The Lost Children (Ricky)

[Sebastian Stalinsa]

"I wasn't trying to kill him, look listen to us for a tick." He argued as the lead officer ordered the trouble makers to be placed in cells tell they could be questions. "God dammit man! Listen to me!" He roared as both he and Ricky were pulled from the scene. "These men are slavers! We followed them to their base. They have children! Do you hear me! Zeltivan children!" He dug in his heels and wrenched his right arm free from the startled guard. There was no way he was going to allow those bastards to get away, not when they were so close. And were was Ricky? Why wasn't the man backing him up? He careened his head and for a second caught sight of a the lifeless disheveled Odis upon the ground and Ricky's bleak empty expression before Sebastian was grabbed again and forced to the ground. "Wait a moment." The tired officer ordered with a raise of his hand. "Let the man speak." "Hey sir?" Another wave guard piped up. A fairly young man by the sound of his voice. "That ship's captain we were just talking to is taking off." Sebastian spit out a mouthful of dirt as the guard pulled him back up to his knees. He couldn't see what ship the boy was talking about but, he had a good guess. "The slaver's ship is the Belia, they've got three kids on board, three more stashed somewhere in the city. That man can show us where." He nodded to the guy passed out next to him. "We got two kids out, Danny and Lina. Sent them for reinforcements." "We already checked the ship." The slow nasal quality of the officer's statement made it sound almost like a whine. "From head to toe." "Then you didn't look hard enough." Sebastian growled furious by this man's lack of initiative. "What are you? Wave Guard or dock surfs pissing in the wind? Go do your god dam job and keep this city safe by catching those mother petching bastards!" His roar made the officer, a mild plan looking man, take a step back with wide eyes. "He right." Spoke the women. "It doesn't matter whether we've checked the ship a hundred times. A claim like this can't be ignored." She had long wiry black hair tinged with white that was pulled back in a tight bun. Her face was strong, serious and careworn around the eyes which made her look much older then she actually was. Everything about her was sharp and to the point in a no-nonsense sort of way and her uniform was well taken care of if perhaps one size to large. The torchlight and fogy shadows distorted her figure in an unsettling way but Sebastian didn't care. At this moment she was the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. "Captain with your permission I'd like to take these three for questioning and holding, while the rest of you round up enough men to stop that ship." The officer straightened at this, and a bit of light sparked back into his eyes as if he'd just been wakened from a half sleep. "Out of the question Elza. I'm not leaving you alone with these felons." "Fine then leave Jobb and the rest of you get going." She complied nodding to the man holding Sebastian and hefting with some effort the unconscious man. Ricky was allowed to collect the body of his noble friend before they were lead away towards the Wave Guard head quarters. The five pasted a group of grim faced sailors following two children and Lina waved as they hurried by. Rick and the pirate were put in two different holding cells and Sebastian soon followed after Elza expertly tended his wound. They would find out the next day that Belia had escaped into the open ocean likely never to be seen in Zeltiva again. Their alibi was supported by Danny and Lina as well as the captured pirate and the remaining three children where soon discovered hidden away within the cellar of another abandoned building. No one could explain the strange events that had lead Ricky, Sebastian, and Odis to their timely discovery, or why such screams hadn't attracted the Wave Guard. An astute fellow who was part of the investigation said it must have been a ghost, likely that of the small girl they found dead and decayed in a cage down a side tunnel. Ricky and Sebastian were released once their story had been confirmed, both congratulated on their bravery and dedication as well as firmly told in the future such discovery should be taken to the Guard immediately. A few days later after the kids had been returned home Sebastian visited the orphanage to check up on Lina. She gifted him with a small, strange cube she'd found within the slaver tunnels claiming it would bring him luck.

[Echelon]

Adventurer's Loot A Gift Experience is its own reward. Seb's Loot : Sebastian Stalinsa Skill XP Reward Observation +4XP Socialization +2XP Interrogation +2XP Running +2XP Tracking +1XP Intimidation +4XP Rhetoric +2XP Logic +2XP Tactics +3XP Stealth +3XP Brawling +4XP Unarmed Combat +1XP Philosophy +5XP Weaponry: Cutlass +2XP Acrobatics +2XP Anthropology +1XP Body Building +1XP Subterfuge +1XP Investigation +3XP Leadership +1XP Lore: Shadow of The Zeltivan Docks Witnessing Zeltivan Reconstruction Sanctuary For The Castaway Wayfarer: Zeltivan Kelp Bar Bonesnapper's Ominous Approach The Most Casual of Introductions Forever Offering The Benefit of Doubt A Foreboding Sense Agonized Call of A Helpless Damsel Syliran Empathy: Disgusted Outrage Oaths Against The Loathful Overcoming Fear With Purpose Unraveling The Mystery Witnessing The Depraved Logic Over Emotions Rolling With The Punches Improvisation In Combat Uncovering Zeltivan Secrets Forsake Honor For Vengeance Seductive Pleasure of Violence Moral Dilemma In Combat: To Kill or Not To Kill The Moral Weight of Rage The Voice of A Friend Versus The Voice of Vengeance Exposure To The Ghostly The Weight of Innocent Blood Berserk: When Logic Dictates Defeat Stop Thinking Effortless Sociopathology Maintaining A Carefree Demeanor In The Bowels of Despair Tempting Greedy Men With Bait of Children Witnessing The Brutal Loss of Youth Asking Questions Of Zeltiva No One Wanted Asked Witnessing Murder In A Flash of Once Innocent Eyes Odis: Death In Service of Zeltiva Outrage At The Inactive And Incompetent The Dirty Taste of Bitter Success Rick Maze: True Hero Items or Consequences: Nightmares Of Blood On His Hands, Rocking In A Boat Upon A Sea of Blood, and Being Killed by Slavers As a Small Child, Sometimes Female. Scar, Left Arm. Laceration +1 Strange Cube +18 SP Notes: XP Whore. Seriously beautiful, and bonus for well composed prose. Rick's Loot : Ricko Maze Skill XP Reward Interrogation +1XP Logic +1XP Intimidation +1XP Socialization +2XP Animal Husbandry +2XP Observation +1XP Tactics +4XP Stealth +2XP Acrobatics +1XP Unarmed Combat +2XP Philosophy +2XP Body Building +3XP Brawling +2XP Cutlass +2XP Subterfuge +1XP Investigation +3XP Lore: Zeltivan Reconstruction A Foreboding Sense Agonized Call of A Helpless Damsel Witnessing True Dread Bond of Proud Men - Good Men Oaths Against The Loathful Witnessing The Depraved Berserk: Take The Damage And Return It Ten Fold Learning From Past Mistakes Uncovering Dangerous Secrets Sebastian: Warm Flame to Searing Wild Fire Teamwork: Moral Compass Faith In The Wave Guard No Sword Knows Loyalty Ever The Vigilant Recruiter Exposure To The Deceased Respecting The Senses of The Wild Courage In Numbers Live For Only Luck And Discovering The Depths of Human Emotion: Hatred Maintaining A Carefree Demeanor In Trial Desperate Times Call For Idiotic Pleasures Using Children And Men's Desire's As Bait Sensation Of Suspended Sanity The Loss Of Companionship Odis: Death In Service of Zeltiva Growing Older - Growing Colder The Salty Taste of Success And Sorrow Sebastian Stalinsa: True Hero Items or Consequences: +1 Scar, left forearm. Laceration -1 Dog +18 SP Notes: I believe you know that in several places you over played your combat prowess. I docked some XP for, play to your skill in the future. (This was amazing you two, exactly what I like to see in Zeltiva. Riveting action backed by heart tugging philosophical discussions. If you ever want to approach this topic again I would be glad to help lead a story to give Rick and Sebastian an opportunity to confront those responsible for this heinous ordeal.) - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, please PM me.