Through the Streets of Atanlia (Started)

[JokerboyJordan]

Dirge stood against the wall near the back of the Tea-House. Though he was fairly distant from the Inquisitor, he caught every word, including those of the man who tried to accost the guard. The poor sap ended up finding himself looking like the symbol of Malinor

Dirge took his cup of tea from the nearby table and took a sip. It was a delicate, aromatic blend. The sort that few would suspect he drank, even if they ever thought he drank tea at all.
He replaced the cup along with it's saucer, back to the table.

He heard the others speak and ask questions about the man who the guards sought. Pointless.
As one man was quick to point at, if they had any leads, they would have the majority of the guard chasing them up, not crawling into a crooked tea-house such as this to ask the service of some of the city's lowliest individuals.

"I have but one question" said Dirge as he straightened up from the wall and began to pace forwards, dragging his huge sword across the wood/stone work.
The sound of his booming voice from the darkness caused many patrons to turn and stare at him. They knew the tales, along with having seen Dirge kill his fair share of men over trivialities.

"How many shots, have you got in that pistol?"

His sword hung heavily by his side, he made no intention of tightening his grip.

"Because who, in their right mind, would come into an establishment, that you know to harbour some of this city's most unsavoury indivuals, ask, nay, decree for assistance, and then proceed to shoot one of the patrons stone dead?"

His voice exhibited no emotion, no hint of malice or remorse. None.

"I'll give you some advice for next time you attempt a stunt like this. One word. Subtlety."

He took the flagon of ale that belonged to the now dead man.

"That, or 'Amputation'. Sends more of a message."

He took a hearty swig of the ale.

"Anyway, I'm in."

 

[CloggedDonkey]

The Inquisitor's demeanor seemed to improve from all of the pleasant responses, but he had a few choice words for the man resting against the wall.

"For one, the number of rounds in my pistol does not matter when there are three guard squads outside. If there was the sound of a fight, they are to storm this cheap tavern and burn it to the ground after slaughtering everyone inside. It is nice to see someone willing to help his kingdom, though. And, as for you, Jinro," He turned to face the old man right in front of him. "We know about you. You are the head of a local gang, or at least the person who owns their hideout, so I think you should watch your tongue about 'loitering.'" He took a few steps towards the door, then turned around. "And, lastly, here are wanted posters of the man. Your lead is that he was working with the Destroyers last, so check in the occupied portion of this city." He threw the papers into the tea-house, the leaflets of paper fluttering through the air like petals in the summer wind, and walked out the door, followed by the three War Guards. The sound of marching was heard outside, and, after a brief moment, faded into the cold night. The door slammed behind the soldiers, the symbol of Keelos still stuck to the door in mud.

The wind blew again, and a few siring voices began in the bar. Elli soon emerged from the backroom and began to drag the body away, and a few men got up from their table to help carry the body out front. Another few men began to gather the wanted posters. The ones that landed in the blood were thrown in the fire, while the rest were left at the bar. The patrons returned to their drinks at the table, and an awkward silence drew over the crowd.

 

[Yorgmiester]

Jinro's smile ebbed away as soon as the Inquisitor was gone. He looked down at the bloody, lifeless form on the floor and sighed deeply. The dead man hadn't been one of the group, but he was like them. A head full of grandeur and folly, and more than its share of heartache. Attacking an Inquisitor was just plain old angry foolishness.

"Gerik, take this poor fellow out back for now, will you? Yes, cover him with something this time." he then turned to Dirge with a disapproving frown. He spoke slowly and clearly, as was his wont; emphasizing the words that highlighted his point. "Threatening an Inquisitor is not wise, even if he does not have three squads of city guard to come to his aide. They would kill you before you could even think about changing your mind. You should be more careful." No hint of exasperation or annoyance entered his voice, despite the countless times he had to remind the young people. He didn't mention how bad violence was for business, either. They knew. "You will learn caution some day, my friend. Hopefully your teacher will be words and not a bullet." He chuckled then, and a touch of frivolity returned to his manner.

"Sorry for the disturbance!" Jin said cheerfully to the customers, many of whom were already getting up and leaving. The new banjo boy was nowhere to be seen, his instrument abandoned. Jin helped the serving girl gather up her spilled dishes and then retreated back into his quarters. He emerged a minute later with an extra layer of robes and some cushions tucked under his arms.

"I'll be on the roof." he said as he headed for the stairs. "Elli, bring some hot tea up for us when you get the chance."

The gang would be eager to discuss their plan away from prying ears. The open-sky upstairs lounge was the best place for suck talk, especially on a cold day like this when no customers would be up there. Although Jin was not the gang's leader, he liked to be privy to their planning just in case they started discussing anything ridiculous.

 

[drmigit2]

Davarious grabbed a leaflet and stuck it in his pocket.

"The destroyers eh? What an original name." He said with utter sarcasm

He peered around the room, those of which who would brave this assault with him were scattered and varied. "I suppose that with this, we are all going to scramble for him, allow me to give all of you a hint however, because I am sure at least one of you is considering betrayal of some sort in order to get the money to yourself. Do not even try, I have seen that happen on more than one occasion and it always either leads to the man's death, or the failure of the mission. There is more than enough bounty in it for all of us, so I suggest we stay as a team and look sharp." He said all of that in his usual dreary monotone that echoed through the now almost vacant halls. "For optimal efficiency in our endeavor, I suggest we all give a quick introduction and explain what we can do. I will start."

"You may call me Davarious, I am an assassin and can kill from long range. I use a crossbow and pistols, thank you." He looked around at the crowd and sighed, "Alright, who is next?"

 

[Redryhno]

ignore

 

[drmigit2]

snip

Oh, an infiltrator, fun times

"Very nice, I do enjoy a nice sabotage on occasion." He said this with his eyes wandering around the room. Davarious peered his gaze in to her eyes, she had those eyes. Yes, those eyes, the kind that you can never trust because they are trying too hard to be genuine. There was more to her, probably some thefts and murdering of ex-teams. Her smirk revealed her confidence.

Careful now, overconfidence won't get you everywhere.

"We do need to keep this going however." He continued after a few seconds of a pause. "Anyone?"

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Too many to con... One or two might work, this many would be too complicated. If I can convince them to let me go in first, I can warn the Destroyers...
Serena stands, and walks over to the group, her fiery red hair flowing behind her. "I assume you are all contemplating accepting this offer." she says. "I'm in as well."
She takes a seat. "Now, who has a plan?"

 

[Sir Strange Of The House Lycan]

Spoiler: Guys...

Did you even read the OP? The idea is that we're all a tightly knit group of thieves that has been working together for a LONG TIME before now. As in, we've spent years together.Introductions are unnecessary, and you should know each other. (Loyalty is optional).

William raised his eyebrows at the others as he rose from his position behind the couch and came into view. He couldn't see any reason behind introductions like this, apart from the possibility that they were trying to throw other patrons off any idea that they worked together regularly. The way that they were all behaving like they would betray each other at a moments notice was worrying, and the fact that Davarious and Clarissa would loudly announce their "Talents", both requiring utter secrecy, to an entire tea house of patrons was just a bit silly.

"I think Jin will probably have some idea of what to do, so you guys just get onto the roof whenever possible..." William said relatively quietly, before creeping up the stairs,
snatching a throw blanket from a nearby armchair as he did so.It was a cold night, the wind brought with it a bitter, biting chill. William threw the throw over himself and used it as a make shift cloak, then approached Jinhro, sitting down near him and waiting for the others.
"They're acting all weird downstairs, like they don't know each other...And have you got any ideas for a plan yet Jin?"

 

[Redryhno]

Spoiler: OOC

Did you even read the OP? Have you been paying attention at all? The idea is that we're all a tightly knit group of thieves that has been working together for a LONG TIME before now. As in, we've spent years together.Introductions are unnecessary, and you should know each other. (Loyalty is optional).

The thing is, the way he put the OP, we don't know each other at all, we're just freelance guys looking for money, and the way I set up my own character, she doesn't work with a group very often. And we're not in the main room, last I checked, we're upstairs in one of the rooms we had to rent.

 

[CloggedDonkey]

Spoiler: OOC

Spoiler: OOC

Did you even read the OP? Have you been paying attention at all? The idea is that we're all a tightly knit group of thieves that has been working together for a LONG TIME before now. As in, we've spent years together.Introductions are unnecessary, and you should know each other. (Loyalty is optional).

The thing is, the way he put the OP, we don't know each other at all, we're just freelance guys looking for money, and the way I set up my own character, she doesn't work with a group very often. And we're not in the main room, last I checked, we're upstairs in one of the rooms we had to rent.

Huh... actually, it does say in the OP you are part of the gang. It says so right here:

Still, you are a gang, and that is what matters. You've known each other since childhood, or maybe since you arrived here. Perhaps the others were the only people willing to take you in after you became an Elf, but they are still your only friends, and probably the only people you can trust. This city may seem kind, but it is not.

Sorry if that wasn't clear at all, but Lycan is right. Sorry about the confusion. And, in the future, if there is a discrepancy, please just message me about. I'll get to it as soon as I can. I don't like my players fighting.

 

[Sir Strange Of The House Lycan]

Spoiler: On Location, See above about being in a gang

Spoiler: OOC

Did you even read the OP? Have you been paying attention at all? The idea is that we're all a tightly knit group of thieves that has been working together for a LONG TIME before now. As in, we've spent years together.Introductions are unnecessary, and you should know each other. (Loyalty is optional).

The thing is, the way he put the OP, we don't know each other at all, we're just freelance guys looking for money, and the way I set up my own character, she doesn't work with a group very often. And we're not in the main room, last I checked, we're upstairs in one of the rooms we had to rent.

...Oh rally? When did that happen? Show me and I''ll edit accordingly.

 

[Redryhno]

erased

 

[Malyc]

Draven sighed, not happy with being forced to hunt someone. He grabbed his cloak before heading up to the roof, certain that he wasn't the only one second guessing their options.

Once on the roof, he leaned against the wall by the door, partly to ensure that no one who wasn't in their group could eavesdrop, and partly to cut the wind as much as possible.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Serena follows Draven up to the roof. "Are you really going to help them?" she asks.

 

[Malyc]

"Depends." Draven answered. "Do we want to give them a reason to burn down Jin's establishment? Personally, I don't particularly care what we do, but the gold would be nice."

 

[ShindoL Shill]

"I was thinking... if we worked with the Destroyers, we might get protection. And they might give us access to more resources. I mean, we're being sent after a strategist. Now imagine if that strategist could help us, give us advice." Serena says.
"And how do we know they aren't just using us to find the Destroyers, and then as soon as we get near them, they arrest everyone, including us?"

 

[Sir Strange Of The House Lycan]

William saw Serena and Draven come to the roof, the others obviously not following his suggestion. The ideas and suggestions that Serena were giving were valid he supposed, but they still seemed a bit foolish. He shivered and pulled the blanker tighter around himself, before beckoning them over to actually sit near, so as to limit the need for noise.
"Simply put, we don't know. However, the government is much more powerful than the destroyers, and even the best strategist in the world wouldn't help us escape their wrath." He replied factually.
"I'd say the best course of action would be to just do the job to the letter, divide the money and use the pardons to keep the guard from taking our heads for a little longer." He suggested.

 

[Yorgmiester]

Spoiler: OOC of Clarification

Yea, we're supposed to already know each other.

Also, some clarification about the Broken Blessing. It's a tea shop, not an inn. There is only the main room, a cellar, and "the roof". I put a detailed description of it in my character sheet, but I probably should have asked Clogged to put it in the OP or something. Sorry for the confusion.

The Shop: The Broken Blessing is a two-story building of white stone at the nicer end of the market district. The bottom floor contains the shop proper; the small open kitchen and main dining area; whereas the top floor is more of a veranda, with no roof and wide arches cut into the walls. Several potted trees and shrubs give this top floor the feel of a desert oasis, not unlike the Royal Gardens, and on particularly warm days there is even a shallow pool in the center of the veranda that can be filled. The eastern side has no wall, giving an unobstructed view of the monolithic palace and the marble-clad wealthy district beyond it.

The shop is awash with many colorful decorations and cultural oddities. The symbol of the goddess Kala can be found everywhere, and several depictions of her adorn the walls. The interior always smells delightful; a mix of exotic perfumes and incenses and the rich scent of brewing tea. It is a decidedly cheerful and tranquil place, even on stormy days. A bastion of peace and comfort. Jin has one steady employee: Elli, a cheerful young girl who has worked at the shop for several years. Besides serving customers and listening patiently to Jin's ramblings, she plays flutes and a few other wind instruments profficiently. She is well aware of the criminal business that goes on there, though she never involves herself with it.

A small add-on attached to the back of the building contains Jin's quaint living quarters. The shop has a cellar, of course, and in that cellar a secret escape tunnel that leads into the sewer system.

 

[Jeff Gibson]

Downstairs, Tom leaned back in his chair and sighed. After a great deal of frantic writing, his research was safe. After putting his things away, he stood up and walked toward the staircase, stopping only to give the serving girl a minuscule jar of light orange liquid from his bag. "For the ink stains," he said, an apologetic smile on his face. "You're probably going to want gloves." He continued on his way, buttoning up his leather coat as he reached the top of the stairs. With a quick "Sorry I'm late," he found himself a seat near the others and set his bag down on his lap. "So, what did I miss?"

 

[Nukey]

Gerik, although reluctant to move a dead body, nevertheless took it upon himself to remove the corpse from the store upon hearing Jin's request. He mumbled, quite incoherently, underneath his breath as he and several other patrons and one employee tossed the corpse outside, although not before grabbing a small, green tablecloth before exiting the store in order to cover up the lifeless man from the view of onlookers. He returned to the tea-house, the man's blood running along the side of his black, leather cuirass, visibly annoyed due to having to deal with such a task while in the middle of his herbal brew.

His high had long since subsided, with Gerik, no longer filled with vigor and glee, wearing a scowl across his face. It had been long a felt the warm sensation of blood, longer since he had claimed the soul of another man, although since his arrival in Atanlia it seemed that the disposal of the dead and beaten had become a common occurrence. It angered him immensely, his stomach growling for the taste of death and mayhem, although visibly he kept his composure. Just for once, he wished, he would be the one dealing the damage as opposed to dealing with the the aftermath.

The Professional sighed, contemplating the dull nature of his current existence, then returned to his herbal drink. He would drown his annoyance in spiked tea, the world around him melting once more as he chugged the drink. All around him smelt of spices and incense, much like the Broken Blessing always did, though the magical brew and the high it produced intensified the sensations these smells tenfold. He returned to his fictional paradise, though knew that, once the brew wore off, he would once again fall back into his dull reality.

He wanted a fight. A good one, too.