Harden says throwing a sloppy civilian salute.
"Conscript, er, volunteer, Sull is ready for duty."
Harden grins widely at the Lt.
All he gets in response to his display is a bored stare. Nico looks like she's accustomed to these sorts of antics. She waits patiently to make sure no one else has any qestions.
Yarden looks up at the hulking figure of the Half-Minotaur adn wonders if it will be a good thing or a bad thing to be partnered with him. The twins she's not so sure about having along, but as long as they can watch her back then she won't complain.
She moves over to where Somos is standing and waits for the twins to join them.
"All right people let's get moving." Liandra looks to her group and prepares to head out, setting a pace that Fr. Timmis can keep up with.
Savrial stays silent heading over to stand next to liandra.
she gazes around the room working out relations between them,
the minotaur is a good one to have on my side but he seems friendly enough anyway,Harden seems fairly capabale and i have him on my side at the moment, as for the other two elves i'll have to keep an eye on them but they seem to be keeping there attention on each other for the moment... good. After looking around the room she drops her gaze to the floor and sighs sadly a tear trickling down her cheak, she quickly wipes it away and turns from the others
Liandra takes in her group and really notices Savrial for the first time."You all right kid?"
Liandra takes in her group and really notices Savrial for the first time."You all right kid?"
yes i'm fine...
she says this weakly with not much meaning, but straightens up slightly.
The twins move over to Somos and Yarden with ease and gentle smiles, seemingly not intimidated much by either of the other two watchmen, or if they are they hide it well.
"Ok, Lt."
Somos stands up and makes sure his sword is secure.
"All right ladies, lets go clean up some streets."
Somos takes in the women's scents (and the rest of the crew), keeping it in mind in case someone tries to disguise themselves as one of them or if he needs to track them down in case they are taken.
Unfazed by Nico's nonreaction Harden moves over to join Savrial, Timmis and Liandra. Casting a sceptical eye to the elderly cleric he quickly put on a smile and put his hand on Savrial's shoulder, giving it a gentle comradely shake.
He doesn't notice her brief tears, and assumes she is a merely nervous about the task at hand.
"Don't worry Savers," Harden said, "We'll all make a good team."
Looking at Liandra he gives his first hint of seriousness, "Do you know much about Blind Man's Alley? I must admit that I, uh, stayed near the wealthier parts of town most nights."
Heading over to join the rest of his assigned team, Father Timmis notices Savrial's tear but doesnt comment, giving her a friendly smile before turning and nodding an acknowledgment to Harden.
"Harden, good to be working with you," he says before facing Liandra. "Ready to go, Li. I hope you know the way to Blind Man's Alley."
OK were all ready let's go...
she pulls her cloak around her more, and glances at Harden reassuringly.
Yarden watches the other group file out and feels thankful she wasn't partnered with the cry baby. Someone like that was liable to get a comrade killed.
She turns to the others and swings the manacles arounds her wrists in a twirl before grabbing them and shoving them into her pack.
"Well what are we waiting for? My time is better spent actually working off this stupid debt instead of crowding up this Station House."
She flips Nico a two fingered salute as she turns and walks out the doors, not bothering to check that the others are following her.
Perception Check: DC 10
Anyone who looks closely enough at her armour under her hair can see two slits where her shoulder blades would be.
Curious, you think.
Both of the twins look curiously at Somos as he appears to be inhaling the air around them. After a moment of identical silent questioning Elya is the one to speak up.
"I'm curious.. are there any differences in my scents?" She enquires