Six

Written by Kelly Danielle

Meet Six. Yup. That's their name. No, its not a joke.
There was a last name to this family at one point but it got lost along the way. Born to a pair of wayward rouges, this family of underhanded swindlers makes their lives in the Merchants's Cowl. The Originals, as they like to call themselves, fell drunkenly in love and just began to pop out children. Mostly accidents. They'll tell you that proudly.
One- Eldest son. He was the parental trial that they managed to keep alive long enough for him to function on his own. And also pass off a lot of chores too early on.
Two- Eldest daughter. The prized and doted on daughter. She's mildly pretty with a good voice and was able to be trained to sing for money at an early age. Not to mention her pretty face makes a good distraction for the rest to rob patrons blindly on the roads.
Three- Second daughter. When she was old enough, she took on a majority of the household and child rearing. Two was too busy making money and Three didn't seem to pick up many talents. So she took care of the house and kids as best as she could.
Four- Second son and most mysterious. Silent type and seems to be more or a night walker. He keeps to himself for the most part and lurks on the road and bridges between cities to play "tolls" or snag a few things from those sleeping in the night. The family's convinced he's mute.
Five- Third son. Brawny and pretty, he makes himself useful off shore as part of a pirate brigade. He sends back what loot he can and a short letter of his adventures. He made sure to take to the seas as soon as he was able.
And then there's Six.
Six was always the runt of the litter. Last and smallest. The one who came later in life and most unexpectedly. The one who threw off the family plans when things finally seemed to be settling down. Lucky for Six, they were able to take bits and pieces of the talents of their siblings and put them to use. Six plays the role for themselves and take what they can, and when they can. Its not always for the money. Usually its just to provide that they can.

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The dusk is approaching as you travel out from Journey's Head along the Backbone. You're still gathering your thoughts about the last 48 hours as the sun begins to set. The buzz and bustle from town is fading, melding with the evening sounds of the occassional owl and the scuff of your boots against the compacted dirt road. You're walking for sometime and don't realize that the open path between the city and the next suddenly becomes one overhung with a canopy of trees.
The woods beyond now dark with barely a hint of sunlight between the tall shaded trunks. Above and around you is the overhang of branches of different types of trees. Some pine and furs, others likely birch from their white limbs. Here the branches seems to almost make a tunnel but they're on either side of you. And there seems to be no one ahead of you....or behind you.
The owls seemed to have silenced. As you're thinking about how oddly silent the woods are, an apple drops not far from you.
"Whoops, clumsy me." a voice from above says. Like a cat, the figure drops down from the branches, some leaves caught up their dark hair, landing in a low graceful crouch. With minimal effort, the figure stands and burshes themselves off, an acorn and a leaf or two falling from them. With a sigh they stoop down and snatch the plump apple from the ground and analyze it with keen gray eyes. They don't seem to notice you...right away.
As they rub the apple on their vest, the figure glances over their shoulder and then double takes upon seeing you. "Oh well, begging your pardon." They flash the apple in their hand. "Was just lookin' for a quick snack on the road. Seems like you're headin' out from Journey too. Where ya headed?"

After a bit of banter, its then that you notice that this person has nearly circled you while you've spoken. Just at that moment, your guard being down, the figure drops the apple they'd been obssessively polishing and comes behind you placing you in a hold with an arm holding back your own and the kiss of cold steel to your throat.
"Well, you were one of the easiest ones today. Poor you." the figure croons. You can't seem them but you can almost hear the sensual smile as they speak. "Now, you're going to give me everything you have and maybe I'll let you live."

Family Ties While not a particularly close family, the siblings of the Originals like each other well enough. The one favor their parents did was make them each unique in their skill sets. They each thrive in what they do, resulting in turning or taking profit.
Home, if one could call it that, is a ramshackle thrown together series of elevated covered platforms above the ground hidden amoungst the branches and pines. This makes it easy for a quick get away as the only ones to know where to go are the ones that live there. Sure they got lost as children, but now navigating to Home can be done with their eyes closed.
Home gives the party an opportunity to lay low in times of trouble or just for a slightly safer place to rest their head versus on the ground beside a well known dangerous road. It also offers being fed by Three, the homely but kind sister who is more mother than their own mother to her siblings and even her own parents. She oversees family funds, upkeep of Home, mending of clothes and making of hearty meals.
The siblings also act as their own chain of intell and trade when needed. As Three remains at Home, she is the base of operations and theres not much that she doesn't know or hear about regarding the comings and goings along the Backbone.
One knows much of the world from his jobs and own adventuring and sends worldy news of politics and economy back home to look out for quick grabs. Two can flirt and swoon many a man with just a smile. And if they're drunk enough get them to spill their secrets and weaknesses to exploit. Four lurks in the shadows so hearing whispers and being part of the Dark Web amongst other Spiders allows him to hear plots and plans. Five rides the waves and plunders as he pleases with his captain and crew. Its not uncommon a trade route or two slips into his pocket or a parsel of gold meant to seal a trade deal.