Introduction/IntrusionImma just barge in here and ruin your lovely order. Sorry, wanted to join and already talked to Aradia and Noric about it. Amelia and I have some... previous correspondence (Hi Am!) and I look forward to meeting you Acar-something.
I'll leave Aradia to decide the new order. Sorry about that, I just wanted to expand my contact list and wanted to get my inro done as soon as possible. Looking forward to rping with you all!
P.S. Don't worry about the imbalance of men:women ratio, Kelmar doesn't have any designs on your companions. A quiet man was walking briskly through the streets of Ravok, hurrying across bridges and walkways that were less crowded this time of day. His calm and purposeful demeanor belied a recently unpleasant realization that he was late for a meeting, hence his quickened pace. Is was because of this focus on simply getting there that he did not pay attention to anything behind him and thus did not notice the other cloaked figure skirting behind him in the shadows, who knew his target was late for some time and had been waiting patiently for the fool to realize such.
The hurried man marched across Nitrozian Plaza, the second cloaked figure not far behind, hiding in the shadows cast by the buildings. Kelmar was careful to cushion his feet, clenching his muscles and stepping as lightly as he could on the ground. He was confident the shadows and his cloak would hide him from a casual glance, and if spotted he would simply keep walking. After all, he knew the target's destination, but his task was to follow this forgetful fool and so he would. He watched as the man made a beeline for the Sliver, brushing past a man who stood beside a woman retching on the ground outside the door, perhaps his companion. His target entered the inn, and soon Kelmar was following, emerging from his place in the shadows and walking rit towards the door.
As he drew near, he did a brief examination of the two at the door. The woman was petite with hair like fire, loosing everything she had that day which seemed to be mostly oranges and Sliver drink by the looks of it. She didn't look the sort to frequent a tavern, so this was probably the result of being too careless with her drink. By her side, a skinny and slight-looking man appeared to be accompanying her to make sure she was alright, a worried look in his light brown eyes. His clothes spoke of comfort yet experience, a man who had probably been places outside the city island. Neither looked to be the sort to hang around someone like him. Passing by, careful to avoid brushing past them as his target had done, he glanced at the two of them, his black eyes meeting theirs from beneath the cowl of his hood, before continuing through the doors into the Sliver.
Inside was near total uproar. Never had Kelmar seen the place this busy and active, though admittedly he wasn't a frequent patron so he didn't know whether this was normal or not. People were laughing and shouting excitedly, gesturing to the door and conversing loudly about an entertainer who 'has a bit too much' as they seemed to be putting it. Perhaps they were referring to the woman outside. Scanning the crowd, the Hedos' eyes spotted where his target had gone, the one quiet table between the bar and the stage, a spot of quiet amidst a sea of noise. Now was not a time to blow his cover and linger too long, so he immediately broke off his pause and headed to the bar, making sure to choose a spot where he could easily see the little table tucked away amidst the drunks and drinks.
Coincidentally, it happened to be just behind Noric's back.
"So the man of mystery returns," Jeb said gruffly, cleaning one of his mugs. "Don't come here often yer do, have to wonder what makes yer come and go." The bartender had been present the last couple times Kelmar visited, being the owner and all, so of course he knew about the agent's comings and goings from his establishment. What the man
didn't know was why.
"It's my job," the young Hedos replied honestly, keeping his ears open to the conversations around him. He even paid attention to the half-drunk shouts and bellows, where most would dismiss such behaviour. Long ago Kelmar had come to appreciate how useful the word of spoken mouth could be, for even vague rumors could point to grains of truth. However, it turns out the conversation that caught most of his attention was that of the one beside him, between the muscled man and what sounded like his lady companion. It wasn't the content of the conversation that interested him, it was one of the voices. He
knew that voice. "Wherever my work takes me, that's where I'll be."
"Aye, I see," Jeb replied curtly, finishing his cleaning of the first mug and picking up another, his other patrons occupied for the moment. "You'll have your usual order in a tick, just let me finish up here for a bit. Suppose you wouldn't be forthcoming about what that work is?"
"No," Kelmar replied simply, cocking his head as if it would help him think better. Trying to place someone by voice alone could be difficult, though he'd done it before and had no intention of losing his edge. Her voice was so familiar, but he dared not indulge his curiosity just yet, wanting to finish his conversation with the bartender and try to recognize the voice in his own time. "I assure you, it won't bring any damage or scrutiny to your establishment."
"It had damn well better not," Jeb warned, setting down the mug and picking up another, running the cloth cleaner through it. "Otherwise there's going to be some trouble. Keep your secret, it's of no import to me."
Then why did you ask? Kelmar thought to himself, though he partially knew the answer. Even if trading secrets wasn't one's profession, knowing some would always out you at an advantage. Had he divulged his profession and name and someone coming after him approached Jeb, there was no doubt the bartender could barter for the informant he held. Such was the way the world worked.
Looking back to the quiet table of plotters, Kelmar continued trying to identify who the woman behind him was. His target had just received an order of Sliver and was clearly settling down, obviously not planning on going anywhere soon. The agent had a bit of free time, so he settled down himself to think about the voice, replay it in his head and, hopefully, place it. He hadn't talked intimately enough with many woman for the voice to be from a wide selection, and it definitely wasn't Heldora. Who else had he been in contact with? As he was mentally scrolling through the list of names, he suddenly realized who it was and kicked himself for not remembering her sooner.
He leaned back on the bar, his still hooded face looking around the tall man in front of him. "Amelia?" he asked with genuine mild surprise, a pleasant one if he would have cared to bay attention. Kelmar's black eyes looked for the woman's, them two being maybe the only people with such dark irises.