[PM to Join] Kindling the Fire

[Aodh Elzo]

72nd Roalis 2720

After the Prohibition the bars and drinking dens of the Dives had closed or gone underground. Premises boarded up along the streets.

However under the streets in cellars and tunnels the drink still flowed, though no one sang and laughter was in short supply.

Firebrand paused and motioned for Egg to follow him as he walked through a heavy curtain spotted with mildew and streaked with dirt so to the casual observer it just looked like part of the grimy tunnel wall.

He passed down the short passageway beyond, then took a sharp left and there in the large vaulted room was the Whale, or rather the Whale in its current carnation. As he stood just inside the entrance waiting for Egg to come through.

"Well here we are lad, now let's see 'bout some recruiting."

His bright eyes and sharp face looked even more wolf-like in the low and smoky light of the large cellar, he scanned the faces and spotted who he was looking for. Off by the far wall a group of wicks crowded around a rough table, swigging from an assortment of battered tankards and mugs. Almost to himself he said.

"An' there's the kov an crew I'm lookin' for."

As they reached the table, a broad chested wick looked up from his mug, his scowling face was marred by old pox scars and framed by bristling black sideburns, his hair was short and just as bristly. He took in Aodh and then glanced at Tobias before nodded curtly and growled.

"Far'ye?"

The other wicks, around four in all and a mix of genders, though all had one thing in common, they looked capable and dangerous. Scarred, rough and hard eyed, they each greeted Firebrand in a mix of wary or cold nods or hand gestures. The burly dark hair wick continued in his rasping voice.

"Didn't reckon on seein' your pointy mug round here Aodh, and who's your wee friend?"

[Tobias Murdock]

72nd Roalis 2720

For the better part of a bell, Tobias had been chasing Firebrand's coattails. They whipped about in a stiff, chilling gale that gnawed at his fingers and made his eyes water. There wasn't a soul about at this hour, not in the parts they wandered through leastways. A fog creeped up from the riverbank, slithering and coiling around their feet like snakes.

Tobias had long lost track of where they were headed. The dark of night had a way of tricking the mind, and he was beginning to wonder if they'd gone off-track somewhere when Firebrand finally stopped before a slippery stairway that led down to a narrow door. They passed through it, entered into a tunnel of some kind, turned left then right, then left again past walls that seemed to murmur and through doors that hung askew in their hinges. Tobias stayed close to Firebrand, close to the protection of the tall wick who trusted him to take a part in this job. He could've been soundly asleep still, curled up and warm under heavy blankets, drifting on an ocean of dreams in the safety of Wisp's new hideout.

Instead he'd been fool enough to sacrifice all that safety and security for a job Firebrand had revealed very little about. Maybe the tall wick was afraid he'd run his mouth or worse, that he'd throw up again like last time. Whatever the plan was he prayed it didn't involve going through sewers or he would have an even harder time impressing the man.

At long last Firebrand stopped again. It was hard work keeping up with the tall man's brisk strides and Tobias's legs ached from all the walking they'd done. Some of his tiredness was expelled however when Firebrand pulled the wall aside, revealing the room beyond. Trying not to gawk, Tobias stepped into the little hidden sanctuary. A few lamps dangling from iron hooks revealed a host of shadowy figures, huddled around rickety tables and drinking watered down ale.

Trailing behind Firebrand, Tobias sensed a few calculating glances being thrown his way, assessing if he was alone, if his teeth could be pulled and made into a lucky charm and sold, or if his dear mother would pay a ransom for her missing son. Wicks were dangerous, tricky people at any rate, but the rathole Firebrand had led him into seemed to be crawling with the most cunning, savage sort. He rushed up to Firebrand's side, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and tried not to offend the wick with the dark sideburns by his slightness and tired expression.

"I'm Egg," he said feebly, knowing how profoundly silly that had to sound to the grizzled looking assembly. "I'm with Firebrand, sir."

He wished Wisp was here. She gave him confidence, made him feel brave and more like a hunter than a prey, but she wasn't here, and he was too tired to say anything else. He swallowed a lump in his throat and stared down at the floor, waiting for Firebrand to reveal the job at hand.

[Aodh Elzo]

72nd Roalis 2720

The dark bewhiskered wick regarded Egg, cooly for a time still scowling then he turned back to Firebrand.

In reaponse Firebrand gestured over towards the botched together bar, a non verbal call for another round and one for himself. As the tray, an old barrel lid, holding fresh vessels of dark beer, the cool atmosphere around the table eased a few degrees.

Firebrand sat on a stool and gestured for Egg to sit as well before he took a long pull from his tankard and then wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his old red brown duster coat.

"Egg is with me, and I'll vouch fer his grit."
His hard eyes sweeped the crew looking for a challenge or argument, when none came he lent forward and spoke in a low voice, so only those at the table could hear.

"There's been a change, ye chen Friendly?"

The pox scarred one, who went by Friendly, nodded slightly, yes he and his crew had heard about some kind of falling out in the Resistance. He scratched his darkly stubbled chin.

"Oes, we heard somethin' o'the like." His voice was hoarse with the trace of Old Rose Harbour to it.
"But, what's that ta us?"

After all, Friendly and his crew were not in the Resistance, they were crooks, thugs, housebreakers and muggers, yes, but not freedom fighters.

Firebrand paused then gave a hint of his wolf's grin. He knew this crew of old and had run with them for a time after he first came to the city.


"I know you hate the brigk and the rest o'them laoso jent who reckon the can lord it over us just coz they always have."

Firebrand watched Friendly and his crew, the tension hung thick in the dank smokey air of the tavern.

[Tobias Murdock]

72nd Roalis 2720

Friendly huffed. "That's cause when them moony tofs get in our wey it eats at the profit." He grinned in kind to Firebrand, baring his knackered teeth, the smell of ale heavy on his breath. "Hate them?" He shook his head, took a mighty swig from his tankard and wiped the foam from his lips with the back of his hand. "What would I do without 'em? Them's part o'da business, them's what I'd call our suppliers!" He let out a hearty laugh and was joined by the soft chuckling of his unsavory companions.

"If yer here for ta usual," Friendly said, leaning in across the rickety table. "I knows a nice lil place in uptown." His voice was low and raw, like he'd inhaled rather too much of the smoke that hung in the air. "All silver cutlery an' silver chandlers, an' gold too, oh aye."

Just when Tobias had relaxed a little (though he wasn't sure he trusted the contents of his tankard), the heavy gaze of Friendly fell on him, burning into his skin. He kneaded the fabric of his cap under the table and decided he'd rather take his chances with his drink than to meet the imposing man's gaze.

"But yer not 'ere fer te usual, are ye? An' yer not 'ere fer old time's sake either. So what is it then?" Friendly stared hard at Firebrand, his dark eyes reduced to mere slits in the semi-dark as he took the measure of his fellow crook. "A break-in? Need someone to be, what's the phrase, expired like? No...no... that ain't it" Friendly leaned back into his seat and scratched at his chin. He seemed to enjoy his little guessing game. "Hmmm... the boy's puttin' me off, why'd you bring 'im? Bringin' in lil' ones is always more trouble then they're worth an' that's if they don't run their mouths."

"I won't run my mouth, sir," Tobias piped up, sounding a great deal braver than he felt. Friendly's mere presence unnerved him, the way he leered at him made his skin crawl.

"Wontcha now?" Friendly arched a single eyebrow at Tobias while he sloshed his drink around in his mug. "You ever been locked up an' questioned like? You think you won't talk once they start prodding at yer mind, once they brings out a pair o' tweezers or the like, ya think a pup like ya is gonna last even five minutes?"

He laughed and leaned back in his seat. "Last I checked, eggs are fragile things. Easily cracked." The imposing man's stare returned to Firebrand again. "Grit or no, all I care for is pay an' not gettin' peached on by your pet. Think you can manage that?"

[Aodh Elzo]

72nd Roalis 2720

Firebrand took a long pull from his battered tankard and wipe his sleeve across his lips, he looked from Egg to Friendly, his eyes shadowed and he shook his head.

"Stow that shite talk kov, you ken as well as me that wit’ the brigk up in arms as they ain't no easy pickin’s, an' none worth getting your neck stretched. As for Egg here, well I reckon he’s got twice the nerve o’ and yer crew here. He ain't afraid to stand up, an' fight for what he knows is right."

Firebrand could see by the narrowing of Friendly's flinty eyes that he had struck a nerve, the surly wicks mouth twisted in anger. However Firebrand could see the hint of shame in his erstwhile comrade .

Time to fan the flames Firebrand thought.

"You know what I’m sayin’ is right.I know you’re all sick o’ this.”With a simple gesture Firebrand took in not only the squalor of this makeshift dive, but the state of the whole city. Before Friendly could answer Firebrand slammed his tankard down on the scared table, his voice a low growl harsh with anger.

"Vrunta! I know you lost fami in the Riots, that's gotta be hard, all those deaths an' for what? What's changed? Nothin' fo' the better that's sure."

Dark nods passed around the crew and Friendly spat on the rough flagstones, a black look on his haggard face and he seemed to sag. Firebrand lent in close once more, all trace of anger gone.

"What I'm offering is a chance, a chance to hit back. To make them hurt, give them a taste of their own justice. A chance to even the score."

[Tobias Murdock]

72nd Roalis 2720

Somehow Friendly's silence was even more terrifying to Tobias then to hear him speak. There were times Firebrand scared him too, when he got angry like he did, seemingly out of nowhere. But a quick scare like that couldn't hold a candle to the dark air that surrounded Friendly. He could scarcely imagine the kind of dark, brooding thoughts that lumbered around in the man's brain or the violent memories that Firebrand had made to resurface.

"So it's revenge then," Friendly grumbled after a long while, perhaps not entirely unsympathetic to the idea. He shook his head, muttered something incomprehensible under his breath, then shook his head once again. "You're mad as blazes."

One of the others at the table leaned forward, a woman in her letter thirties with flaxen hair and a dark tattoo snaking up her neck. "Aye I lost fami, an' so did he," she nodded curtly to the shadow of a man in a derby hat who let out a low grunt in acknowledgement. "We al did, an' we'll all lose more an' nothin' will change, vrunta! Ah, we'll all be stayin' over, or get the drop, that's what'll change an' then it'll all be back to normal. If yer so keen on offin' yerself, ye can do it without me." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back again, her face hard.

Friendly scratched his chin. The man with the derby hat remained silent like the grave. No amount of watered down liquor could lift the oppressive silence that hung over the table, threatening to smother the frail alliance before it had well and truly formed. Something had to be done.

"I think," Tobias started before clearing his throat. "I think we need more of a plan." In truth he had expected more of a plan, but he kept his judgements to himself in company like this.

"Freshie's right," the man in the hat said, his voice flat and hard like a skillet. His nose was permanently skewed to one side like it had been broken a few too many times. "What's our mark? An' more importantly, what's the tune of the jingle? Cause we ain't your pugs Firebrand, you'd do well to 'member that."

[Aodh Elzo]

72nd Roalis 2720

Firebrand’s face was set as he listened to the crew's griping, he'd heard the arguments countless times, hells at the start he'd made them. When Egg spoke up he turned his gaze to him and nodded slightly before a grin curled the corner of his mouth.


"Do ya think I'd come in here wit'out a plan? Naw, but I ain't about to spout that less we reach an accord, ye chen?"

Then he turned his eyes to Hatter, Firebrand and he had often been at odds over the years. Then his gaze moved to meet Spite's eyes and for a while they held each other's stare. Then Firebrand let out a sigh.


"Look, it ain't about payback or vengeance, it's more'n that. This is where it starts see, first they shut down the bars, but that won't be an end of it. How long till the brigk start comin in larger better armed patrols to the Dives? How long till it becomes a crime ta just be a wick on the wrong street. How long till they come for us?"

He looked from face to face, he could see his words were getting through.


"You think you'll be able to run a racket then? Do you think you'll be able to lift anything? If we don't step up, then ya may as well go to the nearest Seventen station house and hand yourself in now."

He stood and though his voice was still low, there was iron in it and his eyes burned with the light of his fierce conviction.

"I'm sick livin' at the jent's permission, I'm sick o' scuttling around in the dark like some clockin' rat. And I'm sick and tired of their boot on my bloody neck!"

He could see the first glimmer of light Friendly's flinty eyes.

"This city is a powder keg, and all it needs is a spark. I know you've all felt it too."

He lent his fist on the table and leaned in again.

"Aye I've a plan, and I need the best crew o' cunnin' bastards outside'd the Rose. If yer with me. We start tonight."

Firebrand stayed where he was, eyes once more roaming from face to face. His body tense and almost vibrating with energy, like a bow string at full draw as he awaited their answer.