[Day 3 - High Street Apartments - Apartment 602]

It's the third day of Autumn and things have been getting very interesting in town. A couple days ago the new Mayor, Melladonna Shive, had an inauguration parade headed by the Adventurer's Guild of Tarrow. During the parade a halfling of some sort attempted to assassinate her and failed, in his escape he set a float aflame which caused all sorts of damage and panic.

Following that it seems all the halflings in town matching the description of the assassin were taken in for questioning although nobody is sure if anything came of that since.

Add to that the war between Syn'Volnia and Farathon (two nations which currently use Tarrow as a trade port) increasing the tension for anyone with families on land.

Also, your mysterious death, yeah, that's probably the most interesting thing for you.

You woke up in Downtown Tarrow five days ago, the Oakdale sect to be precise, with no memory of who you were and a half dead man watching over you. He called himself 'Tek' and it was hard to believe what he said next.

He explained how you had been found by a zombie under his care and that you weren't precisely 'alive' anymore...in fact you were kind of 'dead'...but not fully. He called you a 'Revenant' and explained that he was one too. Someone between life and death brought back by the Raven Queen or another god for some purpose.

He's not sure what happened to you, judging by your wounds he suggests you were probably mugged. He says his zombie found you in The Industrial District while delivering papers.

You remembered your name, Shikassay, and that you were a Genasi in full life. You also remembered where you lived and with some help from Tek you got back to your apartment only half a dozen blocks away (You had been staying at a place called "Tek's Zombies for all occasions" which seems to hire out zombies for cheap, easy labour).

Upon arrival you found your apartment had been broken into and ransacked although you're not sure what was missing. Several news clips were scattered about the room and it seems you were deeply involved in a project of some sort. This is when you started to feel like maybe you weren't mugged.

Since then you've been investigating your death and your past life while laying low, attempting to look for a job of some sort. Tek showed you to a cleric of Pelor he sees on a weekly basis who treats the skin to prevent you from looking truly undead (although he can never get rid of the dark bags under your eyes, pity).

You've felt oddly connected to the happenings of late and you're not sure why.

Oh well, another day.

It feels like it's going to be a nice day as the breeze flits through your window. Not like yesterday which was nothing less than torrential downpour. Thankfully it seems your life self was well off enough to afford a decent apartment so none of the water leaked inside.

It's approximately 8am and you're on the sixth floor in apartment 602 (your apartment). You've had locks re-fitted to your door to make this place safe for the time being while you try to figure out where to go from here.

((Any OOC talk goes in brackets like this. I took some liberties based on our discussions, feel free to go from here.))

((Perfectly fine, this helps a bit))

Now that the sky is finally clear and water isn't pouring down fast enough to drown in, Shikassay thinks it's time to start that job hunt again. It's been a tough few weeks, but at least she had (apparently) prepaid the rent before her death, so she wasn't kicked out yet.

Of course, the job hunt would be going much easier if she could recall her previous job and the skills she used there. Or even if she was a little more aware of what she could do in undeath.

She heads to a place that jobs are occasionally posted to see if any new offers were posted.

((Err, should I do any rolls? Streetwise or perception or something?))

[Downtown Tarrow - City Hall - Job Office]

You prepare to head out, locking the door to your apartment behind you and head out to the closest job office. Most of the people in your building have already headed out to work this day making the venture downstairs a quiet one.

Outside it's unusually hot for an autumn day in Tarrow but it's still the beginning of the season. People move too and fro, heading about on their days errands. A zombie slouches by with a wagon full of papers as men and women of all races enter the law firm next door.

You head out on your way about three blocks to the job office, a government facility, which is based out of City Hall.

The office is plain, large office with many tables set up for people to work at and do research from. A job board lines the entirety of one of the walls while the opposite wall bears three large windows which let in plenty of natural light. A couple of government attendants busy themselves between patrons, helping those who need it.

Shikassay's been a regular in the job offices since she moved back to her apartment, and so heads directly to the Job board and looks it over thoroughly for jobs that she believes she could do well.

Mostly, she sticks to relatively simple and physical tasks, knowing that she's decently strong and seems nimble enough. Not wanting to miss too many opportunities, however, she goes over the board several times.

[Downtown Tarrow - City Hall - Job Office]

You approach the work board, passing a shaved dwarf who's muttering to himself about some sort of form he seems to be filling out. You look over what's posted today, filtering on your desired criteria and you find:

Shikassay eyes the three jobs. The stable one... She had know idea what she was like around animals, and horses were definitely not the animal to test that with. The Bodyguard job had some potential...but if she was honest with herself, she *wanted* that messenger job. It was only part-time to start with, but all that information she'd deliver... maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to hear about her death, to find some piece of information that she lacked.

She'd try for the messenger job first, and settle for the bodyguard job if that fell through.

((Remember way to local Messenger outpost. 1d20+5=18))

((Edit: And I completely forgot about the Home Sects getting an auto success on streetwise.))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

((Either way you made the roll, but yeah, although streetwise is a key skill for you, you're at home here and can find any address with ease))

You memorize the two jobs which interest you and head out to Messenger Outpost #15, allowing you a nice 30 minute walk to think about your plans for the day while you head there.

The streets are fairly bare now, with most people having reached their destinations and the beggars having returned below ground. Some are still on the go though, those that run delivery services or those who don't work the day shift are out. A couple of beggars, hopeful that those still on the road will give them some coin, remain as well.

You pass a news paper vendor as well who sells copies of the three latest papers as well as magazines to boot.

Finally, you know you're getting close when messengers, in their red vests, start dashing past you, some on foot while others on horses. You catch sight of the little outpost which looks like a small circular hut with a red feather on top.

There's no public entrance to the hut, going through doors wastes time. Instead there's a queue of standing at a counter which is opened directly to the street. This is mainly for customers though who wish to visit the office directly instead of flagging down the nearest messenger. A smaller counter with a single attendant is a couple paces off to the side where the messengers quickly approach and dash away from, tasks in hand. This looks like the place to apply.

((Assuming you're going to apply obviously))

You line up behind the messengers, it's kind of weird since you're the only one in line not wearing a red vest but the line moves a lot faster than the customer line. In fact, you manage to move to the front (5 people ahead) before the customer line clears 2 customers (and the customer line has two attendants at the counter.

"Hello there. Here for the job? Name?" a quick, prompt voice belonging to an older, professional looking dwarf man in a yellow vest. He's already scanning a meticulously organised workstation for a document for you.

Shikassay almost stops to buy the papers, but figures it might be easier (not to mention it would save what money she DOES have) to ask her neighbours if they still have a copy when she gets back. She might even get lucky and get one of each that way!

With that in mind, she quickly continues on. She looks at the two lines and lines up behind the five messengers.

She gets to the front of the line, and is struck by two quick questions. Shikassay replies just as quickly, "Yes. Shikassay."

((Sipex?))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

((Oh jeez, it didn't flag it as unread. Or it did and I unflagged it, not sure.))

"Prompt. That'll help." replies the dwarf handing you a form to fill out. "Stand aside and fill that in. Stick around for ten minutes after and I'll see if you make the trial cut for today."

The form is incredibly complex, they always are. You'll have quite the time filling this out.

((Give me a history, diplomacy, bluff or streetwise check to fill out the form. History means you know the form (possibly from past liviing experience), diplomacy means you understand the form, bluff means you fudge the form out and streetwise means you figure the form out one step at a time using common sense))

Shikassay sighs. This is going to be troublesome....

((With some common sense 1d20+5 = 14
And maybe some patience too 1d20+5 = 17
Rolled twice incase the first time wasn't high enough....))

She slogs through the form, greatly wishing she had memories of some kind to help her at all in this. Or even a better understanding of why it asks such odd questions. Just... something more than a meager amount of common sense, but she continues until she's fairly certain she filled it out completely.

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

You make a couple corrections on your second look through and get back in line to hand it in. The line is just as efficient and the dwarf greets you with a curt nod.

Taking your sheet he gives it a quick scan over with a thoughtful expression, he looks confused in a couple places (maybe you shouldn't have put that guess in).

"Right then, I'll have the administrator look through this and see what we can do. In the mean time, try these on, just in case." he request, handing you a small assortment of vests before dissapearing back into the post.

((Err, I'm assuming there was another half to that parenthetical phrase))

"Yes ma'am" Shikassay nods and takes the vests off to the side near where she had filled out the form and quickly tests them out to find the best fit as she waits for a response. There really were quite a few things that her lack of memories didn't help in the slightest about...

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

You find a vest which fits nicely, it doesn't hang loose (to catch the wind) and it isn't too tight. Almost immediately after putting it on a man approaches you.

"S'cuse me." he asks, tugging on your vest. "Can you run to Tek's? My zombie's arm fell off and I need him to come by for repairs today, don't accept no for an answer. In fact, if you could return with some ointment from a grocers to preserve him I'll include a bonus when you return." he asks handing you a gold piece along with a note.

He seems to think you're a messenger, what will you do?

Shikassay twitches in surprise. Then clears her throat. "I might have caused some confusion. I just barely applied here...." She eyed the gold and note though, thinking.

((Time to Tek's and Back 1d20+5 = 10
How to get to Tek's Place from here 1d20+5 = 14
I've got none of the luck. None of it.))

"I know the location of his place, but I'm not sure how quickly I can get there from here and whether I'd be able to get back in time to find out if I'm accepted. I've never run it, you see." Shikassay quickly thinks it through one last time

((Tek's and back, route and time 1d20+5 = 20
And suddenly I have all the luck! If she can get there and back in ten to twenty minutes by taking ten on Athletics and perception [to avoid running into things?] she'll do it. If she has time, she'll even get the ointment without haggling.))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

He's beginning to look impatient and you've wasted some extra time figuring out the time of the route.

You figure you could do it but you'll need to be fast. There's a short cut you can take which will shave off some time but it'll be...interesting.

On the plus side you'll be heading right through a general store, could probably pick up the ointment on your way through.

((Heading the direct route you need to make a DC 18 Athletics check to make it in time, DC 20 if you want to stop for ointment.

Heading the shortcut you don't need an athletics check but you'll need to head through a shop and across an overhang. I'll need a DC 17 Acrobatics check for that.

Your choice))

((Bah, I just don't want her to seem irresponsible. She *really* wants this job and is willing to wait around for the verdict no matter how long it takes... Bah, I'll roll both and then decide?
Running the Message. 1d20+9
Shortcut. 1d20+3 :o
Shortcut it is. :D ))

Shikassay takes the note and gold, and chooses the shortcut, normally she wouldn't risk the whole jumping around thing, having never been trained in how to land, but today she's feeling lucky.

[Downtown Tarrow - Parlour Variety]

((I'll let that slide this time since you're new to D&D but typically once you choose a roll your results are set in stone. Future cases you'll just have to choose whichever route feels like the better chance to you and go with it.

In addition, the options I present are not the ONLY options, they're just the obvious ones. If you have any creative ideas of your own I'll gladly hear them out.))

After a moment of indecision you speed off, taking a hard right going a route which normally wouldn't even pass Tek's...until you arrive at Parlour Variety, the general store you plan to cut through.

You enter and a balding man looks up from the counter as the bell attached to the door rings. Several shelves are lined with goods and the back room is wide open behind the counter revealing the route you need to go. It's fairly quiet in here right now.

"Hello there! Message for me?" the merchant asks.

((You don't need to make the acrobatics check again, that's done, but you can choose how you approach the situation of buying the ointment and using the secret route))

((Oh. :facepalmcombo: I'll keep that in mind for the future.))

"No, but I was requested to pick up some zombie preservation ointment on my way..." She glances around for the proper ointment if the clerk doesn't pull it out.

However the ointment gets to the counter, she doesn't waste time haggling. After she's bought it, confidently strides towards the exit she needs to complete the shortcut.

[Downtown Tarrow - Tek's Zombies for all occasions]

"Oh! Sure thing." he replies happily, heading out behind the counter and pulling an ointment off a nearby shelf before returning. He's not moving very slow but having to wait is starting to make you anxious.

It costs you 50 copper and the merchant quickly makes change.

You then proceed to head to the back room, behind you the merchant stares in disbelief then calls out as you head onto the balcony.

((Stop if you like, otherwise keep reading))

You balance your way across the overhang to the route you need to Tek's and dash down the street. A large, warehouse-like building with a small shop front with the sign "Tek's Zombies for all occasions" on it.

Upon entering it a man with thick black hair and bags under his eyes, Tek, looks up from his bookkeeping.

"Hey! Shikassy! How-" he starts, but pauses when he notices the vest. "Messenger eh? Alright then. What's the message?"

((On the route back, if you take the shortcut you'll need another acrobatics check))

"Sorry, it's just that this is the quickest route!" Shickassay calls back over her shoulder before heading on her way.

She sighs and hands him the note. "Guy who gave it to me was a bit pushy. I got to get back quick though. I was just trying on vests like I had been told after I handed in the application... Oh! If I get the job would you like to celebrate with me? Just a quick dinner?"

Celebrating would be nice, and Tek was really the only person she was familiar enough with to ask, so she figured she might as well get his answer before running back to the Messenger outpost.


((Running back the the Outpost. 1d20+9 = 26))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

((Because you rolled athletics I'm assuming you want to run the normal route in return))

"Sure thing! Gogogogo!" Tek urges, taking the letter from you.

Instead of taking the short cut back (possibly to avoid awkward questions from the merchant) you run, full tilt back across the city, taking the intended path. Thankfully the roads are fairly deserted at this time of day although you do pass another messenger who gives a quick wave while he dashes off wherever he's headed.

You arrive at the office, a bit winded. The gentleman who paid you seems to have gone.

"There you are!" the dwarf from the counter calls. "Get over here!"

Shikassay sighs at the lack of the man - she got the ointment and everything! Though it also looks like she didn't make it back in time either, judging by the dwarf calling her over. Prepping herself for bad news, Shikassay goes up the the counter.

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

Surprisingly the dwarf doesn't seem upset in any way, just hurried.

"Right right, quick, hand over the money. He's at a tannery two blocks in that direction." the dwarf instructs, pointing. "Said he'd give you your tip if you arrived with the ointment. Go, go!"

Shikassay resists basking in her relief and quickly hands over the money and rushes off to the tannery with the ointment. ((To the Tannery! 1d20+5=22)) She sprints to make sure she gets there before he leaves, not wanting to be ping-ponged across town chasing him down.

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

You rush to the tannery and something catches your eye, the man who hired you is standing outside in a blue vest, very similar to yours. He has a pocket watch out and is watching the time. Upon seeing you he waves you down.

"Very good!" he exclaims. "And you got the ointment too. A little over seventeen minutes, not a bad run at all. You were a bit hesitant though, you'll need to work on that. Best to choose a route and run, think on the go."

He looks at you and gives you a conspicuous grin.

"Come, you look winded. We'll walk back."

((Seventeen minutes? Wow. I'm now curious about just how far she ran))

Shikassay stops and nods, breathing heavily. "Should... Should have... known." She nods at his offer to walk back with her. "I wasn't sure if I'd be told when the trial would start, and I didn't want to step on any toes by not following procedure." Shikassay stretches as she walks, not wanting to stiffen up.

"And if that wasn't a test, I wouldn't have wanted to be late getting back for the real one. I'll keep that in mind though, for the future."

((Last post I'll be able to get in today. Got to go to work and there's no internet there))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

((Not a problem, I just post as often as I can. I only expect replies once a day, otherwise they're bonuses.))

"Careful, don't want to blow a lung or anything." he chuckles as you two walk back to the outpost. "You catch on fast though, I've had new recruits look at me like I was insane. One guy even attacked me once, crazy."

A moment of silence passes while you work on catching your breath.

"Oh, my name is Jeremy." he introduces himself, holding out a leather braced hand. He's a middle aged human male, dark black hair which is tied back. Mildly unshaven. Kind eyes. "Post number 15 administrator. I believe I owe you a tip by the way."

Jeremy hands you 2 silver.

"Yeah, we feel that while paperwork is nice and all it really doesn't let us know what your sense of direction is like or how fast you can run. Any scholar can fill out a form but they can't run for beans, trust me." he explains as you reach the post. "Still, gotta get it filled out, procedure and all that."

He leads you around back where a door with a sign reading 'Staff Only' is pinned up, he enters, expecting you to follow.

"Do you have any questions for me?" he asks as you enter the post. It's cramped in here, everything is in one big room. You see the dwarf handling his duties at the counter while two other servers speak to customers. A fourth woman, a gnome in a green vest, is running about, writing furious notes and moving money around. Jeremy offers you a seat by a table which looks like it's used for breaks.

((And reading Skree's thread made me understand where Tek's Zombies for All Occasions is better. Didn't realize there was one in Downtown as well as Oakdale.))

"Bah, Lungs." Shikassay waves, her hand dismissively, even though she really did need to breath (This annoyed her sometimes, mostly it only bothered her when it was attached to still needing to eat too. Food was expensive on the island.)

When he introduces himself she nods and shakes his hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you Jeremy. You likely read my name already, if you haven't though, it's Shikassay."

"Makes sense. Those papers are a bit... well complex to fill out." She follows him into the staff room, taking it in and sitting in the empty stool.

"Hmmmm, in light of my confusion earlier, I suppose I should ask if I should only pick up the deliveries from an outpost, or should I take any I'm approached with?" That was a good place to start, yeah.

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

"Good question." Jeremy comments, thinking about his answer. "As a full time messenger you would accept either, that said, you're local messages only so you should stop by the closest Outpost at all times to pick up your next stack of jobs."

Jeremy explains this, talking animatedly.

"We can't guarantee people won't ask you anyways so when someone does you take the information down, and run the letter to the nearest outpost if it's not a local delivery. We'll take care of it from there. If it is local you can feel free to do it yourself." he continues.

"Local messages are 2 silver, each sect the message has to pass into raises the price by an additional silver piece. If you're unsure, ask for clarification from the customer and just explain that you're new."

"Alright, that's easy enough to remember." Shikassay nods thoughtfully, thinking about what her next question should be.

"Alright, 'nother question, did you send me to Tek's 'cause I put 'revenant' as my race on the paper, or is it just standard procedure to send them there so you know what distance they ran? Or is it just that he gets a sack full of messages like that each day and it's best to make sure all your messengers know where his place is?" Shikassay was pretty sure she had seen messengers constantly going in and out of Tek's office while she was trying to remember things like where she lived and so on.

It made sense, people tended to put a lot of strain on the zombies they hire.

((Yeah))

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

((Thanks :S))

"I have no idea what your paper says." Jeremy replies honestly. "I barely read the things. Tek's is just a pretty obvious land mark at a fair distance away. I have a deal with him, so when he gets an envelope from me he knows what's happening and will play along. That said, yeah, he does make up a decent chunk of our business."

Jeremy leans back in his chair slightly, awaiting any further questions.

"Right. Um... I suppose the if there's any other difficulties Messengers commonly face I should know that.... Otherwise I might as well start." She shrugs, not knowing what else to ask and having fully recovered from her quick run.

[Downtown Tarrow - Messenger Outpost #15]

"Yeah, don't travel Low Tarrow if you can avoid it." he advises. "Thugs like messengers, tend to think we're weak."

He stands up heads to the Messenger's Counter where he sifts through a few hastily written letters before handing you three.

"You can start with this, if you don't get picked up for additional requests on the road then find the nearest outpost and get in line." he explains.

Looking at the envelopes your three requests are all Downtown Tarrow based:
- Sherbert and Sons Lawfirm, Mail Room, Postmaster
- Constable Station #2, Reception, Gary Whitelash
- Kingsley's Shoe Repair Clinic, Kingsley Morresson

"Ha! Maybe I should stop going to that cleric that makes me look more alive. Bet if I started looking a bit more 'dead' Muggers wouldn't be a problem." Shikassay jokes, hoping that since these ARE Downtown residents they'd know enough about the undead not to freak out about that. "Must be idiots though, you have to be fit to be running everywhere."

"Alright." She accepts the letters and tucks them into her vest and heads out Towards Sherbert & Sons first - She knows it's right next to her apartment. As she runs, she tries to figure out the best route to the other two stops, mouth moving as though she'd being talking herself if breathing properly wasn't so important. ((If you want me to roll streetwise)) Shikassay also wonders if she should stop by her apartment to pick up those clippings and bring them with her so she can read them on breaks.

She keeps her eyes peeled for anything like potential trouble, shortcuts, or anything exceptionally odd.

[Downtown Tarrow - High Street - Sherbert and Sons Lawfirm]

Jeremy says goodbye as you dash out of the outpost, letters in hand, and speed down to High Street and the office building next to your apartment.

You run across an alley you use to help cut off some extra time en-route and arrive at the office shortly afterwards. You don't see much of interest while you're running about, just the usual sights of the city.

The only thing which seems odd is a weird symbol drawn on the side of the Lawfirm as you approach. A city worker is scrubbing it diligently but is making no progress at all. A mildly jagged spiral symbol adorns the side of the law firm, drawn about half the size of a man. It's bright blue.

Inside the law firm you come a moderately large lobby with a few couches and a queue leading up to the receptionist's desk who seems very busy with a minor client who is very upset about something but is shouting in dwarvish so you can't really understand what could be so upsetting.

Lushious plants sit in the corners of the room and a woman sits on one of the couches nearby, reading a paper. Awards are also hung up in the lobby along with 'thank you' notes from prestigeous clients. A map of the building adorns a small section of the wall on the right.

Shikassay looks at the map to figure out were the mail room is. It'd be unseemly to interrupt the receptionist and the client.

That, and the letter does say to bring it the Postmaster in the mail room.

[Downtown Tarrow - High Street - Sherbert and Sons Lawfirm]

Deciding that waiting in the queue or interrupting the heated discussion at the front desk wouldn't be pertenant you refer to the map which shows the Mail Room is on this floor, through a door on your right and just down the hall.

Wasting no time (I'm guessing) and hearing no objection, you head through the door, across the thinly carpeted floor, and to your pre-disposed destination. When you get there, you find the door is clearly marked "Mail Room", it's white and doesn't bear any windows. A teenage boy exits from the room and a wave of chatter, clatter and noise floods the hall before the door swings closed piercing the noise with absolute quiet again.

"Well, this'll be interesting" Shikassay goes through the door and enters the mail room; she pauses inside the door to look for the postmaster. once she finds the right individual, she'll line up or approach as appropriate.