[ CLOSED ] The Buck Stops Here

[sulahnan]

WHO: Athessa, Bastien, Byerly, Colin, Deimos, Flint, Raas, Thranduil, Yseult
WHAT: Revenge for past trauma reveals a sinister plot
WHEN: The Month of Guardian (aka now)
WHERE: The Gallows and Hightown, Kirkwall in general
NOTES: CW: This plot deals with sexual assault, revenge, and murder. Mostly the aftermath of the assault, no graphic descriptions that I can foresee, but be cautious. Opting out and hand-waving is fine.

By and large, the beginning of the month of Guardian in Kirkwall is unremarkable. Business as usual, even with the ever increasing cost of sugar, coffee, and tea. But for the inhabitants of Lowtown, it comes with signs that their waking nightmares persist.

For the past few months of winter, Lowtown locals have been whispering about a rash of murders and disappearances among the Alienages. Deaths previously attributed to exposure to the harsh winter weather are rumored to be far more insidious; some have claimed that they noticed wounds on the bodies as they were being disposed of, but any attempts to bring this information to the City Guard have been met with indifference or empty platitudes.

Less widely noted, and harder to attach to a pattern, are the instances of working girls being hired to entertain at private functions and coming back...different. Or not at all. To the average person, it’s barely even news, but to anyone who spends time in the brothels and listens to the chatter within, it’s clear that these are not isolated incidents, nor are they without concern.

While the alleged murders in Lowtown have no clear culprit and thus are blamed on anyone from random strangers to demons and Crows, the goings-on at the brothels go hand-in-hand with mention of one name in particular: Devigny.

Comments

[sulahnan]

Still, [ She shows her palms, empty of answers. The point still stands. ] we're accomplices. Earned or not, we're not exactly anyone's first choice when it comes to discretion.

[keenly]

Friends, [he corrects her.] And I have plenty of discretion. I just don't care about it when a life's at stake. That's their job, not mine.

[A beat, and he sighs through his nose.]

Which, I guess, is what they're doing.

[sulahnan]

So we give them a few minutes to do their job, and if they take too long...maybe we can get the girl out and make it look like she escaped on her own.

[keenly]

[It hurts to do it, but she's right. He finds a spot to sit, but only stays in it for a few seconds before standing up and pacing again.

He doesn't want to do this anymore. He wants to pass this off to someone who is more competent and less upset. He's not built for this, he's not a hero. But if such a person came and made that exact offer, could he sit by and wait for news?

With nothing else to do and no other idea for what might make it feel better, he walks over to Athessa and opens his arms to embrace her.]

[sulahnan]

[ The hug she gives him is brief; a comforting squeeze, or as comforting as she can muster, but she's almost at capacity for physical contact already. ]

[keenly]

Remember we're at least going to save the next one.

[sulahnan]

There's not going to be a next one.

[ Maybe if she says it enough, it'll come true. ]

[keenly]

That's exactly what I mean.