Shackled City: Ruce Blackwind; Human; Urban Ranger 1: Journal Entry 1

What…
the hell…
is this?

Ruce stared at the building in front of him and for the first time that evening forgot about the bizarre companions he had met a few hours ago.

This… was NOT an orphanage. Couldn't be. Not unless it was one for the assassin guild. Not a pleasant thought, and also rather unlikely considering it was looked over by that St Cuthbert wench…

AHA! That explained it. This wasn't the hell hole scut factory, thieves den, or brothel-run slave box that society politely called an "orphanage." This was a home for rich church patrons to dump their bastards. Now THAT made sense. Because "this"? …

Bars on the windows, yes… Ruce's fingers started shaking and he  grabbed his ax reflexively. But this is a decent looking building - above ground -  with a roof, and a firkin YARD for doom's sake? A YARD?

Ruce snorted, and turned his attention back to his "cohorts." This may be the weirdest bunch he had ever melded into.

After a decade living on (or barely off) the streets, he had become pretty good at "joining" groups; showing up just as they "happened" to meet somewhere, and acting like he was supposed to be part of them all along. Keep your head down. Do what you're told (assuming anyone even talks to you) or do what everyone else is doing. Usually good for a few days of work when you needed money, or a few hours at a party when you wanted to spend it.

This group was different, though. It was the way they had all rushed to that cleric's aid at the same time: that was it. That's why he thought they had been together before now. But clearly… not so much.

Ruce had to fight to keep from laughing out loud now.

THIS group had no clue. A cavalier in clanking armor and WAY too eager to prove his holiness, scaring the crap out of random dwellers. A creepy old man with what seemed to be a giant python pet. The snake was actually intriguing in a strange way, but the old man might have spent a little too much time around it; they both had the soulless black stare thing going. There was a damned elf. With the magic school robes on no less.

Crap.

And then not one but two rather obvious lizardfolks. Or maybe not so obvious? Ruce couldn't decide if the one dressed all in black was trying to hide that he had a frikkin TAIL and scales…. or if he was playing ninja. And the other one. Hmmm! He'd never seen a dragon before except on the random tavern sign, but something about that last guy made Ruce think of those fabled beasts.

*SLAM*

Well the cavalier just got shot at by a vicious old halfling. Now SHE belonged in an orphanage. Ruce could definitely believe her as a terrorizing taskmaster for the kids. This was hilarious. The crusader wannabe seemed quite perplexed that people weren't deferring to his quests.

Quests… this group had been given a "quest" to find the "poor missing orphans." Wow, Ruce had wanted so bad to slap that righteous witch when she pretended sympathy for the only 4 orphans in the city who happened to have names. (or at least the only four with names SHE knew). This made a little more sense tho. If this was a house for the bastards of the upper class, then yes, the Cuthbert lady might be more concerned about keeping it from happening again.

But a 2500 gold reward? for FOUR orphans? Spawn of the rich or not, every kid in that orphanage COMBINED wouldn't see 2500 in their entire lives. Why would that church lady be so desperate that she would send THIS group to… to….

"Ahhh."

Ruce smiled. The group seemed to be splintering up in confusion for the night. Talk by the crusader of returning in the morning to continue his "quest."

Sure, Virginia,  why not? I'll come back. I'll try to find your son or daughter.