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"Come, I've got an announcement before you leave," says Captain Bouchard down the hall, a few minutes before your watch shift is scheduled to begin. Announcements aren't uncommon, and you treat it like any other - with indifference. You and your companions gather their things and make way from your rooms to the common area of the barracks.

When you arrive, few people are seen. This is normal. Not much happens in the common area, as the other watchmen tend to prefer carousing in the local taverns or heading straight to bed after their shifts. It's a lonely room. Of the few, you notice the Captain standing off to the side with a grin on his face. He only grins when he feels his news will annoy someone, so you can only guess what it will be. But you don't have to, because as everyone gathers he speaks again.

"17th Watch, fine day to you all. Before you head out, I've got news for you. Come forward, lass, don't be shy," he says, motioning for a young woman to get up from one of the tables and step to his side. "Meet your newest member, Miranda. From today on she'll be your novice watchman, so treat her well and teach her what you know."

The young woman steps to the Captain's side and eyes each of you with a warm look. "Pleased to meet you all," Miranda says with a wan smile and a quick bow of her head. "I plan not to slow any of you down. I've been anxious to start tonight's shift all week," she admits. "I hope I can learn a lot from you. What are your names?"

As Varo enters the common room he perches himself on the edge of an empty table. He eyes Miranda for a moment before speaking. "Varo," he says, staying where he is, arms folded. "Stay out of the way and you'll do just fine," he adds, not looking forward to the burden of having a fresh recruit in tow. The 17th barely has 10 years experience between us.

Carolus puts his hands on his hips, and straightens up. "I am Carolus Trastámara, and it's a pleasure to meet you." He looks the newcomer up and down. "More eyes is better. Welcome to the 17th."

As Michel enters the common room, he leans against the wall, his eyes moving between Captain Bouchard and the stranger, wary of the smile painting the captain's face.

After the introduction, Michel walks over and says, "Good to meet you, Miranda. I'm Michel. And don't mind Varo. He's always like that."

As Gael enters the room, he is pleasantly surprised to see an attractive young woman stand with the Captain. Gael beams at Miranda in effort to reassure her. "Welcome to The 17th Miranda! I'm Gael Weston," he says in a cordial tone. "I'm relatively new to the Watch myself. It'll be great to have you here! I'm sure we can all learn a lot from each other. The more of us there are, the safer our patrol should be!"

Changing his tone slightly, he leans forward, "We sure are lucky to have a new recruit who's easy on the eyes," he says with a grin and a quick wink.

Quickly, Gael remembers himself and snaps back to a more professional demeanor.

"Thank you for the new addition to The 17th, sir," he barks, perhaps a bit more crisply than the situation deserves. "We look forward to training the new blood."

Miranda narrows her eyes at Varo's words, but chuckles at Michel's suggestion not to worry. She looks a bit longer at Carolus than the others, seeming to find vague interest in his somewhat unorthodox appearance, but turns to Gael when he speaks. The woman raises an eyebrow at the man's forward flirting, but quickly shakes it off. "Thank you for the welcoming," the woman says, looking between those that have spoken. "And you two?" she asks, turning toward the remaining pair of watchmen.

Galen was watching Gael with his attempt at flirting, giving a roll of his eyes before smiling and shaking his head. He looks at the young woman, his smile staying on, seeming relaxed and content in his surroundings.
"Forgive me miss, I was distracted. I go by Galen, not to be confused with my companion Gael, though it should be easy to distinguish us after all. My full name is Galen Portaille. I'm sure we'll get along fine, just relax, don't push yourself too hard, and things will run smoothly."

Larkin instinctively found a place against the wall, heaving a sigh to make sure that everybody knew how much she disliked being here.

She blinked sleepily as introductions were made, not making a real attempt to stay awake. She still had not adjusted to the early rising.

"I'm Larkin," she muttered before the gap in conversation could become too awkward. Larkin tilted her head so that her hair covered her face. "Larkin Bly," she said shortly.

"Galen and Larkin," Miranda repeats, looking at each of them in turn, a bit more curiously at the latter. "It's a pleasure to serve with you," she says politely, before turning back to face Captain Bouchard.

"Do you have any advice for the patrol this evening?" the woman asks her superior.

The captain watches as the others speaking, looking down to the woman when she addresses him directly. "Just pay attention and follow their lead. The brief training you got covers the basics, they will fill in the gaps for you. Just watch and learn and you'll get the hang of it in no time," he says.

Turning to address the rest of the group, he continues. "Now enough chit-chat, there's plenty of time to do that on patrol. It's about to be 6, get out there and do your jobs." He motions for the group to exit the barracks, which they obediently do. Forming into a semi-orderly cluster they take to the streets, heading out to their route for the evening.

The watch shifts, Miranda is informed along the way, are six hours each, beginning at midnight, 6am, noon, and 6pm. The 17th Watch is scheduled for the 6pm shift at the moment. Each watch group takes one watch shift followed by two off shifts for leisure and rest, with routes cycling between the different groups each time. Some are more desirable than others. Luckily, this one is a good one.

Tonight the group is scheduled to patrol the Carpenter's Quarter, one of the more southern portions of the city. It is a poorly named district in modern times, having been named when Arenport was much smaller and the quarter was outside of the walled section. Though it did once live up to its name, as a home for carpenters and lumberjacks, it currently serves as the wealthy section of town. What aristocrats do make their homes in Arenport prefer to be more inland, which is also more elevated and has a great view of the rest of town. It is also, for that reason, generally an easier shift; the wealthy are much less prone to street brawls or other criminal activity, promising hours of uninterrupted chatter with no real work to be done.

And so the group makes their way from their barracks to the Quarter, a short walk. They make their way uneventfully through town, nodding to passersby and occasionally chatting with a civilian. About an hour in, as they are passing through a residential street, they are approached by a very distressed woman...

The woman appears to be affluent in nature, from the look of her jewelry and attire. "Excuse me," she inquires, her eyes on the more senior-looking members of your watch. "Please, a moment."

Miranda looks with earnest eyes at her. "Good day, madame! What seems to be the matter?" the newest recruit says, naturally.

"It's my daughter, Sasha," the worried woman replies. "Sasha Lapioux. I'm afraid she's gone missing."

Gael waits accordingly for his superior officer to take the lead, but while he does so, he examines the woman carefully to determine the truth of her claims.

Mechanics

[SHOW]

Rolling to see if I believe her or not.
Insight Roll
7(1d20) +6 = 13

Gael

[SHOW]

You give her a quick once-over, reading her. The woman's facial expression and body language indicate that she is in a fit of worry. You don't notice anything to suspect the woman is pretending.

Michel looks at the woman with grave concern as she tells of her missing daughter. "By the Goddess, that's terrible! When was the last time you've seen her?"

His eyes quickly glance over at the new recruit, as he worriedly thinks, Poor Miranda... First day on the job and this happens. But I suppose she'll have to learn sooner or later.

"We'll need a description as well," Varo says, adding to Michel's request. "Age, appearance, the clothes you last saw her wearing, that sort of thing," he elaborates.

"Yes, certainly," the woman replies to Varo, looking between him and Michel worriedly. "I saw my Sasha the night before last. She was headed to a ball, actually, with a friend." She looks down to the cobbled path at her feet, recalling. "She had a pale blue dress on, I remember. And black shoes! Yes, I recall complimenting them."

"And what does she look like, madame?" Miranda asks gently, following up Varo's question.

"Ah, yes. Sorry," the mother apologizes curtly. "I'm just so dazed. It has been difficult to to sleep since my daughter didn't return the first night. Um, she has dark brown hair. She also holds my mother's beauty," she adds with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "A bit shorter than me, but not tiny. She just turned twenty not a fortnight prior."

"Black shoes with a pale blue dress?" Larkin scoffed. "Likely story."

Gael steps forward reassuringly and says, "I think what my companion here means to say is that hopefully that description will be enough for us to start a search for her."

Stepping forward slightly, Gael straightens up and does his best to appear professional. He changes tone to a more investigative tone as he asks, "Now ma'am, we need to ask you where this ball was being held, and who is Sasha's friend? Where do they live?"

Madame Lapioux casts a vexed look at Larkin's direction before turning to hear Gael's reassurance. "Thank you," she offers politely despite her melancholic expression. "Sasha and Chartrice said the ball was to be at the Trebonne Hall, near St. Geneviève's Cathedral."

Miranda nods in recognition. "Got it."

"I've spoken with Chartrice, but..." The woman sighs, looking uncomfortable. "We don't exactly see eye to eye. Perhaps you'll glean more from meeting her than I. She lives at the Demalles Manor down the street a few blocks from here. Please, is there anything else I can offer to help you find my Sasha?"

Carolus clears his throat. "There certainly is, madam. Did your Sasha have any other...acquaintances she went to the bell with? Perhaps she's staying with him? Or her." He scratches his chin, hoping that was subtle enough for the woman's liking.

"Not that I know of. Chartrice was who invited her," Madame Lapioux explains. "I can't think of any reasons she would stay away from home more than a day without sending word."

"Well we'll talk to this Chartrice. We should ask about the ball at Trebonne Hall too. Some of the servants might have seen her there. If we can trace her movements hopefully there'll lead us to her," Varo says, now speaking more to the watch than to Madame Lapioux. "Is there anything else you can think of that might help us find her?" He asks, turning back to the woman.

Wrinkles form in the Madame's brow as she ponders. "Hm, not much, except... my Sasha is twenty now, as I said. It isn't a leap of logic to assume her and Chartrice were seeking men to court at the ball. So keep that in mind, I suppose." She gives a short, graceful bow to the group of you.

"If you find news of her or have any more questions, you can find me at my home here," she says, gesturing toward a gorgeous house along the street. "Our family awaits her safe turn," the Madame reminds. "If you'll excuse me." She steps away from the group up the steps to her manor.

"Tonight isn't going to be a regular patrol it would seem," Varo says to the group. "Demalles Manor, should be our first port of call as it's not too far," he says, already starting to walk down the street. "You might actually learn a thing or two tonight rookie," he says to Miranda.

"Let's hope this Chartrice is cooperative, and that she knows more than the mother," Michel says as the group walks towards Demalles Manor. "We should ask if Sasha had met any men at the ball. They could know more of her whereabouts as well."

Galen listens as the woman talks, mentally taking notes, showing signs of concern as she speaks. Once she's done talking, he throws his two cents in.
"We should see if this Chartrice went to the party alone or arrived with Sasha as well. The mother may have said that she was going to the ball with Chartrice, but we did not confirm if she actually walked to the Hall with her or not. We should also see if Chartrice walked home alone or not, perhaps she simply got lucky with some young man and wished to spend some time with him. We need to distinguish above all when she was alone and when she was with Chartrice before we move further, or else everything will be conjecture."

He walks up next to Miranda and gives her a nod.
"In this line of work, hoping for the best may not pay out, but there is nothing wrong in hoping. And don't let Varo get to you, you might be new, but fresh minds still hold unique insight. Speak up if you have any ideas."

"And women. Perhaps she went home with a nice lady after the ball," Larkin added with a wry expression. "We might as well ask about that, too."

"Right," Gael says in a determined tone, "Shall we head to this 'Demalles Manor' and see what exactly took place?"

With nods of agreement, the group makes their way down the street, headed for Demalles Manor. It is easy to spot, as Demalles Manor is written in iron along the top of a metal arch that covers the entrance to the small garden leading up to the front door. The group makes their way up the path, and up a few steps, before one of them takes the time to use the knocker on the door. It hits the door with a solid thud, clearly loud enough for anyone inside to hear.

Within a moment or so, the door opens part way to reveal a short balding man - likely in his mid 40s - with a pencil thin mustache and fine dress. "Hello, good day," the man says, politely but clearly cautiously. "How may I help you folk? My, there are certainly a lot of you," he continues, as he looks across the group gathered before him, raising an eyebrow in response.

"Hello,we're with the city watch. We need to speak to a Miss Chartrice, we were told she lives here," Varo says, going straight to the point.

"Ah, certainly sir, " the man says with a look of astonishment and a quick bow. He opens the door further, allowing room for the others to make their way inside. Once they are inside they find themselves in a wide hallway that exits on the other end as well, though what is through the doors is unclear. A staircase starts to the right and makes a 90 degree angle to the left as it makes its way to the second floor. Various closed doors can be spotted off to either side of the wide entrance hallway. Between all of this are various decorative pieces, such as vases and sofas and tables with decorations, paintings and tapestries covering the walls. It is what anyone would expect from the home of a wealthy family.

Once everyone is inside, the man shuts the door behind them. "I trust everything is alright? Miss Chartrice didn't slander anyone did she? Or ruin a garden? I'm sure her father would be more than happy to pay for any damages she may have done, if so."

"Oh, no, nothing like that," Michel reassures the man, shaking his head briefly. "We'd just like to ask her some questions about her friend, a Miss Sasha. We were told they attended a ball together the night before last."

Carolus tries to recall what, if anything, he's heard about the Demalles family.

Mechanics

[SHOW]

History check to see if I have knowledge of the Demalles family:
History Roll
17(1d20)+8=25

"Ah, I see. I'm surprised, Miss Sasha does not strike me the type to cause trouble, but no matter. I shall go and fetch Miss Chartrice for you. Please wait here for now." With that, the man takes the staircase up to the second floor, leaving the group temporarily alone in the hall.

After five minutes or so, the man returns down the steps with another young woman in tow. She makes her way down in a fine dress, though she looks to have been in the middle of dressing herself as she only wears a single earring and her hair seems to be caught in the middle of being styled. This does not detract from her beauty, however, and she speaks.

Carolus

[SHOW]

The Demalles family, you can remember, is the head of one of the more successfully logging companies in Arenport. They initially made their fortune in investments and real estate, but inherited one of their prior investments after a series of legal issues revolving around debt owed, becoming the owners of the Westerly Lumberer's. The company already had some amount of renown, so they kept its name despite pressure from within the family to rename it. This was a little over a century ago.

The current members of the family are as follows:

Gerard Demalles, the head of the household and Master of the Westerly Lumberer's. He is a shrewd businessman who built the family back up after his father wasted much of their fortune on boozing and lavish expansions to the family home.

Jeanette Demalles, Gerard's wife and mistress of the house. She runs the daily affairs, and is a member in good standing of the Arenport Carpenter's Guild, a social club full of the city's wealthy elite. She raised their single child mostly on her home, though various tutors were employed for education.

Chartrice Demalles, the only child of Gerard and Jeanette. Chartrice was fairly spoiled, and has a reputation for being one of the more willful of the young aristocracy in the city. She is also known for her beauty.

It is known that there are lesser branches of the family located throughout the city and other parts of Imardin as well, but you know little of their lives since they aren't much talked about in Arenport society.

"You've caught me at a poor time," Chartrice says with a frown as she spins her remaining earring between her fingers. "But Gaston here mentioned this is about Sasha -- have you brought word of her?" she asks, a worried look upon her face.

"Unfortunately, no," Miranda admits.

"I was afraid not. You've got questions and I've got answers, I presume." The young woman looks down, shaking her head in disappointment.

Galen steps forward and gives the woman a small bow.
"Forgive us for the intrusion, Miss Chartrice. I can see that this subject is weighing on you. Perhaps we should start with a telling of the nights events, leading up to the ball? We would like to understand what you saw that night, and this would help us avoid pestering you with too many questions."

Chartrice sighs. "Yes, that would be best. I invited Sasha to the Carpenter's Ball. Both of us went together two nights ago -- it was at Trebonne. Trebonne Hall," she clarifies. "Once we arrived, we split up after a half hour or so. She seemed to be enchanted by a handsome man, while I was distracted by a charming pair of my own fancy. I saw he and Sasha dancing and chatting together for a while. They stepped out a couple hours into the ball, and didn't return. That was the last time I saw her."

The young woman sighs again. "I'm worried for her."

"Do you know who the man was?" Varo asks. "If not we'll need a description," he adds, as he turns to examine one of the paintings on the wall.

Varo

[SHOW]

The painting you spot is of a naval battle, likely depicting a battle from the conquest of Les Astilles. The navy ship depicted bears the name St. Elise, which is not immediately recognizable to you.

"I'd never seen him before. He must've been a newcomer to the Carpenter's Guild." Chartrice twiddles the earring around some more, her lips in a pout as she remembers. "He was tall, thin, and had black hair. He was dressed well and quite handsome. I recall seeing a distinct emblem on a necklace of his, but I didn't know what it meant."

"Did he look like the kidnapping type?" Miranda asks, bluntly.

"I... don't know. I've never been kidnapped," Chartrice responds, her brow furrowed slightly at the woman. "He was well put together and had an aura of charm about him. That's all I remember."

"A distinct emblem, you say? Do you remember what it looked like? It could help in identifying him," Michel says to the woman, hoping she remembers. He sure doesn't sound the kidnapping type though. Maybe they just eloped?

"The centerpiece on his necklace looked square and metal, perhaps like a locket, if I recall. It bore an emblem that looked like antlers," Chartrice replies. "Do you have any other questions? I have an event soon," she admits, tapping her foot.

Michel thinks for a moment, trying to remember if anything fitting the description seems familiar. Smiling politely to Chartrice, he says, "I personally don't have anything more, so you're free to go unless some of my companions have more to ask. But be sure to let us know if you learn anything more." He turns to his comrades expectantly, hoping one will speak up if they've a question.

Mechanics

[SHOW]

History check to see if I recognize the emblem from anywhere: 20(1d20) -1 = 19

Carolus clears his throat. "If you don't mind my asking, this event isn't at Trebonne Hall, is it? I'd be ashamed if a second young woman disappeared during our watch."

Michel

[SHOW]

The symbol described by Chartrice sounds very much like the symbol of the Arenport Hunter's Society, a group of mostly aristocrats who enjoy venturing out into the forest to hunt during their leisure time. They meet regularly at the Orcemont Lodge, an old wood shop converted into a hunting lodge early on in the Carpenter's Quarter's rejuvenation.

It is a semi-secret group, whose members are recruited by invitation only, and it is exclusively made up of men. Very few of the members come from outside of the Quarter, and most who do are there purely based on their merit and wisdom. Many of the common folk who also enjoy the hunt scoff at the Society, claiming they are simply wealthy cowards posing as huntsmen, and that their selective recruitment shows they are trying to hide their lack of real experience when it comes to outdoorsmanship.

"Of course. Anything to find Sasha," Chartrice says, seemingly relieved once Michel wraps up the conversation. "And no, it isn't," she says to Carolus, guardedly. "Personal business."

"Just to be clear, you never went after Sasha after she left the ball?" Larkin cut in bluntly before the group turned to leave. "You didn't happen to talk with the man she was accompanying? Did you see anybody else that appeared to know who he was?"

"We had different goals in mind," Chartrice says in response. "I wasn't going to stop her from taking a romantic walk. And no, I never spoke with him. As I stated, I was busy enjoying myself with my own date. I didn't even see him arrive, and the whole time I was there, I only saw him with Sasha."

"I think we're done for now then, thank you," Varo says. "Don't leave the city for a while, we may have more questions later in our investigation," he adds.