Chapter 3: Senic joins the Watch

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 “Yeah? What you want?”  The desk officer looked up from some papers.  Typical goblin- protruding lower fangs over thick lips from the undershot jaw.  Dark brown spikey and disheveled  hair. Narrow pointed ears. Flat nose with violet eyes and yellow sclera.  Darker brown-green skin around the eyes with a light green skin tone overall. Well muscled arms marked with scars protruding from the white dyed leather jerkin of the City Watch.

 

From across the desk the tall thin elf, languidly flicked  some papers at the Goblin. “My documents.  Sent to fill Guild obligation to the Watch.” The elf sighed and brushed a blonde lock from his fine pointy featured face with one finger. The pale white skin showing blue tones while also giving off a faint silvery moonlight glow.  His dandelion yellow shirt sharing the light reflected in startlingly bright green eyes.

 

“”Kay.  Wait over there.” The goblin pointed to a bench to the left, then turned and whistled, motioning to a female human also wearing the white leather armor and short cape of the Watch.  “ Fresh guild recruit.  Give these to the Captain!” he said to her as he passed over the papers. “Sir.”  she saluted and hurried deeper into the Watch station. 

The goblin gave a heavy lidded glace at the elf and returned to the items on his desk. Taking up a quill he dipped it quickly and then made an artfully prolonged scratching noise writing on a parchment, while ignoring the glowing elf on the bench.

The woman returned. Opening the gateway in the waist high rail separating the waiting from the work area. She motioned the elf in.  “Captain will see you now.”

The elf bent and rubbed at a spot on his red-brown polished shoes. He rose and brushed off his green trousers before following the human. 

“What guild ya from?” The woman asked as she led  him to the back wall where the door to the Captain’s office lay. 

The elf sighed. “What idiots!” he thought to himself.  “This.” he said tapping the emblem on his shoulder, the crossed sword and bow over the 6 pointed silver star.  

She glanced back and wrinkled her brow for a moment before smiling. “Oh! The Elf Guard...Glematorgon?”

Another sigh. “Yes, Order of Glematorgon.  I am Senic, Sergeant of the Order.”

The woman stopped at a closed door and knocked.  “New recruit from the Glematorgon, Captain!”

“Come in.” Growled a voice. Deep and throaty.

The human opened the door and gestured for Senic to enter. 

Nodding in the smallest recognition, he passed her and stepped into the small office. The first observation was the burnt dusty smell. The door closed behind him.  A cot to one side with blankets folded.  Small table beside that, Then a chair. Safe of iron with a stout lock.  Desk in front of safe with a bigger padded chair. Standing from the chair a short, heavily muscled felid-  Bahku - tawny fur, mane neatly sorted and braided with beads, dark brown but showing frosted white hairs, yellow brown eyes.  Measuring eyes. Uptick brow for a second. White linen shirt with white leather vest.

The Elf bowed.  “Captain. Sir.  Sergeant Senic reporting for Watch Duty, sir.”

Snort from the Bahku. “You’re busted to patrol watch for the first bit and promoted on advice from superiors.  I want to see how you do elf.”

A slow blink and no change of expression from the elf.  “Yes, sir.  I think all will find me in good order and capability.”

“Good, then that will be sorted out quickly.”

 

The first weeks were in the common bunks. Just another constable in the watch patrol. Learn the names of the hands and officers.  Walk the patrols and look for fire or signs of crime or other problems.  Investigate complaints. Arrest the thief, the brawlers, or the disorderly drunk. Check dueling permits and weapons tags. Boring routine. On one occasion some tentacled monster crawled out of the sewers and attacked people on the street.  Constables were called and rushed to the rescue. Senoic made a show of command and leading several in attacking the thing.  Another night saw them roused in the night to fight a fire, pulling down neighboring buildings if needed and using elemental magic and water pumped from water wagons to fight the flames.  

The next month the officers agreed he should be promoted to sergeant and oversee a Watch patrol of five other constables.  Now he had a small room rather than the common bunks. Write the reports for each night and present the cases to the Tribunes, or listen to the Tribunes presenting complaints and cases.

Blenum, I know you are skimming.”

“Oh, no sir. Not really. It is just the one time sir!”

“Bugbear shit and you know it. I know it.  I’m taking my cut. Make it 100 gold a week. I’ll see that everything is all tied up neat.  Understand?”

“Sir?”

“I’m your protector and patron Blenum. From now on.  Troubles? Talk to me.  Concerns? Talk to me. Clean hands types? I get them re-assigned. Understand now?”

“Sir!”

“Good.  Anyone I should be aware of?”

“No, I keep my Hand in order. I bounce the trouble.’

“Very good Officer!  You keep it that way.  Dark elf.  Ghenid, obvious. The Dwarf- another Unsealie. What about the humans?”

“ He’s good. And she is too.”

“She is?  REALLY?”

“Mostly. I know her buttons.  There the line is. We stay this side.”

“I don’t want anything out of line in my command Blenum. Nothing.  You understand me?”

“Sir!”

“The Unseelie are mine.  Send me your pet, that Ghenid.”

“It’s barely trained. Stupid Monster barbarian thinks this is all fancy city living.”

“ Send it.”

 

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Oct 27, 2023 16:41

All of the characters had well defined voices.   The description of the goblin was a bit dry. Just, here's what they are and that's it. Which you then did immediately after with the elf ( I really liked how you dressed the scene with the what kind of light was reflecting in the same stroke as the elf's eyes)   I want more details on the tentacle monster fight. Though I do like how little it got, showing Senic didn't really care too much.

Kriltch, arcanities not included.