Fantasy ~The Hexosphere Chronicles~

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta felt the skin under his shirt start to heat up at the thought of getting a drink with Rani. The thought of her betting on him, being so sure as to his victory, it made him feel good, really good. Now she was getting close to him like this, it was a really blissful moment. However, he needed to make sure he was observant. It wouldn't take much for him to lose his purse being this close to such a flirtful women. She did seem so happy right now, so bubbly, making her kind of look like a grown child when you forgot about where they were currently and how she had gambled on a fight to the death. Those things didn;t really help with the whole "Child" look the happiness was causing.


Scratching the back of his head, Jinta half-grinned and said, "That sounds nice, a free drink is always nice," Jinta looked at the two women beside Rani and asked, "And you two are?" As they answered, Jinta shot a slightly victorious look towards the rogue scoundrel, making sure it was only their for a second and out of sight so that Rani didn't it.


@Shura


@CrimsonEclipse


@Kharmin


@SkyGinge


@Goddess

 

[Goddess]

Standing behind Rani her eyes flickered between the new company that had stopped to chat. As she moved over the group she spotted the man with the harpoon, Jinta was it. Uninterested in the man himself she was more focused on the pretty harpoon that was drenched with blood till he began to clean it. Chimera thought it was the most dazzling thing other than the small knife she kept at her thigh. Before she got caught staring she looked over toward Jinta's friend but nothing about him was special. When Rani spoke toward the man who had asked about the fight she had looked over toward him with a raised brow. Chimera was more curious when he said princess. Was Chimera in front of royalty and had the nerve to disrespect her by not bowing, or was princess just a title, a small stage name. Fiddling with her tool belt that rested around her waist, she shook her thought and decided to ask about it later when they were all seated.


Chimera watched Rani move over toward Jinta , bubbly and full of energy. When Jinta has asked who they were Chimera gave the man a small salute with two fingers before winking playful. "The names Chimera but people usually call me Chime. I'm a new friend of Rani here or hope to be at least. A pleasure to be in the presence of a victor thought, congratulations." Chimera put her hand back down , hooking her thumb into the small forest green belt loop that was on her shorts.


@Kharmin


@Shura


@CrimsonEclipse


@SkyGinge


@DamagedGlasses

 

[SkyGinge]

So the snake sheds her skin, Kri'tro smiled internally. Now that I'm too smart to use she can happily bare her fangs and slither away back to easier prey. What a disappointment. And it really was. He'd thought at first that she might have been something incredible when they'd enjoyed their game of trickery together. But then it'd all got a little too clever too quickly for her. She was the annoying breed of woman who were too smart to be fooled by his charms, and similarly too blind to comprehend the ingenuity of his actions. An unfortunate middle ground, the kind of woman who promised but never delivered. Never mind. I can do better.


It was all growing comically chummy very quickly, and Kri'tro struggled to resist an aggressive smirk. Fish-Face was in particularly amusing, in his desperate struggle to control his rising heat at the girl's advances. He was certainly no fool, but he wasn't too much better. And what was even more funny was that he thought he had won a small victory over him, by bagging a sneaky, swindling gypsy girl of all people.


To be honest, Kri'tro had hardly been expecting a positive response after what he'd caused. If he'd wanted to make friends, he'd have gone and acted the gentleman at that toff's event in the north of town, not gone to a seedy under-surface battleground. He shot 'Fishy' a non-chalent glance in return to his petty prideful glare, a glance that read 'so what?'. He'd given up any chance of 'bagging' the dancer when he'd lost his focus earlier. A genius he might be, but he could only play one role at a time.


No point in me sticking around, so I don't suppose there's any point in keeping up manners, he smirked.


"There's an element of luck in everything, princess," Kri'tro held his smile, "Luck is just as much as defining element as fire and water and wind and sand. For example, Fishcake's here's trident antics earlier." He nodded towards the merman, removing himself from the wall with a flex of his muscles. "Had the trident flown mere centimetres to the right, we'd be having fish for dinner. But we're not, so thankfully the world can have another mismatched couple. Joys." The merman was so funny to watch that he figured he'd play with him a little before he went off. Besides, even in the likely event that the fool tried to attack him, he had the upper hand. He knew his opponents strategy.


"If anything, I'm rather offended in your lack of faith, Princess," Kri'tro tutted, beginning to back-step down the corridor, a gentle swagger in his stride, "Sure, my guy was as soft as a mouse, but I'd have found another way around it had he been more challenging. Oh well. Take care, princess, and friends." With that, Max DaeRekkron disappeared slowly into the darkness, off to a world of much higher importance than the ramshackle group of fools.


@Shura


@DamagedGlasses


@Goddess


@Kharmin


@CrimsonEclipse

 

[Shura]

In all of the chaos and noise she had forgotten to gather the name of the two other women who had lingered on the wall with her. The darkly clad woman had remained more or less silent, not too surprising there. She seemed like a woman of few words and all bushiness. The blond one, Chime, seemed to be friendly enough. She seemed to have an eye for weapons as she caught the blond staring at the harpoon. Jinta seemed to like the attention well enough, no surprise there. Perhaps had come down to the pit to see if there were any interesting weapons. Then again the reason was really not important by this point.


Rani looked over at the rouge as he started loose he slightly friendly demeanor, possibly growing bored with the game. Or think he had figured her out. A peck on the neck and he thinks he's won, cute. She knew there was more to the man, a lot more than he let out but it seemed he was the impatient as well. A sad flaw, she was enjoying the game thus far but there was always next time. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his reply poking holes in others performance. "True enough, luck plays into everything in life. Truth be told its luck enough to have even caught wind of this place and your pockets heavier." She pointed out having taken notice of this recent gain "Still can't blame a girl for being disappointed in not seeing the skill behind such confidence." She mused which had been the honest truth, for all of his confidence she hadn't seen much to impress her. Another pretty rouge with many faces and and possibly more secrets no more skilled than the many other she had seen in her travels. Then again that might have been his plan to be a secretive as possible a smart move but not one that made the game very interesting.


"Don't forget Mr. Blacksmith, you still owe me a favor." She called over as he walked away, for all of their games that one was still the point she had earned over him. She looked back to the others "No sense in lingering in a dank cave, shall we move this party upstairs." She suggested before starting to head down the corridor eager to get back into the fresh open air.


@SkyGinge @Goddess @DamagedGlasses @Kharmin

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta smiled as he noticed the girl eyeing up his harpoon, making hims smile. The congratulations was even better, making him feel content that while his fight hadn't been the best for him, it had entertained people. That was what made him happy when people were excited by a fight, because to him, fighting was one of the best forms of art, something to be cherished and preserved. He growled as he heard the insulting remark spit from the rogue's mouth, and the uncaring, arrogant look he received made it no different.


The grip on his harpoon tightened, and he was almost about to just forget about the girls and maim the scoundrel where he stood. He mus think he had something over him, maybe it was because he had seen how he fought. Jinta smiled at the man, knowing that he had many ways of dealing with someone of his size. His harpoon throwing would probably be no good, but he had other ways to kill useless, pesky bugs.


Jinta felt his nerves calm as Rani suggested moving to the calmer bar section of the establishment. Nodding in acceptance of the idea, Jinta looked over at his Sharlok companion and asked, "Would you like to come with. I'm sure this dampness isn't doing well for your physiology."





@CrimsonEclipse

 

[Kharmin]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_10/57a8c099bdcfb_Bralynn_rpn_resize70.jpg.24a7a57f37d53ff6506d6528a64b57fc.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="32289" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_10/57a8c099bdcfb_Bralynn_rpn_resize70.jpg.24a7a57f37d53ff6506d6528a64b57fc.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>Bralynn casually followed along with the small crowd that had suddenly gathered along the wall. The din in the arena was well on its way to its ultimate conclusion, and there really wasn't anything more to be seen. Silently, she cursed her luck for having only lifted one, small sack of coins and hoped that for now it would be enough.


The odd merman fellow inquired their names. He seemed a friendly enough sort and Bralynn pondered the request for a moment. She had been on her own for so long that it was difficult to trust someone upon first meeting. Granted, Bralynn had had to work with others in the past to get certain jobs done, so it wasn't completely foreign to her to at least be cordial.


The blonde, Chimera as she introduced herself, seemed vivacious and quite full of banter with the men who had arrived. She also betrayed the other woman's name: Rani. Bralynn considered that perhaps they had all met before and the drink offer to the merman from Rani helped to fuel that observation. With nothing else at the moment, Bralynn trailed along with the group toward the exit. Safety in numbers, she thought to herself with a wry grin, at least for now.


"I'm Bralynn," she responded and offered nothing further. What these people needed to know about her right now was her name, and that was all she offered. Should things become more ... profitable ... then she might be inclined to divulge more.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

He scoffed as he heard the girl, who he recalled was called Rani by Jinta and that other guy, when she complimented Jinta on his win. Any of the 4 warriors, himself included, that came after Jinta could have easily defeated that so called champion. Although that other guy, Kri'tro, didn't show off his fighting style, he had the looks of a fighter, and you could easily tell that he knows how to fight.


"Jinta may have defeated Sven, but it was only because he had the fortune, or misfortune since Sven was a disappointment, of being the opponent of that champion. Anyone that came after Jinta could have easily destroyed the champion, if that is what you call him." He said to them. "Also, your comment about luck, that is just plain insulting." He said to Kri'tro. "It may have been luck to you, but Jinta's attack was measured and precise. You can see it in the way he uses his weapon, he knows what he's doing." He said to him. Although he still doesn't consider Jinta as a friend, Al'thuzar admires his prowess as a warrior.


He looks at Jinta when he comments about the dampness, and he grins at him. "Actually, it doesn't really affect me. If I had been exposed, just my scales and me, I would have probably frozen up by now, but I have this." He said, patting his armor. "It regulates the heat in my body, making sure I am always warm, and it prevents the surrounding from cooling me down, unless I'm in a lake or something similar to that. As long as I feed and regulate m body heat, I should be fine." He said to Jinta. "But, I have nothing else to do here, so I'm gonna come with." He said to him, following him and the others.

 

[SkyGinge]

Kri'tro shrugged as he walked off. It was true; in terms of actual fighting, he'd done very little to encourage confidence. But didn't she see? That was the entire point! Who else would cheat a fighting arena by not fighting? To him, their little game had long since faded, and her new tone did not suggest at all that they were continuing on with it. Still, unfortunately for him, she had remembered his promise, and with a strained sigh, he turned back to her briefly.


After shrugging of the Shalrak's stupid comment (did he really just say that?), he called over his shoulder: "I'm staying at an inn in the north of town. 'Oakes Lodge', it's called. You'll find me there in the evenings. Don't worry, I'm a man of my word. I won't try anything stupid." And with that, he continued walking away from their pathetic procession.


Except for... they were walking at exactly the same pace as him, in an orderly parade right behind him. Which completely spoilt the affect of him 'walking into the shadows', and made him feel unusually awkward. He was used to pulling a stunt and promptly escaping, but due to his damned acquiantence, the dancer, he would look silly if he were to break out into a brash run. It was a very minor worry, but still enough to sink him into a frown.


As they reached the cellar, they suddenly bumped into the hooded beggar from before, the man who had organised the entire event. Still slouched over and scuttling, he was now flanked by a pair of blank henchmen.


"Ah, fighters, yes!" his grin was evident in his voice. "I trust that you enjoyed your little battles, hmm, and that you leave well payed?" Kri'tro wondered how funny it would be to boast of the chaos he had instigated. Then he thought better of it; the drole payment woman had been so non-chalent about the whole thing that he expected they'd be unimpressed if anything.


There was another, fresh set of faster footsteps behind them now; the very woman he had just been thinking about. Still wearing her mask of boredom, she ground to a halt, several large pouches of coins in her hands. "Sorry for the delay," she said unapologetically, handing each successful fighter their respective payments. Kri'tro grabbed his and shook it once, satisfied with the slight chink. "Evening Bolemio," she nodded to the hooded figure, and then walked off down the tunnel again, a few remaining pouches still in her hand, presumably for people like The Crow and that baggy-clothed girl, who were yet to exit.


"So you're Bolemio?" Kri'tro asked, the fresh pouch of money in his pocket improving his mood to no end.


"Indeed I am! Bolemio Crupp, the founder and owner of this very club." Kri'tro couldn't help but stifle a grin; he knew very well that Fish-face and the Sharlak were less than satisfied with their battles. He wondered if they would snap at the strange man now that he had revealed himself.


@DamagedGlasses


@CrimsonEclipse


@Shura


@Kharmin


@Goddess

 

[Elegy]

Raksana huffed in exasperation when she heard that her rightful payment was not available at that moment. One thing that irked her beyond measure was being cheated out of hard earned money. She had to admit that she didn't quite work hard for the money, as the fight was much too easy to be considered work of any sort. Raksana had not bothered to use her earth magic in the fight either, but in any case the fight was something that brought her life on the line no matter how infinitesimally small the chances of her death were.


But she let the matter pass after ruminating on it for a while. She doubted that she would actually receive her money especially considering the obviously low character of the scum that gathered in this fighting pit, but she was too tired now to care. The whole day she had spent haggling with customer over the prices of some ware or object, and that had drained her far more than this fight had. Yawning, Raksana just shrugged and walked away from the merman and his little group.


She began to explore the cavern and the systems of the underground ring, noting the natural terrain working to conceal this cash pit and the structure of guards and workmen forming a cohesive business operation. While admiring the scenery so to speak, Raksana was surprised when she saw a rather diminutive man speak out to the crowd. He incited their long buried fears and angers over the latest war, and the aggressive energy that pulsed throughout the crowd was almost tangible. Sensing this, Raksana had backed off into a dark corner where she planned to sit still and wait out the inevitable storm. Dozens of individual brawls broke out before the wild atmosphere intensified and the brawls all unified into one chaotic fighting mess.


Raksana simply looked out over the brawls like a conductor would his orchestra. The fighting was almost beautiful in a sense; the mass of fighting bodies and swirling emotions all formed a cacophony that had its own symphonic charm. When the fighting died down, Raksana strolled through the mess the battle had made - countles glass shards from broken bottles littered the stony floor of the place, resting comfortably with the bodies of knocked out and robbed men groaning on the floor.


She wondered if she should now leave the place and rejoin with Stein, but decided against it. Everything had been quite entertaining and it would be a shame to rob herself of such a new and intriguing experience to abate the worries of her subordinate. Raksana decided to trace where the merman had went judging by his previous trajectory of path before they were separated. He was joined with a diverse group of fellows, so it would not be hard to spot his general location.


As Raksana was well into her search, the same droll looking woman who handed out money appeared walking towards her, holding a bag of money. Raksana wordlessly nodded in appreciation as she took the bag of money and placed it into her basket. As Raksana heard the woman's footsteps echo behind her, she deduced that the woman had come to pay the fighters, including the merman Jinta. Knowing this, it was highly probably that the woman had been with Jinta and his group. Raksana walked in the direction the woman appeared from until the group she saw was in sight, accompanied by what seemed to be a beggar flanked by guards. Raksana did not intrude, as she was careful not to associate herself with this group. They were quite likely to be affiliated with the underground, especially the shortest of them. Raksana simply stood a distance away, concealed under the shadow a crook of rock cast over her, content to observe and catch snippets of conversation.
​

 

[Castello]

Aaru paused for a moment. Here lied an angel, offering her assistance up for the hospitality and care the group had offered her. He had many things he wanted from her... Or things he wanted to ask her to be more specific, but it all felt so wrong. The girl had been through enough, expecting anything from her was like expecting a widow to help with your marriage issues, it just wasn't right. Anyway, the angels had done so much for Aaru, he had not yet done enough for this woman.


"Please." He begun, taking a long pausing and motioning her to sit on the desk chair. "Take it easy, you have been through a lot and now is not the time to be selfless. I am a travelling saint from Teztra and I owe my life and well being to each and every angel, Now please, relax." Aaru insisted with a smile, hoping that she would comply.


But then a thought came to him.


Perhaps this angel would know something about dark magic, or even demons for that matter. She had lost her wings after all, it must've been for a reason like betrayal, or maybe involvement with the demon race?


His look and complexion changed to a guilt ridden one, it pained him to ask her of such. "However... I am also a scholar, studying dark magic. If there is anything you know about demons or dark magic, it would make me very happy to hear it. Of course, whether or not you tell me, is up to you. I am not forcing you." He requested with a frown. He could not believe he just did that, but he would be lying by saying he wasn't desperate at this point.


@Icefox11

 

[Kharmin]

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_10/57a8c09ce106a_Bralynn_rpn_resize70.jpg.61e4bc748cd5c8fa51777672960646e0.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="32435" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2014_10/57a8c09ce106a_Bralynn_rpn_resize70.jpg.61e4bc748cd5c8fa51777672960646e0.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>Bralynn listened with feigned indifference to the man who seemingly led their suddenly larger group toward the exit and the cellar above. That he had some arrangement with Rani was a bit of a surprise; however, the woman was attractive enough in her own right. Mentally, Bralynn paused as she considered why the dancer would have been attending such a brutal soirée.


Their ascent was stopped by a trio, two obvious body guards that winged a beggarly fellow. By his speech, Bralynn realized that this man had organized the event for the fighters in their midst. He seemed to take some mild pleasure in the entire affair that she had just witnessed. Bralynn hid a wry grin and slightly shook her head as she dismissed this words. Bralynn hadn't fought anyone, still made a small profit, and she liked it that way.


Bralynn's eyes narrowed as she took great interest in the pouches of winnings that a woman who had just run up behind them doled out to some in the group. Their catch was easily more than the meager coins she had lifted from the unconscious sap during the chaotic melée that had followed the more organized event. She regarded each winner and considered her odds of filching yet more money for her traveling fund which was building much too slowly for her taste.


With a nod to the ladies of the wall, Bralynn detached herself from the main and moved to continue her way up and out of the tavern. If their procession's leader was next heading to Oakes Lodge, Bralynn thought to get there first to scope out the establishment and await his timely arrival.

 

[SkyGinge]

"Well then, I hope to make your acquaintance again," Bolemio nodded, "though given the nature of our trade, that's hardly a hope worth holding. Good day!" With that, he shuffled his way down the corridor, henchmen in tow. He certainly was a strange businessman, in almost every way, but what he did was working for him. It was a stark reminder not to judge on appearances, although Kri'tro knew he didn't need that. He was already judging far being most peoples perception anyhow.


The money pouch felt awkward in his grasp; it lacked the satisfying metallic chill of monetary flesh. So he opened it and ran his hands through the small body of coins. He grinned as they rained down in joyful 'clinks' back into the pouch. No scam, which was nice. Mr Crupp was a man of his word. It was petty, he knew, but money of any amount was always a welcome gift.


It was then that he realised there was something else in the pouch; a thin sheet of paper. Frowning, Kri'tro removed it. It was probably some disclaimer of sorts, maybe a little sorting sheet they used to distinguish funds back in whatever mysterious tunnel they used to handle the money. But it wasn't.


For the first time, Kri'tro was well and truly caught off guard. For on the sheet was one of the most infamous stamps in the entire middle reaches. Three unique runic symbols, all slightly intermingled into an intricate and unrepeatable pattern. Nobody ever successfully replicated that stamp. People had tried, over and over again, but it was easy to tell a fake from the real sign.


It was the mark of Variel Brambois, Most Wanted criminal of the Middle Reaches. Kri'tro didn't know what he felt. Admiration? Excitement? Fear? Jealousy? He tried to conceal his emotions, wondering if the letter were in the others pouches too. The only other note of the letter were the words 'Return Here, Sundown. Come, or Suffer'. An invitation then, from the worlds most infamous criminal.


An uneducated man may have presumed his words false, but so infamous was he that Kri'tro knew better than to doubt him. The question then remained of why? What did he want them for? It must have been something very important, if a man of his stature were asking for the help of fellow criminals. But similarly, they couldn't have been too vital to his plans if he was alright with killing them off very prematurely.


Another game to play, Kri'tro thought.


@DamagedGlasses


@CrimsonEclipse


@Shura


@Goddess


@Elegy

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta growled a bit as he stuffed the large bag of money in his satchel, his anger tempered by the sharp clinks the gold produced from being thrown around. Even if the fight was less than satisfying, and that rogue's ugly mug was a rough stain on this entire excursion, the invigorating sound made him want to jump back into the fray and attack all the landlubbers in sight, excluding his Rani of course. There was also the fact that this little man was the figure known as "Boss" and was supposed to be intimidating, frightening even. Yet, all he saw was a little scoundrel that had crash landed into a pile of money and was clumsily using it to fund what he must of thought was a good business. However, Jinta knew that this entire place was probably going to go into the shambles. He had seen many fight clubs like this across the world, even met a few girls in some of them, and they all ended up the same way. A random sore loser, feeling wronged by his loss, would go and report the entire set up and it would be over. The Peacemakers would come and everyone involved, by force or otherwise, would be punished as the law of the land seemed fit.


The man wasn't even intimidating, nor were his bodyguards, both of which he was sure Al' thuzar would be able to take both on his sleep. However, Jinta did kind of respect the guy for going out in the open to recruit for his games, even if it revealed how well the man was able to play a beggar, which wasn't exactly a role many people wanted to be destined for. Though, as he had mentioned before in his thoughts, the man's fight business was on shaky stilts, and it wouldn't take much for the whole tower of prosperity he had built to come crumbling down. As he watched the man walk off, Jinta looked away from the whole ordeal and began to walk up the stone steps that would lead him to the Bar that hid the Fight Club from unwanted eyes. He didn't care about the discrimination against him, he wanted some of the wine he had gotten before going down there. It was the least he could do in the way of rewarding himself. He had the money to do it!


Reaching into his satchel, Jinta pulled out the sack of gold and shook it a bit, loving the way it rattled with currency. Wait, Jinta stopped as he threw the bag up into the air a bit, letting it fall into his palm, and mentally observed the sound, comparing it to other times he had done this very same thing. He never forgot anything when it came to money, or purchases, even when burdened with alcohol, so he was definitely picking up some fishy things from the bag. There was something in there with it! It sounded small, malleable, slightly...papery? Unwrapping the bag's sealing twine, Jinta rummaged through the bag and felt his entire being light up in curiosity as he feasted upon the sight of a piece of paper. Picking the note up, carefully rewrapping his winnings and placing the into his satchel, Jinta went over to the torch nearest to him, as it was rather dim in the dark cave, and read the note.


His curiosity lessened as all he saw was a weird marking, his ignorance deflecting any of the excitement or worry a more knowing person would succumb to. Humming, Jinta looked at the symbol very closely, but gave up soon after. However, as he started to throw the note into the torch, having no more need of it, Jinta noticed that it had words on the back. Snatching it from the roaring embrace of the torch with great haste, Jinta felt his excitement return as he saw the threatening remark. He smiled a shark grin as he stood up from the slightly stooped reading position, and started walking up to the bar, set on getting a quick drink, before heading to his ship. His crew had to be back by now, or at least some of them, so he would use this chance warn them of his late return. They would probably be glad, as that would only give them more time to waste their shares on the goods they had brought in.


@Shura


@SkyGinge


@Goddess


@CrimsonEclipse


@Kharmin


@Elegy

 

[Shura]

Rani smirked slightly making a mental note of the Rogues location in the evening. She didn't know if she would ever have use for the favor that evening but she could always hold onto it for when next they meet, the world tended to be small in that respect. She noticed the arrival of the better and observed the on goings of the small cellar space with mild interest. She wasn't necessarily surprised that the beggar who had been recruiting people before turned out to be the ring leader of the whole operation. If your running the show then you know what kind of dancers you want in it. Her eyes trailed along the activity as some entered and left the space and the fighters were given their payment. Though there seemed to be more than just payment in the pouches.


She watched the ringleader and company make their way into the darkness of the tunnel before shifting her gaze to the others as found scraps of paper in their winnings. She noticed several emotions flicker briefly across the rouges face which made her curious as to what was actually on the paper to actually get a reaction out of him, even if it was a subdued one. For someone wearing a coin skirt the dancer moved surprisingly silently to the mermans side and glanced over at the paper instantly recognizing the mark. It was one she has seen in her travels and anyone with in the network of criminal and thieves would know. Variel Brambois.


Now the real question was the infamous man the ringleader or just the puppet master pulling the ringleaders strings? Before she could ponder on it more she noticed Jinta going to burn the paper and started to try and stop him but it seemed the paper saved its self with a message. She narrowed her eyes slightly to make out the text in the dim lighting and noticed it wasn't some cryptic message but rather a threat. One that the sailor didn't seem to mind from the grin on his face. Rani glanced over at the Rogue noting a similar look and just shook her head before making her way out of the basement. As interesting as the mystery of the dirt pit was she knew better than to walk into a possible trap. She had a bad feeling about the place before and after a message like that she was just fine letting the fighters face their challenge on their own. Hell she had willingly gone along on this little excursion and was nearly caught up in a massive brawl. And for the coin she gained for betting she could have probably made the same a few hours wandering in the fresh open air pick pocketing nobles.


The sunlight was a welcome change from the dim torch light of the underground and the air much sweeter. She wasn't sure if it was actually true but the dancer was happy to be above ground again. The sounds of the festival were still strong and the party was in full swing which meant there were more opportunities to take advantage of. Perhaps enjoy another round of dancing along the way. She noticed the sailor exit not to far behind her and make his way to the bar and smirked slightly. For some reason she had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time they bumped into each other, or many of the little gathering she had met underground. She sauntered over and took a spot on the stool beside the sailor "First round is on me." She spoke up with her usual bubbly grin.


@DamagedGlasses

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta grunted slightly as he let the tension in his body go and felt his body settle down abruptly into the thick wooden chairs of the establishment. Ignoring the dirty glares of the people around him, his emotional protection being a mix of indifference and ignorance, and started to gaze at the wooden boards above the Bartender's head, all of them holding countless drinks and vague descriptions of them. He was absently tapping on the table when his narrow minded concentration was broken as easily as a drunken tower when a voice beside him spoke up. Looking to his side, Jinta's eyes lit up as he recognized the unforgettable figure that belonged to his Rani. He half smiled with self-confidence, his night of fighting and slight drinking making him more comfortable around the girl of his recent thoughts, mostly because they made him forget the massive collection of times he had been in this exact situation.


Looking at her, Jinta realized that he had been too deep in his thoughts to hear her question. Or was it a statement? Jinta stopped himself before his mind started to wonder about the possibilities of her 'whatever she did' and asked the girl, "Rani, I'm afraid you caught me in the middle of something, would you mind repeating what you said?" He was sure his eyes were like emeralds right now, shining with happiness over this amazing turn of events. He was going to get himself some wine, and also get the chance to talk to Ran, without the interruption of her friends, or that arrogant scoundrel.


@Shura

 

[Comix]

“Apos Meatman,” Lor repeated the name to herself in a whisper, drawing her eyes across the librarian as though taking him in for the first time. She watched him go, running after the merwoman and her assistant. She shifted awkwardly, wondering for a moment if she should follow. Then, the doctor spoke and her attention turned to him. He was a sickly thing, but not unattractive. She wondered if he had a mate, then wondered what she would look like. There was a rumor circulating Blist that surfacer couples looked nearly the same and she was curious if this was true. She was going to ask, but she held her tongue as he spoke. Then, he inquired about demons and dark magic and she grimaced, though she tried to covering it up by easing herself slowly and carefully into the desk chair she was directed to.


“I am…” She began but paused thoughtfully. “I was an Angel Officer. I know a lot of Demons, but dark magic is as elusive as Cloudwalkers. However, I have a little knowledge and I… I happen to be… acquainted with a Demon who… well, I would guess he owes me a favor now… I could try to find him, but without my wings, I am a little useless… I would have to find him on foot and only have a little to go on. But, do not fret, I will try… Though I must ask why you would like to know about this rather taboo subject.”


@Icefox11


@Black Masquerade

 

[Procculus]

Inquisitor Sarah Whytelaw

Never a dull moment
​

Great.


It was great. She wasn't being sarcastic at all. Not even one bit. Her lips chapped, her brow flooding over with bullets of sweat, vision blurring from all the damned sweat, and her ears filled with the tumultuous and unintelligible chatter of the crowd around her. She was supposed to be in her office or at the detention center, going through the files of the recently incarcerated. While she wasn't one for paperwork, it was at the very least better than walking around some silly festival and doing nothing. Sure, she was doing the job of a Peacemaker, but why did they need an Inquisitor? They were for investigations of criminal activity, and for appearing at court to provide relevant information as evidence, not watching little kids play games. Couldn't they just have sent someone less important than she was? Of course not. They needed an Inquisitor, an official with proper ability to investigate suspicious goings-on without official permit. She just HAD to be around for the straw-drawing. She knew she should have just slept in for the day. Her mother wouldn't be happy, but at least she didn't have to waste time playing shepherdess and smelling like salted fish. True, there might be illegal dealings in such a crowded setting, but it was sooooo hot and soooooo crowded. Peacemakers were human, too, and the ladies were still ladies. They were entitled to beauty as much as anyone else was. At this rate, she might have to torch her long coat and corset in favour for a new one, and they costed a pretty penny. There really was never a dull moment for her.


And now, this. She loosened the red sash on her hip, and held it over her nose. It smelled of piss, shit, cloying perfume, and dead people. The mixture of all four scents would have knocked over anyone that wasn't actively trying to hold their breaths. Her aide, Ethis, fidgeted uncomfortably behind her. She could hear him struggling to avoid breathing anywhere around the pile of bodies, his armor clanking noisily as he shook from the effort. The other Peacemakers had wisely chosen to back out of the alley, waiting outside instead. He finally gave in under the pressure, his exhalation echoing through his metal helmet. Almost at once, he gagged, and backed swiftly away from the bodies. Newbies. Once she made sure that the young Peacemaker had gotten a nice distance away and was comfortable, she called over her shoulder. "When did you discover this?"


"Just a while ago, sir!" Ethis replied from the edge of the alley. Sarah tapped her foot on the blood that covered the floor, and ran a finger on the blood stains upon the wall. Fast, swift slashes that drew blood. Enough force to cast them onto the walls. Probably one of those Oriental swordsmen. Their weapons were extremely sharp, from what she had studied from the impounded weaponry, but were relatively weak to the Peacemaker counterparts. They might not even pierce her left arm. "Some woman came running up to us screaming on about dead bodies in this here alley." The blood was dried. It had been a while. The wounds, however, still seemed fresh. The blood had stopped flowing, but the flesh had not dried sufficiently. Still holding her sash over her face, she took a step back and examined the scene in full. From the positioning of the bodies, two of the men, perhaps three, came at the killer, who dispatched of them swiftly. Then the remaining appeared, perhaps in an ambush. It was premeditated, this encounter, but not by the culprit. The victim, a man in a mauve purple coat, lay in his own waste and bodily fluids, having evacuated all of his bowels upon the separation of his head from the body. She knelt down beside the head, its tongue lolling out between his seperated lips comically, its eyes rolled up, and poked it with a finger. She cocked her head, examining the damage done to the neck. The cut was clean, but it was clear that the first impact of blade on skin was the strongest. Brutal. She straightened up, and tapped the forehead of the dead man with her foot. She recognised this man. John Bishop. Notorious man. Infamous. Underground business. Nothing good. She would have to thank someone for this, but unfortunately, that someone was wanted for murder, even if he was doing a favour to the populace. She scratched her head in annoyance, and paused when her eyes fell on something on the headless corpse. A black feather. Huh. So it was that guy. How nice. The Crow. She bent down and retrieved the feather, spinning it by the calamus. She took a look around her. Ethis was spilling the contents of his lunch onto the floor nearby, while the other Peacemakers were busy trying to keep a crowd out. Her fingers closed around the feather and tucked it into the pocket of her trousers. Seriously. Was this guy trying to get caught by leaving pieces of him around all his kills? She never understood how vigilantes worked, and she never will. At least, she knew who was responsible now.


Sarah turned on her heel and strode out of the alley, her metallic footsteps fading away. Ethis, seeing that the Inquisitor was done with the initial investigation, hurried up to her side. "Anything, sir?"


"Forget it. Just another vigilante presence. Get the corpse gatherers on the job now and clean this up before more of these nosy parkers come around." She stopped at the crowd outside, and waved them off. "Right, nothing to see here! Get off with your own business, your festival ain't gonna last long, you know? We're expecting you to clear up as soon as you're done. Remember, leave only memories, and...something or whatever. What are you waiting for? MOVE!" Reluctantly, the crowd dispersed with both her yelling and the other Peacemakers reaching for their weapons. She turned back to Ethis. "Get the autopsy team on this, and direct all reports to me. No," she held a finger out, silencing Ethis as he started to speak, "I could not find out who was responsible for this. No evidence could be found, sadly. That said, I want you to set up a checkpoint at every entrance, and increase patrol strength. Anyone with an Oriental weapon, specifically one of those...slightly curved sharp ones, is to be detained and brought to me immediately." With a wave of her arm, she started off towards the nearest bar. "I'm going off for a drink. All this standing around is making my throat parched."





She pushed open the doors to the bar, and settled for the nearest seat by the counter. "Bartend! Anything to stop my throat from burning up. By the Titans, the heat is killing me. And this armor is probably going to kill me sooner or later too, I swear upon my sword." She clawed at her corset's neckline and drew in a deep breath. To her left, an able seaman, well he looked like one, and reeked of the salt of the sea, with webbed feet was just getting comfortable, with an admittedly cute brunette sidling up next to him, offering him a drink. She cast her eyes away, though she swore she might have seen some debris on the seaman's clothing. There was a fight somewhere nearby, and he was in it. Probably. That was hardly hard evidence for deciding that there was a fight, however. She had heard rumours of a fighting ring somewhere here. She was an inquisitor, however, and she needed evidence, not preliminary examination and over the shoulder glances. If there was, though...Sarah sighed as she waited for her drink. There was never a dull moment in the work of a Peacemaker.


@PicaPirate (in that she found Alistair's handiwork)


@SkyGinge (I suppose)


@Shura (in reference)


@DamagedGlasses (in reference)

 

[Shura]

Rani noticed the merman was distracted and ordered her self a drink until he had snap out of his own thoughts. She didn't both trying to figure out what he was pondering on it could be a number of thing ranging from the mysterious thread she go to the color of the bartenders eyes. It wasn't a guessing game worth playing. Truth be told she could of walked off without paying for his drink and let fate decide on when they meet again but she rather fufill her offer now where she could gain a couple coins back easily than later where that might not be the case. The other reason was because she liked to keep her options open. In a town as big as this and with as many guards the chance of getting into a bit of trouble was higher than normal, if she ever needed to ditch town having a ship to disappear on wasn't a bad option to have open. Wine was place in font of the two patrons and Rani took a tentative sip before deeming the drink well worth the price. She glanced over at the merman as he snapped out of his little trance and couldn't help a small chuckle. "I said first round is on me." She repeated before taking another sip. "So I take it you'll be returning later on tonight."


@DamagedGlasses

 

[PicaPirate]

When Alistair received the bag, he was almost ready to throw it straight back at the woman for her cheek. He didn't though, since he felt a paper note in the bag. What was in there? He took out the piece of paper and unfolded it to find a mark he was very familiar with. As someone who was often hired to kill, he had been a client in the past. He was not a man to be meddled with.


Which was exactly why he was not going to come. That man would be only cause his downfall in his own madness and Alistair was going to have none of it. Unless he came with a valid reason, he had no reason to give into this threat. If the man himself or a representative approached him though with some reasoning, he may consider it. Alistair was, unlike Kri'tro, stuck in the clouds with fantasies on vigilante rogues. He simply came for the kill and to exterminate the scum that are demons.


"Tch, I will not have him tell me how to live my life." Alistair crumpled up the note and tossed it aside. He decided to return to the front of the bar, where he could get a drink and no longer be around this rambunctious rabble which were giving each other quite a beating. Only one drunken fool had approached Alistair to fight, who ended up very quickly kissing the floor when a hand came down and pulled them to the floor with strength.


Walking through the pathway that brought him to the fight club, he walked back to the open bar and sat down on a bar stool.


"One glass of wine for me."


@Procculus


@FewUtherClockKlik

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta humbly smiled as he soaked in the presence of the beautiful girl had been seeing quite a lot of today, an amount that others would find suspicious, but he only thought of it as a gift from Licia. He brightened internally at the thought of his species' patron god looking over him and his romantic ventures. However, the offer of a free drink brought him back and he remembered something similar her saying that a while ago, maybe it was only a few minutes. Jinta inwardly shrugged before outwardly shaking his head at the woman, his smile in a frown that held nothing, but stubbornness, "No, I was raised with good breeding, and I know not to impose on girls, especially not girl's of your beauty. My father would always say, 'Son, always pay for a girl's drink, and if shes pretty, get ready to buy another.'" Jinta felt his voice hitch as he quoted the saying he had often heard his father say when they passed one of the women they fancied. His father may have been loyal to his mother, more so than some gave hims credit for, but he still liked to comment on other fishes in the sea.


He coughed a laughed a bit, covering up the sadness he had felt for a second. It wasn't his place to push his tragedy onto an unsuspecting audience, and he didn't need another person in this world knowing his entire backstory. He had done that once before, and he could still only remember that she enjoyed it when he bought jewelry for her, lots and lots of jewelry. Thinking of his past endeavors with women weren't making him feel all that much better. Turning to the Bartender, he jovially asked for a wine, specifically the Fire Wine they had, which they boastfully claimed would "make any man or woman, hot under the collar", and turned back to Rani. He smiled and hastily stated, trying to abay any negative reactions, "I know you said what you said, but if I had had the chance I would be the one paying for your drink."


@Shura

 

[Goddess]

Slowly Chimera faded away from the group, every word they uttered a step she took further away from them. Her movement's halted when the woman with pouches of coins walked by, passing the group and her. With a little lean to her left and a flip of the wrist she was able to snag one before she had reached for another, timing it perfectly from the time she gave away one to grab another. Slipping the pouch into one of the larger slots on her empty tool belt she stepped back against the wall, watching her leave to give the other victors their money. Smirking she patted the pocket ,but her smirk faded when she saw the one in black walk away leaving the group. It seemed that Chimera wasn't the only who had the right mind to leave such a large group, true Chimera liked gaining friends but she felt uncomfortable with all the flirtatious moves against one another.


Making her way back up the stairs she opened the pouch of coins, running her fingers through the pile as she began to count off in her head. Stopping at 20 she found a slip of paper hidden underneath the first few coins in the bag. Pulling it out she unfolded it, reading the fine black print with an odd symbol above it. Chimera was aware of the symbol but not the name, then again if it wasn't a tool or anything that she found interest to, she would instantly toss the information from her mind. Folding the paper back up she slipped it back in to the money pouch. As she reached the bar she tied up the money pouch and placed it back inside one of the few pockets on her new tool belt.


Stepping further in she had found herself a good table in a corner. Walking over she squirmed past a few bulky men who stood in the middle of the bar comparing muscle sizes and arguing how one weighs more than the other. With a quick sigh relief of she seated herself in the chair, and raised her hand for one of the girls to come over. The woman asked her if she would like a glass of wine but Chimera shook her head no. "I'll take the largest cup you have and a plate of bread, cheese and any meat." The woman nodded her head and took off toward the back. Feeling a bit more relaxed she unbuckled the holster around her thigh and had pulled out the crisp tan piece of paper her uncle had given her. Taking it out she unfolded it and began to read the first entry of his diary.


@SkyGinge

 

[Shura]

Rani leaned against the bar slightly taking another sip of her wine while listening to the sailors story. She took no offence to his declining her offer, nor was she really going to reject the offer for a free drink. “Ah well far be it for me to go against your teachings.” She chuckled softly. She noticed a brief flash of emotion across his face, something akin to sadness, perhaps? Regardless he covered it with a laugh and good cheer. It seemed his father was not a subject to be brought up without some kind of negative emotional tie.


Her eyes traveled past the sailor a moment. Even though she was looking in Jintas direction she was looking past him to see who else made it out of the underground pit. She spotted the blonde girl Chime make her way over to a table looking fairly happy. For what reason she wasn’t sure but wasn’t going to pry either. She turned her attention back to Jinta her smile never wavering. “As nice as it would be to have more I believe I will stick to only one drink. There’s still a whole festival let to enjoy. Better to do it sober than drunk.” She nodded slightly before taking another sip. “How are you planning to spend the rest of the festival?”





@DamagedGlasses

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jinta shrugged at the answer, his offer of another drink being turned down, but at least she said a suitable excuse. Of course, she may be lying and just not want one, but it was nice that she would think up a suitable excuse. Taking a sip of his wine, which had quickly been placed in front of him, Jinta sighed as the Fire Wine cascaded into his throat and soaked his taste buds with the succulent scarlet liquid. Jinta placed the cub back down, and looked over to the woman, thinking of her question, "Well, I was threatened to come back here tonight, and that sounds fun, but I could also look around. Hmmm, oh yeah, I forgot, I could still go and examine that Noble Party. After all the trouble I went through to get my invite, the party shouldn't disappoint."


Jinta wasn't really surprised that he had forgot about the party, he had never had the best memory and he was easily swayed into doing things if they sounded fun. He had only decided to go to the party in the first place due to an impulse, so it wasn't like he had invested to much determination into going. Besides, he was sure that Fight Club had ended up being a whole lot more fun than the party, but he still didn't like the idea of missing out on some fun. Jinta thought over his already planned day and continued, "I will have to go to my ship to see if my crew has got our stuff sold. They usually get it done, but there is always the chance of something going wrong." Downing the rest of his drink, Jinta stood up and looked down at Rani, "I know this is sudden, but would you like to come with. I always like to show off the Lucky Duckling."


@Shura

 

[Procculus]

Sarah almost spat out the cold, bitter, burning regrettable decision that was her drink when out of the corner of her eye, a man, albino hair, dark clothing and armor, and carrying one of those...things. She racked her brains for the exact name of the weapon. Orchidoor? Odor-chin? It was no use. She never really did pay much attention to the statistics of the impounded weapons, and she wasn't going to. It probably was of no importance what the weapon was called. Probably. She swallowed the questionable drink that had decided to return back into her mouth, tasting of gastric acid, along with its already detestable flavour, with a grimace. What exactly did they serve here? Toxic waste? By the Titans, she swore never to go to another festival as long as she lived. It was probably far too early for a New Year's resolution, but she felt the need to assert on herself that she was never stepping out of her office or house ever again, unless needed. She shook her head and pushed her hair back slightly. Her train of thought had derailed, flew all the way to another dimension, crashed, and burned, killing all of its passengers, making the headlines of tomorrow's news. If she wasn't wrong, and her various...friends from lower places weren't on cactus juice when they talked to her about him, that very man was whom the feather in her pocket belonged to. The Crow. Real name Arrester Cauliflower or something. She wasn't sure. Boy, did she really need to read up on her criminals. She reached into her pocket, drew out a handful of crowns, and slammed them on the counter before moving over to the seat beside the snow-haired man.


"You." Sarah's hand dived into her pocket once more, and drew out the black feather. She held it out in front of her, spinning it slowly. "This belong to you? John Bishop was found dead not a while ago. This feather was found on his personage. We've enough feathers to make a one to one size replica of you back in the office as is. Look, All Star Caravan," she swiftly added an approximation of his name before The Crow could get a chance to cut her off, "all I'm saying is that I'm real appreciative of your...business, most of the time, but you have to stop...you know...leaving bits and pieces behind for the guys to find." She rubbed the back of her neck, making a face, and placed the feather on the counter in front of him. Her hand moved towards her head, and she ruffled it up, irritated. The numbers of vigilantes were rising each week, and there was nothing the Peacemakers could do to stop people from taking justice into their own hands. They immediately paid for it, for a murder is a murder. That, or their intended victim killed them first. It was always a bad case either way. A man or woman driven to extremes to right what went wrong, and dying for it. Had she the want, she could simply arrest Air Stair Caramel right here and right now. She doubted, though, he was going to let her cuff him quietly. He was known for his deadly swordsmanship, and she didn't want to test it. It was too much work. She'd close one eye, like always, let him walk free, and tell the patrol to lift the search and detain.


She would have, anyway, if her eyes didn't linger on the man's hand. It was clean, except for between the fingers. Without a care of personal space, she moved towards his hand, and carefully gave a sniff on the dried sludge between his fingers. Blood, or what remained of it. She only just managed to stop herself from prying his fingers apart and studying it in more detail. Something smelled fishy here, and it certainly wasn't just that brutish seaman behind them, with his girlfriend. There had been a fight somewhere, but...it can't possibly be a coincidence, that both of these men had some form of evidence of a brawl, of some sort. Still uncomfortably close to Hamilster Crowley, she angled her head slightly to look ditectly into those void-like eyes of his. "Where did you get this?" she asked, very slowly, very carefully, as if handling volatile substances.


@PicaPirate

 

[PicaPirate]

Alistair needn't even walk five metres when a Peacemaker approached him. Well this certainly wouldn't be the first time he had dealt with one, be it in conversation or as a target in the past, of which are now probably buried 6ft under.


The woman was tiny compared to him, which made her look even less threatening, her clearly well crafted armour and her weapons aside. She presented him with one of the feathers.


The way he gets the feathers was simply from shops and such, since as they were often used for decorative purposes they were easy to get hold of. He used them so that when a target was flushed out, the client could confirm it was him who killed them, not just some random straggler.


The second part of her talk was less expected though. His face was still unmoved, passive. He looked at her, as though disapprovingly, with no change in facial expression, then his cold, deep voice came out.


"So you are one of those then, someone who just wants to get a job then and won't go the extra mile. Avoid danger if need be. Let us say I am the same. I am no wannabe rogue like Kri'tro or the such, who charm their way into their carnal desires with their silver tongue. I only hunt targets, as any hunter would, nothing more. And any who challenge me can gladly make steel their foster brother."


It was then that he had his hand snatched to be examined. He was tempted to kill her where she stood, but decided against it, not wanting the unnecessary chaos. She was no target of his, at least right now.


He pulled away his hand was still cautious, ready to draw the weapon and cut her down where she stood, or having his gauntleted hand meet her stomach or face with his extra strength.


"I, Alistair Carvell, was merely cleaning the demon scum from this earth. This bar has another one of those fight clubs littered around the city. I wouldn't be surprised if even your own men fought in them. For all I know, you are one of them."


Alistair was having nothing of this tirade. He was ready to let her go crawl back from where she came, but was still all the ready to react to any hostile caution with immense force.


@Procculus


Sent from my stone tablet using Tapatalk because I used a Tardis.