The Hunt Begins [Dort Docks, Chyril 27th, TT]

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber had been intending to begin her work in finding and bringing to justice the various criminals in the shadier parts of Dort a few days earlier. But after the night she had spent with Eivlys and Caleb, she had ended up simply hanging around Eivlys' place and simply enjoying being with the both of them. And now, she realized, she'd wasted a considerable amount of time, and possibly some opportunities as well. It was not exactly the way she wanted to start her career as a bounty hunter.

So, after spending the morning with Eivlys and making sure she had everything she needed, she had gathered her gear - what little of it there was - and began the walk to the docks of Dort, where she'd been told that many of the criminals that were wanted liked to hang out. She'd been hesitant to leave the Swanmaiden during the day, when she was most vulnerable, but she reassured herself with the fact that Caleb and the other guards were still present, and would be more than adequate protection for her friend.

Now, as she left the mor civilized parts of the city behind and entered the rough and tumble world of the Docks, Amber realized she didn't know the first thing about finding a criminal without letting him or her know she was looking for them. She didn't really have a plan - something that a small corner of her mind told her was extremely dangerous - but she pushed the voice to the back of her head and continued on. If there was one thing she was good at, it was talking. People loved to talk to a cute, innocent-looking redhead, and Amber loved to talked back at them. She figured the best way to get information would be to talk to people in the area. Of course, she'd have to try to be discreet with her inquiries. She couldn't really just walk up to someone and ask them if they knew any criminals. What if they were a criminal themselves? But perhaps she could just start a friendly conversation with someone, and maybe figure out what types of crimes were the most prevalent. Then maybe she'd have a better idea of who to keep a look out for.

As she walked along, she started looking around, taking in the details of her surroundings, and looking for someone who looked like they wouldn't mind talking with her.

[Adanedhel]

As she neared the docks, Amber saw less and less personae on the streets, especially those who seemed in the mood to talk. The further she walked, the more city guards she saw. In cooperation with horses, mules and soldiers they were dragging large crates through the streets, not paying any attention to the girl.

It was only in the next street that she saw a soldier giving commands to a small band of city guards. They were using ropes to drag a mansized crate toward away from the harbor. It was only then that the brownhaired soldier looked towards her. "Hey miss! Do you have any urgent business here? Is there anything I can help you with mayhaps?" he asked her as he walked up to her. he wore a mail hauberk and a steel helmet was carried in his hands. On his hip hung an ornate longsword.

[Amber Kynterle]

As she walked and saw fewer and fewer people on the streets, Amber started to get a little disappointed. Weren't the docks supposed to be a crowded place, always busy with the trade and commerce that kept Dort alive? Something out of the ordinary must have been going on. And soon, she thought she started to see what that might have been.

There seemed to be a large number of the city guard about. Certainly criminals wouldn't want to hang around in the same places at the same times. But that in itself was not much of an explanation. Unless everyone who frequented the docks were criminals, there should have been a lot more folk about.

She looked up in surprise as one of the guards addressed her. "Um..." She hesitated, wondering how much she should say about what she was doing here. If she was honest and told him she was looking for information about lawbreakers, he could either be helpful, or he could get suspicious of her. She needed to first figure out what sort of person he might be: the helpful kind, or the suspicious kind.

She decided to ignore his question for the moment and pose one of her own. "What's going on around here?" she asked. "What's with all the crates and the guards?"

[Adanedhel]

He frowned for a flicker and smiled. "Why, lass, we be building barricades. We're assembling troops to roll up the criminals that are huddled together in the Knot. That's why it's bustling with soldiers and city guards here, miss. I be sure to watch your back if I were you. Wouldn't like to end up in a fight between Dort and that gang, if I were a lady." he said, taking a good look at her and shaking his head. "No miss, certainly not." he added and looked around.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, miss?" he asked, turning away for a moment to salute another walking around in the Dortenese military uniform.

None of the others around them seemed to bother enough to disturb them. A few could be seen throwing glances toward the soldier and Amber, but no more than that. They all kept to themselves and the various tasks they were carrying out.

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber hesitated for a moment at the guard's answer. She certainly hadn't expected it. It seemed that their goals and hers were currently the same, for whatever reason, though of course, theirs was on a much larger scale than hers had been. One thing was for certain, if she were to simply turn around and let the soldiers and guards have at it, there wouldn't be any action left for her, and this whole thing would have been a waste. She couldn't let that happen.

"Well first off, I'm not a lady," she answered, giving him a good look right back. "I've probably been in just as much fighting as you have. Maybe more. What you can help me with is telling me how I can get in on the action and help you bring these criminals in. That's what I came down here for in the first place. I figured I'd be working alone, but since it seems our goals are the same right now, I can help you out."

[Adanedhel]

The guard chuckled. "I'm not fooled that easily, ma'am. You sure look like a misses to me." he said, his hands before his chest, giving Amber a wink. "As far as you helping us goes... You should clear that with Kragen. He's in command of this venture. He shoulda never left us Sunfires, ya know. Don't understand why he wanted to go to the city guard. Useless, brainless junk that wanders around in their ranks. Anyway, I think that's him right there", and he pointed to a group of riders coming up on his right.

The group had six men clad in plated armor and tabards of the Sunfire Brigade over it. A determined look on their faces. In front of them were two other riders. One in a full plated armor, the other in a chainmail armor with a simple helmet. The armor of the first was yellow with gold and green, the colours of the sunfires. The second was wearing a tabard in a blue hue with the duke's coin on it, clearly a member of the city watch, albeit better armoured than usual.

They were speaking lively. Amber could see the watchman point his finger at the ground, looking furiously at the Sunfire, and raising his voice he said "THIS soil is Dorty City proper. YOU will listen to me lieutenant! Do NOT forget I've got more clout here AND with your commanders than you do! So get that lousy smile off your face and command your men like you should! YOU are the ones who go in first. NO doubt about that. Understood, SIR?". He said the last word slowly, and it was clear he spelled it c-u-r instead.

He then rode away from the group, toward the Amber and the soldier. The soldier, flushed after what he had heard the watchman do, jumped to attention and saluted. The rider saluted him too and greeted Amber. "I've seen enough soldier, resume your duty. I'll handle this here." he said agitated and turned his attention to Amber. After dismounting he took off his glove and offered his hand to Amber. "Kragen, captain of the Watch. Is there anything we can do for you, miss ... ?" he asked, a soft smile on his face. Even in his armor the man was tall and thin with broad shoulders. His hair dark and closely cut.

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber scowled at the soldier's poor joke, but she'd seen much worse in her time. She looked in the direction that he pointed, and felt her eyes widen a bit when she saw the riders approaching. Of course, having lived in Dort all her life, she'd seen the city guard and the Sunfires before, but she was a farm girl, and hadn't often come to the city when she was still living on her parents' farm. Such sights had been rare.

She winced as she heard the tirade being delivered, and suddenly wondered if this was a good idea. She didn't like shouting, though the stars knew that she certainly did plenty of it when she lost her own temper. But still, the level of animosity she detected in the man's voice was almost tangible.

So it was with some surprise that she greeted his civil words in return. She took his hand and offered a shy smile, trying to find her tongue again. He was quite handsome, she thought...

"Amber," she managed to reply finally. "You can call me Amber. I was just telling the fellow I was just with that I'm out and about looking for work. Specifically, I was hoping to use my skills in an attempt to help clean up this part of town from all the criminals and gang members that are said to be about. I didn't realize that you had a major effort underway to do just that. But perhaps I could be of assistance in some way. Please don't let the fact that I'm a girl decieve you," she hurried to add. "I saw quite a bit of action during the war with the Clans in Islay and the subsequent fight against the demoness there, and I can more than take care of myself. I'd be indebted to you if you let me help you in some way."

[Adanedhel]

Holding the reins of his horse he held a hand up towards Amber and excused himself for a moment. "Soldier," he said to the Sunfire, "please take my horse to the warehouse for some water and food." The soldier nodded "yes, sir." and took the reins, leading the horse away from them.

The commander then turned back to Amber. "Well, Amber, I could use any help there is, however it's a bit hard to discern friends from foes when you fight with us in your normal clothing. If you don't object to wearing a tabard that's recognizeable to us, I'll make sure you get to join in on the fun. I can give you pay for the time you serve with us, but I hate to admit I can not give you what the posters are saying." he said and shrugged. "Aside from that, is there anything I can do for you, Amber?"

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber considered his offer for a moment. She didn't really want to wear a tabard that would make her as easily discernible to the criminals as it would to her allies, however, neither did she want to get killed by mistake by one of the soldiers. And she wasn't really concerned about the pay; she was looking for the excitement right now.

Her considerations only took the briefest of seconds. "Okay, I'll wear the tabard," she said. "And don't worry about the money, I'll take whatever you can give me. Other than that, just tell me where to go. Do you want me look for anyone in particular? Am I working with anyone in particular? Or should I just go out and see what kind of trouble I can stir up?"

[Adanedhel]

A smile krept over Kragens face. "I'd not go out and about in a tabard walking all alone while the Knot will soon be swarmed by tabards. It'll get you killed instantly probably. Go find Löch, you'll recognise him by his black chainmail with a golden eagle on it. You'll be in his unit for tonight. Shift is starting at midnight if I recall correctly. Tell him you are to be in his unit on command of Kragen." the former Sunfire said.

"Anything else I can do for you, Amber?" he asked.

[hr][/hr]

OOC: to speed things a bit up I continue here from the point you arrive at the harbormasters office.

As Amber arrived in the throng of guards and soldiers that were huddled around the harbormaster's office, the man was told to be Löch made his way out. He was wearing a fine piece of black chainmail with a golden eagle, as Kragen had said. He was just over six feet tall and carried both a sword and an axe at his sides, both looked like they had seen their fair share of battle. The bald head was adorned with green and blue painted patterns of the likes that could be seen now and then on the bodies of travelling clansmen. The piercing green eyes and the distinctive jawline set the features of an aggressive warrior.

He pushed people aside, merely scowling at them if they reacted to it. The pace in which he trot was high and his steps were big. If none knew better, he could've been a gnomish tinkeration in a human body.

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber listened to the instructions that Kragen gave her carefully. Although she was eager to begin her work, she didn't want to start things out by messing up, or - worst of all - by getting killed. That wasn't exactly the kind of legacy she wanted to leave behind. "Thanks," she told Kragen, forgetting to address him by any sort of rank or title. Now that her excitement was in full swing, her farmgirl origins had come to the forefront again, and she'd forgotten everything she'd learned about addressing those in uniform. "I think that will do."

Without further word, she turned and headed for the harbormaster's office.

--------

She didn't have to wait long to catch sight of the man called Loch. He was easily distinguishable from everyone else around him. She watched him wade through the gathered people for a moment, then hurried to intercept them, wary of being pushed aside herself.

"Hiya sir," she chimed, not really knowing how else to start a conversation with a fellow like this. "Kragen told me I was supposed to be with your unit tonight. Um... what do you want me to do?"

[Adanedhel]

Löch stopped midstep for a moment before continuing his stride. "Walk with me." he said curtly. He looked around for a moment then set off towards one of the warehouses. "Kragen told you to report to me? Good, I could use some flesh. My groups been thinned in Hafne as of late." he said and looked Amber up and down. "Well, you seem like you'll do fine. I've had much worse than you. Go catch some sleep, check your armour and your weapons. Report in front of K-9 at a quarter of a mark to midnight. I'll run the basics past you and have the guys say hello." he continued and, without looking at her he asked "Any questions so far?".

As their conversation was finished, he said "I'll see you just before midnight then. Good evening." and strode into a warehouse the entry of which was blocked by two stout dwarven soldiers.

[Amber Kynterle]

Amber continued to match paces with Loch, heeling him like an excited puppy. The similarities didn't bother her in the least. "Nope, no questions so far," she chimed. "I'll see you at a quarter mark till midnight."

She stopped short of the guards and let him go, staring after him thoughtfully for a minute. His group had been thinned... she hoped that wasn't because he had a knack for getting his people killed. She shrugged. There was one way to find out.

She wasn't in the least bit tired, and she didn't have any armor, and she knew her weapons were good to go, so she decided to wander about until the appointed time.

(OOC: Amber will now be joining the thread "And the Nether Came With Her" with Bernice Potts, per Adanadhel's instructions.)

[Morg]

Skilled