Completed A Bird at the Bakers

[Adriana Sparrow]

As she watched Taris from across the way, she wished she knew exactly what he was planning to do. She felt a bit uneasy with not having a fully established plan. When she was by herself, she usually just scoped out a reasonably safe pick, but as a team - she was unsure. The potential was massive, and there was a good possibility they would eat well tonight. She thought of the blood coming back to Bae's cheeks, and prayed -- to know God in particular -- that this would, just please, work.

Suddenly Taris was on the move. He walked casually to a stall near the cheese one. good thought, she mused, now he would seem to be simply browsing. Obviously the petty jewelry stand he was peering at wasn't of much use to them. It took a few moments until he casually slid up next to the cheese stall, and she did not agree to his nod at her. Don't make any reason for suspicion, she though angrily.

Taris went immediately to the guard at the stall, Sparrow felt her heart seize in her chest, adrenaline began pumping as her nervousness broke through. She tensted, one hand grasping her empty stachel, ready to run to the stand, holding it up so it did not get in the way of her movement.

She saw what looked like Taris yelling something at the guard. But she was too far at this point in the busy market to hear.It didn't matter to her anyway, as long as it was successful in distracting him.

After a few long moments the merchant stepped into the argument. This was her chance, with one quick breath, she snuck, as quietly as she could to the back of the stand, relatively slowly, sticking to the shadows as much as possible. She did not know how long she had, but it could only be a second.

As she approached the cart she stopped paying any attention to the the guard or merchant or even Taris. Her focus was not solely on the food before her and stuffing as much of it into her sack as humanly possible. If anyone was alerted of her presence she was sure she would hear a yell, and that would be her cue to run.

She had hoped it was a flat topped cart, then she could simply take her arm and slide it across the stall, dropping everything into her sack and massive amounts. Unfortunately it appears to have a raised edge to it, which meant she needed to use her hand to pick things up and place them in her sack. This would take much longer, and she scowled.

Quickly, while also still attempting to be somewhat quiet, thankful the market was somewhat loud. she grabbed a handful of cheese wedges, and stuffed them into her satchel, with her other hand holding it open and ready to receive. She went for eggs as well, anything her hand touched first went in. She wanted to be careful with the eggs, and while she wasn't throwing them in, she knew it was a possibility that some might break and be wasted. She was sorry for that, no one would get a use out of them then.

Her hand touched a cheese block, and she raised it, about to take it when she heard a yell. Her head snapped up at speed and she locked eyes with the guard who was staring right at her, a scary face plastered on. Petch, she thought, and dropped the block, turning to run before Taris had the chance to spit out his warning.

She thought it was stupid for him to align himself with her. It was possible he could have simply walked away from that incident, and no one would have connected the dots. Well, it was his funeral then, if they we caught.

She didn't know about Taris, but she knew about herself, Adriana was well versed on the layout of the city, especially this section of it. She knew the best hiding places and the quickest turns, she was not too worried about outrunning the man.

She was worried about Taris following her. While on the surface it was fine, but if he lagged and gave away her movements at all, they both could be screwed. He had caught up to her just then, but she did not hear what he yelled at her, her mind was solely on survival.

As she ran she took as many turns as possible, hoping to lose him in a maze. Then, she took a deeper look at her location, thought for a moment, slowing just a tiny bit, then speed back up, her breath ragged in her lungs. She would have to stop soon before she passed out. She did not eat enough to merit this kind of exercise. Thankfully she knew a dead end nearby, one that looked empty if looked down, but she knew at the very end there was a narrow indent, an alley that she could slip through an doubt the other side of the long length of building. Only someone who knew the streets like she did would know of this, and she prayed the guard did not.

She figured if he was following one of them, it would be her, as she had all the merchandise. She never looked back, though, she just kept running. Soon she hit the dead end, and slipping into the alley, slowing her speed and praying she was safe.

[Taris Orlanith]

The guard ran after Taris. “Get back here!” he yelled. “You little— Get out of the way!”

Taris glanced over his shoulder. He had run directly into a small crowd of people taking up the entire street. There had been gap. Taris had slipped through. The gap had closed.

Taris raised his face to the sky and laughed. He felt like the wicked villain from a children’s story, cackling at his great, wicked plan. How fortunate was he to have found that crowd, and the holes between all the people through which he could slip? It couldn’t have gone better if he had planned it.

However, he knew he wasn’t safe. Not yet. The crowd hadn’t been enough to stop the guard, but it had sure slowed his pursuit. He looked back again. The man was through the crowd now and was running after Taris again. The weight of his armor and weapons would keep him from going full speed, but his longer legs ate up the ground faster than Taris’ own. Yet, Taris’ shorter stature gave him advantages too. Like that gap in the crowd. The guard couldn’t have slipped between all those people even if the gap still been there after Taris passed between them. It just hadn’t been large enough for anyone bigger than Taris.

The boy dove to the right at the next intersection. The first stall on his left held apples and pears and other round things. Taris skidded to a halt. The woman behind the stall widened her eyes as Taris wrapped his arm around as many of the fruits as he could and swept them off her table and into the street. Then he was gone, running down the street.

He was halfway to the end of the row when he heard a man scream in surprise behind him. He glanced back again. The guard had fallen flat on his butt. The fruit merchant was shouting, the guard swore. Others were beginning to gather to see what the problem was. Taris punched the air triumphantly. “Yes!”

He darted to the left at the next intersection, then right, then left. He kept weaving, turning left more and more until he was heading in a generally southward direction. At one point, he thought he saw Sparrow, or perhaps it was just another boy with a sack slung over his shoulder. Either way, Taris turned in the opposite direction at the next intersection he came to.

He took so many turns because he knew, despite having dropped the guard on his butt, the man could still be after him. Or the cheese and egg merchant that he and Sparrow had stolen from. Taris doubted the merchant would follow them; that’s what he had a guard for, after all. But there was still the possibility that one of them, or even someone else, would catch up and nab him.

At last, as he felt himself growing tired, he slowed to a walk. He turned in a full circle, then did it again just to make sure. He didn’t see anyone following him. No one was watching him either. In fact, no one was paying him any more attention than they normally would.

Alright, he told himself, time to get to the Pig’s Foot.

He hoped Sparrow remembered where they had agreed to go. He had just met the boy, so splitting up wasn't the best plan, but short of having a third person who could catch the boy as soon as they had been discovered, he really hadn't had another option.

Trying not to get his hopes up too far, Taris couldn't help thinking about the cheese and eggs Sparrow had been able to snatch. He licked his lips. Had the eggs made it? He hoped so. He really really hoped.

[Adriana Sparrow]

She walked around the city for a bit, going down random alleys and turns, just to triple check no one was following her, watching her. Once she felt safe enough she gathered her bearings and thought for a moment. She had whatever was in her bag, and Taris, well he had nothing. She was one the one who grabbed the food off the stall, and she wasn't being caught right now. Maybe she should just go home, share her food with Bae and not think about it again.

However, she felt bad. She tried to think about what was best for her and in the small picture, it would be to go home and forget Taris ever existed. However, that would be unfair to the boy who had helped her so much. Without his distractions she never would have been able to pull off this kind of heist.

As she thought more she thought about how she wanted to live. Yes she was a thief and preyed on the public, but she didn't always want to be this way. She only did it to survive, she didn't want to hurt people. And, she thought, maybe if she befriended Taris they could do something like this again. Yes, maybe right now her load would be split in half, but it also opened the possibilities of more occasions like this. Even now, half of this load was more than she and Bae had ever had at one time. They actually wouldn't be hungry for a good few days. Possibly even a week, depending on the survival of the eggs.

She liked to think this was the reason that made her mind, rather it was more likely her morality got the best of her. She headed in the direction of the Pigs Foot Tavern. The place was a solid distance away from the site of theft, and so it was rare the guard or merchant would be able to see her here. Even so, she walked carefully, and watched those around her. She would not feel completely safe from them for a few days, when she was sure her face would blend along with the rest of the homeless children crowd, unable to be picked apart.

Once she arrived she turned a corner to the tavern. She did not simply want to lounge outside the main entrance. But she also wanted Taris to be able to find her once he arrived. As she got on scene she made a circle, to make sure the boy had not beat her here, but it appeared he had not yet made it. So she picked a spot by the side of the building and began to wait. She would wait a little while, but if the boy didn't show she would assume him captured, and she would help home with the spoils. She hoped he hadn't gotten caught. Not only for his own sake, but also so he wouldn't be able to tell anyone where she was waiting or him. She kept dutiful watch over anyone who came too close or looked in her direction, but no one seemed to interested in the kid leaning against the tavern.

She guessed if she wasn't begging them for coins, there was no reason to take notice of a random homeless, dirty, boy. It was sad, but she was fine with it. The city would never change, and she simply played the game.

Code credit to Antipodes for original base code.

[Taris Orlanith]

Taris approached the Pig’s Foot Tavern from the rear. As usual, he never went straight up to the tavern. Unless he was going through the front door. Then he did. Like everyone else. No, for a hideout, for a meeting with a friend, he went around the block and avoided even looking at the front door of the tavern.

The yard behind the tavern was empty. It had all the normal barrels and crates and refuse a tavern created. But Sparrow was nowhere to be seen.

Was he caught? Taris asked himself.

He had taken the guard’s attention, but what about the merchant? Sure, the man could have left his stall and chased after Sparrow. But Taris doubted it. Sparrow had grabbed a few cheese wedges and some eggs. There had still been a ton left at the stall when they had been forced to run. Taris didn’t think the merchant would give up all of that food just to chase down two, scrawny boys. He had a guard and, if he had chased after them, all his eggs and cheeses would have been gone by the time he returned. No one left a stall unattended in Sunberth.

I’ll give him a few minutes, Taris decided.

He tried sitting on one of the empty barrels. But the longer he sat the more he fidgeted and, soon enough, he was on his feet and pacing the yard.

He wasn’t caught, he told himself. Sparrow, like the bird. Fast.

And the boy had certainly been running fast. Just as fast as Taris had. And if he had been able to stay ahead of his pursuer, then Sparrow must have, too.

He kicked at a rock. It went skittering across the yard and rolled out past the edge of the tavern wall. With a sigh, Taris followed after it.

We were going to be friends, he thought, reluctantly giving up the hope of finding someone who he could run with, play games on merchants and market customers with. We would have made so many mizas. Our bellies would have been full every day. Well, maybe not every day.

He sighed again as he reached the rock. He kicked it back across the yard. This time it flew off the ground and went flying into a pile of broken crates and other, nameless garbage.

If only he hadn’t been caught, he thought.

With nothing better to do, Taris began looking around for another stone to kick. That was when he noticed the figure at the opposite end of the tavern wall. A skinny boy, about Taris’ own size, and holding a sack.

Taris’ heart filled like a wineskin until he was certain his chest would burst. The boy was alright!

He put his fingers in his mouth and blew a loud, shrill whistle. When the boy looked around, Taris would wave for him to come to the tavern’s backyard. Then he would sit on the barrel and the two of them would divide up their loot. And, maybe, plan their next adventure.

[Adriana Sparrow]

Suddenly, as she was leaning aganist the strong wall of the outside of the tavern, a shrill whistle pierced the crowd. Automatically Sparrow turned towards the sound, as did every other person nearby who could hear it. In the direct direction was Taris, looking right at her. She broke the eye contact and looked at the ground and sighed. For someone who came up with a working plan, Taris wasn't too smart was he? Drawing attention to both himself and her was stupid like that. She'd head over to him in a moment, but she'd wait a bit, so everyone would stop looking at the source of the sound.


After all the people went back to their own business, Sparrow casually walked over to her partner in crime. It was a weird thought. All this time she had been here on her own. It was different... to have a friend, or a partner or whatever it was. She wasn't sure if she like didn't or not. She certainly wasn't comfortable with it. Not yet at least.


"You really gotta learn how to keep to yourself." She said to him as she finalized her approach. But she dropped the subject easily. This was the first time she had a chance to go through her bag. She had had the chance while she was waiting on him, but she thought he should be there too. She wanted to do it quickly, she was a bit excited to see the haul and she tried not to get her expectations too high. For all she knew all the eggs would be cracked and there might not be enough cheese for the two -- let along three -- of them.

She crouched down ontot ehground, getting closer to the shadows to less easily be seen, as well as have a place to spread out the food. They would divide equally in half, even though Sparrow had to split hers again at home. But that was not something she would tell Taris, and she she kept quiet about her share.

She would then carefully take out each item in her bag, one egg to her one egg to Taris. Any cheese she had she would attempt to divide up in sizes and type as equally as possible. She hoped Taris had somewhere to hold these things for his journey home or else he would be hopeless attempting to carry all this without being noticed.

But, after this interaction it wouldn't be her problem anymore. She just wanted to get back to Bae as quickly as possible. She was sure she had been gone longer than she told him she would be. She didn't want him to worry, or try and come find her and wander outside by himself.

Grader Note :

I will leave it up to the Grader to decide if/what/how much of the items we actually receive based off our writing and level of our related skills.

Code credit to Antipodes for original base code.

[Orakan]

Adriana

Skills

● Philosophy - 2XP
● Observation - 5XP
● Running - 2XP
● Scavenge - 2XP
● Tactics - 2XP
● Logic - 2XP
● Intelligence - 2XP
● Disguise - 2XP
● Socialisation - 5XP
● Planning - 2XP
● Stealth - 2XP
● Larceny - 1XP

Lores
● Location: The Gallows
● Location: Baker's Butchery and Bakeshop
● Scavenge: Baker's Butchery and Bakeshop: A choice place to find food scraps
● Philosophy: Sunberth: The city of death and blood
● Tactics: Calculating escape routes and evasive options
● Intelligence: Getting a read of someone based on their appearance and stature
● Disguise: Concealing the feminine inflection in your voice
● Taris: A hungry street kid like you
● Scavenge: Easier in groups?
● Scavenge: People don't like others rummaging through their garbage
● Location: Castle Commons
● Disguise: Giving a fake name
● Larceny: Stealing is riskier than scavenging
● Larceny: Stealing is easier when done in a team
● Tactics: Diversions and distractions
● Taris: Your partner in the cheese and egg heist
● Stealth: Slow, quiet movements
● Stealth: Keep to the shadows if possible
● Philosophy: Dealing with a moral dilemma
● Location: The Pig's Foot Tavern


Loot

+ 3 eggs
+ 3 1/2 blocks of cheese
+ 1 Beef rib bone, sans flesh/meat

Some eggs broke in the bag so the bag will be damp and need to be cleaned

Taris

Skills

● Observation - 5XP
● Intelligence - 2XP
● Logic - 1XP
● Acting - 1XP
● Persuasion - 1XP
● Socialisation - 4XP
● Leadership - 4XP
● Rhetoric - 1XP
● Tactics - 4XP
● Planning - 2XP
● Subterfuge - 1XP
● Brawling - 1XP
● Running - 2XP
● Escape Artist - 1XP
● Acrobatics - 1XP

Lores
● Larceny: Stealing is easier when you work in a team
● Acting: Non-threatening posture
● Intelligence: Getting a read of someone based on their appearance and stature
● Persuasion: Trying not to scare someone away
● Larceny: Stealing is a scary ordeal at first
● Larceny: Stealing has better odds than scavenging
● Leadership: Gaining trust.. and an accomplice
● Location: Castle Commons
● Tactics: Devising a plan and rendezvous point
● Leadership: Delegating roles and tasks
● Tactics: Diversions and Distractions
● Sparrow: A hungry street kid like you
● Sparrow: You partner in the cheese and egg heist
● Tactics: Make stratagems as believable as possible
● Subterfuge: Playing a role in a bid to deceive and distract
● Tactics: Maintaining a distraction
● Brawling: Throwing eggs at a threat
● Escape Artist: Losing a pursuer in a crowd
● Escape Artist: Creating obstacles to slow or dissuade a pursuer
● Location: The Pig's Foot Tavern


Loot

+ 3 eggs
+ 3 1/2 blocks of cheese
+ 1 new friend?

Notes

Hey there, just be careful not to godmode another PC as there were a couple instances where you made Sparrow's moves for her rather than leaving it open. This is ok if you two discuss it first (and it's great to make a note that you have the other PC's consent so we graders know), but don't do it if it hasn't been agreed upon, even if it would move the story along. Also, remember that Miz has different terms for time: bells = hours, chimes = minutes, ticks = seconds. Thanks!

Comments

Hey Guys, sorry for the wait! This was such a fun thread to read and you guys played off each other well. Thanks for the read! Do let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade and don't forget to delete/edit your request in the grading queue.