"Common is the pickpocket who shall leave a bloody corpse to rot in the alleyways and gutters of the many cities of the Drakes. Less so are those who leave whole nations starving and ailing with little more than a silver tongue and sharp wit."— Dodge Riker Wildmark founder of the Northern Merchant Alliance of Free Cities
***
Fine wine and great dining. What more could one want? I can tell you. A Gods forsaken drink of water. Out of all this noble posh not one servant could bring me a glass, jug, or bucket of what a field hand could find in minutes. Normally I wouldn't mind one bit, but today I'm on the job and they wouldn't want me sloppy.
I sat at a long table full of rather uptight senior officers. All of them were boring company. As I sat there dying of thirst I examined the gold inlay on my cane. It read Colden Amarant in curved lettering. What a name, sadly it was not mine today.
I nodded to the company at my table and proceeded to wander down the great hall and past some more Officers. An older fellow grabbed my arm. His coat was decorated up and down with gold medals and buttons galore. He stuck his hand out in front of me. "I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before. I'm Admiral Percings Dellar Coleridge."
I loosely shook his hand and patted him on the back. "Coleridge! We've met at port in the New Drakes. It must have been New Oath! Don't you recall?"
He raised an eyebrow and placed a finger to his chin. "Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I remember you now. What was your ship's name again?"
I smiled. "The Elusive. We make our rounds about the Horn of Angels every Harvel."
His eyes lit up. "Yes, The Elusive. What a fine ship. I hope your crew has been well."
"Let's discuss the pleasantries later. Would you happen to know where one could find a bottle of water?"
"Water? I'm afraid not."
"You'd think that at a party of the Empire's Admiralty that water wouldn't be too far behind."
He frowned. "You're right. This is unacceptable. Follow me, we'll have a word with the Academy's servants about this."
"That's most kind of you, Admiral."
The Admiral bowed to his company and we both left the Grand Hall and walked down the hallway until we passed the coat closet. I ducked into the small room quickly. The Admiral's boots clicked against the stones as he waited in front of the room. "Is something wrong?"
I poked my head out of the door. "Yes, actually. I can't seem to find my hat. Could you help me?"
He nodded and walked in. "It would be my pleasure." I ducked behind the many fur coats and waited for the Admiral to walk by.
Tap. Four stones away. I grabbed my cane.
Tap. Two stones away. I squeezed it in the gloved palm of my hand.
Tap. One stone away. I lined the strike up.
Crack! The Admiral plummeted to the ground. I pulled him underneath the jackets and checked his pulse. Still breathing. Good.
I changed my clothes quickly and tied him up with the uniform I had commandeered earlier. It was quite apparent the Admiral was quite a bit shorter than me since the pants only went down to slightly below my calf. I tucked them into my boots and made my way down the hallway. Today's prize was far more important than a pair of pantaloons. As I made my way down the hallway a man approached me in an Officers attire and bowed. "Ah, Admiral, you must offer me the privilege of a dance later this afternoon."
I took his hand and planted a kiss on it. "Sorry, sir. Maybe another time. I'm quite busy." I continued down until I got to a large iron door with the words written upon it. Archaeological studies wing. I waited a moment for a servant to come by. A short stocky human man walked by. He could have been half dwarven by the looks of him, but I didn't have time to ask inappropriate questions about parentage. "Sir, I was wondering if Professor Durance was here. I'm an old friend and wished to speak to him about his work."
Their eyes widened. "Oh sorry, sir. The professor isn't at the dig site today. He is teaching his class of naval officers in the courtyard." Gods' Vengeance.
"I guess I shall go sit in on his lecture then."
"Would you like me to take you there?"
"After you then, sir."
We walked down the hallway and took a right until we got to a set of large wooden doors with iron rings upon them. "He should be right beyond this door."
I bowed to the servant who quickly went about his business. I opened the door to a sight painted in the Chronicles. A young one of about fifteen years of age toppled over onto me as fiendish cavaliers began swiping left and right throughout the expansive courtyard. As I dusted myself off I looked the young lad in the eyes and unholstered one of my flintlocks and shoved it in their chest. "Ya know how to use one of these, lad?"