[NE recruitment]A Need for Thieves

[Archelon]

open toDarian, Valorae, Darik, Danck, Lievdarg Prustian Darian's Prequel Win 26th, 511 av... 10 pm The Simpering Seacow... Linellia Ferral, "Kallina" to some, was sitting now in one of the backrooms of the established restaurant staring across at the man she had had brought here today from Callik's place. The man named Darian, or 'Craeven' to a few. But such was of no consequence, Linellia had long since learned his real name, though would politely play off a sense of dispassionate naivete if it would make the man more ... compliant to the purposes she needed him for. It was time for the next phase of their plans to begin. Plans to investigate who or what had attacked one of the night eyes more established members and it was time to put that knowledge into action. Crantz. Intelligence had been gathered, guards had been infiltrated by a night eyes agent. Ferral's eyes would flash as she considered the task ahead. It all came back to a merchant named Crantz with a small keep out past the western Aggrammon Fields. The bedridden father used to do business with the night eyes until a year ago, when his son took over the family business. His plot of six acres was a downright sordid place, a small keep, a warehouse, a barn and servant's quarters, a few fields for his thralls to till and tend to the crops and strangely enough. Worse, it was patrolled at off times, by his guards and the denizens of the farm were very tight lipped as well. But they needed the papers, or anything that might connect them to the trail of where the damnable attackers had been based from. It would be difficult, especially since the Night Eyes could not be seen as party to the theft on any records the older Crantz might have. He had been instrumental in the Night Eyes rise to any form of power, necessitating the need for finding other talented men and women to help in this endeavor. In fact, it was already decided : if the entire operation went belly up... Linellia would be forced order the enforcers to expunge any trace connection to the Night Eyes. This meant those called here for this task would meet a very grisly , silent death if they failed. Danck... a boy from the streets, a wild one barely found useful by one of her chief gatherers of information. On a wild hunch, Ferral had brought him in with a tentative 'job opportunity.' She figured he at least seemed mature for his age, well enough to tolerably balance out a few other oddballs she had brought to form the group which would be striking out later tonight. Levarg Prustian, a capable, if untested mercenary who had caught her eye in his dealing with a rival thief where he had not come out on top. Little did he know that the thief he was after had been one of those affiliated with the Night Eyes. Only upon that one's recommendation had he been sought out to 'be tested to see if he was worthy of making up his losses, or just tossed in the bay with the rest of the trash.' He seemed more level headed then her next two decisions. Two surly sorts, she had carefully considered being brought along for the rest to use as scapegoats if necessary, if they couldn't keep ahold of themselves. Her orders to the watching enforcers had been simple: Watch them both and determine if they're worthy of even breathing air. Perhaps they would surprise her, perhaps they wouldn't. Only time would tell. Darik... boy thief of a stupid sort, troublemaker with the Dragoons, and had a bounty on his head; even if he didn't know of it. He was here because he had been noticed coming into the simpering seacow for a strange tattoo. Wanting to get a bloody dagger tattoo was tantamount to professing open support for the daggerhands, or being enough of a fool to piss them off. His own actions as a thief had been, mediocre at best, mainly because of his lack of maturity and understanding of certain situations, but surprisingly, whispers of him doing well during that strange time of the mists seemed to gainsay that argument. Whatever he would do, he was the partly the reason the next individual was here. Valorae, a slave recently procured in the dead of night, stripped of all her dignity, and an ethfael to boot. Of all the people, Linellia had chosen for this job, she was the wildest card of them all. But provided the semblance of reason for a reprisal if the Night eyes were required to clean up their tracks. Hallvar “Malum” Schancke. Valorae had been taken less then a week ago from that man's place, as the younger Crantz had been up to his elbows in supplying Shancke with the money for his slave efforts, even gone in once or twice to 'rough up some of the girl's... Before Darian had killed him that is. She had needed one of the slaves to 'escape' to provide the Nighteyes her alibi, and since it seemed she told the other girls of that man's herd about Darik, Valorae seemed the natural choice. After her abduction she'd been locked in one of the darker rooms for observation, fed well, hardly spoken to, yet left unmolested. For an hour each day she had been brought to another room, and given a wooden weapon of her choice, told that she would be fighting in the blood pits for her life. The past three weeksHer abduction would have taken place Winter 1st, as a grace period she would have been held to this day- feel free to train her in a training room for some extra threads up till this time as a gift of time since you were waiting. Just basic training threads though, don't go overboard with npc use >.<. had seen her growing healthier. She'd been told she was training for a fight for her freedom in the blood pits, not what was really to be going on later on tonight into the following days. She'd either succeed to be of some use, or die. Whichever one would be up to her. All of these four 'newbloods' as some Night Eyes called those who had caught their eye, paled in competence to the man she knew would truly 'lead' this expedition in the night. A man who, of all five going, she was loathe to consider his death, her orders to the Enforcers regarding him were simple, and he had been warned before hand that if things fell apart she had given the Enforcers word to 'allow' his escape while they purged the rest. He had also been warned on exactly the temperaments and reliability of those he was being set up to lead... For now though, Linellia lay back in silence as the Enforcers began to bring each one of the chosen people for this job one at a time to sit with her and Darian. ValoraeI need to know one choice of weapon for Valorae. Short posts to start please. first. The woman was brought to them both with a burlap sack covering her head as she was sat down unceremoniously in a simple chair before it was removed from her sight... Gazing dispassionately at the woman, Ferral's voice would be heard in its lilting qualities, "Ah Craeven, this is the woman I was telling you about, she seems to be quite the budding fighter, don't you agree?"

[Valorae]

She had been pretty calm coming to the location; it was peculiar really, to some. Inside the bag her eyes were opened wide and ready. Her teeth grinded together, her hair fell all over the place, and the sweat… She was going to the Blood Pits, she’d fight for her life, and in no way was she ready to die after having just receiving the chance to truly live. Again. A blinding flash. The bag had been pulled from her head with no sense of modesty or pity. Her head curled down and her eyes slammed shut. She began blinking and adjusting. The light was dim, but still contrast enough to startle her. She was stuck with surprise… These are no blood pits… She tried to look behind her and to her sides before settling her gaze on her two…”superiors.” It was certainly a surprise to see the one on her left. It was Darian, that charmer from the gallows. She had not seen him for… She really didn’t know when or where she was anymore. It had been a while, that was certain. She didn’t know the other woman at all. Linellia started speaking immediately. Valorae didn’t catch on Darian was Craevan until he was addressed as such. This man was a mess to be involved with… “Budding fighter…?” She spoke in a rather low tone at first, still coming to full realization of her current…condition. “Who are you and where am I? And you! You…” she stopped and looked back at her hands, her skin… “You don’t even know who I am, not like this at least.” She laughed a bit, though it was far from the time. Her wild demands, her unapproved speech… Did this girl truly have any idea what she was dealing with, at all? If so, her disregard for danger for something terribly foolish or utterly brilliant. Wild card indeed… OOCI’ll get back to you on the weapon of choice. It will become evident in the training threads. I think she’ll be playing with a few for the first until I find something that suits her in thread more than with a concept. It sounds nuts, but I’m still unsure about her is all. xD

[Darian]

His eyes stared listlessly at the woman in front of him, a woman he knew as Kallina, but as to her position in all of this he had hardly an idea. Through a chance interaction long ago that sent he spiraling along the path he found himself on currently, he managed to be buried deep in intrigue and subterfuge, and forced to bow his head in submission, an action he was not soon to forgive. He'd only wanted to find that woman, the girl who had saved his life, but it plunged him into a treacherous plot involving more than a few powerful people, and with the harsh winter setting in, he found himself looking over his shoulder more often than he'd care to admit.

Winter had always been harsh on the cobbled streets of Sunberth but this time it was different, this time their was a odd chill do the air, and an odd feeling that clouded his thoughts, a sense of foreboding perhaps? He'd survived more than his fair share of thugs trying to gut him, and lovers trying to send him to an early grave with poison, but never once had he felt like something was so off. Perhaps it was just that his instincts over the year had even further developed, or maybe it was that mist this season past that had left him strange. Whatever it was he couldn't shake the feeling that things where not right anywhere on the streets.

Footsteps pounding on the floor nearing where he sat drew him out of his musings, his cold calculating eyes looking to take in the newcomers, two brutish men setting down a slender woman in a previously empty chair to their side. His breath caught in his throat when the hood was lifted, and he was greeted with a soft face, and immediately he sized her up, for by all reports, she had been training quite well for this particular mission. The tone of her newly shaping muscles, and the thickness of her limbs seemed to be a good sign of what he might see in the field but he could be certain of her metal till she was properly tested. Still, it didn't mean he had to leave Kallina's words in the wind.

"Seems to be whatever you had her working on has improved her skills tenfold" Darian remarked casually, twisting about in his chair to face the woman more squarely. Her mutterings about him knowing her left him slightly off balance, but his saving grace was yet the dark cloth pulled over his lower face, effectively hiding the puzzled expression as his lips curled down into a frown. Could it be she was the woman that healed him, or had he encountered the damsel elsewhere on another time?

"You speak as if you know me, why?" His voice was calm and confident, but inside he was very much irritated that this one knew of him. Could anyone in this city keep their mouth shut?

[Archelon]

Ripples... waves... connections. All were interesting to Linellia Ferral, useful even, random threads of contact which could be used, and hoarded like precious jewels; traded in for their value at the most opportune time. "The woman in front of you, Darian is an Ethfael, one taken from rather harsh climate. In short she was forced to be a whore. It's a shame she hasn't realized yet that her present circumstances until she completes the job are just as dire though she's been kept in the dark about the details. That ends today." Turning a baleful stare towards the woman, Ferral's sharp eyes and even sharper tongue would begin to flay her alive. Something that could be easily arranged literally as well as figuratively with a single mistaken word. "Valorae, that was your name isn't it. You are hereby to be offered a chance at your freedom if a certain job is completed to my satisfaction. In fact, if you impress me enough you may be rewarded; that is if you survive at all. Otherwise my investment in you will be considered quite wasteful; don't you think? I have a bag ready for you with one of the others, you'll find a kit of things you'll need, but the main task is to find us some documents in a merchant's house. All you need to know is that Darian here will be leading the job, and if he deems necessary I will have no qualms to letting him kill any troublemakers." There was a long pause as the woman opened her mouth a little, only to have Ferral gesture to one of the guards who immediately belted her across the face. "I wasn't finished... in the organization which is responsible for your paroled release from slavery it's customary to have some manners as things are explained to you, and not to interrupt anyone. Now, should you impress me enough; then I may even consider allowing you to join us. Just which "Us" I'm referring to will have to wait until the job is finished. Now as for your equipment you will need. Consider it a down payment on your new life. You'll get a single choice of a weaponNeed that choice sooner then later Tiki before you leave with the rest." A rucksack was placed upon the table, and opened for the woman to peer into it depths enough to note its contents. Gear Borrowed : 1 Shadowsilk Robe - Simple shade of dark grey with dark brown lining; not as fancy as they could be: but they work. Worth- 35gm padded armor-5gm Chainmail - 150 gm cold iron gauntlets- 6gm

[Valorae]

The belt being tossed over her mouth was more than a way to keep her quiet. She didn’t think to, but she began to panic when it went over her. Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, it all spiked. Kyrsus would have thoroughly enjoyed to have her hands wrapped on such a victim. Rather than reach for the belt she was shocked more than anything. She was still conditioned, it seemed. The state she was in didn’t help her situation at all. She was looking p from her head being jerked, back at Darian and then trying to look to the sides for anyone else who was going to join the party. Her expectations of the abuse were more than Linellia made to bargain for. Silence became fear; it gave her more to work with which was not necessarily a bad thing. All the same, as evident in her frantic observation, it became more of a distraction then means of forced silence. Her thoughts calmed and she reassured herself, not here, he’s not here… She looked back to Darian again. Even in the low light those eyes must have told him something. The bigger part of it all was if he cared. Sunberth, who would care? Was he just another murderer? Did he feel any empathy for her pain? Was her story not tragic enough to inspire pity in even him? Did she deserve this? Did anyone? Her worried eyes looked back to Ferral. Women, regardless of their race, all operated on a different world together. Men could never understand… They read each other like open books alright. The concern for herself was easily replaced with fury for the bitch seated before her. it showed a thing or two about her. A thief’s job was too much for her, hmm? Ha! Deplorable… She could only imagine what her superiors must think of Linellia to send her here to deal with…with what sounded more and more to be a recruitment job. Joining “them” was far from her expectations at the moment. But if it got her close to this vixen again, it’d be worth the effort; in fact, it’d be a pleasure. Woe to those who give so much of themselves to vengeance. The situation had clarified itself. Her time in a pen had merely been the fattening of her meat, and now it was time to win a prize or be sent off to the butcher. Probably both, considering the woman’s ego. However she got to the spot she was, a recruiter, that is, she seemed adamant to keep it. If she ever let someone talk against her, it was a sign she had other plans. If anything, that should serve as a compliment to Valorae. Linellia’s unfamiliarity with the ethaefal sparked interest. Touching. Back on Woman World, that furious look broke. She let herself focus and just tried to smile. She’d have her day, soon. It was a promise to herself. The odds of Linellia giving a damn, or even picking up on how much she had scorned this woman, might have been beyond her ego, lost in the moment. They had better things to do, and enough time had been lost already. Valorae waited to be sent out. She was going to grab that bag, suit up, and find a sharp blade to get this job done. If she wasn’t going to fight in a pit for her freedom, she’d find another way. Trading one master for another was no plan of hers. But that didn’t matter right now. She had best realize that soon before she gets herself killed.

OOCFor future reference, I’m busy, so if anyone else takes notice that I didn’t post in a while, maybe I could share some patience with you too. Break’s over lovelies; AP classes have their own respective loads of work that take precedence over Mizahar. Thanks for your understanding.

[Darian]

Absentmindedly drumming his fingers on the hilt of his sword, he listened as Kallina talked to the captive, his former irritation quickly giving way to boredom. Of the race she spoke of he knew nothing, but that didn't matter anymore since apparently the woman had been a slave the entire time, and thus was as important as any of the other rabble polluting Sunberths streets. If any of the others proved any less competent then this one, then perhaps he would have to take Kallina up on her offer and do Sunberth a favor when he rid them of their weakness. He'd wait of course, examine what the Nighteyes's coin had made, and how it now stood, and if in the end he found himself still dissatisfied, he could always kill them then. After all a dead slave was better than a ruined mission.

Turning about to face Linellia once more, he rested his arms on the tables as he spoke. "Perhaps this one needs to be 'trained' a bit more, won't be too good if she gets of her leash in the midst the job" he gestured, waving towards the growing read mark across the woman's face, a lasting reminder of her disregard, and more so ever, her place in all of this. "Though of course I don't doubt your decision to bring her in this, I just state an observation"

[Archelon]

Linellia shrugged and sighed a moment before looking at Darian."Indeed, one would think the sordid sot would realize she's being given a chance to hurt her former slavemaster in the pocket with this one. I figured a bit of revenge would be good enough impetus to see her through the task. The merchant's place you'll all be breaking into did financially back her captors at one time, and there's sure to be financial records within what you're stealing. While we want him to be kept alive a bit longer; it certainly won't be anyones fault if certain... parts of the property get a little more damaged then others." Looking down at her paper, Ferral sighed, "The next ones aren't much better I suppose; A boy thief who is going to give you headaches, and another boy thief who's untried as such. Darik, and Danck respectively. You'll be needing your wits about you on this one Craeven." Other then Valorae, these two had been brought here in a much nicer fashion, though Darik had to eat a face full of dirt first after the Enforcers caught up to him, a runner's fee of sorts. He would prove a distraction for Darian to use, if he however thought of other plans, the assassin might simply kill him. She wouldn't care. All that mattered was at the end of the job was the desirable outcome for the night eyes; any intelligence on whom attacked them that would be sufficient enough to figure out and plan their next move. Danck, well, he was untested, but her people thought he had a bit of a better head on his shoulders then Darik, who seemed to want to be a nuisance and get ahead by crawling over the bodies of others. That wasn't how the night eyes did their business. At least with anyone associated with them sans the slaves out in the plantation. Both of the thieves would either soon learn that, or perish. She didn't care. All she cared about was when the two were sat down blindfolded by the Enforcers, who had stood guard over Darik so he didnt' slip his steel chained bonds, was that they be more civil then the bitch who seemed to be taking quite a lot of time up glaring and spitting in her direction... no matter. Such things were unimportant. The blindfolds, and the restraints upon Darik were removed; and the pair were soon finding themselve sitting next to Valorae on the other side of the table. Danck in between Darik, and the femme fatale. WIth a slight smile on her face, Linellia began to greet her newest players in the game, knowing full well Craeven would have to keep them in line. Such would be amusing at least. "Well my little thieves, it seems you both are ready for the job we told you was coming. Case in point, you'll be helping to steal something, and hopefully we have one other joining us as well soon, a mercenary of sorts." She had instructed Levarg to be detained by one Enforcer outside the area, soon enough he would be brought inLevarg if your still around, please feel free to have an enforcer bring you just outside the room within earshot of everything. Danck, Darik- you're up ...

[Darik]

Darkness covered Darik’s entire field of view. He was in chains, the inevitable consequence of being a thief. If only he had been faster his fate wouldn’t be so dim. His fate had been predestined, when a burly man approached him. When confronted with this perilous situation he did what he had to; he ran. The man never had a chance to catch Darik, till he tripped. Okay, so maybe he had tripped because of the man’s push, but the barbarian had just gotten lucky. His speed was like a shacked up soda can, given another second it would have exploded. The rest is explanatory, except the mystery man made a beginner’s mistake. He didn’t put a gag into Darik’s mouth. It was plausible, he knew shouts of help wouldn’t do well in Sunberth, but it was still a mistake. Darik could talk, and his voice employed powerful tools. Specifically, the ability to enrage anyone. He spoke every insult possible; to his sister, to his mother, to his grandmother, trying to enrage him into a reaction. If he would just commit to any violence, Darik could escape. Running with your hands tied behind your back, and a blindfold on isn’t easy, but it’s doable. But he didn’t commit, he just walked in complete utter silence. Darik pondered his identity. It couldn’t be a Dragoon or a Daggerhand, they were much too prone to rage. Maybe he was part of the third syndicate, that Darik didn’t know the name of, or a professional assassin. But this brought up another logic problem. Why would an assassin want him? The only thing he had truly done high key is kill three dragoons, and no one even knew about that! In very little time at all, all of his inhibitors were removed. This also proved his theory, The Rotting Mansion and Gated Community were far off from the place were he had been bonded. He squinted as his eyes tried to readjust to the light. He thought it must be the light playing tricks on him, he thought he saw something amazing. But luckily, it wasn’t. In front of him was one of the hottest women in Sunberth. As he searched the room he found one more hidden treasure. Sure there were five men, but there were two women. One looked a bit exotic, the other looked a bit closer to home. The perfect candidates for a threesome. ”I don’t think we’ve every met before. Name’s Darik. What’s your’s?” Before the women in front of him could respond he kept talking. ”You know what, it’s obvious what your name is. It’s Smoking Hot Babe,” His finger rested towards Linellia. “and yours is Sexy Lady.” This time he lifted his head over the table and pointed to the glaring woman. Her outward disgust must surely be love. He didn’t at all remark at the job or the mercenary. He really didn’t care about either of them. I mean seriously, there were babes in his cell! Sure he hadn’t known that it was a job offer and been treated badly, but staring at Smoking Hot Babe’s chest was worth the pain and humiliation. He could see SMH(Smoking Hot Babe) but couldn’t see SL(Sexy Lady) well. He needed that resolved right away. He stood up and the Enforcer almost pushed him down. Darik then spoke so eloquently it confused his tiny brain. “Don’t you worry, I am not going to harm anyone. I don’t like to kill in the presence of hot women. I am just pacing.” Hay, it was eloquent for the brute. In fact, it confused him so much he subconsciously obeyed Darik. He took a few steps back blocking the door so Darik couldn’t escape. He didn’t even pretend to pace, he walked behind the chairs heading towards SL. He cleared the distance in no time at all, and had gained valuable information. While he walked he had looked at all the sitting patrons. Of course he did this so quickly and so professionally that only a master would know. Even then they may not connect the dots, who in the world would think Darik is intelligent? He squeezed between SL’s and Danck’s chair and pushed the young thief onto Darik’s previous seat. If Danck started any outcry, Darik would just wink and hold up a finger to his lips. Danck would hopefully take it as a secret code and shut up. If he didn’t then…other measures would have to be taken. He should have learned by now, Darik gets first pick of women! ”So Sexy Lady, I must say your looking mighty fine.” Darik was asking to be eaten by this woman. But, if SL tried to attack him, they would out how fast his dagger can find her heart. He would not kill women, unless he had to.

oocSorry for the long post, but seriously, what did you expect from Darik? Also ya I know, I used the enforcer npc but I didn’t want Darik to crawl under the table to talk to SL.

[Danck]

Danck was nervous as the enforcer led him blindfolded towards wherever he would be meeting his employer, he really was beginning to feel a little bit uneasy about all this secrecy surrounding this job offer he got, but then again, this was probably standard for the night eyes if they employed people outside their own group. Danck forced the uneasy feeling and the few doubts that had been swimming to the surface of his mind back down and just began thinking about the sum of gold he would be getting. He heard a door being pushed open and his captor roughly pushed him forward and forced him into a chair before taking of his blindfold. Causing him to narrow his eyes for a few moments as they readjusted to the light. Danck nodded as the woman in front “Well I'm re...” Danck was cut off in mid sentence by darik, and promtly had to fight the urge to hit the fool in the face, sure he knew that the guy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but trying to hit on his employer.. did he really wanted to insult the person who was responsible for giving them their job? Not to mention that she didn't look like somebody who was to be messed with. He shook his head at darik's stupidity and really hoped that he stopped thinking with his balls before somebody in this room removed them. Unfortunally it seemed that darik was to thick to see the obvious dislike and disgust from the two women and continued with his dumb pickup lines. As Darik stood up from his chair, somehow letting the enforcer. And tried to steal his for some reason danck just let out a annoyed sigh and rammed his elbow into the idiot's side. Not really out to hurt him more to push him away from his chair. “Darik, stop being dumber then a sack of bricks, shut up, go back to your chair and listen to what our employer has to say before anybody here does the world a favor and castrates you.” He said in an obviously annoyed tone. Before turning back towards the woman who was in charge here. “Anyway, I wasn't given really a lot of information on the job, could you elaborate a bit? Like what you need us to steal and which building we gotta break into to get it. Or do we need to find that out by ourselves too?” Danck just wanted to get straight to business and get his job done. The less time darik had to screw things up right now the better in his opinion. Though he avoided asking for the why it had to be stolen, he probably didn't need to know that, and the less sensitive information you knew the less reason they had to kill you to keep it from leaking out.

[Darian]

Rising quietly from his seat, Darian allowed his hand to rest on the hilt of his longsword casually, though it was clear from his glaring at the impudent thief that he was quite as calm as his posture suggested. He recognized the boy for certain for the little whelp had to try to steal his coin purse during a festival long past, and though he hadn't pursued punishment at that moment, he hadn't forgotten the slight for a moment, and now with the thief presented so close, his mind was quick to turn over countless punishments he could exact on the offender's form. For now though his sword was Kallina's and in such proximity with her, he'd not act on such impulses unless she permitted him to indulge himself. After all, there where greater rewards to be had than inflicting immediate harm on the kid, though he suspected the enforcers would soon put him in his place if Kallina herself didn't decide to let him do it.

Still the thief's arrogance needed to be addressed and if he was to be the leader of this party, he would see the boy learn some humility right here and now rather than have to deal with such incompetence out in the field. Looking to Kallina, he nodded briefly in the thief's direction. "I await your word" He spoke simply though his intent was clear for an intelligent woman like Kallina to figure out for herself. Briefly he allowed his gaze to flicker to the other shadow pad, a relatively fresh face at least for his eyes, and his gaze narrowing, he spoke nothing to the man for the question was not directed at him and besides he had other concerns. This one seemed to have at least the brains to conduct himself appropriately, but the fact that he knew the whelp made Darian develop a growing distaste for him all the same. Perhaps the man would prove competent enough to turn his opinion of him, but it was doubtful. Still, the man was of use as long as he followed orders, and continued to act as he was.

His hand firmed around the hilt of his longsword in anticipation, his eyes wandering back over to Darik. Just a simple uttering of words, and satisfaction could be his.