Calling All Adventurers: S2 E2 - Wanted Dead or Alive

S2 Episode 2: Wanted Dead or Alive

Intro & News

Calling all adventurers, I repeat, calling all adventurers.

Some news and a potential job attached to one of them today.

MERCHANT STILL STANDING IN SAME SPOT FOR 27 YEARS, CLAIMS BUSINESS IS “STEADY”

Residents of Stonebrook report that local trader Durnan Oakhalt has not moved from his roadside stall for 27 years. Despite somehow buying thousands of wolf pelts and iron daggers, he has maintained a fresh if not eclectic inventory of fish, bread, and hats.

A cornerstone of his town, Durnan claims he's not going anywhere, anytime soon.

BARON DIVERTS TAXES TO BUILD GRAND BALLROOM, TOWN ROAD STILL IN RUIN

The long-suffering citizens of Highmere are outraged after discovering Baron Edrick has allocated his fiefs' tax coffers toward constructing a glittering ballroom in his hilltop estate. The ballroom comes equipped with crystal chandeliers and imported marble. Meanwhile, the town’s main road remains a mire of mud and broken cobblestones, stranding carts and snapping carriage wheels.

This feels like an unjust use of taxpayers funds for personal gain. It sounds to me like the people of Highmere could use some help. If there are any adventurers who'd like to swing by and try to offer a hand to those in need, we'd all be most grateful.

That's that for now. I'm sure you're excited to get back into the story. I know I am.

Story Start

Valuin and I had just been approached by a man calling himself Harrington Mulbrand after our little adventure on the train. He had just surprised us both by claiming some responsibility for those very events. A bold claim, to be sure.

Harrington: "Did you hear me? I am sure to be responsible."

Val: "Are you turning yourself in?"

Harrington: "Not responsible in that way, I assure you. Shall we go for a spot of tea and I'll explain?"

Val: "An explanation would certainly do us all some benefit."

Val glanced at me.

Val: "Fancy a cuppa?"

Host: "Ooh, lovely!"

I stepped off the railing and followed Val and Harrington as they began moving through the train station.

I hadn't really looked around the station itself until then. It was designed akin to an enormous ornate glass birdcage. Iron beams climbed the walls, meeting high above us in a vaulted ceiling that vented engine smoke via sizable skylights. I felt sorry for any bird resting on the rooftop.

I felt odd for a moment. How doltish of me to think the streets of Maidenstone truly busy. They couldn't hold a candle to Solumm Grand Station. Thousands of people rushed past me in a hundred directions, many more sat at cafés, bookstores and waiting areas. Children chased each other around benches, nearly tripping over dogs and bumping into stuffy men with suitcases and newspapers.

It was truly an impossibly frustrating number of people. Every 10 steps I'd have to sidestep around someone not looking where they were going. I'd have to change direction instantly as someone suddenly stopped walking in front of me as though they'd been petrified mid step.

I thought I'd gotten used to it but the bigger the settlement, the less others seem to care about each other. This was a far cry in size from my village.

After a few minutes, we made it through and wound up at a small quiet coffee shop a street away from the station. I almost hadn't noticed it, tucked away amongst the veritable forest of iron struts, copper pipes, and dull brickwork that formed the city's streets. Lilly's Café was small, narrow to move in, and lightly coloured. A striking contrast from the street it occupied. We sat at the table farthest from the door, and I chose the seat with my back to the corner and a clear view of the entrance.

After ordering a pot of Elarian Breakfast Tea for the table, Harrington opened the small travel trunk he'd been carrying and retrieved several documents from it. He placed them on the table in a space between the saucers.

Harrington: "I shall attempt to keep things brief. My dear younger brother has gone missing. The guards have proven useless, which is odd."

I spooned too many sugars into my tea as Val picked up a fancy letter from atop the pile; typewritten on high-end stationary. It bore no monogram, but I could tell the parchment was likely expensive from a glance. I wondered if Val thought the same as she handed it to me. I wibbled it in my hand. The paper's grammage gave it away if the smooth finish didn't.

Host: "Odd? How is the guards not doing their job odd?"

Val: "Because that's a poor person's problem, and Lord Mulbrand here is anything but poor."

Harrington: "Just so. My estate owns the land on which Vigil's End is situated. We have money and influence, and it is most unusual to get stonewalled at every inquiry. Wealth buys opportunity, yet I have been afforded none in this endeavour. Safe to say it is a result I am not used to."

I handed the missive back to Val. She held it up and read its contents aloud.

Val: "Mr Colinsworth Mulbrand. We are delighted to inform you that you have been successful in your application for accountant at our firm. Please come to our head office at your earliest convenience."

Val flipped the letter to inspect the back.

Host: "Wait, that's all it says?"

Val: "Not very helpful, is it? Do you know anything more than this?"

She began searching through the other papers.

Harrington: "He boarded a train at Vigil's End station exactly 30 days ago and no one has seen him since."

Val: "I'm sorry for your current predicament, but how exactly does this relate to that nonsense on the train?"

Harrington gestured for Val to wait a moment as he found a piece of paper in the pile and handed it to her.

Val: "Lord Mulbrand. I have investigated on your behalf. This may come as a shock, but I suspect your brother was in league with some powerful yet unsavoury individuals. I respect your desire to see him returned safely, yet I must ask you not to visit Solumm. Your brother's activities may put your own life in danger. Leave the investigation to me, for I will see justice done. Yours respectfully, Councilman Lockridge."

Harrington: "I wrote the councilman back thanking him for his concern, but confirmed I would be visiting the city to investigate today. If my brother needs me, I'll find a way to get to him. Though, I suppose Lockridge was correct about the danger."

Host: "If you boarded at Vigils End. It lines up with COBALTs hijack attempt shortly after we left that station. They must be the unsavoury individuals he thinks your brother is in cahoots with."

Val: "What can you tell me about this Councilman?"

Harrington: "Lockridge? Well, I must confess that I don't know much about him. I know he rose to his position a few years ago. He campaigned on a staunch anti-COBALT platform and it won the votes of the public. He's been battling them with limited success ever since."

Host: "Do you know anything about COBALT? Has your brother ever mentioned them before?"

Harrington: "Now that truly is a blind spot for me. I only really know what I read in the papers. They're a terrorist group posing as freedom fighters who are active mostly in and around Solumm. To my knowledge, Colinsworth has never mentioned them before. I confess, I am struggling to believe he would defect to such a group. Colinsworth is a gentle man, through and through. He's a mathematical genius, more fond of puzzles than people, but he's never hurt a soul in his life. COBALT do not align with his values at all."

Val: "Well, we shouldn't rule anything out. Not even the idea that he either didn't know who he was dealing with or that he was outright framed."

Val shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I could tell the next order of business and I knew she hated bringing it up.

Val: "We are interested in helping you. However, you must understand our position-"

Harrington: "I'll pay you 150 gold pieces to find my brother and another 50 if you return him alive."

Val: (Thrilled) "Re-eaaally? Well, sounds like we have ourselves a deal."

Val reached out to grab Harrington's hand with vigour, as though she needed to catch his offer before he could retract it. He made no such effort.

I was a little stunned. If we brought Colinsworth in alive, it'd be 100 gold for each of us. That was more coin than my entire village made in a year.

I knocked back the rest of my tea, stood up and shook Harrington's hand.

Harrington: "I shall be staying at the Red Queen Hotel, keeping a low profile. Find me there if you have any updates. Please, make haste. My brother, he’s…he's all I have left."

With that, Harrington's gaze dropped downward at the thought of losing his brother. He nodded silently, placed a silver piece on the table, picked up his briefcase with the papers and left the building.

Valuin and I were left in the café alone.

Val: "What a morning."

Host: "Ey, it's been fun though. So, what's the plan?"

Val: "Right, well, what do we know?"

Host: "Pretty much nothing."

Val: "Yeah, it's not ideal. We don't know enough about COBALT. We don't know enough about the Mulbrand's. We don't even know that much about Solumm itself. Where do you think we could learn about them?"

Val already knew where to go, I sensed that the question was a test.

Host: "Erm. Maybeee public records? At the library."

Val: "A splendid idea. Let's go with that."

I didn't know how I felt about being tested that far into our journey, but I liked being right so I let it go. Val shot up from her chair, slung her bag over her shoulder and began marching out. I followed suit.

We moved through the city, following street signs toward the library.

Solumm was, frankly, unlike anything I'd seen before. It was sharp and uniform, while also grungy and dark. A collection of buildings and roads, packed so closely together it seemed to spite the people who lived there. This was not a place for people to gather in community. The smoke stacks towering over rundown houses made it clear that this was a place where business came first and its population came second.

I could see clear divisions throughout. Nearly tripping on cracked cobblestone, I looked around to see the disorder and disrepair the city harboured in its depths. I cast my gaze skyward. Spires of gilded stone rose from yonder districts, and from them squinted a different class of people enjoying a different quality of lifestyle.

In my experience, physicality matches sentiment. If you ever want to see who a settlement truly favours, you need only look at who lives above it. The wealthy must sit in top floor apartments in upper city districts just as kings must sit in castles atop the nearest hill. After all, vultures must soar higher than their prey.

As we walked further from Solumm Grand Station, we passed paupers aplenty drowning sorrows in taverns on every block. They sucked back swill between ragged coughs, draped in clothes stained by coal and bodies ravaged by soot.

If that profaned place was a beacon of industry and civilisation, then I didn't know what part I wanted in it.

If the people are the beating heart of a city, then that city was very unwell. 

Eventually, we passed into what I can easily describe as 'a nicer part of town.' A few streets in, we found the Solumm City Library.

It was huge, there must have been a copy of every book in the world in there. White stone steps lead up to alabaster pillars, and beyond them a large open doorway.

We moved inside and approached a young woman slumped over the front desk. The woman subtly snored with her head resting on a book.

Val: "Excuse me, could you-"

Val looked around before reaching over to gently nudge the woman.

Val: "Miss? Could you wake up? Urgh."

She took 3 steps to the left to address another woman with glasses and long brown hair who appeared to be going through returns.

Val: "Madam, could you direct us to the public records?"

The woman adjusted her glasses in surprise.

Librarian: "You…You can see me?"

Val: "Okay, never mind. We'll find them ourselves."

We spied wall signs leading us down a corridor, and followed them until we reached Public Records, tucked away in a large room to the back of the building.

The room had books, papers, and tomes lined up in ornate wooden shelves reaching halfway up the walls. Ladders connected railings to the bookshelves allowing easy access. The entire room was made up of a glossy walnut wood, red and gold runners lining the pathways between bookshelves, and ornate gaslight chandeliers hanging from the coffered ceiling. It seemed a delightfully comfortable place to get some reading in.

Val dropped her bag onto a table and hung her cloak off the top rail of a high-backed chair beside it. She checked her timepiece.

Val: "It is currently quarter to 4. Time to get to work."

Val turned as though she was going to grab some papers, but stopped. She placed a hand on her stomach and frowned.

Host: "Are you okay? Are you injured?"

Val: "Most grievously. When was the last time we ate anything?"

Host: (Sigh) "The sandwiches on the train, about 8 hours ago. Do you want me to grab something? Are we allowed to eat in here?"

Val: "Oh, lovely idea. Yes, there should be some food places around here. Grab me anything."

I placed my bag down, withdrew the health serum, took another swig and then returned it to the bag for safe keeping. The tingling sensation in my wounds was gentler this time. I figured I was nearly as well-recovered as I was going to get.

Turning on my heels, I walked out of the building on the hunt for some dinner.

Break

Speaking of food. For those listening, have you eaten today? Made sure you've had some water? If not, now's the time. I'll wait. In fact, I'll join you and make some tea.

Oh, heavens, I missed tea. I've only been back for a few years now and you'd be surprised by the things you miss. I was gone for quite some time, which is probably why a lot of listeners may not have even heard of me. I haven't been active on the scene for…an age. When I got back, I wasn't expecting to set up The Tower Array, but I'm glad I did. Oh, and for any of you who know where I've been the last century, don't spoil it for the others. I'll reveal it in due time.

Until then, keep enjoying the story and learning about how it all went down. I know some are questioning how reliable I am as a narrator. And that's good of you. You should always question that. I'm going to be as honest and transparent as I can. All the gritty details. All the mistakes. All the crimes. You're getting the lot. Everything I did to become what I am.

I guess all I can give is my word on it. I have no reason to lie. In my experience, people usually lie to avoid repercussion, and I have no such fear.

I hope you're excited to hear all I have to say.

Let's get back into it.

Story Resume

I walked around, unsure of where to actually go for food. This was an unfamiliar city, and there was no one I could ask as the streets had gotten uncharacteristically quiet. I saw a  sign pointing to the nearby high street and followed its direction.

The city was somewhat peaceful. The afternoon was darkening quickly as rainclouds began to form in the sky. Gaslight streetlamps flickered on in anticipation of a long night.

The spring air carried a chill that caused me to lift my collar and ball my hands into my pockets. I turned left down an alleyway and could see the high street at its far end. I was struggling to stay focused, something about all this was bothering me…or maybe it was something else? I couldn’t yet tell.

I was nearly halfway down the alleyway when I heard footsteps quickly approaching from behind. At first I thought it was Val, then it became clear it was two separate sets of footsteps and they were nearly upon me. I turned quickly, pulling my hands out of my coat. I realised I hadn't pulled them fast enough as a cloaked figure picked up a length of wood from a nearby rubbish heap and swung at me. It made contact with my chest and cracked down its length, but I barely moved. Their strike was good and it hurt, but it landed against muscle. It'd take more than that to be a serious issue for me at my strength.

In a flash, my hands went up. I snatched the wood from the figure's hand and threw it aside as he hopped back a few paces to put distance between us.

Host: "Now, that was silly, wasn't it?"

Cloaked Figure: "We're gonna kill you!"

Host: "Why would you want to do a thing like that?"

I asked, in earnest, but I don't think my tone conveyed it properly. If this was the first, second, or third band of wankers to try and take my life I may have been more surprised by their declaration of intention. My hand rested on the hilt of my sword.

Cloaked Figure: "Your interference. It won't go unpunished."

Enough. I closed the distance with a quick step, and open palm slapped the first figure. His limp body did half a cartwheel and his head crashed into the floor while his feet flung into the air so fast I thought his boots would come off.

Host: "Oops. Put a little bit too much into that."

Inspecting his now visible, quickly reddening face, I was entirely unsurprised to find that I recognised him despite his slack jaw and empty gaze.

It was the COBALT idiot I choked out first on the train.

Host: "Oh, wow. The guards fully just let you go with a warning, eh?"

The other figure stumbled backwards but his foot caught against the plank I'd discarded earlier. He tumbled, cracking his head against a water barrel, collapsed to the floor in a heap and stopped moving.

Host: (Laugh) "I'm really trying to take you boys seriously as an organisation but, I mean, come on. (sigh) Right, let's have a look then."

I squatted down and began digging through the pockets and pouches of the first guy.

Host: "Ooh, coins? Hmmm, consider yourself lucky I'm of a goodhearted inclination, Mr Cobalt. I shan't rob you, despite the trouble you've caused. Hmmm…what's this?"

I retrieved a piece of folded parchment from his inner cloak pocket and stood up. Opening it up, I was greeted with a printed sketch of another familiar face on the front.

Host: "Is-is that supposed to be me?!"

Under the words 'WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE' printed in bold at the top was a clear representation of my face. Unmistakably my face, in fact.

Host: "Actually, that's pretty good. Whoever your artist is, they know their stuff. (sigh) Artists should be treated better. Anyway."

Scanning further down the paper I saw my bounty.

Host: "500 Gold Pieces?! I might join COBALT at this rate. What in the world could justify this kind of bounty?"

It's not that I forgot I ruined their planned attack on  Solumm Grand Station, or that I hospitalised a few of their men, but it just hadn't seemed like a big deal to me in the moment.

It then occurred to me that it was a big deal to them. It was one of the first times I needed to reconcile that I'd been acting strangely since the Shallowlands.

Back in my village I had a reputation for being a little too relaxed in every environment, appearing to not take things seriously, cracking jokes and being dismissive. While on this journey with Valuin, I had been so cautious or nervous through it all that my cavalier attitude had been at the proverbial back of the carriage. Months into it, I had finally adjusted. Perhaps it was like being thrown in the deep part of a pond, forced to learn to swim in an environment that wasn't exactly holding my hand.

Factually, I knew that this was a very dangerous situation, just like dealing with any of the beasts I'd encountered thus far. I knew I needed to keep my wits about me if I wanted to continue my streak of success.

As I pondered that, something else crossed my mind. A thought that felt uncomfortable to confront. These COBALT boys were fools, but they were also happy to murder innocent folks. If I'd not pulled my punches, if I'd just killed them on the train then they'd never have been able to identify me.

I could have saved myself, and maybe some other people, some heartache by putting them down.

I snapped back to the present and continued reading the WANTED poster. They didn't have my name on it, likely because they didn't know it.

Host: "Blah, blah, blah. Payment for the capture of the man shown in this picture and his accomplice. Accomplice? They don't know her name or what she looks like."

My mind flashed back to Val covering her face with the newspaper before the fight. Very clever. I wished she'd clue me in more often before doing stuff like that.

Several long shadows cast down the alleyway. I looked up to see about 7 or 8 more COBALT members clad in their blue armour staring at me.

COBALT Agent: "Hey, there he is. Get him!"

Oh, shit. Time to go. I pocketed the paper and started running. I couldn't let them overwhelm me with numbers. I needed to notify Val somehow, but I couldn't be seen going inside to meet her.

I began making my way back to the library. Once I reached it, I ran around a few buildings in circles to try and lose my tail. With all their armour, they were having a hard time keeping up. However, every time I lost them, I'd nearly bump into another group who were clearly also on the hunt. There must have been 25 men out there looking for me. I'd have to leave the area, but I couldn't without notifying Val.

I managed to lose them for a few minutes, so I took my chance and slipped into the library via a side entrance. I found Val halfway through a record. She lit up at the sight of me before realising I had no food.

Val: "Out of breath? No food? (Sigh) What's going on?"

Host: "I've been made. Just got into a tussle."

Val: "I just don't understand. You stepped out for 15 minutes. Why are you like this?"

Host: "It's not my fault. The COBALT on the train made it out of custody somehow and he told his buddies, now they're on the hunt with some additional motivation."

Val: "Additional motivation?"

Host: "Here, look at this."

Val: "A bounty note? Clearly unofficial. Wanted. Hey, that's a really good impression of you. Da-da-da, what? 500 Gold?!"

Host: "That's what I'm saying!"

Val: "That's not ideal. That’s a life changing amount of money for a lot of people. No civilian in their right mind is turning down turning you over if they see you. You've got to hide somewhere."

Host: "Why don't we just leave the city?"

Val: "Your first time being hunted by a clandestine organisation, eh?"

My mind flashed back to Val's story on the train about escaping Irmidia. I relented to her greater experience.

Host: "Then what do we do?"

Val: "We find the source of the disease and we cut it out."

Host: "Lethally?"

Val: "If we have to. What? You think they're going to treat you gently?"

Host: "Alright. You've made your point. What should I do now?"

Val: "Well, if COBALT is after you then I need to continue my research here and try to learn something valuable. You need to start running. Make a fuss and draw them away from me. We'll meet by the clock tower in the lower district at midnight. Hopefully I'll have found something useful by then."

Host: "Okay, I guess that qualifies as a plan. I'll get out of here and find somewhere to hide."

Val: "It'll have to be somewhere good and be sure not to trust anyone, and stay away from crowded places. They'd turn you in for a fraction of this payout."

Before exiting the room, I stopped and turned back to Val.

Host: "Midnight."

Val: "Midnight. Just over 6 hours."

I gave a shallow nod and left via the front door.

There were three COBALT members out front in the small square before the library steps. I nearly ran right out into them but managed to catch myself and slink beside the doorway out of sight.

I needed to draw them away from Val.

Leaning against the wall in the most suspicious manner, I forced myself not to look at the librarian at the reception who was trying to figure out what I was doing. I let my mind sink into itself, awakening that part of me that I try to keep buried; my own innate skill.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I saw a robust wooden bench in the foyer not far from me.

Time to get inventive. First, get their attention.

[SFX whistle]

Peeking through the door, I saw that the whistle had worked. They began climbing the stairs.

[SFX Host dons mask]

Host: "It's party time."

I stepped forward, grabbing the arm of the bench. Then on the same foot, bounced back and to the side. I heard the chair creak as I dragged it round, swinging it into the doorway.

[SFX crash]

It had hit all three of them. Two were clutching at their chests, trying to recover and stand up, while one was still rolling down the stairs.

I waited a beat until one of them looked up to make sure he recognised me, and began running. I needed them to know who they were chasing despite the mask. Down the stairs, I made sure to kick the guy near the bottom before he got up, and kept going. Across the square, into an alleyway, and toward the lower district.

Down a road, emerging out from a road about 30 feet from guards.

Host: "Shit. The pigs."

Turned around, back down the alley, right over a garden wall, through the garden.

If the guards had released those Cobalt fools from custody despite the mountain of evidence, then they were in on it on some level. Couldn't let myself be cornered.

COBALT Agent: "I think I saw him around here somewhere! Keep searching!"

I turned down another alleyway and found a lone door near the end. I hoped it was unlocked and that I'd be able to hide in there.

[SFX door open]

Tessa: "Welcome to the Goblins Head, young man-"

Host: "Nope."

Tessa: "Well, how do you like that?"

[SFX door close]

Host: "Sorry lady, can't linger anywhere crowded."

I turned and kept moving. Another 5 minutes of directionless travel. I eventually made it down an alleyway that hooked left at the end. It was quiet and tucked out of the way.

Host: "I need to rest. I can't just run around for 6 hours. Just need to-"

COBALT Agent: "Hey, you! Don't move! Hands above your head."

From behind me. He must have seen me go down the alleyway. Damnit to hell. So much for being careful.

COBALT Agent: "I'll put you down if you don’t do as I say."

I raised my hands in compliance.

COBALT Agent: "Turn to face me! I need to look at your face."

I turned slowly. 

Cobalt member, inexperienced judging by his stance. 

He was about 20 feet from me.

I could make that work.

Session End

That's enough for today. I know this one's a bit shorter but it's for good reason; it's a nice stepping off point before things get really wild.

I actually think I still have a copy of that wanted poster up on the wall here. One of the new arrivals around the Tower asked me to sign one and let me keep her spare.

It makes me laugh every time I see it. If only those COBALT boys could see me now, eh? I wonder if they'd ever have even tried to get in my way. Well, lessons not learned with pain are oft forgotten.

Food for thought. In any case, it's time to wind down.

I hope you all have pleasant dreams.

Rest well and good hunting.

Credits

Calling all Adventurers is a production of The Tower Array, written and directed by Gray Smith. 

The Host is played by Gray Smith.

Valuin Emmaris is played by Ivy Smith.

Harrington Mulbrand is played by Carl Bonebright.

The Cloaked Figure and Intruder are played by Caleb Jensen.

Cobalt Agent is played by Daniel Huras.

With a guest appearance from Tessa of Inn Between, played by Hannah Wright.

You can find out more about the show at thetowerarray.com