#coby martin

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House of Gold and Bones [CH 4]

I haven’t touched this in a year and boy, was it hard to get back into it. But I have a new chapter for now. Feedback is appreciated, and I hope you enjoy! 

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

WAR UPON THE SEA RAGING

Men of land and sea are baffled by the increasing resiliency of the enemy our Royal Navy battles. While the goal of reuniting the isles despite multiple insurrections is still fresh in the mind of each navy man, tensions are causing doubt and cause to re-think what we had once thought so easy. There is rumor of multiple dispatches sent to Her Majesty herself, Emily Kaldwin, and soon perhaps we shall learn of what is to be done to end this extended period of war.

And I thought it was over. Coby pulled his lips into a thin line and reset the paper upon the cold wood of the table. Smoke billowed discreetly from the corners of that taunt line as the ashes of a Morleyan cigarette were flicked away. The Overseer’s apartment was not so gloomy now that his remaining belongings had at last been brought to him, nor was it so cold. Despite the dull colors of the walls, it had turned out to be a cozy abode with the aid of a fire and installation of thicker curtains. The windows remained drafty, but that was something that he could no longer be bothered with. There were obviously bigger problems, none for him to worry about, but it provided greater food for thought than his breakfast had.

Gristol at war again. First against itself, the Morleyans, itself again, and now another people Coby had no knowledge of. Yellow journalism was a must in the capital, so that only those with an analytical matter between their ears could detect. The nobility had grown soft and dull with their increasing luxuries over the twelve years that Her Majesty had allowed them to prosper. He almost couldn’t help but accept that. There were great hopes put in that little girl, and nearly all that Coby had left had so far been dashed, whether or not by her own means or something she could not control. Now she fought a war, the ones she talked about with Havelock when he would listen, and the ones she promised Corvo she would win. Now she had those ships she could crash into one another, the men she would expend to do so - and through all the dressed up journalism, the Vice Overseer could see that neither went in her favor. He scoffed and took a long draw of his cigarette.

His eyes locked on the window and squinted against the light. In light of Her Majesty, where was His Majesty? The one few spoke of and even fewer seemed to know about. Was he someone only the court and Emily’s advisers knew of, was there even a wedding? All the years in his home country, all the years stalking the docks, purchasing paper after paper for some false hope the little Empress and her crown had dashed, never had he heard of the Imperial’s betrothal. Corvo was a man to keep secrets, and through most of her upbringing, perhaps he had, but for a royal wedding? It was not a simple thing to keep hush-hush. Even a priest of the Everyman knew that. Coby sated his curiosity by telling himself he would find out soon enough, but enough time had passed for her word to meet his ears, and for that task to be completed. He was anxious and restless, with everything he had learned - His Majesty was someone who would give him questions, and Corvo was the man for answers. Eager to acquire the least and most specific of both, the Overseer had spent the last week over-analysing his findings from the archive. His notes on recent exorcisms and happenings between the Overseers of Karnaca, the Sisters of the Oracular Order, and the head of it all in Dunwall proved enough for him to lead his own investigation. It was most troubling, however, to confront the letter the High Overseer kept from him, and the items he hid away. He could only begin to wonder what possibilities it held, what secrets it revealed about the people who would rather hide it all. Coby narrowed his eyes at the hypnotizing light. His head threatened to pound as he continued to think, and think, and think. Cold as it was outside, he needed its air.

He rose, holding his cigarette between his lips and returning to his room to fetch his coat and boots. Upon entering his room, he took notice of the clutter on the desk, the mess his bed had become, and the dust that settled upon the mantle. The sudden urge to clean was a wave he must ride to its fullest if he was never to get such a thing done, but now was not the time. He had a few other ideas in mind, one that became a priority as his eyes settled upon the unfinished letter he had carried with him to the capital. The seal of the Abbey shone in shimmering gold still, though the ink had settled and begun to fade. There was still much that could be done, one he believed a few old friends could help with.

Coby donned his sturdier boots, his thickest coat of black cloth and down feather insulation, a scarf, his gloves; the letter was tucked away in his breast pocket, and he made for the door. A wave of his hand over the hearth as the crossed the main room, a sigil appeared, and the fire snuffed itself out.  

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Financial District was as cold and lifeless as it had always been. Towering, beautiful buildings coated in snow with dull windows reflecting little of the light that shone through the clouds. People paced the streets in their best, men in suits that showed off their standing and women in attire that made Coby wonder if they ever felt the cold. The woman he was looking for would be wearing something more practical, and even if she was, she wouldn’t be outside. Keeping his eyes roughly raised to navigate, he managed to avoid any long winded conversations with the passers by who recognized him as an Overseer. Kind words and greetings were shared before he dismissed the last of his greeters and disappeared into a building.

Inside it was dark as the windows refused to shine light beyond their dirty frames, but the interior itself was lovely. Marble made up the floor and dark wood covered the walls and the ceiling, creating a cozy space. Coby sniffled and moved to the distant desk and directory beside the winding staircase. He pulled his gloves off as he read the jumble of directions beside soft golden lights, pointing this way and that. Beside him was a woman hidden behind her desk, keeping herself busy and avoiding his eyes, even as he turned to face her. For a moment, Coby considered asking after his friend, then decided against it. Turning back to the directory, he took himself up the stairs of marble and wood. The offices she would be in were written to be on the third for, and after quite the jog, he stopped himself at the top of the stairs.

The atrium he walked through was far loftier than the floors below. A balcony winding all around the parameter served as the fourth floor, with its own offices hidden behind dark walls. Coby read the room numbers carefully. If she wasn’t here, then it wouldn’t hurt for him to check the Abbey’s Offices again. That was the last place he located a Sister of the Oracular Order, strange as it was. Edith was not like that, however. She preferred to be working and moving rather than being trapped behind a desk. He remembers a letter he received from her not long after his promotion to Vice Overseer saying that she pitied him for being demoted to desk work. He never replied. Perhaps he should have.

Room 105 came into view so quickly he almost missed it. The door was propped open and a pair of voices could be heard inside. Edith’s was one of them. She was speaking to another man who likely worked there by the way that he phrased his statements. Trying to outsmart her - Edith had probably proven him wrong and he was embarrassed. Coby smiled slightly and rested his back against the wall.

“You cannot simply pretend that this exchange never happened. And what would that look like for you, simply destroying them or taking them away?” Edith’s little voice came through calmly but firm. She was young for a Sister, but it had been made apparent again and again that she had a good handle on her work.

“It won’t rest well on my conscience, Sister, but I’ve always been one to do as I am told. The High Overseer insisted that these were not to be recorded, and that they are not to be shared,” said the man evenly.

Coby’s ears perked. High Overseer? Could this possibly tie back to that Karnacan exchange that flew under his radar so many years ago? How was it still a problem? 

Edith’s heels echoed in the open space as she stomped her foot. “They weren’t even connected to the High Overseer until he ordered them to be confiscated and delivered. The ones you should be reprimanding are the Royal Family. I refuse to allow this.”

The air was struck with silence as her words faded away. The man did not reply, but there was a shuffle of polished shoes on the floor. Surely he was contemplating. It was hard to act dishonestly with a religious figure present. Edith was supposed to represent what high morality was, what it stood for and what it looked like. Coby would be at her side, picking apart the situation without casting judgement. Then why aren’t I? The Overseer traded blows with his curiosity and desire for secrecy, however, honesty tugged at his heart hard. He was far from perfect, but that’s not what his title said. He could bluff.

Furthermore, the man Edith was speaking to sparked an interest. On one hand, he was no more than a financier, tracking and keeping a hold on the trades between his client. On the other, there were questions that Coby would like to ask him, perhaps he’s read something; he certainly knows something they don’t. But the Vice Overseer was not looking to interrogate the poor man, but he would not be willing to give up the documents to easily. Or would he? With a high ranking priest among them, the Void Watcher himself, Coby was convinced that his appearance alone could sway the defiant man into doing what the little Sister asked.

He huffed, he sniffed; he straightened his coat and brushed off the remaining snow from his shoulders and opened the door. When Coby met the eyes of the Sister and the man in question, he squinted against them. Their genuine shock combined with the bleached sky from beyond the windows was blinding. The Overseer allowed his icy eyes to adjust while they gathered themselves. He never expected a reaction such as theirs, nor did he expect to ever get used to it, but it would seem that his title held far more weight than he imaged, as it hardly fled the financier's mouth with as much support as the High Overseer’s.

“Overseer - Vice Overseer Martin, hello!” babled the man, standing straighter with wide eyes. “It’s good to see you in Dunwall. How are you?”

Coby greeted him and the Sister with a polite smile, moving to stand closer to the tiny circle of conversation. “I’m well, brother,” he replied absentmindedly. Icy eyes shifted to Edith, who watched him with equal surprise. “I’m here on an investigation much like our Sister here, and was told that one of you would be able to help me.”

The man eyed him with an unreadable expression, clutching the unblemished folders in his dainty gloved hands. His gaze shifted to Edith, who in turn hung on the silence, saying nothing to break it.

Coby chewed his cheek and shifted his weight. “The High Overseer was in possession of some documents that prove shipping and receiving from Karnaca to Dunwall, and then specifically to him. I would ask permission to view those documents.”

The financier assumed a casual position as well, finding that the Void Watcher’s presence was not as overbearing as he may have anticipated. “Of course, Overseer, however, those documents have long been archived. I have more recent trades in my hands, but if what our Sister said is true -”

He stopped as his eyes met the Vice Overseer’s again. They were cold but no longer hard as ice, however, they were as piercing. Coby seemed to look through him, and it words stopped in his throat.

“If I had not been as observant as I am, sir, then I may not have noticed that you just stated that you were to dispose of them. Is that true of all shipments to the High Overseer?” Coby spoke evenly, while Edith’s presence beside him was brewing with anxiety. The financier was a small man, and so when he seemed shaken, it couldn’t be easily masked, especially in the company of two of the Abbey’s keenest minds. “You can’t lie to me, brother.”

The documents that were in the noble’s hands were set upon an adjacent table as he passed it. Gloved hands were shoved deep into pockets and his disposition became agitated. Edith moved to collect the folders as her older companion remained where he was.

“Nothing gets by you, Vice Overseer, I know that,” said the man. His voice was firmer than before, calmer and confident. “What I do is to protect the Abbey. Should not every man do what they can to preserve the religion that guides and councils us? For these documents to be open to the public in the sense where any man could summon them, even the Empress herself, would that not endanger everything we stand for?”

Coby shifted, toying slightly with the bonecharms that hung on his belt. “Your zeal is admirable, brother, and your devotion is not only appreciated, but commendable. However, since this is an issue that concerns myself and the spiritual security of our Empire, I believe that I have the proper authority to conjure these documents regardless.”

The man turned to face the priest with a grim expression. “What does this all mean, Watcher? Does your foresight not tell you what will become of you if these shipments are revealed? Does that not compromise the Abbey?” His voice wavered with genuine concern, and his eyes spoke of a trouble that Coby’s gut had sensed a long while ago. But the fears of one man could not keep him from uncovering a mystery.

“You overestimate me. But I can tell you that there are foreseen troubles that do not concern you, brother. Sleep well knowing that the one who should be holding those documents has them in possession, and if I cannot take them, then allow me to leave with the knowledge of them.”

Coby did his best not to flinch as a pained expression met his own once again. He forced himself to meet the man’s eyes, trying to decide whether or not the emotion was staged. His intuition told him that everything was alright, that there was no further trickery when it came to the empire’s security; such phrasing had such an effect on people. The man agreed, and Coby was asked to follow the tiny financier down the hall to a separate, larger room. As he passed the door, Coby turned back to Edith and pointed downward, asking silently for her to wait for him. The Sister acknowledged him but did not speak as the two departed.

The man led the Overseer to an archive, illuminated by large windows that yawned upwards to the ceiling and nearly touched the floor. It was in no way as dreary as the first floor, nor as secretive as the one the Abbey possessed. With so much light, Coby felt as though he could see everything even if it was concealed. He felt a lack of security, but knew all too well how protected these documents were. The Watcher waited patiently as the man pulled aside a small stepping stool and worked his way up the wall to the drawer he needed. When he had descended, he held the bundle of papers close to his breast as he approached the priest.

“I may ask of you to take note of the information, Overseer. I can’t find the nerve to hand them over, even if it is yourself.”

Coby smiled slightly, kindly. “No worries. I’ll just have a look then.”

Gingerly, the papers were exchanged. Once Coby held them firmly in his hands, he moved across the room to a small table to spread them out. From his pocket he withdrew a tiny notebook and pen. Recently, he found it more useful to keep note of everything rather than finding a way to take all the hard copies with him. With most of what he’s looking for being written or printed, he found it to be less of a hassle to write what he saw over keeping track of individual documents.

The routes he recovered were as he expected, and he began to wonder if the morning spent accidentally frightening the staff was worth it. Edith was never one to worry when it came to getting things done, but Coby had conditioned himself over years and years not to come off so roughly. It worked for a while, but perhaps it was the title he was given that caused people to stress more than they had to.

After noting every detail he found worthy of investigation, he stuffed the notepad back into his coat pocket and adjusted the gloves on his hands. Coby turned back to the man who watched him so closely with an easy expression.

“You may do with them as you wish.”

The man nodded. As he recovered the documents, he seemed calmer, as though a storm had passed. The Vice Overseer couldn’t guess what his conversation with Edith was like before he arrived, but it couldn’t imagine it to be so stress inducing that he would fret at the sight of another holy man. Coby shelved the thought and made his way out of the room, leaving the shaken financier to his own devices.

He then made his way down the winding staircase again, finding his steps to be a little lighter than before. There was a weight of his chest that he couldn’t explain, other than he felt as though his personal mystery had been solved. Coby was hoping that it was only that easy, and that he could save the lecture for High Overseer Yul and His Majesty when he saw them. Time would tell, and so he did what he could to make that time pass quickly.

In the foyer, Edith was waiting for him. Dressed in her long coat, elegant gloves, and sturdy boots, she hardly looked the part of a Sister. Her clothing did not bare the emblem of either organization. Maybe it was better that way. They greeted each other with tiny waves and polite gestures as they made their way back to the street.

“Should I call a cab?” Edith’s voice was seemingly loud in the stillness the snowfall left behind.

“No, don’t worry about it. I prefer to walk anyway.”

“Well, I don’t,” the Sister replied playfully. “But you look like you have something to say. Just be my windbreaker, eh?”

Coby chortled through his nose and held out an arm to the younger woman. “If that’s what keeps your company.”

Edith held onto his arm loosely as they made their way along the main street. Rail cars rumbled overhead as they passed, leaving a static in the air. People moved by them briskly to escape the cold they never adjusted to. Coby kept his eyes forward and downward all the same as Edith allowed her head to hang where the wind could not catch her.

“Tell me something.” The Overseer’s statement was flat as the cold attempted to freeze his words in his throat.

“Hm?”

“Why are there so many Sister’s here? Shouldn’t you be in Karnaca?”

Edith adjusted the gloves on her hands and shivered as a small gust of wind hit her from behind. “The idea was simple enough. We were trying to compensate for your absence. With you all the way in Caulkenny, it would have taken weeks for you to show for any situation regarding the Void and its effects. So a few of us took it upon ourselves to make up for that.”

Coby frowned. He hooked his arm around the younger woman’s and stuff his hands in his pockets. “Why didn’t they just contact me anyway? Did they think it was insufficient enough?” He almost laughed. “The Abbey here has been slacking off on their responsibilities.”

There was laughter then, a light chuckle from Edith. “More or less. I don’t know, Martin, for you being one of the Abbey’s most important assets, you don’t turn up in conversation as much as I thought you would. We speak more about you in Karnaca and in visions of our own than we even hear of you from the people you serve directly.”

Coby couldn’t help but shrug; it was the only response he could think of to be appropriate. He couldn’t find himself to care too much about how people thought of him or how often he may cross their minds. The only circumstance that would cause hm to turn his head would be in circumstances such as this. He was needed, and by all sources more than ever, and yet he was allowed to sit idle while something so dangerous passed under his nose. The High Overseer was always the first Coby thought of, how his eyes were so intense, so set on his goal of ridding the Isle of this spiritual breach; his words were just as strong as they had been in letters, and yet there was no action taken to ensure that whatever it was would no longer be a problem; a threat.

The torn letter from the archives and the missing parcel proved to be a larger problem than Coby had originally foreseen. By all accounts, the Royal Family was accountable for parts of it, as well as the man who allowed all of their evidence to go missing. New questions arose as he and his companion continued on their walk through the frozen streets. His Majesty should send a letter shortly, and that’s what Coby kept telling himself. Questions would have answers very shortly, and if not, then he would back track. He would find a way to go back to where this mess began and start all over. High Overseer Yul would be facing his scrutiny, written request or not; and those amid Dunwall Tower would be not far behind.

It was not any kind of anger or overzealous righteousness that drove the Overseer to end the mystery at hand, it was his concern for safety, that of himself and the capital. The Void was a place that he had experienced first hand so long ago. For it’s spirits, artifacts, and raw power to be left unattended was frightening, to say the least. Coby lost his fear of that place and its demons so long ago; his only concern was how the fear of others would drive them, and what it would force them to do.

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20: What is the most surprising thing about your character?

Original Character Asks

Out of the two I have, I suppose. Thanks for sending this in! 

For Coby, the most surprising thing about him is his temper. Since he’s usually seen maintaining a reserved position and neutrality on most matters; not to mention an Overseer is kind of expected to be that way - though we know that’s not really the case - and he’s managed to establish a reputation of being calm and sensible under pressure. But there are some things that just don’t sit well with him at all that even the slightest prod about it would make him snappy. He’d try to prove he’s right, but it’s hard to sway the ignorant who think they’re all knowing. 

For Ambrose, it’s his compassion. The Russian Mob is the most ferocious, violent, sophisticated, and deadly of all the mobs that I was considering making him a part of. They’re brutal and will cross lines that even the American mobs would never touch. And yet, he shares a sympathy and compassion for people. Sometimes it’s even the people on his family’s hit list. 

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modern coby 

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