PM to join [The Docks] The Invisible Strings (Lilith)

[Inoadar]

"You are a poisoner, yes? I-..." Inoadar cut in, completing the sentence with impatience, "...thought we'd established that I am a poisoner several chimes ago, yes?" he mocked the questioning "yes?" at the end as well. He folded his arms and cocked his head matter-of-factly, "Look, if you're waiting for some sort of apology from me for my failure to extend trust to someone that LOOKS like someone I've only recently come to trust, to some degree...But is NOT, in fact, that person; well, you'll have to wait a while longer, I'm afraid. Now I will confess to the belief that your presence here may not be as sinister a thing as I first took it to be. But trusting a stranger, regardless of who they LOOK like, is a recipe for disaster." The man did not really seem to care much what Inoadar said, waiting rather for him to simply be finished speaking. He then began to broach a new subject. Inoadar did not much care for the man's comment about how the crafting of poisons was only a skill he 'laid claim to', but allowed it to pass in the interest of hearing him out. There really was no more need for verbal sparring. It was obvious neither of them would be backing down. 'Unnecessary' was as good a word as any. In truth, he already had a pretty good idea what the man was leading up to. He even knew what 'craft' this Venser was talking about. Some time ago, a man named Wrenmae had spent time in Ravok. Inoadar would not necessarily call the time spent with him 'productive'. There HAD been considerable setbacks and problems which had stemmed from the man's presence. But Inoadar had learned somewhat about 'Malediction'. And the notion this man Venser appeared to be in the process of putting forward was one Inoadar had bandied about a number of times as well. Any time he was in his shop, and had cause to think of Wrenmae, and his rudimentary description of the craft of 'Malediction', his thoughts also strayed to the Balicani wings he had mounted to his wall. He'd been out in the wild and the beast had attacked. Inoadar had been unable to save his horse, but had used the animal's corpse, and his supply of poison, to bring the monster down. Now, when he thought of the craft Wrenmae had spoken of, he wondered what could be made from the creature's wings. Such a project was at the top of a very short list of reasons why he wouldn't mind seeing Wrenmae again. Now perhaps he wouldn't have to... He slowly allowed a grin to form. Then embellished it with a mild look of contrition. "Mr. Rush, I would like to extend my sincere apology for my prior rudeness. I believe I now have all the reason I need to trust you: the fact that we can be useful to each other."

[Venser Rush]

The poisoner was insolent in how he spoke to a born son of the city of Ravok. Venser nearly scowled at the man, though he hid it behind the fires of intrigue in his eyes as he processed what the poisoner had said. His interruption was clearly and immediately retracted when he learned of Venser's intentions. This struck Venser as both satisfying, for the man was clearly figuring that Venser Rush was neither his inferior nor as one to posture senselessly with, but it also alerted the Rush twin to the possibility that this poisoner was, however dimly, aware of the discipline of Malediction.

By the man's tone and his eagerness to cooperate, it was now Venser's turn to be set on edge by the poisoner rather than the other way around. Nolan Parnell, as he introduced himself as, was either flippant and petching with Venser's mind, or he was very much a chaotic, unpredictable and very clearly dangerous individual. It went with Venser's earlier assessment of his being deceitful, and his second assessment of him being unpredictable. Venser, however, was far too preoccupied with his personal advancement in the craft of Malediction and the undertaking of an experiment that could very well revolutionize the discipline as Venser knew it.

The reward was by and far worth the risk of involving himself with a sort that Venser perceived to be kindred to a psychopath. It could even be a very cordial relationship, should the insanity remain locked in Parnell's mind and not publicly and relentlessly demonstrated as Venser had witnessed not once, but three times in his short encounter with the man. It was not sane to be needlessly paranoid. It was insanity, but for the sake of advancement, Venser Rush would very willingly run the course of Nolan's insanity in order to bear access to his mind.

However, it also seemed that Nolan Parnell had failed to answer his question.

He was, before I concluded my question, far too consumed with the destabilization of my answer and the vernacular that I chose to implement. After the question, he became distracted by the possibility of cooperation and extended his trust at the expense of garnering my trust. And, in this situation, it is Nolan that would benefit most from this partnership, not myself. I could defer to Verin's knowledge of poisons and come off the better in this encounter, and Nolan likely knows this, yet... was it distraction that opened him up to his folly? Or shrewdness? Perhaps he willingly chose to obscure an answer from me in the attempt to limit MY growth and MY knowledge? To make himself more useful to me? I'll play his game for the moment, but this man is not one to confide in.

However, one did not need to trust in order to take advantage of a resource. After all, a consumer did not trust his meal, he simply took it. Venser Rush extended a smile to Nolan, his crystalline eyes reflecting of the possibility of furthering his craft by the means of utilizing Nolan Parnell as a resource. It would, of course, be of mutual gain, knowledge imparted by the Rush twin was willingly done so long as he gained an equal or greater segment of information.

It was, after all, the nature of the game of understanding. And this game was one that Venser Rush had quickly and inescapably become addicted to, even as a youth.

"It is of no conern to me, Mr. Parnell. I am very eager to begin this partnership. Would you like to continue this discussion elsewhere? There is little productivity to be had in a place where neither of us are capable of demonstrating our usefulness to the other. If you have anything you wish for me to work upon, feel free to ask, and we can do so immediately. Perhaps we can even apply this little... theory and assess whether it can become concrete fact or if it will fade into nothingness."

[Inoadar]

Inoadar still found this man to be condescending. He was not sure if it stemmed from the possibility that this Venser found it offensive that he only displayed a cooperative attitude because he expected to get something out of it, or that he considered it a given that he would garner more. 'Probably a bit of both.' he said to himself. "There is no reason we could not continue this elsewhere. Though I cannot say that I have a subject that I have made a concerted effort to inflict a deeply "imprinted", as you say, signature upon. I CAN tell you that there are elements of toxins that are specifically designed to cause a deeper settling of the affecting compound into the tissue of the target, be it bone, muscle, organ or even brain." The Balicani came to mind again. "I do, however have the wings of a beast strung up on the wall of my shop. It is a matter of what elements you want featured in the target of your craft. This beast was the victim of my wrath. It killed my horse, and I poisoned the corpse while it was distracted, then, while debilitated by the poisons, to the point of helplessness, I killed it brutally and slowly with nothing more than a dagger." This was not intended to come off as bragging. The fact was, Inoadar did not look upon this incident with anything resembling pride. His anger at the time was largely anger at himself, for leaving his horse so vulnerable. He had simply "taken it out" on the creature. The use of the trophy was as much to remember his horse and his mistake, as it was to let others know what extremes he could be driven to. "You are going to have to let me know just what it is you want "imprinted" on your target. For instance, do you want death accompanied by wild hallucinations? A completely clear mind, coupled with physical paralysis? Are you then going to explain, matter-of-factly, to the victim that you are going to kill him at the count of five, then count very slowly to amass fear? Will you give the poor fool some comment on how his sacrifice will go to the greater goal of academic learning, to make him impotently furious just before the stroke? Do you want him to hate you? Me? Do you want the paralysis to be due to bone lock? Muscle deadening? Brain path blockage? I can do all these and more." It occurred to him that he'd claimed he was meeting with Verin. He decided to let it pass. He had little doubt that Venser knew now, if not sooner, that it had been a ruse to set up a scenario to judge a reaction. Inoadar had to admit, the man had not bought into it in the least. He was man with great reactive discipline. Inoadar knew he would have to remain aware of this trait. It was a dangerous characteristic. Venser either knew the story was false from the start, or he did not care in the least that his brother's plans may be being altered right then. When it involved interfering with your own brother, Inoadar had to consider the man a possible sociopath. He shrugged mentally. Sociopaths were no problem as long as there was something for them to gain. And if he started to make himself a problem...Perhaps he would give the man a first-hand experience with deep-imprinted poisoning.

[Nemesis]

Inoadar

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Deduction	+1
Negotiation	+1
Rhetoric	+3
Socialisation	+2
Teaching	+1

Lores

*Rush Twins: Indifferent to Each Other
*Venser Rush: Maledictor
*Venser Rush: Verin's Twin

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*None

Loot/Expenses

*None

Lilith

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Skill ??	+??
Skill ??	+??

Lores

*??
*??
*??

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*??
*??

Loot/Expenses

*??
*??

Venser Rush

Knowledge :

Skills

Skill	XP
Skill ??	+??
Skill ??	+??

Lores

*??
*??
*??

Micellaneous :

Injuries

*??
*??

Loot/Expenses

*??
*??

____________________________________________

Notes

*Lilith, Venser, send me a PM if you return and I'll update your grades.
*This had real potential - always fun to read about confusion over Ravok's favourite twins. Shame this couldn't find a conclusion.

Feel free to PM me with questions, comments, or concerns, if you have any.
Also, remember to either delete your grade request or edit it as 'graded'.
Thank ye!