Quote from AlaricBrand >>

Brand shrugs, "Old habits. And tonight...well...tonight those habits were reinforced. Besides, the best way to avoid trouble is to look like too much trouble yourself."

Then he smiles [[rogueishly?]] and looks around, "I think I do that, don't you?"

"As to how I got caught up in this; I explained to this fine gentleman" he says, indicating the guard whose wounds he attended earlier, "that I was near the house and saw three people fleeing, which seems like suspicious behaviour to me. As I approached, I saw you in what looked like a battle for your life, against two opponents. I know you only by reputation, and what I have heard and seen suggests you are an honest man of good character. So, I had little choice but to assist. Though it seems you had things well in hand."

[[Clarification. Neither of the two guards involved were injured. Tambor and his man are not dressed in guard uniforms. The injured man Brand helped is Tambor's servant.]]

"Well, I thank you for that," says Tambor. "Your flanking manouevre took some of the pressure off, allowing me to make the telling blow."

He then turns to the guard with the crossbow and says, "You should go and get your hand leader so he can come here and take charge."

"Yes, sir," replies the man obediently and, handing over his loaded weapon to his fellow guard, he heads out the back door.

He then turns back to Brand and says, "So, you're some sort of adventurer, are you? A successful one from the quality of your armour and your preparedness. Are you in need of employment? The Crown could use some more good men to help the guard in these uncertain times."

Brand raises his eyebrows, tilts his head to one side, and pauses, thinking.

"I ... I have a lot of other commitments at the current time, and have only just returned to the city. I had not considered such an option, or exactly what I might commit to in the longer term. What did you have in mind?"

"Nothing specific," says Tambor. "The town guard is stretched thin and with Alan here wounded, I will be needing more help coming up to the end of the month."

"I'll be fine, Master Tambor," says Tambor's servant.

"I'm sure you will, Alan, but more help could always be useful," says Tambor.

Tambor then looks around the kitchen and frowns. "Has anyone looked upstairs?" he asks. "The owners of this house must be somewhere."

The remaining guard and Alan shake their heads and so Tambor says, "No worries. I will take a look."

Then he turns back to Brand and adds, "Thank you for your help. Not many people would have gone out of their way to get involved, but there is no need for you to stay if you have other things you need to do."

Brand nods, "I will give your proposition some thought. How should I get in contact with you?"

"My office is just the north side of the bridge, on North Road," Tambor replies. "Hard to miss actually."

 Brand nods, "Very well."

He turns to leave, then turns back and asks, "Would you like me to come upstairs with you in case there are more?"

Tambor shrugs and says, "Come if you like, but there is no need for my sake."

Hefting his shield and taking sword in hand, Tambor walks past Brand and heads to the stairs that head up to the second floor from the corridor.

 Brand nods, "Good luck then".

He heads to the door, then makes his way back home, wary of being followed.

[[ What time is it? Has the Charm worn off, does he notice a difference? ]]

Quote from AlaricBrand >>

 Brand nods, "Good luck then".

He heads to the door, then makes his way back home, wary of being followed.

[[ What time is it? Has the Charm worn off, does he notice a difference? ]]

[[The charm has not yet worn off yet.]]

Brand makes his way towards home and, just before crossing the bridge that leads to the mercantile area, he see the building with the official lion symbol of Engle on it that must be the official office that Tambor spoke of.

Crossing the bridge, he enters the now relatively deserted Mercantile District where he is stopped by a patrol of town guards who ask what he is doing out on the streets. 

He has just convinced the guards that—despite all his weaponry—he is a respectable member of the public and not a criminal, when he suddenly realises that Jay must have used magic to charm his cooperation.

Cursing both the delay and Jay/Isatics, he continues on his way home; if there are more bridges, or guard posts -- or patrols, if he sees them in time -- he will bypass them using mundane means if feasible (alternate route).

[[Sorry, it's been a busy day.]]

Brand arrives back on Palace View Row without incident and is now outside his family's city residence.

[[ No worries. Hectic times. Working from home yet? ]]

If the courtyard gate is open or manned, he goes into the courtyard then through the kitchens and up to his room. If the gate is not an option, he knocks on the front door.

Quote from AlaricBrand >>

[[ No worries. Hectic times. Working from home yet? ]]

[[Yes. Got a few time critical things I have to do though, which is making it hard.]]

If the courtyard gate is open or manned, he goes into the courtyard then through the kitchens and up to his room. If the gate is not an option, he knocks on the front door.

The courtyard gate has been closed for the night so Brand heads up to the front door and knocks.

A few moments later, the door is opened by Jon the doorman. 

"Good evening, Master Alaric," he says. "I trust your evening was successful?"

[[ Adzo was my very first beholder outside of computer games. Very nice to remove from bucket list!]]

Brand thanks Jon and then draws a deep breath, "Well, I survived, which is always desirable. One night I should try staying in."

"But it's not over yet I'm afraid, I plan to spend the night at the school. I just need to tell Mikkel, and sort out some other matters."

"Is father still at dinner?"

[[ Any XP? ]]

Quote from AlaricBrand >>

[[ Adzo was my very first beholder outside of computer games. Very nice to remove from bucket list!]]

[[Hardly worthy of the name beholder. Stupid things and wilful. I chose him to represent something of Melitta's recent past, but as a player I would prefer the standard Wizard familiar any day.]]

---

Brand thanks Jon and then draws a deep breath, "Well, I survived, which is always desirable. One night I should try staying in."

"But it's not over yet I'm afraid, I plan to spend the night at the school. I just need to tell Mikkel, and sort out some other matters."

"Is father still at dinner?"

---

 

[[ Any XP? ]]

[[60 XP for tonight's adventure so far.]]

"I believe your father is likely to be in his study," says Jon closing the door. "I saw the kitchen hands collecting his dinner things a little while ago."

Brand nods, "Very well, thankyou."

"You wouldn't perhaps know where I might find Mikkel, would you?"

"I just saw him in the kitchen," says Jon. "I think he is trying to chat up one of the kitchen staff."

Brand laughs, "Moves quickly, that one."

He turns toward the kitchen, and if/when he sees Mikkel, says, "I don't want to interrupt, just letting you know I'm back now...and expect be at the School overnight."

He then goes up to his room and removes the piece of paper from the book, and pockets it. [[ I assume there are fires somewhere (eg. kitchen), he will toss is there, or in a general rubbish receptacle when he has a chance ]]

After doing that, gathers whatever he needs for the night [[ I assume toothbrushes don't exist, and he will sleep in his clothes the School...or he can bring a spare set -- whatever is cultural norm ]] then he heads back out again, back to the School.

Mikkel gives a guilty start when he sees Brand enter the kitchen to find him helping one of the young women of the kitchen staff with the washing up.

"Very well, Master Alaric," he replies in answer to Brand's comments.

Brand finishes his preparations (no need for extra clothes or toothbrushes) and head back to the school after wishing Jon the doorman a good night.

He winds his way back through the Mercantile District and crosses the bridge to the Scholar's District without seeing any guards. However, as he approaches the School of Occult Studies, Brand sees with his Darkvision the usual hand of guards in the alleyway near the gate of the School.

The guards, however, do not look very vigilant with all of them sitting in a circle talking with no one looking at the entrance to the School.

[[ Is it a full hand, or might one be hidden/missing? ]]

Brand heads to the school and rings the bell/know.