Commissioned art for Nor. Artist: @greseadraws on Instagram
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
The One Where Everything Changed
Mylera Klev is dead, butchered in the streets with other high-ranking Red Sashes by Baz and the other Lampblacks. The war is over. The war has just started. After parading Mylera's broken body through the district and declaring his intention to take control over Crow's Foot from Lyssa and the other Crows, the Lampblacks go on a murderous spree. Any remaining Red Sashes are hunted down and killed. Turf is taken. Scores are settled.
The Bluecoats withdraw their support from the Crows. Now that the battle lines are drawn they pull back, sealing off the bridges so that this terrible night of revenge and murder doesn't spill out into the rest of Duskvol. It's a long night. One with grim implications...and opportunities.
When the crew returns to their lair they find a servant girl from the Red Sashes protecting several children. She needs help escaping the district and she's willing to pay. The crew decides to help and in return they'll pick up two pieces of turf, a vice den called A Hole in the World and an ancient gate that allows them safe passage through the Deathlands which lies at the top of the Old Clock Tower.
The crew splits up, with Nor and Aitrus managing the crazed spirits of the Clock Tower to evacuate the remaining Sashes through the spirit doors contained within. Kali and Twelves sneak their way through Baz's marauders to the Hole in the World where they transport the remaining Sashes in a death cart across the district.
By the end of the night the Sashes are gone and the crew's influence has spread. But what awaits them in the future, where winner takes all in the battle for the heart of the district?
The Bluecoats withdraw their support from the Crows. Now that the battle lines are drawn they pull back, sealing off the bridges so that this terrible night of revenge and murder doesn't spill out into the rest of Duskvol. It's a long night. One with grim implications...and opportunities.
When the crew returns to their lair they find a servant girl from the Red Sashes protecting several children. She needs help escaping the district and she's willing to pay. The crew decides to help and in return they'll pick up two pieces of turf, a vice den called A Hole in the World and an ancient gate that allows them safe passage through the Deathlands which lies at the top of the Old Clock Tower.
The crew splits up, with Nor and Aitrus managing the crazed spirits of the Clock Tower to evacuate the remaining Sashes through the spirit doors contained within. Kali and Twelves sneak their way through Baz's marauders to the Hole in the World where they transport the remaining Sashes in a death cart across the district.
By the end of the night the Sashes are gone and the crew's influence has spread. But what awaits them in the future, where winner takes all in the battle for the heart of the district?
Monday, March 9, 2020
The One That Got Us to Thirteen
The first time the crew met with Baz at the Lampblack's hideout, it was quiet and dark. The long, lonely warehouses piled with coal no longer useful in Duskvol were empty of people and light. The crew met Baz looking out over all that emptiness, in the dark, and took a job offer to deliver a little box. And that little box kicked off what's turned out to be a very successful war for the Lampblacks.
Now the crew is back. Aldo and Aitrus move through the crowds of crews and citizens, merchants and thugs. Goods are moving through the warehouses for the first time in decades, all lit by lanterns just like the old days. The crew meet Baz up on the walkway like before, and just like before, he offers them a job.
Someone's been killing birds in Tangletown.
Crows, to be specific. He wants that person dealt with. Doesn't matter how. Tangletown is neutral ground. He can't make a move there himself, but his associate - who he doesn't name - is having problems with someone killing his birds. Find this person, get him out of the picture, and name your price.
The crew have something in mind. A cherry piece of turf they've had their eye on but had little luck getting. A speak-easy and the corner store above it.
"Done," Baz tells him. "You do this, it's yours."
Aldo leads the pair down to the Docks where a "friend" is holding court. Grace is an extortionist who, to be clever and rhyming, is also a bit of a contortionist. They find her in the middle of winning a bet of body twisting, proving she can do things that even the sailors of the Void Sea haven't seen before. Flush from her winning, feeling the glow of all the fresh money, she only has her man break one of Aldo's fingers. He still owes her money, after all.
The man they're looking for is an hound named Basker. Old soldier from the war. Came home, tried to work in government, be respectable, but it didn't take. Tried working with crews, but the last job went sideways. Two in jail, the rest dead. Basker took the hint and went to drown his woes in Tangletown.
Leaving the bar with one less working digit, the pair try something else. Aitrus has an idea that Kota might know something. Before getting high up with the Bluecoats, he did work in the army. Maybe he knows Basker. Also, he might not owe them a favour, but he might not be annoyed to see them. Turns out Aitrus was right. Kota not only knows the old man, but used to serve under him. Captain Miles Basker. Led long ranging scouting missions in the deadlands. A deadly hound who could take down an enemy Whisper or a stray ghost a mile away. Made his own ammunition.
Not interested in civilian life, though, but Kota always has a door open for him if the old man wants to come in from out of the cold.
"Can we pass along your name?"
"Of course."
"Anything else? Something to let him know it's actually you."
The old soldier's eyes go distant. "When they die, the soul sinks, not drops." He focuses back on the pair. "He'll know what it means."
Grace told them that Basker makes his home in a bar called the Oprey. That name is the remaining letters left on the side of the hull that was one of the first to beach in the river. No one knows what the rest of the letters spell out or where the ship comes from. In the tipped over hold of the Oprey there's a bar that serves all sorts. There's gambling, a little pit fighting.
"We'll go in," Aldo says, "And we'll wait for him to come to us."
It doesn't happen quite like that.
Instead, within seconds Aitrus is restrained by a giant tattooed man and Aldo is shoved down against the bar, a pistol jammed in his face. He barely manages to get the code phrase out seconds before the old man is about to shoot him.
So they talk.
Basker got a taste for the supernatural during the war. He likes it. Needs it. The hunt, yeah, but more than that, the ghosts. Being a cop, sure, that's one part, but he needs the other. He respects Kota's offer but he knows it won't take. His crew fell out from under him and now no one will take him.
"What's with the crows?" Aitrus asks.
"Saw the same thing during the war. Whispers or Demons, they divide parts of themselves. Send them looking."
"It's the Crowfather."
"He has a name," the old man says. "That's helpful."
"You're going to leave him alone."
"Or else, what? I'm dead?"
"Yeah, basically."
"From nine-fingers over there," he says, pointing at Aldo.
"Nine WORKING fingers," Aldo points back.
They didn't walk in thinking they would offer this, but it comes out anyway.
"What if you come work with us?" Aitrus asks.
"Your crew?"
"Yeah. We deal with spooky shit all the time." Aldo says.
"How many are you."
"Ten," Aldo says.
"Eleven," Aitrus corrects.
Aldo snaps his fingers. "The ghost girl, right. You would make twelve."
"Thirteen," Basker says, pointing at his mute compatriot.
"What's his name?" Aitrus asks.
"Noise," Basker says.
"Of course it is. You bring him, I'm guessing?"
The old man smiles. He's missing some teeth. "You know it."
Later, when he's looking over the crumbling watchtower, Basker isn't so sure. Then he sees the ghost girl, the occult signs, and it only takes a look at the river where the Hungry Mother sleeps her eternal rest and he sighs. "Yeah, this'll probably do. We're not going to live here, but we'll be nearby. We'll come when you call."
Sometime even later, Aldo pays off his debt to Grace.
Now the crew is back. Aldo and Aitrus move through the crowds of crews and citizens, merchants and thugs. Goods are moving through the warehouses for the first time in decades, all lit by lanterns just like the old days. The crew meet Baz up on the walkway like before, and just like before, he offers them a job.
Someone's been killing birds in Tangletown.
Crows, to be specific. He wants that person dealt with. Doesn't matter how. Tangletown is neutral ground. He can't make a move there himself, but his associate - who he doesn't name - is having problems with someone killing his birds. Find this person, get him out of the picture, and name your price.
The crew have something in mind. A cherry piece of turf they've had their eye on but had little luck getting. A speak-easy and the corner store above it.
"Done," Baz tells him. "You do this, it's yours."
Aldo leads the pair down to the Docks where a "friend" is holding court. Grace is an extortionist who, to be clever and rhyming, is also a bit of a contortionist. They find her in the middle of winning a bet of body twisting, proving she can do things that even the sailors of the Void Sea haven't seen before. Flush from her winning, feeling the glow of all the fresh money, she only has her man break one of Aldo's fingers. He still owes her money, after all.
The man they're looking for is an hound named Basker. Old soldier from the war. Came home, tried to work in government, be respectable, but it didn't take. Tried working with crews, but the last job went sideways. Two in jail, the rest dead. Basker took the hint and went to drown his woes in Tangletown.
Leaving the bar with one less working digit, the pair try something else. Aitrus has an idea that Kota might know something. Before getting high up with the Bluecoats, he did work in the army. Maybe he knows Basker. Also, he might not owe them a favour, but he might not be annoyed to see them. Turns out Aitrus was right. Kota not only knows the old man, but used to serve under him. Captain Miles Basker. Led long ranging scouting missions in the deadlands. A deadly hound who could take down an enemy Whisper or a stray ghost a mile away. Made his own ammunition.
Not interested in civilian life, though, but Kota always has a door open for him if the old man wants to come in from out of the cold.
"Can we pass along your name?"
"Of course."
"Anything else? Something to let him know it's actually you."
The old soldier's eyes go distant. "When they die, the soul sinks, not drops." He focuses back on the pair. "He'll know what it means."
Grace told them that Basker makes his home in a bar called the Oprey. That name is the remaining letters left on the side of the hull that was one of the first to beach in the river. No one knows what the rest of the letters spell out or where the ship comes from. In the tipped over hold of the Oprey there's a bar that serves all sorts. There's gambling, a little pit fighting.
"We'll go in," Aldo says, "And we'll wait for him to come to us."
It doesn't happen quite like that.
Instead, within seconds Aitrus is restrained by a giant tattooed man and Aldo is shoved down against the bar, a pistol jammed in his face. He barely manages to get the code phrase out seconds before the old man is about to shoot him.
So they talk.
Basker got a taste for the supernatural during the war. He likes it. Needs it. The hunt, yeah, but more than that, the ghosts. Being a cop, sure, that's one part, but he needs the other. He respects Kota's offer but he knows it won't take. His crew fell out from under him and now no one will take him.
"What's with the crows?" Aitrus asks.
"Saw the same thing during the war. Whispers or Demons, they divide parts of themselves. Send them looking."
"It's the Crowfather."
"He has a name," the old man says. "That's helpful."
"You're going to leave him alone."
"Or else, what? I'm dead?"
"Yeah, basically."
"From nine-fingers over there," he says, pointing at Aldo.
"Nine WORKING fingers," Aldo points back.
They didn't walk in thinking they would offer this, but it comes out anyway.
"What if you come work with us?" Aitrus asks.
"Your crew?"
"Yeah. We deal with spooky shit all the time." Aldo says.
"How many are you."
"Ten," Aldo says.
"Eleven," Aitrus corrects.
Aldo snaps his fingers. "The ghost girl, right. You would make twelve."
"Thirteen," Basker says, pointing at his mute compatriot.
"What's his name?" Aitrus asks.
"Noise," Basker says.
"Of course it is. You bring him, I'm guessing?"
The old man smiles. He's missing some teeth. "You know it."
Later, when he's looking over the crumbling watchtower, Basker isn't so sure. Then he sees the ghost girl, the occult signs, and it only takes a look at the river where the Hungry Mother sleeps her eternal rest and he sighs. "Yeah, this'll probably do. We're not going to live here, but we'll be nearby. We'll come when you call."
Sometime even later, Aldo pays off his debt to Grace.
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