DISCLAIMER: The Furship Chronicles narrate the adventures of our gaming group as we playtest the Age of Animus Storytelling Game. Bunwick is played by Frank, Emeraldine Fiera is played by Melanie, Raz is played by Steve, Wilhemina is played by Fab and Zouly is played by Lyne. The interactions you read are not straight transcriptions of their conversations in the game (My memory isn’t good enough to remember them all) but rather my interpretation of their characters as they played them in our gaming session. I hope I do justice to the fun we had playing.
“What do YOU want?“ Constable Copley had been in the middle of taking a statement from a rabbit when they found him. The courteous demeanor he’d shown Lancton’s citizens evaporated at the adventurers’ approach and now his disdain was on full display. He was a well-groomed canine. His uniform blues were neatly pressed and his badge was brightly polished.
“Greetings constable,” Raz started. “We were hired to deliver this to you.” He held out the wrapped package to the dog.
Copley eyed the wolverine suspiciously before accepting the parcel. “Very well,” he said, in no less icy a tone. “You’ve made your delivery, not move on. As you can see, I have my paws full with my investigation.”
Raz stood his ground and nodded, “Perhaps we can assist you in that, sir. We’re always available to offer a helping paw to those in need.” He held his paw out, “My name is Raz and these are my…”
The constable interrupted him, “I don’t rightly care who any of you are. You’re outsiders and worse, adventurers.” His contempt was palpable. He flipped a Shiny into Raz’ outstretched paw and another to his companions. “You’ve been paid for your services now be gone.”
Raz looked down at the Shiny. He was insulted, but he pocketed it all the same. “Are you sure you don’t need our help?” he asked again.
“Did I stutter?” the irritable young constable growled. “I have no need of your help, nor would I accept it if I did. Now leave before I arrest you all for being public nuisances.”
Wilhemina bristled at his icy tone, “There’s no need to be rude!” She stepped forward, “A wise fur accepts help when he’s in over his head as you clearly–”
Zouly cut her off with a sharp jab of his elbow, “Our apologies constable. We’ll be out of your fur now.” He grabbed the hem of Wilhemina’s dress and dragged her along. The others followed along behind him.
“Why didn’t you let me finish?” Wilhemina said irritably when they’d walked out of earshot. “He was being rude and clearly needed a talking to! As a constable, he…”
“…could put us all in lockup,” Zouly finished for her. “Is that what you want?”
Wilhemina faltered, “Well no, but…”
Zouly stopped her short again, “But nothing. He didn’t want our help and annoying him wasn’t going to change anything about it.” He released her dress and started to climb onto Teeper’s shoulders, “Maybe we can talk to the…”
“What are you doing to Teeper?!!”
The astonished voice cut over he was going to say. The group turned their heads to see a female hedgehog standing a few steps away. The look of exasperated horror on her face was evident.
Zouly was still in mid-mount, “I beg your pardon, Madam?”
The hedgehog pointed at him, “You! What are you doing to Teeper?”
Zouly looked down at what he was doing. He immediately hopped off the groundhog, “Oh! Err, well…That is, I was just going to ride on his shoulders…”
The hedgehog stood up and in a shrill voice exclaimed, “Ride on his shoulders?!! What do you take him for? A common steed?”
Zouly grew flustered, “Well no, but…” he quickly changed tracts, “Do you know Teeper?”
The hedgehog looked increasingly indignant, “I’d say I know him a ways better than you do!” She placed her paws on her hips and matter-of-factly explained, “He’s the town tailor. Lived here for more than ten seasons, he has!” She crossed over to examine the groundhog, brushing off the dirt from his grubby clothes, “What have they done to you, Teeper?”
It was Zouly’s turn to be indignant, “We didn’t DO anything to him! He did it to himself! The plum fool scared himself wild! We’ve been taking care of him!”
The hedgehog stared icily at him, “By riding him like a horse? I daresay I don’t care much for your nursing skills!”
Bunwick tried to step in, “Excuse me, miss. But if you know Teeper, then perhaps you can direct us to where his family lives?”
“Teeper’s a bachelor with no family in these parts,” the hedgehog informed him, “I heard he was on his way to visit his sister in Calix’s Cross actually.”
“Oh,” Bunwick looked down at the cobblestone road for a moment then back to the hedgehog, “Well, as you clearly know him better than we do, maybe he’d be better off with you.”
“I dare say he would!” she snapped.
“Excellent! I’m sure he’s in good paws. Nice chatting with you! Bye now!” Bunwick ushered a clearly frustrated Zouly down the street as he concluded the conversation. He didn’t stop until they’d rounded the corner away from the shrill fur.
Zouly grumbled, “What a busybody…” He then noticed Wilhemina grinning gloatingly at him. “What’s got you looking so happy?”
Wilhemina rocked herself on her heels, “Oh nothing. Just that it looks like you’ll be walking like the rest of us from now on!”
“Oh shut up!” the frog snapped.
Emeraldine Fiera turned to Raz, “Are they always like that?”
“Only when they‘re awake,” the wolverine sighed.
Still playing peacemaker, Bunwick quickly interjected himself between the frog and the weasel. “So w hat’s next?”
Zouly glowered at Wilhemina a moment longer. Finally, he took a deep breath to cleanse his system and turned back to the others, “Well, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by Miss Busybody over there, maybe we can talk to the mayor. You know, offer HIM our services. Maybe he’d be more receptive to the offer.”
Raz furrowed his brow doubtfully, “You want us to go over the constable’s head? That’s not likely to endear us to him in the near future.”
“I think that ship has sailed,” Emeraldine commented.
“Precisely,” Zouly nodded, “It’ll be some time before they can get a response from the capital. They can use all the help they can get, even if Copley is too proud to admit it.”
“Can’t argue with that logic,” Raz admitted. “Let’s go find him!” They followed him as he walked towards the town square.