Murder and Mayhem

Job thread/Event!

Almund is a thriving township with a dark side. With houses made from the wooden bodies of decommissioned ships, there are many opportunities here, coupled with many dangers.

Moderators: Pegasus Pug!!!, Avalon

User avatar
Kraken
Prophet of Old
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:35 am
Race: Mer
Renown: 0
Wealth Tier: Tier 1

Contribution

Murder and Mayhem


Saun 33, Arc 716, 3rd Break


The light was weak but present, this far into Saun there was no night to be had. Almund lay as quiet as it got, which all thing considered was not very. The occasional yell, be it of pain, anger, high spirits or any other emotion still split the air. Songs were sung as people staggered home from bars, sometimes they even made it unmolested. In short, everything was as it should be.

Until a female voice, exultant for all that it was whispered, echoed across all of Almund, for any who had the sense about them to hear it.

"Let them have it then!"

This was shortly followed by a peircing scream, and if one were close enough to its source, a sound very like an over-ripe pumpkin striking the ground. If one were closer still, they would see a woman, clad in a nightgown, perhaps once pretty, but now unrecognizable, her head dashed open upon the cobblestones. Shutters flapped open on a third floor window. Pathetic whimpers could be heard coming from within.

After checking to see if against all odds, some valuables were concealed on her person, one of Almunds roving street urchins legged it for the Order of Adunih Outpost. Raising one grubby fist to pound enthusiastically on the door.

"Miss! Miss! Miiiiiss! A lady fell on her head Miss!"

Shuffling and muffled voices could be heard from inside.

"Immortals, what break is it?"


"Hard to tell in Saun Mistress."

"Well go see who it is Dhatri, Rami get a bag together, Squid! Where are your pants?"

"Took 'em off, t'were too hot!"

"Well put them back on!"

"Yes Mistress."


The door opened, revealing a young man with hair standing up at angles suggesting he'd just woken.

"What've we got then?"

"A Lady fell on 'er head. Right out t'window!"

"Is she conscious?"

"What?"

"Awake, is she awake and talking?"

"Don't reckon she's gunna be talking to anyone no more. Reckon you prolly need yer noggin all in one piece for that, though our mates dad done hit 'im in the 'ead with a hammer and he still gets around okay. Got a dent and everything! Not quite on though."

"Her head is broken open?"

"All over the street Mister. Bit gross really!"

"Right thanks."


"I reckon y'must be real grateful I told y'so fast!"

"Yes. Good job."

Dhatri responded wryly, shutting the door. Even out here they could almost always get any supplies they needed, but spare coins were in shorter supply. Besides, Dhatri was born and raised here, he was no soft-touch to be fleeced by every kid who rubbed dirt on their face and didn't wipe the snot away.

"Don't think there's much rush Mistress, doesn't sound like a live one."


"Well. Dhatri since you're up and dressed, go and confirm, just in case. If you need a runner-"

"Ooo me! I got my pants on!"


"I thought maybe Rami and I-"


"Squid's ready, Rami is still in her nightclothes, there's a chance the patient is still alive, time may be of the essence, take the bag and off you go. Don't forget your cloaks!"

"Yes Mistress."

Within bits, the two were out the door. Dhatri taking long steps moving with haste across the city, mindful that a life might hang in the balance. Squid trotted along beside him, red feathered hat perched jauntily on his head. Their green cloaks ensured that no one accosted them. Several of the Pirate Lords had made it very clear what would happen to anyone who did.

They reached the scene in short order, and although he did not think he really needed to check for a pulse, steeling himself and glad he'd not yet had breakfast, he did. As he expected, there was nothing.

"Cor, looks a bit like oatmeal dunnit? Do you think we can have breakfast when we go home?"

Squid inquired, having apparently been thinking along the same lines but with entirely different results. Dhatri barely blinked, having grown mostly accustomed to these sorts of questions and comments.

"I suppose we can. Run along to the Kennel and let Dana know, this is more his work than ours now. Then let the Morgue know."

"Okay!"

Squid agreed cheerfully, trotting off to his destinations.
-----------------
"Thank young Dhatri for me would you Squid? We do like to be kept in the know."

"Yessir!"

Dana leaned back and steepled his long grey fingers, considering. No one was paying them to look into this, but it might be worth throwing one of the cheaper hounds at. It would likely wind up a minor loss, but it might turn into a gain if the woman suddenly developed concerned relatives. Quite keen on having things looked into concerned relatives were.

So he roused one of the puppies, one of the lucky few orphans the Kennel kept around for running errands.

"Go fetch Gorvenal, give him this address and tell him to look around. It's either murder or suicide, scream says murder. Tell him to find me proof. Got it?"

"Yessir!"

"Repeat it to me."

"Look around this address 'cause someone prolly got murdered on account of the screamin' but maybe it was suicide. Dana says figure it out quick like."

"Close enough, off you go lad."
-----------------
"What the fucking hell do you mean she says it was me! I was neck deep in whores at the Embrace! What the fuck is Gorvenal playing at? I'll feed 'im to Ari meself!"

"Calm down Gibney, it's easy enough to get your alibi, at least you weren't at Nellies, there'll be a record, a beleivable one at that, we just need-"

"I'll clear my name my damn self! Where's that fucking brat?!"

"According to Gorvenal she'd hardly even talk to him once she realized he was a Hound, I think she might need a bit more of a delicate touch and a bit less.. you."

"If you think I'm sitting back while someone tries to frame me.."

"I'd never imagine it. Look, what if we team you up with one of the Hounds, someone a bit less intimidating, maybe a female, kid'd probably respond better and we could get this squared away."

"Fine! Dana, I don't fucking like this, so whoever you have in mind, get on it, I'm not waiting much longer."

"I've a puppy on the way already.."
-----------------
Saun 33, Arc 716, 5th Break


"Excuse me, excuse me! I'm looking for Raynarde!"


A young voice piped up.
word count: 1116
User avatar
Catalina
Approved Character
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:17 pm
Race: Mortal Born
Profession: Scourge of the Seas!
Renown: 53
Character Sheet
Character Wiki
Templates
Wealth Tier: Tier 5

Milestones

Miscellaneous

Murder and Mayhem

Image
Catalina

Cat was sitting abaft the beam, perched on a crate which leant against the mast, the young woman cleaned the pair of shoes in her hands with a casual detachment. She liked sitting here, it was high enough up that she could see plenty on the shore, and aft enough that she wasn't missing anything that occurred on deck. One leg dangled down, clad in tight brown trousers and thigh-high black leather boots. The other leg was resting on the crate, knee bent and foot flat as she worked on a pair of men's shoes. There was no doubt, they weren't her shoes, but she had a look of satisfaction on her face as she cleaned them.

The owner of these shoes was a human that she had met in O'Rourke's last night. He had been an insistent sort and Cat had grown bored of his advances. So, she had relented and told him that he could walk with her back to the docks, where she had challenged him to a game of strip poker. He had agreed eagerly and so she had left him, sleeping off the drink and naked except for his underwear. Whereas she had remained fully dressed, she grinned to herself; he'd been too drunk to notice her blatent cheating, or he'd noticed and hadn't cared because he'd thought that she was going to sleep with him. Either way, she figured that his clothes (especially his shoes, they were good shoes she'd noticed almost immediately) would bring her in more money than the cheap bottle of whiskey which they'd shared. Even that, of course, was mostly a lie; she'd "swigged" from the bottle whilst blocking the neck of it with her tongue. It gave her the burning taste of the whiskey on her tongue, the smell of it on her breath and no ill effects.

So, he got drunk, she got his clothes. He'd shouted and cussed, threatening her with all sorts when she started to walk away and so she'd punched him in the gut and left him on the floor. He was still there, she could see him just over the way, curled up and asleep at the corner to an alleyway leading to the docks. She didn't want him to die, so she kept an eye, but really, she considered. What an idiot.

Men.

It wasn't like she didn't look like who and what she was. What was it with them, thinking that they'd be the one to tame her, to catch her, to make her different. Still, she didn't mind, really, she'd scooped his clothes, his shoes and his weapons. And all for half a bottle of cheap whiskey. So she sat and as she looked out to sea, Catalina felt calm and generally happy with her life. Pirating with the Pirate King, living on the Royal Reaver. All things considered, Catalina knew that she had it made. One trial, of course, she would be the Pirate Queen, but that was yet to come and she knew that she had plenty to learn still. She wasn't in any rush.

And then, the stillness of the early morning (although the light wouldn't have told you. She bloody hated Saun) was broken by someone shouting. Calling her name. She jumped down from the crate and walked towards him, nimbility giving her grace and arrogance providing the swagger. "And now you see her" she said, frowning down at the child rather as though she was considering whether to answer it or eat it. "What you want?" she asked, obviously having coming to the conclusion that she might like children, but she wasn't hungry enough to eat a whole one.

At the moment.

word count: 642
User avatar
Kraken
Prophet of Old
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:35 am
Race: Mer
Renown: 0
Wealth Tier: Tier 1

Contribution

Murder and Mayhem


Call it a natural response to spending any extended amount of time in Gibneys presence, the lad barely blinked when given the once over. Say this for the Puppies, at the very least they learned the difference between a beast that was only growling and one that was about to bite, usually quite quickly. This fearlessness, combined with being too young to think of Cat as anything more than pretty and leaving it at that left him unphased.

"'M from the Kennel Miss. Dana says,"

Here he paused for a moment, slightly grubby face screwing up as he worked to recall what he'd been told.

"he says if you're ready for it, this is your chance, he's got a job for you, and it ain't just courier duty. I'm t'bring y'back t'the Kennel pronto, that means right quick Miss, if you want it, elsewise I'm goin' t'get his second choice Hound. So y'comin' or what?"

Dana was a fairly unflappable presence. While still calm, there had been an underlying tension about him not usually present when he'd summoned and sent out this particular Pup. That had translated itself to the youngling into a nervous kind of energy. He was going to do his job and he was going to do it quickly. Even now he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, waiting for a reply, ready to trot off with her in tow, or on to his next stop.
word count: 253
User avatar
Catalina
Approved Character
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:17 pm
Race: Mortal Born
Profession: Scourge of the Seas!
Renown: 53
Character Sheet
Character Wiki
Templates
Wealth Tier: Tier 5

Milestones

Miscellaneous

Murder and Mayhem

Image
Catalina

Catalina looked at the child and she had to admit, it was slightly more acceptable as a being than most things it's size. It was clear in it's speech and it didn't engage in chit chat. As long as it was also toilet trained, she thought, it was probably the most acceptable child that she had ever met. Got to give it to the Kennel Master. He trained his puppies well.

It scrunched up it's face, trying to remember what to say but then it was clear enough and she nodded "I come now" she said, jumping down. She had her clothes, her swords, her daggers and her crossbow (because she *always* had those) so what more did she need or want? Well, nothing really. The only thing that she paused to do was to speak to one of the crew "Tell Jaque'vo I gone. You were listening, you know where." she said and then she made her way down the gangplank and she walked with the child.

Her strides were long and she did not slow to consider the child. In fact, if it was going too slowly, she instructed it to hurry up. She did not speak to it as she walked, preferring (as almost always) her own company and thoughts. However, once she had reached where they were going to, she would take a second and look at the child then nod at it. "Thank you. You are a good child" she had heard people saying such to children, so she could only assume that it was what she was supposed to say.

Then, she made her way to where she was to go and she would report to duty with her usual charm "I am here. What do you need?"

word count: 300
User avatar
Kraken
Prophet of Old
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:35 am
Race: Mer
Renown: 0
Wealth Tier: Tier 1

Contribution

Murder and Mayhem


"I ain't a child, I'm a puppy."

He exclaimed giving her a somewhat disdainful look and wrinkling his nose before running off, presumably to attend to tasks elsewhere. Or shirk them, it was hard to tell. It was however, telling in regards to what Gibney and Dana had accomplished that the term which once might have been used as an insult was now worn with pride.

The scene she was left within was one rife with tension, it was palpable on the air. Dana was seated at a desk, penning letters, instructions, queries. Gibney paced, scowling. Ari stood, alert, feeling a threat in the air but smart though she was unable to identify it. This particular room was clearly Danas office, dominated by a large desk, one wall covered in shelves holding books and letters. Another was covered in maps. It was lit by a low burning fireplace and a small lantern on Danas desk. The lantern, while efficiently lighting the desktop, did little beyond highlight the shadows of the rest of the room. Which only made Gibneys pacing back and forth before the fire more apparent as his shadow stalked around the room.

All three, man and beast looked up when Raynarde was ushered in. Dana pleasantly if a little wan looking, Ari with intensity as she waited for her Master to define the newcomer, Gibney with eyes that looked more bestial than they ought and lips that rose in a snarl to show teeth yellowed but strong.

"Ah Raynarde, so glad you cou-"

"This her?"

"Yes, this is-"

"Good. We're going."

The large man stalked, and there was no other word for it, past the desk, and ushered Catalina back out, he would without even thinking about it go as far as taking her by the upper arm and pulling her along with him if she didn't allow herself to be herded. Gibney was very effective, but there was a reason he rarely dealt with clients. Etiquette was not his forte.

Dana was left to shake his head with a sigh. Hopefully Raynarde would tolerate the treatment, she'd seemed eager enough and smart enough to put up with it for now, but much of Scalvoris was based on attitude, and Scalvorians had plenty to spare.
--------------
"Some fuckin' walkin' carcass is tryna' pin a murder on me."

Gibney finally growled after a few moments of quick walking.

"Left a kid alive, kid says she saw me. Dana reckons you'll be able t'get more out of her than me. Apparently I'm too intimidating."

This was very nearly snarled, and though silent, the fur along the back of Aris back rose in response to Gibneys agitation. He was not doing a very good job of disproving Danas opinion. Gibney was angry. He'd done some morally questionable things in his life, and he'd killed more than his fair share, but there was something about someone trying to pin a murder on him that just.. offended him. Whoever the fuck the woman who'd taken a swan dive was, it wasn't anyone he'd been paid to off, as far as he was aware he didn't even know her. He had no problem with people hating or fearing him, but it was damn well going to be for things he'd actually done.
word count: 562
User avatar
Avalon
Posts: 888
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:23 pm
Race: Prophet
Profession: Bootiful Bean
Renown: 0
Templates
Point Bank Thread
Wealth Tier: Tier 1

Featured

Contribution

Staff

Events

Re: Murder and Mayhem

Image

Review & Rewards

Name: Catalina

Points awarded: 15


Knowledge:
Detection x 2
Unarmed Combat x 1
Discipline x 1
Larceny x 1
Athletics x 1

Renown: N/A

Skill Review: Appropriate to level.

Notes:
My introduction to the force of nature that is Catalina! This was obviously a quick peek at a complex character, but I loved what I saw. It's easy to make characters like this one-dimensional, but even in this brief glimpse of her, its very evident that this won't be an issue for Catalina. There's layers and depth, which again, are really hard to convey in a quick snippet as this but you did a great job!

The opening post for Catalina set the scene, giving me a great visual of what was going on and how she had gotten to where and what she was doing, which as a reader, I value. A great mix of descriptive detail and context clues informs the reader what they need to know about the character.

I'm sad we have no idea how this was going to end, but am looking forward to reading more stories with Catalina!

Per the guidelines for abandoned collabs, I awarded full xp for a collab, and knowledge consistent with a solo. If you have any questions or concerns, let me know! :D


Avalon


word count: 222
Post Reply Request an XP Review Claim Wealth Thread

Return to “Almund”