📰 A Friend in Need

The watch squad pushes through. Civilar (captain) Stellpence leads the way. She's a dwarf from the Dock Ward, her civilar's badge has that blue glassy sheen that they get when the senior officers are scrying through it. Today, her truncated right arm hand ends in a prosthetic silver-banded truncheon, and she holds silver manacles in the other. She's flanked by two nervous constables, each holding silver-banded truncheons, and wearing nervous expressions.

"No bugger cares that thee believes, Vinnie, tha' daft nib. Out way."

Young Armar (Sergeant) Dagsohn gives you all a salute, Stellpence gives him a frown. Dagsohn was one of those watch officers still young enough to believe in community relations, protecting and serving, and all those other myths.

Vinnie had met him before. Waterdeep taxes weapons over one foot according to their length. Dagsohn was accompanying the tax inspector who'd been sent to see Vinnie. Dagsohn, always looking for a peaceful resolution, had managed to convince the tax office that Vinnie's lance wasn't an eight-foot weapon, but a dagger with a very very very long handle. Dagsohn was also known in the Firbolg community for arresting a corrupt Watch office who'd been extorting the Firbolg merchants into paying "law tax".

"What befalls, Vinnie? Citizen Patience? Oh, Citizen Jodelle, The Copper Cup has dwarven funk karaoke nights now. They are very good, I am sure your readers would like to read about it."

Dagsohn looks over at his squad placing the literal silver bracelets on the barbarian, and turns back to Vinnie.

"I do not think there is a doubt that Citizen Beorne is a lycanthrope, Vinnie. And half of Fishgut Alley say him, well.. gut, Sniffing Jimmy.

But if you think there is a newspaper story then we are taking him to Snail Street."

Stellpence starts reading Beorne his rights as her colleagues breathe a sigh of relief. It looks like the barbarian lychanthrope is coming quietly.

"Thee has right to remain silent, not have thoughts read, nor be compelled to tell truth. Thee has right to ask for aid of advocate. Thee ken these rights?

Cos' thee's nicked."

"No." Stellpence's reply is no surprise. She's not known for being chatty, but at the suggestion that everyone descends on Snail Street watchhouse she becomes positively loquacious.

"..and if I find any of thee hangin' about the watchhouse, I'll arrest ye for loiterin'. Let us do our job, and when we have owt to say then we'll make statement.

...or thee can go t' Flounder and ply a blabby officer with drink like the rest o' thee gutterpress."

"Mine's a pint of mild." suggests Constable Notts despite Stellpence's glare.

The Friendly Flounder is the usual haunt for off-duty watch officers. The beer wasn't great, but it served the fried food that all watch officers craved after a long shift.

---

"We're actually supposed to say 'lycanthropes' or 'people with lycanthropy' now. Official vocab guidelines state that 'werewolf' is too bestial." Interjects Dagsohn. Nobody contradicts him. It's possible that Dagsohn is the only officer ever to have read the official vocab guidelines.

"But Beorne has ursine lycanthropy." says Dagsohn.

"Werebear" coughs Constable Notts, which Dagsohn ignores.

"Murderin' Zhent werebear" adds Stellpence, which prompts Dagsohn to start quoting the law that states that gang membership isn't, in itself, a crime.

Your little knot continues south along the busy High Road, dodging drays, ignoring street sellers, and avoiding the stinkiest of horse apples.

---

At the watchhouse, a black maria watch wagon arrives. Officers get down to open the barred door and remove three suspects - suspects who are covered in blood and Zhentarim gang tattoos. After the wagon, an open-backed cart arrives, driven by goblin Inspector Glor. The back is piled with corpses, many also bearing gang tattoos.

Stellpence mutters something about more paperwork, raises a warning finger for you not to follow her, and then takes her suspect into the Snail Street Watch.

The bloody suspects are also taken into the watchhouse as the goblin starts making notes in his notebook.