Open [Temple Of The Black Sun] Live Fast, Die Beautiful

[Tallis Ishtari]

The chants from the main chamber seemed to grow louder. It might have been his mind reacting to the situation he found himself in or the fact that there was money to be earned. Either way he was certain the man was starting to see things his way. There did not seem to be any sleight of hand in the man’s words. What bothered him was that his means of escape had been cut. A thief without is route in which to flee was like an animal caught in a trap, but like an animal that had food in the trap he had money dangled in front of him.

Tallis relaxed as the other man talked. What he was speaking made sense in an almost uneasy way. Why had this man come to the Temple to begin with? Was he more than a tourist or just another worshiper of Rhysol?

Then a trigger word was spoken that straightened him up. The man did not mention Marx’s name but just the fact he mentioned the one thing in his life that meant more than his family got his attention. It also increased his heart rate.

Nervously Tallis licked his lips and was uncertain what to do with his hands. Never before had he been this emotionally attached to a woman. But this not just any woman, this woman was Kelvic, a young Kelvic that any slaver would love to get their greedy hands on.

Tallis finally regained his composure and stood a more naturally, albeit still on edge. “I’m interested, but for more coin than what’s on the floor right now.” His eyes only glanced at the two coins on the hallway floor.

Waiting to hear more he inched his head forward slightly as if the very act would help him hear over the chanting reverberating through the temple. “What is it that you need done? I’m capable gaining access to just about anywhere in Ravok, and I doubt you’ll find anyone who knows the streets and canals better than me.” Tallis said confidently.

Tallis knew he was bragging, but there was money on the line and if Rhysol be pleased there would be enough to support himself and Marx when they fled the city.

[Wrenmae]

Rubbing his chin again, Wrenmae subtly shifted out of Tallis' way, leaving the exit open. There was no longer any need to subtly intimidate the man. He already had his interest and that was what his purpose was to begin with.

It was a girl, then. The noticeable shift in body language when he said the word indicated as such. Ailing perhaps? Or maybe she was captured or enslaved somehow?

Between them, Wrenmae pushed a subtle suggestion, a random thought, in Tallis' own voice, to echo in his head.

I think I can trust this man.

"As I said," Wrenmae said, raising an eyebrow, "I'm new to the city. I cannot pay you simply to run around and give me ordinary information, I need something of slightly stronger caliber." He reached into his pocket and pulled out four more gold rimmed mizas, holding them out to Tallis.

"Consider this meager sum an investment. Buy something nice...treat your lady friend. But understand that there will be more, much more, if you can find me interesting information. I intend to make this place my home, and that means I need to know the ins and outs of the nobility, the ebonstryfe, the Black Sun. I will pay you to connect me to interesting people...mages, politicians, those who might have some interest in a man who can get information about them."

Folding back into the shadows, Wrenmae shrugged, "Perhaps, if you serve well, I'll help you with your problem. I may be new to the city, but I am not a man of unimpressive means. Once upon a time I held a position of importance in the Zeltivan government." He paused, considering, "It's a port city across Sylira from here...but I was called on this pilgrimage by Lord Rhysol...so here I am. Go out and find secrets people are trying to hide. Return to me with them and I will pay you...return with one that allows me to get ahead in this city and I'll help you with whatever problem puts you in this situation."

He smiled, reinforcing the thought he'd sent before with an emotional surge of hope in the man.

"Do we have a deal?"

[Tallis Ishtari]

The chanting stopped suddenly. It left him with a sense of calm. There was no room for argument in what he was sure Rhysol was saying to him. Trust!

Experience was telling him a something entirely different. He had been around organized crime for over a decade and had completed hundreds of assignments given to him by his handlers. Over that time he knew instinctively when there was trouble afoot. In the man in front of him there was an aura of something that he had never encountered before in his island city.

His moment to escape suddenly appeared. It was subtle. Tallis’ eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. It left him wondering if it had been done intentionally. There was no time to meditate on the escape possibilities because more gold mizas appeared before his eyes. The man held it in his hands. It meant there were now six gold mizas in play. Trust!

Tallis ran his hand through his hair and slowly let out a breath of air before meeting the man’s eyes. “All you need is information?” Secrets is what the man called them. It would not be easy as one would think. Member of the underworld guarded theirs secrets from thieves like himself and they knew one wrong word and organized crime could cripple their business or worse yet… eliminate them. The elite class would be just as difficult. His parents traveled in and out of that world frequently enough, but that presented difficulties of a different sort and no less dangerous.

Trust! “We have a deal!” He said with conviction as he moved to snatch the coins from the mans extended hand. “We meet here in a weeks time? I deliver as much information as I can on high members of Ravokian society and organized crime and there will be more coins?”

All warning signs that were there suddenly disappeared. It was a challenge for the young man, and there was more money on the line. It was a gamble worth taking. He and Marx would be well on their way before any of the repercussions of the information he turned over would come into play.

[Wrenmae]

Wren let the man snatch the coins, even stepping back to allow him access to the ones he dropped. Crossing his arms, he nodded with a small smile. Tallis was responding exactly as he had hoped...not only that, but he knew a thing or two about the fellow as well. If worse came to worse...there was someone worth protecting for him, and that made him pliable.

"Nothing common of course," he said, raising an eyebrow at the thief, "I want information on the high nobility families...numbers in the Stryfe and Black Sun if you can get them, otherwise just as much as you can about the setup of the families, the business they're involved in...we'll start there. Follow any lead, seek any secret that presents itself. Rest assured, I won't ask you to act against the law of Ravok in any way, simply keep your ear to the ground."

He paused, looking down at his empty hand and frowning.

"Well...I reward daring...and no doubt the best secrets will involve a little risk. Tell you what. You challenge yourself only as much as you feel capable of handling."

Another emotional push, a brief flash of pride...how dare this strange suggest he not be capable of anything in this city?

It was a moment, but hopefully a push that would wind up being more profitable than not.

"Now," he held out a hand to the passageway that snaked out of the temple. "Don't let me hold you up any longer. Rather than meeting in a week, you will find information and then signal that we should meet. To do so, simply tie a black ribbon in this hallway. I will find it and we will meet at this time a day after you place the ribbon"

Allowing himself to shrink further back into the hallway, Wren made it clear the meeting was at an end.

Unless Tallis had other requests or clarifications, he was finally bidden to go.

[Tallis Ishtari]

It was difficult not to seem needy when he dropped to his knees to scoop up the other two coins. After the days miscues in his attempts to pick people’s pockets and his desire to please Marx made it difficult not to look like someone who was desperate. He only glanced up once to look at the man when he picked up the last gold coin. It gave Tallas an odd feeling of being used. He knew he had always been a pawn in a large scheme but this was different. A thought of recanting his agreement to help the man was only a short image in his mind as a feeling of pride about what he going to do. He would prove to the man that he was worth the money.

“There’s nothing in this city that I can’t find out!” Tallas said with more force than he intended as he stood to his feet. He ignored the dust on his knees from where he had been kneeling. “You’ll see! And make sure you have plenty of coins in that purse of yours.” Tallis leveled his eyes at the man to give the impression that he was serious.

It was not going to be easy getting information on the Ebonstryfe. Organized crime he had no deep fear of but the Stryfe there was real fear. Bad memories of that organization still haunted him since they had tried very hard to recruit him into their ranks when he was much younger. It took his father’s influence to get them to drop their interest in him. He would have to get creative if he was going to get anything credible on them.

“And don’t fret. I’ll have good information for you in a week. You can bet your cloak on that! Be sure you don’t forget to come by and look for the ribbon…”

Seeing that his way was not blocked Tallis turned to leave and tried not to hurry his steps. As he stuffed the coins into his own purse he was having regret about sounding so arrogant. It was that arrogance that got him into trouble just a few months ago. The sting of having to leave Ravok under those circumstances were still fresh in his consciousness. A high ranking official had been murder because of what he had done.

As he reached the end of the corridor he gave a glance down it only to see the shadows.