City Watch

[Scow2]

Peacehelm. largest city in the known world. Boasting a population in excess of 100,000 people, it dominates the landscape around the endless plains surrounding it. Fed by no less than three major rivers, the city is the citadel of trade.

The focus right now of the city, is the closing of the last known holdouts of the City Watch, thought by many to be a relic of a more enlightened past. While once the streets were patrolled and kept safe by numerous armed and uniformed guards dispensing justice, now the only guards were the Palace's Royal Guard, all Honorable Dragonborne, and the self-contained armies, none of which care about the gang-and-guild ruled streets of the cesspit of humanoid races.

Sergeant John Tarrant and Senior Constable Regulus Gorgo return from their patrols after showing the new Lance Constables the ropes of staying alive while nominally keeping order on the local streets. Fortunately, the artists of the Hobbes Street district is boring enough for Trouble to avoid, and thus still has plenty of peace to keep. Unfortunately, the watch no longer has a guardhouse in the Hobbes Street district.

Posted on the door of the unimposing structure is a notice from the City Works Administration, a notice of the closing and repossession of a number of City Watch Houses.

[Toliudar]

Dirk

Lance Corporal Vale stares at the notice, and glances over, and down, and up, at his sundry colleagues. Some of whom were more sundry than others. What in hell have I gotten myself into? The slender good-looking young man forced a cheer into his voice.

"What an extraordinary opportunity to become a mobile force for peace and order, eh Captain? No more time wasted cleaning up. Or, um, detaining criminals. On account of us not having a place to detain them. We can get back to the basics of the job of Watchmen. Which is to say, watching. As opposed to, say, doing anything."

[Ajadea]

A scarred elf walked by the guardhouse, barely sparing a glance at it. He or she saw the notice, ignoring it at first. A second later, the message sank in. The elf whipped around, then spat out a mouthful of stringy pale blond hair. Amber eyes widened, and the elf swore quite colorfully. "Heads are going to roll, no doubt." Constable Razuri Faenaerne muttered. He ripped the poster off the door and entered the guardhouse, collapsing into a chair. Sighing, he began to read the notice.

[Scow2]

Spoiler

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Knowledge(Local) check:(1d20+4)[11]

As the other guards grumble about the lack of employment, Razuri's study of the post confirm it is legit, signed, and notarized by the Guild of Bureaucrats, so every word in nonnegotiable.

In almost impenetrable legalese, the notice declares all Watch Houses listed on the document are repossessed by the city, and the land will be used for more productive city projects. All officers of the law employed at each of the closed Houses are to be laid off within 10 days of written notice(This counts as said notice) unless they can be transferred to a still-operational watch house.

The list of Guardhouses appears to be entirely comprehensive of every House in the quadrant.

It concludes by wishing everyone a nice day.

[sciencepanda]

Regulus

The shoddy cobblestones clank loudly under Regulus's hooves as the minotaur steps forward. He walks his way up to the sign, and stares at it for a full minute, exhaling warm, smelly breaths. Finally, he turns around and rumbles.

"I don't read. Wazzit say, John?"

[The_JJ]

Lance Constable Oscar

Gavin scratches his fuzzy check speculatively. So we're getting new Watchhouses then? Cool! I mean, this place was big and all but a bit... untidy. So he says brightly before turning to face the sour faces around him. Err... so should we... go to headquarters...?

He had to admit, this whole place was a bit mad.

[Xealot7]

Captain John Tarrant

John eyes the document before passing it around to read by the others. "What it means Regulus," the Captain looks around to the others before continuing. "Is that we have ten days to do one of three things. One, and the easiest, get a new job. Two, get transferred to another Watch. Possible, though not likely, considering how many will be trying to transfer." John waits a moment before stating the third, his mind already made up, but hoping against hope that his men will agree with him. "And Three, prove to the city that they made a mistake, and try to get this place back opened within 10 days."

Captain John Tarrant shows no emotion as he follows Constable Faenaerne into the Watchhouse. Things are never easy, are they.

"Now let's see if I can find where I put that stack of Wanted Posters."

[Toliudar]

Dirk

Dirk turns to Gavin. The two had joined more or less at the same time. Perhaps, if they stuck together, there'd be safety in that.

"I suppose. Unless Headquarters has also been repossessed."

He goes to check the list, and realizes that the extravagantly coutured elf had taken the notice down. He heads inside after him.

"So...would it be advisable to pack up the things that we're going to need most?"

He glanced around the cluttered heap of much-the-worse-for-wear crap.

[Scow2]

The list makes it pretty clear all operations in this quadrant of the city have been shut down. Transferring to another quadrant is Not an Option, due to paperwork management reasons.

Xealot7

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If you studied the list, you'd notice that it did not mention the Watch House on Gzarr's Row, which has been unofficially abandoned for the past five years. It's located in the not-quite-run-down Tiger Street district, which is one of the quieter areas of town primarily inhabited by Gnolls, Catfolk, Mongrelfolk, and Shifters.

[Tyrael]

One of the side doors in the Watch House opens up, and a scrawny little Kobold pokes his head out, wearing a pair of smoked goggles festooned with lenses on his scaly forehead. "Whaat?!" he screeches in dismay. "Closing the Watch House? And my workshop and everything else??"

The two-foot-high Kobold scurries into the main room and climbs up on a table to get a better look at the notice. Snapping his lenses back into place, the little creature peers shortsightedly at the notice, muttering under his breath in Draconic. "<В чем ... прежде... Часы Размещают ... ненужную утечку в ресурсах .... расширенное уменьшение массы ..., программа перенационализации предписала .... неудачные обстоятельства вне контроля ... очень прискорбный ... умноженный из экономического кризиса ... нежизнеспособные бюджетные несовместимости ... замененный в должном заказе .... экологичные гражданские инициативы ... эффекты, этого принадлежащие .... заверенный нотариально список гражданского персонала правоприменительной деятельности как детализировано ниже.....>"*

"Bah!" Constable Teevo finally grumbles in exasperation. "Guild of Bureaucrats, I should have known! Sorry, Cap'n. Everything's legit and triple-verified to make sure we can't challenge it legally."

The little Kobold inventor hops down off the table and scurries over to the Watch House's snack bin, where he scrounges for a leftover half-biscuit to munch.

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*Wherein...heretofore...Watch Houses...unnecessary drain on resources....extended downsizing... resocialization program enacted....unfortunate circumstances beyond control...deeply regrettable...times of economic crisis...unsustainable budgetary incongruities...replaced in due order....eco-friendly civic initiatives...effects thereof pertaining....notarized list of civic law enforcement personnel as detailed below.....

[Toliudar]

Dirk

Lance Corporal Vale nods respectfully to the learned kobold. Needs watching, that one. Dirk joins in the hunt for the missing paperwork. He speaks quietly to Captain Jack.

"Er, Captain? Perhaps, rather than trying to do a dozen things well, we might look for one big, er, high profile good thing to accomplish. If, as I understand it, your goal is to try to reverse the city's decision."

[sciencepanda]

Regulus is still trying to properly wrap his mind around the whole situation. Finally, he comes up with an idea.

"Mm. Bad things always being done. Maybe, we stop crimes in one area, not in another. Show people what happens when we not around. We here for a reason."

[Ajadea]

"That...is actually not a half-bad idea, Regulus." Razuri said, baring his teeth in what could charitably be called a grin. A very cruel, predatory one. "Let those idiotic bureaucrats see if they can survive even two weeks without us cleaning up their messes."

[Tyrael]

Teevo shakes his head. "That IS a half-bad idea," the little Kobold corrects Regulus. "Maybe even all-bad. How would you like to explain to those people that we're going to leave them to the mercy of the thugs and criminals just to make a political point?

[Ajadea]

Razuri is still grinning awfully. "We're being disbanded because they think we're useless. So, we prove we aren't. I care about those people, but frankly, unless some bloody great dragon pops up out of nowhere and lays down for us to chop it's head off, Sergeant Regulus's plan is the simplest one, and the one that the politicians will notice. Unless you support disbanding and letting Guild Law rule this place."

[Toliudar]

Guild law does rule this place.

Dirk clears his throat.

"Perhaps, corporal Teevo, was it? Perhaps what the good Sergeant was suggesting was that, given our truncated numbers, we should work to ensure that we're all contributing and helping in a way that's significant, instead of trying to patrol and entire quarter of the city."

[Xealot7]

Watch Captain, Sergeant John Tarrant

"Truth be told, I think our best bet will be, transfer to the Watch House on Gzarr's Row, it's been abandoned for sometime and since it hasn't been shut down and has no one to run it, we will be doing the responsible, more importantly, legal thing to do. Once their we can clean up the streets. Not just patrol and get a paycheck like the City Watch has been known to do in the past. That ends here and now. We're gonna go down there, clean the Watch House up, then clean the streets up. Prove that the Watch is needed." The Sergeant clears his throat as his men gather around.

"Look, for as long as any of us can remember, the Watch has been a joke. We've had less authority and funding than either the guilds or the gangs. By Captain Vimes, if this is the end, I'm gonna make a show of it. I can't guarantee this'll work, I can't promise this will save your job, but honestly who cares. I can't make any of you request for transfer, and if the only way to make you transfer is by forcing you... I wouldn't want you there anyway." John Tarrant takes a moment to let everything set in.

"Alright, if you're all still here, let's go check out Gzarr's Row."

[Ajadea]

Razuri is up and heading to Gzarr's Row before Captain Tarrant is finished speaking. His teeth are still bared and gritted. Those who know him would recognize it as an expression of fear and anger. A century in the city, and Razuri had never gotten the hang of smiling as an expression of happiness. He stops to think for a bit, then shuffles off into an alley. A couple seconds later later, and a rather large wolf, light brown fur edged with black, trots out through the city to Gzarr's Row.

Spoiler

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Change Shape into Wolf: (1d20+7)[27]

[Tyrael]

Constable Teevo salutes smartly. "Sign me up, sir!"

[The_JJ]

Gav shrugs uncomfortably. Far to much of this he didn't understand, and most of what he did understand contradicted hi expectations of the world. Eventually, he'd sort out which was right and wrong until then, well, he had his orders. He snaps a salute a tugs uncomfortably at the club at his hip. Right, so... we are getting a new Watch House, sir? Understood. With that he heads off after the others with a quick lope, constantly accidentally pulling ahead of the proceeding veterans, only to forcibly slow himself down.

So, Gzarr's row huh? Is that, like, a nice place? Is the new Watch house going to be any better? Oh, and do you think we can set up a place for Amelie? He reached into his pack and withdrew a small cat, who spared the watching Watchmen a single despairing glance, then turned a death glare on Gavin for daring to disturb her sleep.

[Toliudar]

Dirk

"All righty, sir!"

Dirk strolls over to his locker to pull out a small pack of his gear. Slinging it over his shoulder, he turns to Teevo, who seemed most settled in in this place.

"Is there, um, anything here that you'll be needing over at the new place, then, chum? Perhaps I could lend a hand?"

[Scow2]

With everyone in agreement with Captain Tarrant's plan, the remnant of the South City Watch headed off to Gzarr's row after gathering as much of their possessions as they could from the old Guardhouse.

The Tiger Street District was far different from the Hobbes Street district. For one thing, it's full of shifty-looking folk, and those without diluted Lycan blood have even more body hair. They hear a catfolk hawking the news a short distance down the street(Extra Extra! South Peacehelm Watch Disbanded, Epic Fail!), trying to sell newspapers to the assorted beastfolk who live here. When the newscat spots the approaching guard, his call quickly changes (Extra Extra! South Peacehelm Watch Coming to Tiger Street District!)

it becomes clear reclaiming the old Guardhouse will not be a simple matter of walking in and hanging up coats... the Fabricati Diem above the door, ubiquitous to all WatchHouses, has been replaced by a leather sign bearing three red, jagged lines posted over it. The two nasty-looking gnolls out front, their left cheeks sporting three prominent, parallel scratch marks, only reinforce the point that it's not going to be Home Sweet Home.

[Ajadea]

Razuri stops in front of the gnolls, over-intelligent eyes glaring at them, sizing them up. The large wolf, gray and brown fur bristling, glares at the hyena-men, poised to strike but making no move. His ears prick up, waiting for a command.

[Xealot7]

Watch Captain, Sergeant John Tarrant

Approaching the two gnolls the Veteran Sergeant realizes this can only end one of two ways. Violence, or the threat of violence. Just asking the gnolls to leave will come across as weak and timid, the one thing they Watch couldn't afford right now.

"Aight fellas, thanks for keeping the place warm for us, but how 'bout ya get the 'ell outta here before we throttle the lot of ya, then hook ya's up for breaking and entering, trespassing, and failure to obey a lawful command.?!"

Sergeant Tarrant waits little more than a second before cracking his whip in the air (being certain not to strike anyone of course) and giving a menacing stare. "Move! You Sons of Cocker Spaniels!!!"

Intimidate: (1d20+8)[19] Willing to accept any modifiers you wish to add.

[Scow2]

The two Gnolls take off at the threat, sending up an ungodly laugh-like bay on their retreat. Inside the building, everyone can hear the sounds of objects being shuffled around in all three stories of the run-down building.

Once the Gnolls are out of earshot, a lone Catfolk wearing a helmet appears at one of the upper story windows. Like the two gnolls, he has the distinctive scars on his left cheek. "This is Clawz Territory now!" the felinesque humanoid shouts down to the waiting guardsmen, and presents a loaded crossbow aimed squarely at Tarrant.

[The_JJ]

He might be new but, Gav knew how to take a cue. Damned if he knew exactly what was going on but these people were not where they should be. His back tingles where his fur would be standing up, he straightens his neck out, and hisses, while bringing his hands up and out.

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Aid another on intimidate: (1d20+4)[13]

Standing just behind the Captain's shoulder and readying... Sleep seems like a good idea. Center it on the guy with the crossbow, though it'll default to hitting lesser HD people in the area first.

[Ajadea]

Razuri snarls loudly and backs up a couple steps. His eyes remain trained on the catfolk. The fur on the back of his neck stands up, and his form seems to waver the tiniest bit.

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Ready an action to shift into hybrid form if the catfolk shoots at Captain Tarrant, with the intention of using myself as Soft Cover: Take 10 for a result of 17, unless I can't take 10, in which case I roll Change Shape (1d20+7)[9].

EDIT: Since it failed, if I can't take 10, I'll just try to use my wolf form as soft cover anyways.

[Toliudar]

Dirk

Dirk uses Razuri's transformation as the distraction he needs. With a cough and a quick spasm of his hand, Dirk wipes his mouth and glances over at his companions.

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Using conceal spellcasting skill trick (1d20+7)[9] to hide the fact that he's casting a spell at all, and casting Charm Person on the catfolk. Will DC 16 negates. If the save is failed, Dirk will nod to the Captain and say: "I'm sure that we can all find a way to be friends here."

[Tyrael]

Having declined Dirk's help earlier with moving out his possessions, the diminutive Constable Teevo is a walking riot of gears, cogs, sprogs and strange alien devices hooked to a bulging belt and strapped across a sizable backpack almost as large as he is.

Tapping his claws together uneasily at the sight of the Gnolls, Teevo scurries and quickly attempts to do his best impression of being harmless behind Sergeant Regulus' broad hooves. Fortunately, with Gavin and Razuri putting on their best display, this needs very little in the way of acting.

[Xealot7]

Watch Captain, Sergeant John Tarrant

"Now look, I'm gonna give you one chance to put that pea shooter down and walk away before I take it from you and take it to your backside." John looks annoyed but otherwise unworried. It's not like it would be the first time he's been shot. "One... Two... Three..."

Intimidate: (1d20+8)[26] And how ever many aid anothers I can get added in there.

OOC: Hopefully the cat will walk away before John gets to three.