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Intro: Wolf

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Levinath

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Intro: Wolf
« on: May 01, 2017, 06:19:58 PM »


Wolfe’s head ached, the familiar sensation to a person of his persuasions. The others came into clarity as his consciousness came back into focus. His back objected to the solid wood plank he had lain on for the night, the smell of filth filled his nostrils as he opened his eyes. For most, waking inside a cell would cause alarm, but this was a situation not unfamiliar to the old warrior. His body protested as he lifted himself into a sitting position.

Across the room a man, also not foreign to the Half-Orc, sat working quietly, the thick stack of papers and ledgers blocked the work being performed at the present. The cell to Wolfe’s left was empty, to the right, another soul slept, snoring softly. The rest of the room was as he had last seen it. The Greycloak tasked with the oversight of the River district, Sargent Davgeon Gellantara, cleared his throat. “Welcome to a new day Wolfe.” He continued working, his eyes never lifting from the parchment. ”Anything to say for the two Flaming Fist you put in the infirmary last night at the Chattering Raven?” The man’s deep blue eyes finally lifted and pierced into the Orc. The stare was not of rage or anger, only scrutiny. A stare of a man who had seen many battles, acts, and men. The stare of a man that could peel away a person’s falsehoods and see the true man beneath.
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 06:25:31 PM »
Wolfe had dreamt of leaves that fell, of a river of blood, and of a large shadow with white teeth, wild eyes, and flames for a head. Thankfully such dreams were fleeting, and though they always clung at the edge of his mind when he awoke, they no longer disturbed him. Old specters had become like old bones; a constant ache, but one he could live with. He grunted as he got to sitting up fully, rubbing the back of his head where he'd been thrown into the cell with. The booze he'd drank hadn't lingered long enough to dispel the soreness, and mixed with the thirst he felt he was going to be grumpy.

Well. Grumpier.

Davgeon asked him a question and for a moment he let it hang there, not willing to touch it until he'd had a cup of coffee or a beer. Given the likelyhood of not receiving either one, he just let out a grunt. "I'm ready to accept their apology." He said without hint of a smile and rubbed at his face. "They can make it in the form of food and or ale."

Sitting back against the bench he grunted again and rubbed at his sides. Too old for this shit.

"How long am I in for this time?" He asked the Sargent, long past railing against 'the man' for their laws. It was what it was.
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2017, 06:44:19 PM »

He let out a laugh and shook his head. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” He lift[/center]ed a stack of papers, hit them against his desk to get them in order and bound them in a folder before the wooden chair screeched across the stone floor. “How many times have we found ourselves here? I suppose it is far past time for you to learn civility.” He walked across the room to a table out of sight, returning a few minutes later. The keys on his belt were loosed, followed by a loud creak of protest of the old decrepit hinges. Davgeon leaned down and laid the plate on the floor, a piece of bread and chunk of cheese resting on it. He tossed the half full wine skin to the orc before leaning against the doorframe.

“By Torm, I would leave you in here to rot, you have injured far too many of my men in your drunken rages. Your celebrity with the people be damned.” He look at the orc with a mix of frustration and melancholy. He turned and walked back to his desk, sitting again, door to the cell left opened. He lifted the quill from his ink bottle and began on a new set of papers. “But it seems I am not to choose your fate today.“ The Sargent paid no mind to the opened cell or the potential escape of Wolfe. Through their run ins, the Orc, though unruly still seemed to have a sense of morality that impressed him. He signed whatever form he was working on and flipped the page, before adding. “Captain Rutherford should be here any moment.”
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2017, 07:07:25 PM »
Wolfe grunted at the Sargent's words. He didn't much appreciate the phrase the man had chosen, as he'd been called a 'Mongrel Dog' once too many times in his youth. Still, he didn't really care what the wearied man had to say. "Civility's overrated, kid." He grousted from his seat and rubbed at his jaw, making sure all of his teeth were still in the right place. He noticed the man get up, unlock the door, and then set a dish out for him. His stomach rumbled, even if it was just cheese and bread, but food was food.

Rising to his feet, he made his way over to pick up the plate. He nodded to the open cell door, then back to the Sarge. "Plausible deniability or the law been bad to you lately, Dev?" He munched on his cheese, not bothered by the idea of Rutherford on his way. Yeah, the man may work for Neverember, but he worked for Lady Tylmandra too. Wolfe figured he had a fifty-fifty shot of ending up alright afterward, or getting strung up by the neck.

"You've never tried to pick a fight with me, kid. Got no reason to wanna see you get hassled."
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 07:29:17 PM »

‘Kid.’ It irked the Sargent in the same manner being called dog had done to the orc, though the soldier’s response was similar. He had grown up the youngest of five children, two of his older brothers lost in the battles with the Spell plagued, another slain by the Luskan guild assaults. He had always longed to be a real soldier, but his skill with a sword was never equal or even near that of his brothers. A fact they often reminded him of, even in adulthood. So here he was, a jailer and secretary. A babysitter for derelicts, drunks, and miscreants. The two were perhaps more alike than either would admit, but he just scoffed.

“The law is all that has kept Neverwinter from burning to the ground. The plague, ose thrice damned spell plague beasts, the madness in the wake of Lady Tylmandra and Neverwinter’s power struggle. Thank Torm for the Regulators.” He tossed his quill back in the bottle and leaned back to watch the Orc eat. “Your concern for my well-being is touching, but please, run. Perhaps the Captain will have you strung up and we can all be done with this nonstop nonsense of throwing you in a cell again and again.” His lips curled just slightly, perhaps it was only a jest.

He sat there quietly for a moment, considering. “Word is Neverember recently lost a shipment of weapons on the High Road ….but you wouldn’t know anything to do with matters such as that, would you?”
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2017, 07:58:32 PM »
"Regulators." Wolfe scoffed. "Tylmandra and Neverember's friends. Big godsdamned heroes, but where are they now, eh?" The Half-Orc shook his head. "Don't get too locked up in your hero-worship, kid. Some problems you gotta take care of yourself." Wolfe finished the cheese and set the plate down on the cot, raising his bread in salute to his jailer who saw fit to free him rather than see him punished.

"Thanks for your hospitality. Good luck on finding your shipment." He meant the former but not the latter, and moved to walk out of the cell and the prison as he stuffed the roll into his mouth and began to gnaw on it. The roll was hard, but it was free, so in a lot of ways it fit Wolfe perfectly.

While he didn't run, he also didn't exactly take his time, and made his way to freedom and, if undeterred, the closest tavern.
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2017, 08:15:36 PM »

“See you tomorrow.” Davgeon shook his head before returning to his work as the Orc began to move briskly to the door. The mid-day light burned the Orc’s eyes as he exited the small guard post in the middle of the River district. As he rounded the corner, he nearly collided with a pair of Grey Cloaks, dressed identically to Sargent and all the others within the city. Behind them, he recognized Captain Rutherford, head of the Grey Cloaks and Flaming Fist. He walked casually, eating an apple, continually inspecting the fortifications around the city. The two guards had their swords drawn before he realized Wolfe was there.

He gave the orc a smile as he finished a bite and swallowed. “Men, that won’t be necessary, I am certain.” As the two sheathed their weapons, though maintained their grip on the blades, he continued. “Well met, Wolfe. If you are off for a drink, I need a few moments of your time, while you are mostly sober.” He motioned back into the building the Orc just emerged from.
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2017, 01:57:13 PM »
Wolfe had left his armor and his sword back in his apartment before he'd gone out drinking. Probably for the best, as the last time he'd taken the katana with him when he'd gone out drinking he'd made some loud fool lose a hand after the bastard had started a fight with him. Wolfe had no love for the Fist or Rutherford, even after their transition to be official soldiers of the city under Queen Tylmandra rather than Neverember's hired thugs. Being a Half-Orc, Wolfe was naturally a target for much of the discriminatory practices that Neverember issued. He'd almost been cast into the quarantine zone and been left with the Spellplagued or been forced to live down in the sewers with the other outcasts. It was only maybe Tylmandra's word and recent heroics that saved him from such a fate.

But Wolfe knew he had been pushing his luck as of late, and he was in no position to argue with a man that held the Queen's trust.

So, he just issued a grunt of affirmation and headed back inside at Rutherford's gesture, moving to get back into his cell in preparation for whatever it was that the Captain wanted to 'talk' to him about.
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2017, 04:26:01 PM »

The Captain followed Wolfe back into the outpost, the two guards remaining at the door. The Sergeant stood and gave him a firm salute. “Sir!” Rutherford returned it quickly. “Please give us a few minutes Dav.” The older man nodded and walked from the building, closing the door in his wake. As Rutherford turned back to Wolf he noticed the man headed for his cell. “I don’t believe that will be necessary. Come. Sit.” He leisurely leaned on the edge of a table in the corner of the room, motioning towards a chair several feet away, a warm smile on his face.

“It has been a while, my friend.” There was no mockery in his voice, only the pleasant tone he normally carried with everyone. “It seems you have deigned yourself to an existence of drinking, fighting, and sitting in a cell?” He raised an eyebrow before pushing off his knees and pacing away from the Orc. “A man of your skills and abilities could be doing so much good in this world. A world that desperately needs good men, such as yourself.”
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2017, 04:53:36 PM »
Wolfe grunted again, a sound like clearing his throat with a louder rumble at Rutherford stopping him from just settling into the cell. He turned, but only after a moment's hesitation as Rutherford nodded to the edge of his desk. The Half-Orc grunted again, softer, and moved to sit in the seat assigned to him but didn't look happy about it. "Being a drunk's honest work. And the sitting in a cell or fighting only happens when someone decides they'd like to tangle." He let out a huff of air and leaned back into his seat.

"Look." He growled the word out, annoyed at Rutherford's pitch. "That business between us; them old times, they're over. I'm not in the business of monster hunting any more. I'm no hero, and don't want to pretend that I am.

Go get your Regulators to go do whatever dirty work you're looking into. I've got no interest in being Neverember's fucking lackey."
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2017, 05:18:02 PM »

The Captain let out a soft laugh. “If I reported half the shit you were responsible for to Neverember, your head would have been on a spike years ago. Be that as it may, the Lord wouldn’t ask for your aid if he were drowning in the Sea of Swords and you were the last man with a rope.” He walked back over and took a seat at the end of the table. “If but we could. I image the regulators are off dealing with one nearly destroyed city after another. Neverwinter was but one of many cities left in chaos after the Spell Plague.”

He rubbed his chin, the few day old stubble was rough on his fingers. “Lady Tylmandra, believe you may be able to help us. You remember she seems to have a gift for recognizing the best in us, even when we do not." Beat. "After the Regulators departed, several forces returned to take advantage of the transition of our Queen into power. The newly settled village of Phandalin has been nearly usurped by a gang that calls themselves the “Red Ruffians” and there have been rumors of another, darker presence. Perhaps a remnant of the Regulator’s time here.”

He watched the orc, whose scowl had not seemed to lessen. “Both of these we hoped to resolve ourselves, but it seems more trouble befell us several months ago when an armaments shipment was hijacked.  Since then our forces to the south have been severely under armed and we have seen several other shipments preyed upon.” He paused, still looking for the old Wolfe, the man Rutherford remembered. With nothing left to lose he added. “Word around the River district is an Orc recently provided castle forged steel to many residents here.” His face hardened for a moment as he added. “But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
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Wolfe

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2017, 05:28:25 PM »
"If you reported half the shit you knew me to be capable of, Neverember would be shitting in his silky-soft bed." Wolfe grumbled as he leaned back in his seat, the headache that formed behind his eyes feeling stronger than just the mild hangover he was certain could come for him today. This garbage with Rutherford was even worse.

What Rutherford had to say after was less easy to grouse about. He personally had no real problem with the Regulators or the work they'd done. Tylmandra was a better choice than Neverember, crazy spellscar or no. She was more inclusive than the racist Open Lord of Waterdeep and she, along with the Regulators, had sealed the chasm -- no small feat. But he preferred a life of anonymity these days. His daughter was out there, and if Neverember got wind of her then he'd pursue all avenues necessary to use her against Wolfe, he was certain. And there were people besides Neverember (real problems, not annoying ones) that would possibly be attracted to the tale of a Half-Orc blademaster with a strange curved blade and bright orange eyes.

In his dreams, a shadow with flame for hair, and wicked long teeth formed into a grin...

But, while it was nice to hide out and drink, he tired of beating up mouthy guards and spending half of his time in a cell. Rutherford knew what buttons to push, the bastard, to get him inclined. The subtle threat about the weapons being stolen didn't bother him. People all around the city said as much, and it didn't matter if he confirmed or denied it. What was done was done.

He had already lost this fight.

A groan came out from him and he arced his head back. "Alright. Fine. But I better be decently compensated for saving your ass. I'll go down to Phandalin or whatever it's called and clean up the mess there." He lifted a hand and waved it, dismissively. "Am I good to leave, now?"
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Levinath

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Re: Intro: Wolf
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2017, 06:12:38 PM »

Rutherford crossed his arms and smiled. “Well, well, welcome to civilization, Blademaster.” He rose again and extended a hand, shaking the Orc’s firmly. “Yes I suppose you are free.” He paused for a second. “Free for one last night debauchery, but try to avoid another brawl get yourself so drunk you can’t stand. I would much prefer you come to the training area of the castle on your own, on the morrow.” He met Wolfe’s eyes. “Sending a runner to every outpost in the city to find you is very troublesome.”

He tossed a pouch of silver on the table. “An advancement I am sure you would like to use tonight. No amount of irony is lost that Neverember is unknowingly funding your drinking.” He chuckled for a moment and walked to the door before turning back. “Thank you Wolfe, I hope you find what you are searching for. Helm watch over you.” He walked out the door without another word.

Davgeon returned a moment later and went to his desk. "Free to go? How did you talk your way out of that one?" He sat down. "Get out of here, so I can finally get some work done." The Sargent went back to his papers, a picture perfect duplication of the moment the Orc rose in the cell.


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