Harkin's Heroes

Tim	It's a fine day, on the island of Megama, and the thick, wooden boardwalk rings pleasantly to the thump of many busy feet, four of them belonging to Player Characters! Moirrey and Jir are heading back to the Ninivene, when Harkin catches the familiar sound of whistling. A large, unkempt man with a messer strapped across his back is arguing with a young dandy wearing plain, bravo's silks, a...
	Tim	...slender blade hanging at his side...wait, you know that sword, apparently Richelieu picked up a nailsword somewhere. A teenage girl in boy's clothing, well-made but worn from ungrateful use, is the source of the music, leaning against the stall next to them and whistling to block them out, "I told you, the boss wouldn't be up on the docks, he's not going to be here just because he...
	Tim	...works at the Lionsport dock!" "And I'm telling you, good Porcio, that a creature is naturally drawn to its own environment. If we bide here a while, surely he will show up."
	Tim	"Can't you two quit gabbing? YOU want to go get drunk, and YOU think you'll get to fight another duel if you stand here making sulky eyes at everyone." The girl sticks her tongue out, pulling an apple out of her jerkin and cupping it in both hands, munching as if she expects someone to try and grab it.
	Oxford	Harkin stops in his tracks on seeing the trio. "Moirrey, if you would, let our associates know we've located a few potentials. I have some brief business with my subordinates to attend; I shan't be long." Waving vaguely in the direction of the stalls, he steps off the boardwalk and approachs his trusted lackeys.
	Tim	"I said it before and I says it again, he'll be hobnobbling." "Hobnobbing, gentle Porci-" "Hobgobbling Motok damn your eyes with the lords and ladies, or summat."
	Tim	"'Ey boss!" The girl waves to you, with a motion that somehow contrives to chuck the apple core behind the stall she's leaning on, a self-satisfied look on her face.
	Oxford	"Afternoon, Sare," the old man replies mildly, favoring her with a warm smile. "Keeping an eye on Fost and Dunburg here, I hope?"
	Tim	"Eh?" "Pardon?" The two men turn as one, quickly doffing their caps and bowing, Richelieu looking rather self-satisfied and elbowing Porcio in the ribs. Porcio's responding elbow nearly knocks him into a barrel of live eels, "Sir!" "Si-agghghgh!"
	Tim	"I kept both on them, they're too much trouble for one~" She shrugs lazily, "Hey boss, what're you doing down here?"
	Oxford	"Business, always business," Harkin replies, glancing about to ensure they'll not be overheard, "but of a more interesting nature than usual. Mr. Fost, tell me: what would it mean that Megami thugs recently made an attempt on the life of our dearest Queen?"
	Tim	"Why, it would man that the little apple has gotten herself some enemies...hopefully, this is hypothetical, but I'm just not that fortunate." Fost shrugs eloquently, looking over your shoulder, at a tall, statueesque if broad-shouldered and rather muscular woman in a polished breastplate and leathers, a mace with a prybar on its hilt hanging from a loop at her belt. A pinch-faced man with a...
	Tim	...harassed, worried expression and a similar mace at his hip is walking along beside her, seemingly talking about something she's only half paying attention to.
	Tim	"...That ain't right." Porcio's face twists in a scowl.
	Tim	"Sir, glad to see you found us." The tall woman bows formally.
	Oxford	"Aguilliar, Tlohaus, glad you're here. As you say, Mr. Dunburg, assassinating foreign heads of state is poor form. Fortunate indeed that a loyal servant of the kingdom was present to render his humble assistance, don't you think?" Harkin raises his eyebrows at the group and waits for comprehension to dawn.
	Global	[LordLicorice] woop woop movietime
	Tim	"...You're shitting me. Er, sorry sir. I mean, uh, really?" Porcio scratches the back of his thick neck, while the others trade half-horrified, half-excited glances, "You mean she's in your debt-" "Waitwhathappened!?" "What kind of monster could do such a thing to a child?" "Hm...er, sir, have you ferreted out the culprit, hmm?"
	Oxford	"One at a time, please." Harkin folds his hands in front of himself and answers each in turn. "Yes, really. Our debt: no, as she's already furnished us with an excellent little corvette as paym- let me finish, please. As payment. The /Ninivene/, yonder."
	Oxford	"As for determining what happened and who is responsible, that is the task to which we now turn our resources."
	Tim	Keir sort of...leans back and looks over her shoulder, "Huh, that was the Queen's older sister's name, right? You mean the little silver and white one in the middle of the Queen's delegation? Nice little boat." "Mmmm...well, actually, it should be exceedingly fast, hm, given her hobbies."
	Tim	"Racing sunships? I rather think I heard that bit of gossip already."
	Tim	Porcio refuses to be distracted by ships, "Give me the word, suh, I'll break their necks." He demonstrates with his huge, ham-like hands.
	Tim	"Erry one of 'em. You point to the guys that did it, and I'll..." He makes the gesture again, and a phlegmy sort of KRRRK sound from his mouth.
	Oxford	"I trust you'll have the opportunity," Harkin says, tone turning a bit darker. "The attack was carried out - incompetently - by a band of local thugs. They're dead now, around a dozen of them. Dunburg, you'll ask around in the winesinks of the lower city. Unprofessional people tell their friends when they land a ripe contract - one of those thugs told somebody something. Find whoever they told."
	Tim	"Yessir." Porcio spits into the gutter, his hand closing around the oversized, kitchen-knife handle of his messer.
	Tim	"I'll find 'em and squeeze 'em."
	Tim	Sarette hrmphs and blows her bangs out of her eyes again, "He'll be lost within an hour, boss! C'mon, I know these sorts of places!"
	Oxford	"Good thinking, Sare. The two of you go together. Get whatever you can and report back tomorrow evening."
	Tim	"Yes! You won't regret it, boss! We'll find them for you, and I'll peel their-" Porcio claps a hand over her mouth, sparing everyone from horrors, and whispers loudly, "C'mon, kid, before he changes his mind and sends someone else. Counting on you to watch my back, right?" Sarette nods cheerfully, and the two of them set off, Sarette producing a pair of long, slender knives from her...
	Tim	...sleeves and twirling them as she walks.
	Oxford	"Now, after the failed attack, the surviving thugs were hunted down and killed by members of the city watch. Or possibly imposters, we're not sure," Harkin continues as the two leave. "I need to know which it is, and who could've paid them to do it. Anyone have suggestions on how to find out?"
	Tim	Gedic blinks owlishly, "Hmmm...well...did they give you a name?"
	Tim	*Gedic blinks owlishly, "Hmmm...well, you could check at the watch station, did those officers have, mm, names?"
	Oxford	"Regrettably, no. They gave only obvious pseudonyms, and refused to give the name of their watch officer. However, the one had some very peculiar mannerisms - a vocabulary much greater than I'd expect of a guardsman, and a tendency to use it. I could provide a brief description, as well."
	Tim	"Mmm...a moment, sir." Gedic unslings his rather oversized satchel from his shoulders...for a rather scrawny man, he's very strong, and rummages out a heavy book, a quill, and an inkpen, with remarkable dexterity, "Please carry on, sir."
	Tim	He's already scribbling down something about vocabulary, with a bulletpoint that says 'Unduly educated?' under it.
	Oxford	Harkin provides a brief, item by item description, starting with approximate height and weight, for each of the two supposed watchmen. "Now, there are a great number of watchmen in the city," he continues once the descriptions are complete, "but they change shifts at predictable hours, and only have a few stations in this part of the city."
	Oxford	"Catch them at the end of a shift, and you'll have a decent chance to trail them. Provided they really were watchmen, that is. Any volunteers?"
	Tim	"Hmmm...well..." Fost sighs, and holds his hands up, "I was getting tired of the docks, anyway. I'll go take a look, it shouldn't be hard. Gedic, can I just..." He reaches for the page, and Gedic gives him a look of scandalized horror, "Kindly do NOT rip the pages, hmmmph! I shall write you out a copy, but keep those grubby hands away!"
	Tim	He withdraws a loose sheet of parchment, uses his book as backing, and begins rewriting the descriptions from memory.
	Oxford	"Hmm. Hm." Harkin steeples his fingers, then shakes his head. "No, I need you for a different task - equally diverting, I assure you. Aguilliar, I think this is more your speed. If the opportunity presents, you might even try speaking with their officers. You've common ground, don't you? Both in charge of rough men."
	Tim	Kier nods, "Shouldn't be too hard. I know how watchmen are." She smiles. She has a breathtaking smile when she chooses to use it.
	Oxford	He gives the muscular woman a gracious nod. "If it's a dead end, it's a dead end. I've faith in your abilities, and your judgement."
	Tim	"I'll be back at the ship tonight, sir. Shouldn't take me too long, but I'll get started." She bows again, and turns to stalk away up the street.
	Tim	"Hmmm...and, ummm...us, sir? Ourselves and master Fost?"
	Oxford	After she's gone, Harkin continues. "Mr. Fost, as I mentioned, your work should be more to your liking. The assassination attempt came at a peculiar time, wouldn't you agree? You no doubt heard the rumors of our shrewd King's dramatic appearence before Monarch Razulf today."
	Tim	"So I have, m'lord."
	Oxford	"A curious coincidence, if I believed in such things. There are further questions about Megama's courts that need answered. Meeting with King Largo about trade is an obvious snub; I need to know which of Megama's nobles think they can benefit from it."
	Tim	"Hmmmm...well, that's a lot of them, milord. You, ah, want me to go look for rumors, I'll look for rumors, but the Megamai don't consider you classy unless you've got a pair of great, stonking wings."
	Oxford	"Along those lines, yes. In short, I need an ear to the ground on Megami politics, and that means you're going into their social scene. Later, I may be able to use the Queen's connections to get you into court, but for now a few chance encounters with minor functionaries would do nicely."
	Tim	"Things are a bit more lax during festivals, I'll wear my best hat." Fost grins.
	Oxford	"They're snobbish about the wings, true, but charming company is charming company, and I know at least one Winged Noble who didn't seem overly bothered. Think you can manage?"
	Oxford	"Oh, ahm. One name in particular I'm curious about: Lady Mayenne. Anything about her is priority intelligence, even if it seems unrelated."
	Tim	He grins, "A Lady, eh? What's she look like?"
	Oxford	"Luna-moth wings, of the 'great stonking' variety. She frequents a few streets from the square where they had that play this morning. Or said she does, anyway."
	Tim	"...What? Oh, the perfoamance with the big coach and the actors dressed as vampires? Pah, those things must be extinct by now. Magot got wiped clean, I doubt there's a vampire left in this part of the world."
	Tim	"But as you will, sir. You say, I obey, and all of that."
	Tim	He bows floridly, and departs. Gdic blinks owlishly at you. He's blinked that way his whole life, though.
	Tim	*Gedic
	Oxford	"Don't push anyone too hard; just be yourself. By which I mean, a fellow desperately trying to parlay his trendy fashion sense into a cush job as a court decoration." Harkin gives him a teasing grin.
	Tim	"Don't forget 'Marry some rich, pleasantly plump widow', milord!" He waves over his shoulder, "I'll manage something!"
	Oxford	Harkin answers by shooing the young dandy out the door, before turning back to his personal assistant clerk. "And you, Mr. Tolhaus. I have need of your skills most specifically." He reaches into his pocket and produces a single, very uncommon gold coin. "Do you recognize this design?"
	Tim	Gedic rubs the bridge of his nose. If he had spectacles, he'd adjust them, but Gedic actually has remarkably excellent vision, taking the coin, examining the engravings, and observing it under a jeweler's lens whipped from his pockets, "...Well, it's genuine. This must be seventy, maybe eighty years old...no, seventy-five exactly, this Monarch only ever minted gold coins once, that I know of."
	Tim	"Paid to the governor of Song Valley in exchange to help pay for him to put down a local peasant rebellion and ensure his support in the hostilities with Yurand, mmm..."
	Oxford	"Indeed. What interests me is where the coin has been in the intervening 75 years, and how it ended up in the pocket of one of the lowly scum that attacked our dear Queen."
	Tim	"...Errm....hrrmm...well, I suppose I can look into it. Song Valley's records are, obviously, not here, but perhaps something will turn up."
	Oxford	"Begin with the public tax histories. If Song Valley has been wealthy and profitable, it is likely such coins remained in their treasury, or were paid out to regional noblemen. Records that list payment by type of coin are best; but not all do, and I'll accept if you find the work impossible."
	Oxford	"Obviously, I would not trust the task to someone without an aptitude for records." Harkin's compliment comes without any change in facial expression, but it is not lost on younger book-keeper.
	Tim	"Of course, sir. I'm certain I can find the proper paperwork in one of the libraries." He dips his head, flattered but remaining professional.
	Oxford	"Very good, then." Harkin glances around the stalls, which aside from Gedic have now emptied of his subordinates. "As with the others, we'll meet again in a few days for a progress report. You know where to find me if anything comes up in the meantime?"
	Tim	"Of course, sir. The Ninivene, I presume?"
	=-=	Claus is now known as Aori_Radidjiu
	Oxford	"Just so." Harkin looks around to make sure no one has taken uncalled-for interest in the conversation, and gives a satisfied nod. "Right then, Mr. Tolhaus. Let's be about it." He turns on his heel and walks toward the Ninivene, hands behind his back.
	=-=	Agasha_Kojiro is now known as Glodrhun