Season 1 - Fall

Episode 1

The Hour of Ash.

Nothing good ever happens during the Hour of Ash.

At least that's what folks always say. But then again, you're not interested in playing goody little two shoes, are you?

The air is cool, and the steady drizzle of rain makes it no less cozy. You can see your breath in the air as you perch aboard your barge, looking out over the steady waves of the black sea. You watch and wait. The freighter should be arriving in port any minute now...

After furnishing your crew with a boat, it was only a matter of time until the Grinders asked you for a favor. At least this favor is set to pay well.

Sercy, a man with a bad leg and mean face, gave you all the details you needed to know in a dark corner of a decrepit Inn near the docks - The Wooden Slug. Sercy is second in command for the Grinders. Meeting with him ain't half bad for a upstart smuggling outfit.

"There's a ship comin' to port tomorrow night, see? Captain'ed by a friend of ours. We was just about to sidle over and pick up a little something once it docks. But then word gets around that the bluecoats are rifling through every ship from Severos at tha moment. Seems our noble boys in blue are cracking down on drug shipments or some bollocks. Wells, there's one item we can't part with."

He describes the object he needs smuggled off the boat. A container of some sort, about the size of the lantern. Glass sides, iron top and bottom, pale blue and luminous.

The job is simple - get the container, get it off the boat before the bluecoats get to it, and deliver it to the Grinders without anyone tailing you.

Sercy gives you one last directive as you two leave the bar. He leaned on his cane and his expression darkens.

"And whatever you do - no matter what happens - Don't. Fuckin'. Drop it."

His grins widely, revealing a missing tooth. He turns around and starts walking off. "Nice chattin' with you boys, see you soon."

Stev squinted into his mug, suspicious of the liquid that had been sold to him as ale. It was hard to tell in the dim light and his poor eyesight, but Stev thought he saw something moving in there. With a grimace, he pushed the mug slowly into the middle of the table. Peering owlishly towards Sercy, Stev raises a hand.

"Some questions if you don't mind. Details. Does the Captain know we are coming to take the cargo? If not, can you provide a writ to that effect? We would prefer not to have to steal the item from your compatriot and avoid the bluecoats." Stev blinked at the man.

"Also, I would like to know where you would like the item delivered. It seems important enough to avoid handing to just any Grinder, correct?"

Flashback at the Wooden Slug

"No, the cap'n won't be aware of your visit. See, when he set sail last week, we wasn't having this problem. Otherwise we could'ave diverted the shipment or somethin'. Here, this should be plenty, though Cap'n Howe would probably take you at yer word anywhos."

He passes you a writ sealed with a crest of two hatchets - the sigil of the grinder's leader, Hutton.

"Too important for that indeed. Please deliver it to the basement below 916 Plume Street. Just take the steps and knock, can't miss it. Just be sure to lose any tails first, heh." He coughs and takes a slurp of his own ale.

The Score

The crew piles into their skiff and revs the old engine before setting out. The sea turns out to be deceptively choppy. It's awfully hard to gauge weather when the sky and sea alike blend into inky blackness...seems a storm is blowing in. You pull up your collars and shield yourself best you can against the rain and wind, but there's little you can do when the waves outmatch your small vessel - best not to venture too far from shore.

You catch up with the freighter (the Astrea) soon enough without capsizing, which is fortuitous enough. It's a moderately sized vessel, perhaps 50 meters long, with a single smoke stack in the center belching smog into the brewing storm.

Unfortunately, by the time you pull your skiff alongside it and are ready to board, it's clear you'll only have about 15 minutes until it docks. Even if you order the captain to drop anchor, you're close enough to shore that someone may spot this activity and come to investigate. Best move quickly...

You can just barely hear a shout above the din of the waves and rain -

"Oi! Whos there? We're armed ya know!!"

You look up to spot one wary sailor clinging to the guardrail with a pistol in an outstretched arm. You can hardly blame him - you can't trust anyone in Doskvol.

Ash takes one hand to her mouth in hopes of making her voice sound louder.

"Sercy send us, bluecoats are being nosy at port, time is of the essence man we are here to smuggle out your blue box."

"Sercy? Oh for fuck's sake..."

He lowers the gun, staggering and swaying slightly as another wave buffets the ship.

"I don't know what yer on about. Best climb aboard and start looking yourself or head to the wheelhouse and ask cap'n."

He steps backwards and out of sight, only to reappear a moment later. He tosses a rope ladder overboard for you to catch.

Ash catches the ladder and looks at Marius.

"Think you would be the best for this job, you are good at finding things or making people find them for you."

Rake, seasickness making him look paler than usual, smiles weakly at his sister as he grabs one of the ladder's rung.

"I'll see if the captain can be of any help."

After taking a deep breath to steady himself, he scrambles up the ladder. Stepping onto the deck, he nods curtly at the sailor, before marching down towards the wheelhouse. He loses his footing once, catching himself upon the railing, before adjusting his gait to match the roll of the boat while inwardly bemoaning the loss of dignity.

The smell of oil lamps and sweat filled the freighter's cabin, making Rake crinkle his nose as he steps in. He scans the small room quickly, his eyes locking on the captain. He almost salutes, old habits die hard, and extends his hand instead.

"Captain Howe? Sercy sent us. There's an item aboard your ship he... uh... needs urgently. He would rather not have to wait for it to cross customs. Red tape takes time, surely you understand. It's a blue cylinder, about yea big. Could you please show us where it is?"

The cabin is dark and and barely lit with a couple oil lamps, creating a murky atmosphere. Still, you can make out a bewildered and frustrated expression from the captain. He wrestles with the large steel wheel and squints to see through the rain-battered windows looking out over the ship's prow.

It's probably been a long few hours if not a long night for the captain and his crew as they sailed through rough waters to make their way here.

"Yeah, welcome aboard. I remember the cylinder, though hell if I know where it's stowed."

He spins the wheel in the other direction, frowning again and peering this way and that through the window. You're blinded briefly as the beam from the North Hook Lighthouse sweeps lethargically over the vessel. A booming, low foghorn blast follows shortly afterwards.

"Sorry friend, you'll have to poke around in the cargo hold to find it. We're a bit busy at the moment..."

An idea crosses his mind.

"I'd check starboard side, closer to the stern. That's usually where they put more...unusual shipments."

"Thank you, Captain."

Back outside, Rake pauses, bringing a hand to his mouth as he fights the nausea. Once he regains his composure, he leans over the side to look down at the rest of the Phantoms.

"I'm heading down to the hold to get the package! I could use another set of eyes!"

Without waiting for an answer, Rake makes his way down to the hold of the Astrea.

Stale, damp air fills the dimly-lit spaces between rows of crates secured with nets and ropes. Bracing himself against the wall, Rake makes his way to the stern, near the starboard side.

One hand holding on to the netting around a pile of crates labeled in Severosi, Rake digs into his satchel ans pulls out a mask seemingly made out of the skin of two different creatures sown together. Half of it is red and leathery, subtly pulsing as if blood still flowed through its prominent veins. The other is blue and scaly, with a cristalline, multifaceted eye staring out were the mouth should be. Rake closes his eyes as he brings the spirit mask to his face. He concentrates, feeling for the ghost field's familiar touch. Static electricity builds around him, making the hair on his neck and arms stand on end. When he opens his eyes, they shine blue as he peers past the veil, looking for the Grinders' prize.

Ash smirks, she has come to love ships, and having an excuse to go up this one and see it more closely is exciting, maybe Marius knew it from the beginning. Before going up the ladder she turns to Stev and [insert jeff's future character here] and says.

"Keep her steady, we will be back with the cargo in no time."

Once she enters the holding area its only a matter of following the particular smell that surrounds his brother when he is using that scary mask. As if he had been burning something none organic, but it was difficult for to pinpoint what.

She finds him near the starboard side, blue light coming from his eyes, she wonders not for the first time had he not been drafted into war if his mask choice would be different. Each time she looked at him with it the hears on the back of her neck stood up with goosebumps.

She turns fast opposite Marius and puts on her dark-sight googles.

"Let's find that thing, brother."

The two siblings weave through the crates and barrels crammed in the hold. It doesn't take long for them to find the mark. A purplish blue hue is emanating from a crate only slightly larger than a shoebox, tucked in between a few larger crates.

As Marius approaches the container, he can hear an eerie whisper, like someone speaking in hushed tones in the next room. Reaching to pull the box from the other crates, he is struck with a feeling of dread - it feels as if there is some hungry, malevolent and vicious entity inside the crate. It stirs up memories of mud and screams and death. It reminds him of The War.

He puts his mask back in his satchel. and clutches his demonbane charm as he opens the box. The whispers grow in intensity as he removes the lid and exposes the glowing cylinder. In the crate are a few other oddities, including some strange looking bones and a dagger that looks rather ceremonial. Rake quickly replaces the lid, then lifts the box from its resting place and tucks it under his arm.

"Ash, I've got it. Let's head back."

Ash takes her goggles off when she hears Mariu's voice and turns to look at him. He has taken off the horrendous mask and was back to being the brother she remembers before the war. Except that his face looks pale, whatever is inside that box can´t be good, but if that is what the client needs transported then it's their job to do it.

"Alright." She nods following her brother outside and down the ladder."

Ash and Rake clamber down into the boat, where the other scoundrels wait amid the turbulent seas. Someone revs the engine and starts guiding the boat to the city, whose streetlights gleam like stars amid the rainy, windy darkness.

By now you're only a kilometer or so from shore, so there's no doubt that some bluecoats ashore or in boats of their own are watching and may spot you sailing away from the larger vessel.

Stev stood shivering in the boat. This kind of weather was bad news, particularly if the crew were caught out here for long. He brushed his lank, wet hair away from his eyes, and tried to lift his coat to cover his head. As the two Helker siblings scramble off to find their cargo, Stev lashes their boat to the Astrea. It wouldn't do to have their little skiff thrown against the larger boat.

-- --
The two Helker siblings return to boat, finding Stev casting off the lines and pushing themselves back into the blackness.

"We should head back around Silkshore. The weather will cover us, just hope it doesn't get worse." Stev offered over the noise of the engine. "Put the item in storage. Out of sight."

Although there's a lot of chop bouncing the ship this way and that, you seem to have snuck away from the docks without any bluecoats noticing. You stick close to the brothels and slummy establishments along the coast of silkshore, and before long you're cruising past a large spark tower and the surrounding spark grounds. Acrobats dance and perform stunts, while an arc of lightning flies every now and then from the barrier to the infamous "spark fliers." A small crowd whoops and hollers.

Past the spark grounds, you come across a westerly canal entering silkshore. You sail under the lightning barrier - it feels good to be in the city again and with some shelter against the raging winds. The rain has let up as well to a low drizzle, allowing you to breath slightly easier. Thunder still cracks in the distance, threatening the city with a true thunderstorm.

It is illegal for boats to go above a very low speed in the canals as to not create too much wake for the gondoliers - you'll have to decide for yourselves whether a faster speed is worth drawing the attention of any angry gondoliers or punitive bluecoats.

"Going to slow down team, I don't think we need to anger the gondoliers more than what we already have." Says Ashe without taking her eyes from the canal.

As the skiff slides silently through the canals Ash takes time to feel the atmosphere surrounding them,  although the rain has gone down to a drizzle and they have the light barrier behind them, she can still feel the goosebumps on the back of her neck. She placed the box far upfront where she could keep an I eye on it but have it at a safe distance in case it attracted trouble. << Let's hope things stay calm till we reach the delivery drop.>> She thinks.

Stev sighed in relief as the weather abates. Being out in the open water during a storm is a bad idea, one that could easily end this score before the end.

"Alright, nice and slow now. Let's see... If things get hot, we can move through some of the back canals." Stev unrolls a map of the Silkshore canal network, raising an arm to protect it from the rain.

"Keep an eye out for any tails. Any bluecoat attention means this gets a lot harder. If we can make it to here" Stev gestures at a point on the map, "we should have a clear run."

"Alright Stev, we lookout for bluecoats while you show us the way." Says Ash with a smirk, trouble may not be far behind them.

Rain patters onto the boat and still canal waters. The stench of soot and garbage wafts past your nostrils. As the boat lazily chugs down the river, you keep your eyes peeled for any sudden movements from the silhouettes of pedestrians strolling on bridges above.

There are none too many streetlamps in silkshore...which is undoubtedly intentional to allow patrons to visit these unsavory businesses without drawing much attention. The street lamps you do pass feel like beacons in the night, casting long shadows and making you feel exposed to any onlookers.

You pass by a docked gondola, whos gondolier stands leaning against the canal wall and smoking a cigarette. It's hard to tell, but it looks like he's staring your boat up and down. When you pass by, he tosses the lit cigarette into the canal and shoves off from the wall.

He calls to someone down the canal. Another gondola coming the opposite direction toward you slows down and tilts sideways, blocking your path.

The first guy pulls up close to your boat behind you, blocking you in. You could power the boat through, smashing the gondola to bits, but it would be very noisy, might kill the gondolier, and could even possibly damage your own boat.

The gondolier in front of you steps up, resting their foot on the lip of the gondola and leaning forward. In the dim light you can barely make out their features. It's a younger woman, and she's smiling grimly at you.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" She tilts her head, calling to the other gondolier. "Ain't this our boat, Dax?"

Rake, standing near the prow, silently curses himself. He'd been distracted, the strange whispers coming from the box still pulling at him, and hadn't noticed the gondoliers until it was too late.

But, if there's one thing you learn as a noble and a soldier, it's how to order people around. He straightens up and narrows his eyes.

"Get out of our way!" He barks at them. Lowering his voice, he says "You seem to have plenty of boats for the two of you," then he grins menacingly as he hears Ash slide some knives from their scabbards, "but if you insist, we could always use a couple more."

The woman's expression goes hard for a moment. She glances at her companion - she's acting tough, but you can tell from her body language that you've rattled her. Maybe it's just now sinking in that everyone in your boat is armed and dangerous.

"Got balls of steel, this one." She sighs, looking over each of the party members in turn.

"Sure. We'll let you through. No problem, pal." The humorless smile crosses her lips again.

"Boss is gonna hear about this, though. You keep making these little" she waves her finger through the air - "detours through our canals...well, someone might get hurt."

She kicks off rather aggressively from your boat, turning her gondola around.

"C'mon, dax."

She uses the pole to navigate past you, joining her companion and drifting down the way you came.

Rake glares at the Gondoliers are they leave, keeping the act up. As they vanish down the canal, he sighs and shakes his head. He had gone too hard and made things worse.

Wait... the whispers from the box... were they egging him on as he did it? He listens for them, but they sound just like they have since they took the box from the Astrea. Still, the sooner they got rid of it the better.

Lifting a hand up, he twirls a finger in the air. "Let's get out of here."

Ash nodes to Marius, taking her knives back into their place and guided throughout Stev route.

"That was fun." She says. "Maybe we will pay them a visit once we get a hold on this scoundrel life, shake them a bit you know, might od them good."

Stev barely paid attention to the Gondoliers and their antics. Rake seemed to have it under control. They might yet be a problem, but that was a issue for the future, and the current score was in the present.

"Excellent. Now, in about 100 metres, there should be a small canal to the right. Go down it please." Stev asked. The excitement of the score softened as the boat slid through the canals at a leisurely pace, directly softly by Stev and his map. Soon, the crew found themselves in a small canal at the edge of Crow's Foot.

"We're doing well. Up ahead, at that bridge. There should be a small platform behind the right side. The other should be there ready for the hand over  If someone could grab the item, it would be much appreciated." Stev himself wraps up his map before moving a bundle of cloth onto the chair. "Won't fool anyone for long," he mutters to himself.

The group handles the transfer without incident, despite Stev's stumble off the boat. Now, the path lay on foot. More stable underneath than a boat certainly, but more bluecoats to deal with.

"Well, shall we?" Stev gestures down the road, in the direction of the Docks, nodding as their boat glides off from the platform.

You hear the crack of a gunshot a few blocks away - that's Crow's Foot for you. The dingy storefronts and run-down, cramped apartment buildings teeter across the streets, almost blocking out the bruised overcast sky.

A few minutes on foot brings you to the bridge crossing over to the Docks. In off-yellow glare of a street lamp, you can make out a few bluecoats passing by. Undoubtedly the district will be crawling with bluecoats - you'll have to avoid them or craft a plan for the event that someone asks about that box.

-- Flashback --

The afternoon previous saw Stev sitting at a local store, sipping slowly at a drink. A Bluecoat patrol slowly ambles down the street, taking the time to threaten, or sneer at other pedestrians. Stev waited patiently until they had passed to pull out his notebook. Scratching a line in his delicate handwriting, Stev adds another to the list of locations, times and number of bluecoats. He smiled, and signalled for another drink.

-- --

Stev pulled out a notebook, filled with lines of text, diagrams and times. "We should move. If we're quick, I think we can dodge the next bluecoat patrol."

As the crew slinks through the Docks' alleys and smaller streets, dodging Bluecoat patrols, Rake struggles to keep up. Regret seeps in as he starts to wonder if he should have brought less gear. His pack hampers his movements and makes small noises with every shift and step. Books and Ash only brought the bare minimum and they seem to move around like ghosts.

The unwieldy box and its constantly whispering contents aren't making things easier. Rake finds himself distracted by its call and nearly bumps into walls or detritus a few times. Luckily, Books and Ash are there help him through the short trek to their drop off point.

<<Marius should have brought less gear.>> Ash thinks, but then she frowns. The box is a bit bulky but not enough to hamper the carriers moves, she shivers, the damn goosebumps are still present and she starts to wonder how much is Marius load hampering him really and how much is that damn box really affecting him.

Creeping through the Docks brings back a familiar of sights and sounds you are all too familiar with - rowdy sailors leaving a bar, the intermittent blast of the North Hook foghorn in the distance, the crisp, briny air blowing in from the channel. Although there are a couple close calls, between the group's proficiency with stealth and Stev's prior reconnaissance, you make it to the cellar specified as a drop off point.

Plume street is fortuitously dark and quiet, lined with apartments and shops shuttered for the evening. You descend the steps to the cellar door gingerly, glancing back and forth down the street for any passerby.

Before you can even knock at the door, it creaks open halfway. In the shadows you can hardly make out the visage of a person.

They speak in a low, gravelly voice just two words.

"The container?"

When Rake produces it, the figure reaches out two tattooed arms, grabbing it and pulling it inside. They speak once again before shutting the door and, judging by the noise, sliding a bolt into place.

"Your payment - see Sercy."

You shuffle down the alleys, catch a few hours of sleep in the barge, and catch up with Sercy in a back alley. He waits with a couple of guards - after all, he's carrying a good amount of money this time.

He greets you and thanks you for your work, gesturing to a box of coin sitting on a ledge nearby.

Smiling, he bids goodbye and walks away down the alley.

"You did good. We'll be in touch."

ENTANGLEMENTS

Ash walked all the way from Benthic Way where they docked The Well until she reached the dock's precinct at Pennant Road. It was late already, almost what would pass as midnight in this sunless dump of a city. Luckily for Elynn, even if it meant that Ash had to dress in a rush after spook woke her up to bust her out, it also meant that Elynn had managed to get paid for her works that they. Nothing sucks more than working for free, even more, when you depend on that day's pay for food.

"Hey Darmot, long night?" She greets her old friend at the desk. Who would have ever imagined that after all that fiasco that was the unity war the would end in different sides of the law? <<At least you can still hang out, there are many people the will never see there loved ones again Helker.>> She thinks, going somewhere she wasn't supposed to go.

"Hey!" Darmot explains. "You back down to Duskvol? You know better than to go there."He says flicking his finger at her forehead.

"Hey, stop that."She laughs. "Always bullying, just because I won't hit you doesn't mean I won't push back."

"Why you here?"He asks covering up a bit.

"You know, the usual. Where is Elynn?" She asks.

Darmot sights, a bit uncomfortable with the situation. Bribes were normal here but it still makes them feel bad about them. "Third cell on the right, you know where to leave it."

"Thanks, pal, take care, hope next time we meet is for lunch." Ash waves her goodbye to Darmot walking down to the holding cells.

"ill hold you to that" He shouts after her.

The cell area was way to damp for anyone to be comfortable down there. Ash walked past two empty cells before stopping right in front of the their one. Elyn smirked at her but before Ash could say anything the bluecoat behind her cleared his throat trusting his cap to her. Ash took out a coin, letting it fall inside without even turning to look at the man. after he was satisfied with the payment he walked off, leaving her finally alone with their contact.

"Ash, my favorite Helker, thanks for coming to boost me out."She says. "Was starting to grow mushrooms. Elyn was a short woman, dressed in old rags that had long since lost their original color. The only thing new she had on her person was a pair of trurty work boots and that tricorne hat dockers liked to wear to show they were a little better of than the rest.

"Though Rake was your favorite Helker sibling." She says as a greeting, easily opening of the cell.

"I change my mind depending on the day of the week, today you are my favorite. Tomorrow? Who knows."

Elynn flashes a smile before adopting a more sincere expression.

"I appreciate you doing this. I won't forget it. Serious. I owe you one, big time."

Elynn glances about at the other prisoners and the guard. The latter is awkwardly standing at the end of the room, looking the other way. Another prisoner calls for Ash to bail them out, too, please, I'll do anything you need, c'mon friend.

Elynn turns to Ash again, looking uncomfortable.

"Best get going. See you around, friend."

Before she goes, she leans in close to Ash for one last comment, whispering very quietly...

"And don't worry, I didn't tell the pigs nothin' about you and the crew."


EPISODE 2

EPISODE 2

Read the Downtime / Freeplay threads before continuing.

================================

The crew sat around one end of the long dinner table in the common room of the Well, eating bowls of stew. One of Spooks' jobs on the ship was to keep a pot of perpetual stew going so the Phantoms would always have something ready to eat when they came back from their irregular outings.

As usual, this batch was mostly eel, canal weeds, and mushrooms from the ship's cabinet. Marius was therefore surprised when he crunched down on a small, bony thing. He spit it out into his hand and looked at it, realizing after a few seconds that it was a rat's head.

"Spooks? Did a rat fall into the stew?"

"Uh... Oh! Yes, Mr. Rake, but it weren't in there long, I swears! I fished it out and cleaned it before putting it back like you showed me and it weren't cooked all the way through, even."

Marius stared at the boy. He'd shown him how to clean fish and chickens, but certainly not rats. Still protein wasn't cheap and variety was welcome.

"Well, next time, don't put the head in."

"No heads. Got it, Mr. Rake!" The guttersnipe grinned.

Marius smiled back, before turning to the other scoundrels, all business again. "So, I have a lead on a job. We have a meeting with a client on the 17th, Hour of the Flame, at Mistshore park. It's not someone we know, so some company would be welcome."

Tekahionwake drank the stew straight from the bowl. It wasn't bad, and he had certainly had worse. Of course, he had also had so much better. But it didn't help to dwell on the comforts of a past life no longer lived.

He finished and pushed the bowl away, craning his neck from side to side, eliciting large cracks. He nodded to Marius.

"Sounds exciting. I'll go with you. Who's the contact?"

Marius looked down at his bowl, embarrassed. He hadn't told the others about Nyryx. Ash knew bits and pieces, but not how serious it had gotten. Or Nyryx's new... status.

"A friend arranged it. I trust her, but she only gave me a time, a place, and a description of who we're meeting."

"What did your contact say then? Who's the mark?" Already, Tekahionwake was planning out what tools to bring to the meet up. If the potential for danger was high, he would plan accordingly. He liked to travel light and hit swift and hard, typically.

It has been some time since the Tomahawk tasted the night air, he thought, and immediately decided he would need to bring it.

Ash looked suspiciously at Marius, he had that face of embarrassment he always wore before telling something he wasn't comfortable sharing with the room. <<What is it this time?>> She thought, there could be a lot of things. They haven't been part of the crew long enough.

She took a spoonful of stew mulling over what could have him treating over what he was about to say. "A friend arranged it. I trust her, but she only gave me a time, a place, and a description of who we're meeting." <<Bingo! Nyryx most be that friend.>> She smirked at Marius making sure he noticed she know was the contact.

"Sounds good, should we all go? It could be better for the possible client to meet the full crew of smugglers they will be hiring."

Marius glared at Ash as she smirked at him. This must have confirmed her guess as she grinned wider. He pushed his bowl away brusquely, his embarrassment turning into frustration.

"The client will give us the details of the job when we meet with him. You'll find that in this business, they generally want to keep things quiet," he said, a bit harsher than he had intended.

He saw the looks on his crewmates faces and sighed. "I'm sorry. I had a rough few days. Yes, Ash, let's all go together. Let's meet up at the Hour of Silver, the day of. We can show up early and make sure we're not walking into an ambush."

Marius stood, grabbing his coat and putting on a beanie hat. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some air," he said as he headed out the door.

When Marius left, Tekahionwake turned to Ash. Of the entire crew so far, it was Ash he connected with the most. They still didn't know one another much more than a perfect stranger, but she had introduced herself immediately. And she had a fire in her that drove him to want to know her more.

He nodded his head at the rapidly disappearing form of Marius.

"What's the story there?"

Ash sneakers at Big Joe's question. "My brother doesn't like bringing his private life into work but lately it has started spilling in."  She makes a pause, thinking how much she actually wants to tell him,  Marius involvement with Nyryx is for him to tell, not her. "The tip most have come from someone he doesn't want to disclose to the rest of the crew yet. " <<He has barely spoken about her to me lately and that worries me for some reason>>

Ash shrugs her shoulder. "He will tell you guys when and if he is ready, but making a complete subject change here Big Joe. How would you like us to call you?" Something told Ash he didn't like the name and it had taken some time to notice. The severosy can be pretty stoic when he wants too and at the beginning, he had been plenty stoic. But as time passed and they got to know each other a little better she noticed how he went back to that blank expression each time they called him big joe. "I think that is the nickname they gave you at the pits but do you want us to call you that?"

"No," he responded. It was almost too forcefully and he hadn't intended to sound like that. Truth be told, he didn't know why the name annoyed him so much. He hadn't given it too much introspective thought, not until now.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap at you. 'Big Joe' is what they started calling me in the fighting pits. I don't think they could pronounce my actual name, not that anyone ever even cared to try. In many ways, I am a ghost in these lands. A moment's entertainment for most. A fake name on a caricature."

He thought for a moment. Am I truly dead if my past never leaves me? Is Big Joe all that remains?

My earned name is 'Tekahionwake.' I excelled at many things in my younger days - not only combat. So, the clan gave me this name, meaning 'double life.' My family name is 'Whitepaws.' You can call me either of the two, but I will not hold it against you or be cross if you continue to call me 'Big Joe.'"

He hoped he hadn't made Ash uncomfortable with his demeanor. Marius and Stev, he didn't care as much about yet.

"Tekahionwake it is, you have earned it after it all, sorry if I butcher it at the beginning." Ash says making a face then smiling. "But I promise to get it right eventually."

She stood up from the table, the time for the meeting was nearing, Ash walks out the cabin but peeked back in with a smirk on her face. "I might call you Teka if the situation requires speedy communication, I apologize in advance." And then she was gone.

Stev looked up from his notebook. He hadn't said much during the conversation, most of it not relevant to him. Instead, he had spent time drawing up a mock budget. Numbers danced across the page, although it wasn't clear what the budget was for.

Still, there were some relevant items to discuss.

"If it is all the same to you, I would rather stick with Whitepaw." Stev looked up at the big man. "Once again, thank you for joining us. In uncertain situations, like this one, it is good to have someone who can deal with unforeseen circumstances. Speaking of which, I think I have some maps of Mistshore park. Would you like to consider the map with me?" It was a gesture of friendship from Stev, but perhaps not seen as such.

Tekahionwake smiled at Ash as she left.

Teka, he thought to himself. I can work with that.

To Stev he thought about pressing the issue that his family name was actually plural, but the name issue had been tossed around enough for one conversation.

He noticed a nice gesture when one was offered, since not many had been offered since he arrived in Duskvol.

"Tell me about these maps. How can I help?" The big man moved over and sat close, probably uncomfortably close, to Stev in order to get a better look.

The party assembles early on the night of the 17th. It's a long walk from the docks to six towers, at least an hour's time. The fall air is crisp, the sky an overcast, bruised gray. A light wind whips trash through the streets.

Although reputable shops closed their doors hours ago, many patrons of bars, drug dens, brothels and wander the streets in clumps. You stick to the main arterial roads - less trouble with muggers and gangs.

Entering six towers itself sends a chill down your spine. Most everything is abandoned here. Streetlamps are few and far between, and without the moon, it is quite dark. Shadowy figures flit back and forth down alleyways and streets, and there's the constant apprehension that someone in some dark window is watching you. The whole district is eerily quiet, aside from the occasional creak from a dilapidated building.

Down one alley, you catch a glimpse of a figure that contorts themselves briefly in a manner that is not quite human. Curious indeed, but such things are best left ignored in Doskvol. Besides, you have a meeting. Your heartbeat quickens slightly, and before you know it you can see Mistshore Park before you. A glance at your watch tells you it is the Hour of Thread - right on time.

The park itself is thick with fog, presumably from the river on the far side. Paths wind through hedges and bushes, which are now desiccated husks. It seems almost all plant life in the park is now dead - which is hardly a surprise given the lack of sunlight. Now, the only things growing here are patches of mushrooms and some strange vines that seem to have wrapped themselves around benches, the remains of the bushes, and long-since dark streetlamps. Luckily, someone here knows the park well enough to find their way to the towering oak tree described to Marius. A breeze whistles through its branches. It groans in the wind, and the dead branches rustle against one another.

With the fog, you can hardly see 3 meters in front of you. Adding to your unease is the fact that you can hear occasional moans and cries from the murk - reinforcing the common wisdom that this park is completely haunted. After all, this is where young lovers would come to kill themselves should they be separated from their partners or find their admiration unrequired.

You spend some time uncomfortably waiting for your contact. Not a minute too soon, three figures appear in the mist. Two of them are rather large - the muscle. The third figure in the center is of average height and walking slowly. He doesn't come close enough for you to make out his features, but looking closely it appears to be a frail old man. He is indeed wearing a gray top hat.

The voice that breaks the quiet is gravelly and measured.

"Good evening. So nice of you to join me..."

Rake didn't like their potential employer's choice of meeting place. Mistshore park had a well deserved reputation and, with the thick fog, it would be easy for someone to spy on their meeting. Why choose such a place rather than somewhere more private? Hopefully, it was just theatrics, for the alternatives Rake could fathom were much, much worse.

When their potential client arrived and addressed them, Rake removed his hat and inclined his head politely.

"Good evening, sir. We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us. I am Rake, and these are my colleagues, Ash, Books, and Whitepaws. We were told you are looking for a group of capable people for some work, Mr...?"

"Mister Gaunt. A pleasure to meet you."

He nods slightly in your direction.

"Indeed, I have need of your unique skill set."

He pauses, tilting his head, appearing to consider his words carefully. Over the shoulders of the three figures, you can see figures shifting and dancing in the mists. Rake in particular can hear the voices of the lost carried on the wind...

"An...associate of mine is currently under house arrest. His residence is guarded day and night by the city watch. We have reason to believe they will soon begin searching his house for...certain items of value."

He clears his throat.

"I need you to bring me something from his residence. Said associate will likely be expecting such an operation and should not cause you any trouble."

meta note:

The cold fog seeps through Stev's cloak. He made a mental note to try and replace it with a thicker one at the earliest opportunity, if this was to be his life from here. As the contact introduced himself and the job, Stev leaned forward in interest, his usual lack of tact on clear display.

"I am glad that our services can be of some use. Of course, we would appreciate additional information if you could provide it. Size, shape and location of the object, any anomalous effects that might make transportation difficult." Stev paused to look around, mind trying to plan things on the spot. "Would you happen to know when the watch might start searching? A time frame would be useful."

"Of course. My associate's name is Mathias. You can find his manor in Brightstone at 54 Beech Street."

He then takes a deep breath.

"The object in question...will be located in a crimson container. Approximately the size of a cigar box. Rather light. Mathias will know where to find it, surely. I can't say I know exactly where he has put it for safekeeping."

"We have no further details on when exactly the search will take place. That will be decided by the bureaucrats, I'm sure you know how these things go. That is why I need you to bring me the box no later than the 21st."

It seemed like a simple enough job. Brightstone was a posh neighborhood, though, so the Bluecoats there wouldn't be the Phantoms were used to deal with. They would have to be extra careful.

"Are you aware of anyone else who might want this item? Any opposition we might face other than the Watch?"