The Hand Job

Salutations again Journal!
Ophelia again,
 
I will say, despite my once passing interest in the wanderers that hired me, another day spent with them has been an interesting one to say the least.
And before you ask, I'll get to the doll later...
 
First thing's first, there's a games (game?) competition in Nocturna, nice set up in their park, Tin-man was hyped for it, thought it'd be a good idea, though I don't have the coin to play a real game. 'fore that, we had breakfast, The Doctor, Madman, Twiggy, Tin-man and I were all in attendance, I didn't see Smith, but I rarely expect to see anyone again in Qada, big town.
Side Mission: Observe Birdman drinking. Seriously, how do you even breath in that mask? I hate coverin' up my face like that, makes me think I'm suffocating, and he never takes it off!!! Wild
 
Tin-man was eager to be off after seeing Piddlewicks, fuckin cuck, and I'm not one to miss out on any action so I accompanied him, watched him sign up for Dragon Chess, Tin-man taught me the night before but I'm not ready to fight the Nocturna folk yet at their own game. Tin put up a valiant effort, but I'm pretty sure Piddlewicks pissed all over his hopes of winning, a whole bunch of nonsense moves and words were said, pretty wild, a garden gnome mugged a guy and knocked him out, pretty standard affair. After his astounding defeat, I decided to play a dice game, we made a new friend, Jerome, a lovely half-orc, dollsmith and a charcuterie connoisseur, my kinda person, I won, obvs.
 
Next, come to find out, the other folk (Twig, The Doctor, Madman, and a new girl I will name Sly, on account of her way of speaking) found a severed hand with a scorpion tattoo on it, the former 3 found Sly as well, who is a delight despite her turn around way of being.
After some arguing we (despite my reluctance) went to the guard captain's office, he was napping, not a great time, I wasn't seen, though. Sly wasn't very kind to the man, can't blame her, but you know, there's a way to do things, but we learned about an Efrit that found a body, and where the body was found.
 
Pop to all six of us squeezing into a small alleyway and searching around, Sly got spat at by Ressle, the old fuck, and they throw Chloe in, cue an impromptu rescue I'll get to it, don't worry... We did a hop and a skip back to the alley, I let them do their investigating, I'm not very keen on such things, didn't need to be at the moment, 'cause one of my sisters showed up, Little Elsa Hoferz. She recommended we meet at (insert Tavern name here). Can't wait. Says she's just checkin up on me.
 
I think Tin-man was listening, I'll have to keep an eye.
 
 
I come back, they're talking about dirt? I don't know, these folks are weird, Mad Man wanted to lick a post, The Doctor hit him over the head, with good reason, and we decided to split, the 'Mans stick with me, and the others head off on a literal blood trail, we go after the Ifrit. Best Friend Squad and The Dream Team.
 
The Tin-man made some odd remarks about me knowing the guy, just some casual racism, nothing that surprised me, considering I call him Tin-man, odd nonetheless.
As soon as we go into the apartment, there's a crash from upstairs, immediately I go out into the alley, a couple seconds later guy comes through the window, Mad Man in tow, turns into fucking spiders.
Yeah. FUCKING SPIDERS
Turns out the place is on fire, the genasi is dead, the spiders are gone, but the Dream Team still haven't shown up. We send Mad out for Fire men, they came, put it out, and then he came back with drinks. Thoughtful.
 
Fast forward a couple hours of long, agonizing waiting, and nearly kicking that damn half-fence down, we hear something. Dogs. A cursory look around by the docks, some Goliath had a Dwarf on his back, surrounded by beasts and men, Goliath slits his own throat, maybe it was honor, maybe it was the futility of his situation and wanting some kind of control, but he goes down, and the dwarf didn't make it long after. I didn't stick around though, I've not got the stomach for gore and viscera, spoils my liquor, after some relaying to Tin and Mad 'Bjork Bjorks' he called 'em Bjork Bjorks The Good Doctor and Sly finally show up. Noticably lacking their plant friend.
Apparently she's gone. I didn't know her, I didn't speak to her, and I've been in my line of work too long for the death of an acquaintance to make me feel some kind of way. Unfortunate she had to go, perhaps I'll see her next time I go to the place behind my eyes, with still waters and sepulchral gates, I wonder if you remember you when your dead, let alone if you remember someone you hung out with most of the single day 'fore you died. I can't answer that question, I haven't gone far enough into oblivion to contemplate, and I don't intend to.
 
Bummer.
 
 
'Course there's nothing left to talk about 'cept the doll. Chloe is an ever present figure in my mind, the true nature of this godsforsaken doll peaks my curiosity and sends goosebumps down my arms and neck, like, What the FUCK? Why's she like that? I don't really have all the details, the unfortunate events that have transpired cloud my mind, but she chopped up some bread???? Like with a knife? It's moments like this I fondly recall the times alcohol helped me to forget, like that bender I went on in my 20th year and woke up like 3 weeks later at my half-sister's 13th birthday party with a (albeit beautiful) portrait of goblin woman on top of a mastiff, Leonine wasn't happy, though I think the kid still has it, unfortunately such times are solidly in the past, my recent affliction has left me without any sense of taste, let alone the ability to get drunk like that any more. She (the doll) ate a spider's legs. Yuck.
 
I must be off now journal, I have a very important meeting tomorrow morning and though I don't look forward to it, I'm not dreading it, my Grandparent knows where to find me, and despite my immediate distrust of those in my profession (as is necessary and not prejudice on my part) I do enjoy learning how old my sweet nephews are when she sends my sisters to visit.