Chapter 1: Adventures in Babysitting

Crow, who was dutifully collecting taxes. Or rather, he was searching the crowd and checking his ledger for people he had not yet solicited for them this week. He stood from his stool, which had been placed strategically to survey the entrance. It was a bit underhanded, but as long as the silver made it to the Hall of Justice he reckoned the priests didn't care how it came - so long as no laws were broken. That was when he heard the scream.

He left his soup behind, it was cold by now anyhow. Grabbing his ledger, he burst towards the sound of the scream - superhuman grace and reflexes as well as his wiry frame allowed him to slip through towards the scream. Bursting into a full sprint from the first step.

Crow, a precocious youth already strong and built like a man had the voice to go with it, his bass voice thrown like a roar at he carriage. "Whoa, hold your horses idiot!" He trusted that driver as far as he could throw them and darted in front of the cart, tumbling as he grabbed the infant, shielding the child with his body as he tried to clear the carriage with the acrobatic feat.

At the sound of the scream Gern turned to look out onto the street, just in time to see a tall youth rolling across the path of an oncoming wagon, something screaming held in his arms.

Gern has seen many accidents, none a pleasant sight, and rushes to the edge of the roadway hoping this ends well.

Tom's attention is instantly drawn by the scream as well, but not being the athlete that Crow is, he is slower to react.

The boy weaves through the crowd using his small stature to his advantage, though it musses his mousy brown hair and more than once he has to secure his spectacles to his nose with one hand to keep from losing them.

He stops at the edge of the road, eyes quickly scanning the scene and trying to take in everything they can--how the child may have come loose from their watcher, how carefully the driver has steered his wagon, and how selflessly Crow has acted to save the child.

Gern approaches the forming crowd, glancing around to spot where the child's minder is.

They must be so relieved the lad saved their child? She thinks to herself as she scans the pedestrians.

"Nine Hells! What is wrong with you? Careening through the streets so fast you couldn't stop!" Crow turned instinctively, away from the driver again putting himself between the child and the percieved threat. His face was flushing red with anger and he pointed a knifehand at the torso of the driver, making certain everyone knew whom he was admonishing. Crow relaxed after venting a bit and sighed. "No one got hurt at any rate. But still, you were definitely being reckless. Waterdhavian Law says you are in violation of the Second Plaint, dangerous operation of a carriage or conveyance. You're lucky I am not one of The Watch or you would be in serious trouble! The Maimed God harbors no mercy for such behaviour in his city." Having fumed out the rest of his anger his outstretched, accusing hand ventured to the ledger on his belt. The holy symbol of Tyr Even-Handed burnt onto the leather gave him away as one of the Acolytes in the Halls of Justice. While no zealot, Crow was certainly not going to let anyone wealthy enough to afford a carriage off with a warning. He was there to collect taxes afterall. The crafty mind of the rakish youth began turning as he turned began to add gradual pressure to exploit the situation.

"Look, all these people are bearing witness. Helm Ever Watchful knows you. Don't make the mistake of trying to get away with this, Waterdeep is a city of law and order. What is your name?" Having placed the toddler on his shoulders, Crow opened the ledger and wet his pen in ink, already scribbling the time of day, the date, and offense. Crow regarded the carriage driver with a serious unblinking glare. The Chondathan youth was still quite angry. But remained diplomatic has he had no actual authority to punish.

Crow having so eloquently reprimanded the driver, Tom decides to stay in the background for the moment and focus on helping Gern with the identification of the child's keeper.

"Daveed, Crow Nomansson, you are lucky, being a good example for the little ones." Crow gestured to himself and a few younger children he saw in the crowd. "Go immediately to the Halls of Justice and confess." Visibly more calm now, Crow scrawled Daveed's name in the ledger with the offense. "I will see you at Midtenday Mass. 'A good man is as a hammer in His hands.'" Closing the ledger he hung it from a hook on his belt and readjusted the toddler. Crow smiled warmly now and waved dismissvely to Daveed.

He didn't Hunkering down he got onto the childs level and ruffled her hair playfully. "Where are your parents I wonder?" He searched through his pockets and produced a Morning Glory flower he had picked earlier and showed it to the girl. "I am cawed Rafn." He made a play on words in the common tongue, but interjected his name in his native tongue. Chuckling at his own joke he asked. "Whats your name?" Crow offered the flower to the girl a twinkle of mischief in his green and golden eyes as he mentally rehearsed the "magic trick" for her entertainment and astonishment. Something was curious about the child who weathered both narrowly escaping certain death and the attention of dozens of strangers with uncharacteristic grace. It reminded him of himself, fearless and bold, without a care for consequence.

Not spotting a likely minder Gern wanders over to join the crowd circled around the child. Finding that the youth who saved the child is some type of official she decides to see if she can gain some favour.

"Well thank the gods you were quick on your feet. You saved the child's life. Strange this is, no one is coming forward to claim them. Thinking we should visit around here to see if we can find the minders, don't you?" Gern speaked to Crow.

Crow smiled and nodded politely to Gern, he spoke in slightly accented gnomish in return. "Glittergold guide your eye." By way of greeting he continued showing fluency in the gnomish language. "I just did what anyone would, just quicker." Crow shrugged at the appraisal but beamed in pride - Chondathan boys were raised nearly obsessed with crafting their legend - Crow was no exception. "I'm Crow Nomansson, an orphan. I wager this tyke is as well. It is a work day though - so her minders may be at work. At any rate, I guess she's my responsibility for the moment. Which is just as well I suppose - tax collection is a miserable task and my mistress has little patience for excuses." He turned his attention back to the toddler and crinkled his nose as he flipped the flower expertly between his fingers to dazzle her.

Unable to find the child's parent, Tom joins Crow and Gern where they stand with in the aftermath of the near accident; and finds himself quite surprised to realize that he knows each of the other children. Hmm, odd coincidence, but at the moment it seems nothing more. He nods to the others in greeting.

"That was quite well done," Tom remarks upon seeing how smoothly Crow handles the driver and achieves what does appear to be a just outcome. It is clear from his tone of voice that he is visibly impressed.

As Crow works to gain the child's trust, Tom inspects her more closely. Are her clothes as tattered as one would expect of an orphan, merely plain as those of a tradesman who might wander these streets, or higher quality that would be inspected? Is there anything else about her dress or behavior that stands out?

"What is Anwyn?" Gern asks thd child, confused by the word, and then comprehension dawns as she realises it is a human name. "Well I am Gern, and I think we need to get you home. Where are your minders? Where is your home?"

"Oh hi Tom! Thanks!" Crow apparently smashed the flower in his palms. Bewilderment telegraphed across his features as he gasped, looking at Anwyn's ear he "pulled" it from her head and gasped. "How did that get in there?"

"Dropping" it "on accident" he began to look around for it. The flower had simply vanished. Then he crinkled his nose. Took a deep breath. And "sneezed" the flower back out. "Gods bless me." He gasped as he ended the trick tucking the flower, which was perfectly clean into Anwyn's ear.

"You are a very curious kid." Crow chuckled and stood up. He picked up Anwyn again and sat her back on his shoulders. "Let's get something to eat, we can discuss a plan to canvas the area over a bite."

Selena sees the child and says stepping out of the shadows "Young lass, ye need to be cautious out here. There are dangers all over the place. I know because I run with the roughest of scallywags and Pirates around. The name is Lady Selena Silver and I am a lady pirate. Tis not save for a wee young lass like yourself to be wandering around the streets alone."