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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 12:55:31 GMT -5
๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ โs Character
แดขแดแดสษชสแด โแดขแดแดสโ ษดแดแดสแดแดษดแดs Tiefling | Male | 23 | Bisexual | Thief |Zaphire is a young tiefling, born with so few human traits that no one would be able to guess that his parents looked entirely ordinary. Heโs a thin, tall fellow, with lean muscles from years of tough physical work and running. About five foot eleven and long-legged. Skin a deep, rusty red and splattered with darker colored freckles along his face, shoulders and arms. This man bears a sharp, well-defined face, a long nose and high cheekbones. Below his left eye is a long scar that ends toward his top lip, along with another over the left side of his nose. His arms and legs are covered in small, miscellaneous scars, from old knife wounds to claw marks. Heโs a troublesome individual, with a knack for getting himself into danger, so itโs no surprise that he bears the marks of hundreds of fights. This tiefling has long, pointed ears that glitter with multiple golden piercings, and curling horns that grow upward from his forehead. Sharp teeth poke out from behind his full lips; his tongue is forked and snake-like. His narrow, mischievous eyes are a light, fiery orange. While his shockingly black hair is cut short on the sides and back, it is long and unruly in the front. Itโs often easy for him to keep his balance with the use of his long, thin tail, which ends in a sharp point. Dressed to move quickly, he often wears loose-fitting and baggy pants that donโt quite reach his ankles, heavy boots and a long-sleeved, flowing shirt. To fight off the chill that Thoril is known for, he can often be seen wearing a dark fur cloak. He complains often about having to wear shoes โ he prefers to go barefoot โ but Thoril is frankly too cold to do so. Zaphire is a cunning, sarcastic man who fears very little and usually doesnโt know when to keep his unkind thoughts to himself. He picks fights like people breathe air: naturally. Teasing, playful and all around a mischievous man. Not a bad guy, really, just the type of person who perhaps likes to have a little too much fun. However, heโs also sneaky and well practiced in being a crafty little thief. Born to parents who were normal and ordinary in every way, it came as a heart wrenching shock when he was born looking like a miniature demon. At an early age, he became a thief, pickpocketing what little coin he could find and picking locks to take the valuables of the wealthy. Other skills include an excellent knowledge of herbs, specifically with poisons. He is much better at running and fleeing than he is at fighting. Naturally, he can see well from far away and has a slight resistance to magic and certain toxins. The cloak he often wears is enchanted to offer very minor protection against heat and fire. ______________________________________________________________ Myst โs Character
sแดสแดกแดสแด แดแดแด แด ษชแดs Tiefling | Non-Binary | 26 | Pansexual | Servant |He isn't inherently evil as most suspect based on his appearance. After all, having two sets of horns, a ridged, prehensile tail nearly as long as he is tall, claws, and eyes that lack both a sclera and pupil don't make for the most friendly appearance. Regardless, Sarwalla is relatively harmless. Standing at 6'1", he has skin the color of red clay and loose dark blue curls that occasionally fall into his eyes if he lets them grow long enough. Speaking of his eyes - those wonderful golden orbs of his. The color of his eyes matches exactly with the golden jewelry nobles wear, and have even been said to sparkle brighter than that. The Tiefling is built well, though he's not overly muscular. His muscles have just enough definition that most ensure they're steering clear of him if they weren't already. A little fun fact about our dear Sarwala - while humans only have one set of canines (top and bottom), he has two, and the set closer to his molars are a little longer than the first. Sarwala genuinely seeks fun. Unless he's developed one of his extremely rare vendettas, nothing he ever does is out of ill intention. He only seeks to enhance his life with good times, nothing more, nothing less. That being said, nine times out of ten, he's known to act before thinking, and thusly makes the same mistake more than twice before he learns his lesson. Over the years of working in the castle, however, he has developed a sense of responsibility and tends to follow orders rather well. Sarwala is extremely amicable, both because of his species' alluring nature and because being friendly makes him happy. He forms bonds quickly and is ridiculously loyal to those he cares about. That being said, he will happily stick out his neck for those in his life. However, if somebody was to betray him, he would drop them without batting an eyelash. What's interesting about him is that he never goes cold to them, but his tone of voice is enough to instill fear in those who weren't even involved in the conversation. Regardless of this fact, it's very hard to anger the Tiefling, but once he is angry, it's even harder to calm him down. Due to the innate abilities of his species, Sarwalla can see extremely well in the dark, has decent resistance to fire and high resistance to heat, and can occasionally sprout wings. However, his ability to sprout wings has only been witnessed once, and it was when he'd become enraged. He does not remember the incident actually happening, however he does remember being bed ridden for nearly a week afterwards. Other abilities he picked up, such as the art of stealth, theft, lock picking, persuasion, and the reading of others, were learned out of necessity. Sarwala spent most of his life alone, travelling between villages and learning to fend for himself after his family had been driven off to who knows where. He, however, hid and stayed, as this was the only place he'd ever known. As he grew, he learned how to stay hidden, sneak around, and he learned how to read body language very well. These mere skills grew into an expertise, and his abilities to sneak, persuade, and read people were generally perfected. Heโd also picked up several fighting styles along the way. Even still, he still makes his mistakes. More often than not, no matter the situation, the Tiefling can reveal someone's true intentions simply by watching their eyes or how they carry themselves. At the ripe age of 15, Sarwala was more or less hired by the royal family for his skills. Well, heโd been arrested first, though his punishment quickly became to serve as the emperor and his wifeโs personal servant for the rest of his days. In this role he became a personal guard, errand boy and whatever else was required of him. They asked, he did it. Sarwala has gained possession of an enchanted ring called the Ring of Animal Influence, and it allows him to speak to animals. He values this ring very much because of his (very obvious) adoration for all animals, and would fight to the death over it.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 13:44:39 GMT -5
Winters were harsh and cold, unbearably so in the land of Thoril. Snow fell in heavy sheets from the bland gray sky, coated the ground in layers that turned the soil to ice and withered away the browned and decaying plants. A perfect time to curl up in front of a crackling fire wrapped in thick furs, a cup of warm tea and a good book in hand. The kind of days that were best spent sleeping and eating oneโs fill in rich, well-cooked food, until spring rolled through to melt the frost and bring flowers to life.
Zaphire was not quite so lucky.
The view before him now was not of the open, gloomy sky, but of a lichen-covered stone room. A box of crudely placed blocks, one side lined with strong metal bars, locked tight with a key far out of reach. A chill crept through his body as he sat against the hard, unforgiving floor, nothing but his old cloak to keep him warm. One wrong step โ a failed attempt to pick the pocket of a nobleman โ lead him here. Unbeknownst to the tiefling, the capital city Rivell was under strict surveillance, its people on edge and its guards harsher than the weather.
If he had known that the guards were targeting tieflings personally, he wouldnโt have stepped foot within the cityโs boundaries. Unfortunately, news of the emperorโs untimely murder had not quite reached the southern area of Thoril, where Zaphire had travelled from. Now, he was trapped in a cold cell awaiting his interrogation with the head guard himself. Not for his minor crime of attempted thievery, but for looking like a suspicious demon spawn, in the words of the soldiers who hunted him down like a pig.
It felt like ages before the door to the prison squealed open on rusty hinges, but his apprehension was unnecessary. The face that greeted him was not the stern one of a captain guard, but of a young tiefling โ red skin and mesmerizing eyes that glittered like golden coins. Zaphireโs kind were a rarity in Thoril, nearly unheard of, and he was jarred by the sight of someone so very much like himself. He watched in interest as the strange man was lead to cell across from his own and unceremoniously shoved inside, the squeak of the lock clicking shut and fading footsteps leaving the two in silence.
โYouโre dressed rather nicely for a criminal,โ Zaphire commented into the dark, cold room and broke the silence easily. His right eye was blackened and swollen shut from a well-aimed punch, his upper lip split and bruised. When he leaned forward, he put as little pressure on his left leg as he could manage. โWhat did you do to get yourself thrown into the chambers, Golden Eyes? Look at the guards the wrong way, did you? I hear they dislike our kind around these parts. Something or other about the emperor getting a blade in the back from a tiefling gone bad.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 14:28:52 GMT -5
He knew this castle like the back of his hand. As one of the few entities with his knowledge, he could recall with ease all the entrances to the escape routes, secret passages, and each entrance that was susceptible to break-ins. One of his regular tasks had been to run mock break-ins with the guards to test their reflexes and ensure all entrances and exits were sufficient in keeping the royal couple safe. He performed a plethora of other tasks, though this one was common for him.
He also knew most of the guards and castle personnel by name, though they werenโt too fond of him. The day heโd be hired from his cell was an interesting one. A few limbs had been broken that day and the same guards that were injured had been reprimanded for harassing him. The fact of the matter was, he worked there just the same as them now, so he was meant to be treated as such. Sadly, the name โhell houndโ stuck with him over his years of servitude. The Tiefling learned very quickly to ignore it, and the guards learned just as fast that he wasnโt one to be trifled with.
Today all they had learned of him seemed to be thrown to the harsh winds. Sarwala himself hadnโt found out about the murder until well after the fact, but when the guards came to do a more proper inspection of the body, heโd been in the room. The servant had been trying to figure out what had happened, who had gotten inside of it had been internal. They made to grab him and he ran off, unable to think of anything else to do. It wasnโt as if he had done it, so why did they go for him?
He didnโt even know theyโd decided it had been a Tiefling or something that shared similar traits. What he did know was that somebody made the mistake of grabbing his horns and all hell broke loose. Two guards now lay dead by his hand, though it wasnโt as if he was unscathed. By the time they actually subdued the servant, he was concerned in their blood as well as his own. He was a cute literally his arms, one across his cheek, and a good stab to the thigh. He didnโt even want to think about how many bruises he had at this point.
It didnโt take much to get Sarwala into a cell after that. For somebody who had initially done nothing wrong, he was rather pliant. Maybe it was because he was a murderer now regardless of who killed the emperor. He hadnโt even noticed the other person in the cell across from his own despite his typically observant nature. Rather, he found himself stumbling forwards and cursing as his injured leg protested. As he was locked in, he took the chance to just sit on the floor if only to get his weight somewhere else. It wasnโt until the other spoke up that he turned to look over his shoulder.
Huh... the sight was familiar and strange all the same. So he wasnโt the only of his kind out here then... it wouldโve been comforting if the situation was better. He turned around slowly so that heโd at least be facing forward, though didnโt move any closer to his cell door. โIโm not a criminal,โ he muttered, the last few hoursโ events flashing through his mind. โOr, I wasnโt.โ As the other continued, he looked him over, frowning a little. He looked worse than he felt... the little nickname caught his attention however, and he raised an eyebrow slightly. โI didnโt do anything. Not until they touched me, that is...โ Heaving a sigh, Sarwala let his head drop, staring at his lap as he spoke up once more. โYouโre right. They genuinely hate us out here. Hell, Iโve worked here for nearly half my life and they still think Iโm stupid enough to kill the emperor.โ
Golden eyes looking at blood stained hands, he couldnโt help but shake his head slightly. โDoesnโt matter - Iโm a killer regardless at this point.โ
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 15:30:02 GMT -5
(( Your post is great! Hope this is okay, sorry if itโs short. ))
โNice to meet you, Certainly Not A Criminal,โ Zaphire spoke into the relative quiet of the prison chambers. Suspiciously empty, aside from the two of them. Cold, always cold, enough to send a shiver down his spine that had him drawing his cloak nearer to his small body. The stranger could likely take him in a fight without much trouble โ he was larger, fiercer by the looks of the wounds he bore โ but he hoped it wouldnโt come down to that. โI canโt say the same, sadly. I am very much a criminal. I really canโt help it, you know. Shiny things are just so โ shiny.โ
Jewels and golden coins and precious jewelry and polished vases โ
Zaphire liked shiny things. To keep, to look at, to sell. He adored the rings that decorated his own ears, sometimes liked to stop and admire his own reflection in puddles or glass windows. Not because he was particularly handsome, but because he liked the way the gold sparkled in the sunlight. He was kind of like a bird.
โWell, theyโve no reason to stick us here simply because we are what we are,โ he sniffed in disgust, nose wrinkling up at the very thought. His tail flicked slightly in impatience. โI might be a thief and a killer, but I did not murder the emperor. Nor did you, Iโm assuming. I donโt really care if you are a killer. Iโve met few people who are truly innocent.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 15:48:54 GMT -5
((Shhhh itโs fine - the first two are always longer Cause Iโd like intros and stuff))
He couldnโt help but frown that much more at the newest name of the day. He wasnโt a criminal... or he hadnโt been, anyways. Not for a quite a few years up until this point. He couldnโt remember the last time heโs stolen something - well no, he could. The silver ring on his right hand was stolen from a mage. What could he say? He wouldโve bought it, but it had been the middle of the night and heโd wanted to talk to this show fox that had been following him around. And he wasnโt one to be patient, much rather he followed anything that would grant instant gratification.
As the man in the cell across from his own continued, he nodded slowly. It was a sentiment he could understand. Looking up he eyed him again, catching sight of his many earrings. โShiny is a good look on you, at least,โ Sarwala mused. It was a very lame attempt at calming himself down. This wasnโt fun - at least when he was working he was mostly left to his own devices. Heโd learned to make his tasks fun but this? This was everything but.
Then again neither was blacking our with rage.
As the stranger spoke up once more, he simply stared at him. Well, at least he was honest. He could appreciate that. The Tiefling couldnโt help the slightest smile. โItโs nice to fine somebody that thinks like that... honestly, the only reason I work here is because I was arrested.โ He couldnโt help but chuckle at the memory, both sets of canines catching what little light there was. โI broke in just to see if I could - almost made it back out too.โ Now that had been fun. Heโd been too young then - a guard tackled him and almost lost his hand. Would have, too, if the rest of the guard hadnโt caught up. After a long pause, in speech, he figured he could at least give his name. โMy nameโs Sarwala. And Iโd prefer if you called me as such.โ It wasnโt that he had a problem with the nicknames, it was more that heโd grown to hate them in general. Although, Golden Eyes hadnโt been too bad.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 16:38:10 GMT -5
Shiny was a good look on him. Today was a bad day and there was nothing happy about the situation, but that didnโt stop Zaphire from grinning ear to ear at the slight complimented. He was nothing if not a man who liked to be told he looked nice, even by a fellow prisoner. Compliments would get this stranger everywhere. While not overly vain, Zaphire was rather friendly and open, at least for a thief. He didnโt mind people so much, when they were nice and polite to him.
โI was on my way to the Wayward Tavern for a night of fun,โ he admitted with a deep, heavy sigh that showed just how upset he truly was. โBut there was this nobleman passing by in a wagon and his wife had this beautiful ruby and gold necklace. I thought if I swiped it, I could sleep and eat through the rest of winter without having to do any real work. Guess I wasnโt paying attention, the guards caught me red handed.โ Cheekily, he held up the palms of his hands, which werenโt red so much as they were a dusty pink. โThey pummeled me and now Iโm here.โ
The soldiers had been unnecessarily rough, considering that Zaphire had given in as soon as he was physically caught. He hadnโt fought back much, but the soldier had still punched him, and heโd hurt his leg in the resulting brawl.
Ah, so the golden-eyed stranger worked in the royal estate and he had a pretty name to match those pretty eyes. โSarwala,โ he repeated with a slow, careful nod. โI go by Zaphire. Call me Zaph, if youโd like. We are the same, you and I. Unwanted here no matter what we do. I will call you a friend. Maybe we can strike a deal that benefits us both. Do you know a way out of here, Sarwala?โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 17:30:25 GMT -5
It wasnโt like him to hold his tongue, and he wasnโt going to start today. He was social, and generally a fountain of compliments if he liked what he saw. It was why the royal couple had made a habit of sending him for what they liked to call โhome visitsโ if it seemed like a deal wouldnโt go their way. Sure, he enjoyed them, although he liked doing such things on his own terms. He did make a few of those trips on his own when he wasnโt working. Heโd even made a point of seducing a few of the guards - it seemed to keep them in place, in away, if they still thought they could best him in a fight. It was amusing to see them avert their eyes in the halls.
Listening to the stranger, Sarwala found himself nodding along, chuckling a bit as he displayed his hands. Ah, so he had jokes too? Interesting. He couldnโt help but frown a little at the end of it. โYeah, looks like they were pretty rough...โ Maybe the other wasnโt much a fighter. Possibly more the type to perform sneak attacks? Or flee? He couldnโt tell just by looking, but he knew he had taken some damage.
It didnโt surprise him that the guards had been so rough - heโd put up a good fight and still hadnโt left without losing blood. Glancing down at his right thigh, he noted the bleeding had slowed a little. Well, that was at least a good thing.
Looking back up at his name was repeated, the servant nodded slightly as he provided his own name. โFriend? Havenโt had one of those in a long time,โ he commented, but he was smiling a bit now. โA way out...โ Golden orbs scanned the area around him, tail twitching a little as he hypothetically lived through a few scenarios. โYou seem like fun - I might be able to get us out. Or at least you. What kind of deal?โ There was a chance theyโd catch and keep him here. After all, he was rarely outside of the castle, meaning it was more likely he did it.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 18:31:28 GMT -5
โFriends are few here in these cruel lands,โ Zaphire agreed sagely, though he knew so only out of experience. He could not remember the last time he had seen a friendly face. Weeks ago, perhaps, or maybe months. โBut we are two of a kind, no? We should stick together.โ
Part of him hoped that Sarwala would decide to stick around, if only because he had never met a single soul like himself. Not in person, at least. If it werenโt for rumors and town gossip, he would have grown up thinking that he was a one of a kind, bizarre monstrosity. He was uncontrollably excited at the prospect of befriending and spending time with someone who shared such similar physical traits. There was so much he wanted to ask about his kind โ to hear it told from a tiefling themselves and not just the traveling merchants he was used to pestering.
โWell, the deal involves the two of us getting out of here together. Preferably in one piece,โ he said as he moved slowly forward, visibly wincing at the pain that shot through his leg. He wrapped his fingers around the icy metal bars. โYou free us from this prison and I will bring you many riches. There is a place, past the mountains of Thoril, where travels say it is warm and peaceful. There are many of our kind. I wish to go there โ you are welcome to accompany me on my travels, after I pay you for your help.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 19:06:33 GMT -5
Nodding, Sarwala hummed quietly in acknowledgement. It would be nice to have somebody who understood. โThatโd be nice,โ he replied quietly, letting his eyes slip closed. He lost his family when he was four years old, so it wasnโt like he remembered them very well. Since then he was the last in the city. Until today, that is.
It was almost bitter sweet seeing the criminal before him. So alike yet so different from himself. Two of a kind. Indeed - it would be wonderful to talk to this man. Plus, thus far he seemed like so much fun. It would be nice to live how he had prior to his initial arrest...
As the Tiefling across from him spoke on the deal, he frowned a bit as he winced. Hearing that there were more like them had his eyes widening in something akin to amazement. That would honestly be the best thing to him. To go somewhere he didnโt feel like some demon bound thing. Standing quickly, a dragon-like hiss left Sarwala as pain shot down his leg. โDonโt pay me. Iโm sick of this frozen wasteland anyways, always telling me I donโt belong.โ For a bored moment, Golden eyes were overcome with anger. โCall the guard on post and tell him I have a knife on me. Itโs Kariin today, and I know he wonโt call for backup.โ Of this he was very sure - the idiot thought he was too good for it no matter how many time he was better in sparring.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 19:25:36 GMT -5
Family was a foreign topic to Zaphire, who knew no such thing. With a mother that shunned him at birth and a father that took off in the night, too scared to speak of the monstrosity that was his child, he was left alone with the only person to show him kindness. A frail, old woman who had found him and loved him dearly, but had not lived to see him grow up past the age of six. Perhaps it was for the best that the sweet older woman wasnโt able to see the petty thief he had become.
She would be disappointed, he was certain.
โWhen we are free, no one shall tell us that we donโt belong. We will find coin and leave this awful place behind,โ Zaphire vowed, more motivated to carry out his distant dream than ever before. Now, he had someone to see it through with. A friend to travel and live with, who understood his plight.
The plan didnโt sound like the greatest one in the world, but Sarwala had lived here for many years and knew the guardsmen better, so Zaphire obliged. In a voice that was full of fake panic and fear, Zaphire cried out, โGuard, guard! Heโs got a knife, he has! Said he wanted to cut my throat!โ
In another life, Zaphire might have been a performer. He was oddly good at pretending to be a weak, frightened little thing.
True to Sarwalaโs word, the guard that stormed in was entirely alone, brandishing a sword in one hand and a torch in the other. His harsh eyes narrowed as he glanced from Zaphire to Sarwala. โWhat is the meaning of this nonsense?โ
โHe has a knife,โ the tiefling insisted, big orange eyes widened to the size of miniature suns. โHe threatened to cut me, he did.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 20:27:21 GMT -5
He knew the bare minimum of his past family. His parents had also been Tieflings, they were nomadic, and theyโd done their best for him. The last one was an assumption, but after he lost them he grew up with enough to not to murder unless it was absolutely the only way. Although, it was possible that this trait had been his own doing. Even still, he liked to think they had treated them well for as long as they had him.
To his vow Sarwala found himself nodding. โThat sounds wonderful... weโll live the good life.โ It was an agreement. To escape to such a promising place with somebody by his side would be nice. Although, he briefly realized that there was no way to guarantee this stranger would actually stick around once they escaped. Still, he seemed rather sincere.
When Zaphire called out, he himself almost asked what was wrong. It was convincing even to the person who suggested the plan. It was quite the skill. In the mean time, he rolled his shoulders, hooking his thumbs in the waist band of his pants. Golden eyes settled on the guard as soon as he came in and his features settled into a glare.
The thing about Kariin was that they were alike in one way - they didnโt back down from anything that sounded like a challenge. Especially when it came to their status or pride. The problem was, Karin also liked to just do things to โproveโ himself, which quickly lead to their especially sour relationship.
While he wasnโt as good an actor as the man in the other cell he was good at playing into personalities and emotions. It was especially easy with the guard before them. โI would never! I havenโt carried a knife in years,โ Sarwala countered with ease. โYou could search me right now and Iโd be empty handed.โ
He watched the guardโs face present irritation, and he smirked a little. The Tiefling already knew what was going to come out of the others mouth. This is a waste my time he would say. โFine, donโt search me. Shouldโve known youโd be too scared too anyways - after all, I did win every sparring match with you.โ
His cell was being unlocked in no time, and only a moment after that he received a good punch to the jaw. โIโm not scared of the likes of you,โ the man spat, jaw clenched so hard it was almost painful.
Sarwala found himself chuckling, hand reaching up to touch his face. โYou really should be.โ He pulled his leg out from under him with his tail, watching as he fell to the cold stone floor with a gasp. Awe how nice, even dropped his sword. Dropping drown with a wince, his left hand quickly found itself around the guards throat, claws threatening to penetrate flesh. He used his right hand to search him, find the key after a few moments. Grinning in triumph, he leaned down a bit more to whisper in Kariinโs ear. โYouโll be the laughing stock of the guard.โ Releasing his throat, the servant - ex-servant at this point - got a good swipe at his face effectively blinding his right eye.
Only moments after that he was locking the guard in the cell, ignoring whatever sounds he was emitting whether they were pained reactions of curses of his name. Unlocking the otherโs cell, he took a step back. โI can only get us out of the castle, weโll have to hide in the city for a few days.โ They were both pretty rough looking at this point - they needed to heal before they travelled any further. โThereโs a path in the last cell with the broken door.โ This last part was hushed - couldnโt have the injured guard heading him now could he?
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 20, 2019 21:05:28 GMT -5
The surprise that flittered over Zaphireโs face and the way he covered his mouth to hide it the moment Sarwala was punched in the face was certainly not fake. He wouldnโt have thought the situation would turn violent so fast and his first thought was toward the other tieflingโs safety, not a single care given to the prideful guard. The arrogant man deserved it for letting himself be tricked into such an obvious trap. One of the oldest tricks in the book and he still fell for it.
He stood back a little at Sarwala unlocked his cell and slowly rose to his feet, using his thin tail to keep his balance. โMy, my, how polite of you,โ he said, softly, with a grin so wide it crinkled his eyes and brought out a laugh that bordered on a giggle. Playful, even in the face of danger. โYou must be my own hero.โ
With the new directions, he found the cell in question and slipped into it, not bothering at all to pay attention to the groaning guard. There he found the hidden path, crouching down unsteadily to push his way through it. He walked with a staggering limp that severely slowed his progress, but he didnโt stop even once to take a break. Too risky, no matter how much it hurt. โThereโs a little inn to the east of the city that should be safe for us to hide out in,โ he whispered as he walked alongside the slightly taller individual.
The hollow stone path soon opened up into a much larger chamber, the rough rock replaced by bricks and the floor becoming more narrow to accommodate a large river of water. The palaceโs water canal, it seemed, connected through the same wall that lead to the jail. Zaphire was content to let Sarwala lead the way, however, as he didnโt want to risk a run-in with anymore angry guards. His face already hurt enough.
โItโll cost us a bit of coin, Iโm sure, but I have a little saved up and itโs worth the privacy. I hope we can reach the cityโs edge soon,โ he murmured, kept his voice down low, uncomfortable with how it echoed off the walls. โIโm afraid they may be harsher on you than me, with you being a former servant and all.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 20, 2019 21:33:36 GMT -5
For how highly he spoke of himself, Kariin had always been too arrogant for his own good. Even still, the hit hurt - heโs cheek and lower eyelid would be swollen and bruised in no time if he had judge on the pain radiating from the area. Still, it was worth it. Heโd been wanting to do something like that for so long - knock the idiot down a few pegs.
Sarwala couldnโt help but smile at the otherโs laugh. Despite the unpleasant situation, it was almost comforting to hear it. Well, no, not almost, it was. At the last comment, his smile only widened. โIโd like to think of myself as such.โ
He followed his new companion to the useless cell and into the hidden path, biting his tongue to hold in pained hisses. He noted the otherโs limp, although his wasnโt much better. While his thigh wasnโt bleeding as much as it had been, it still hurt like hell. He wasnโt unable to travel much faster than the other, though he supposed that wasnโt a bad thing considering it was in their best interest to stay together. As an inn was brought up he nodded. โAlright - honestly I was gonna wing it once we got out so thatโs a better plan.โ
As the path widened and gave way to the castleโs water canals, he breathed a quiet sigh of something between relief and stress. โWe canโt get far in this shape,โ the Tiefling whispered. โIโve got a bit of coin down here from when I first started. Ainโt much but itโs sellable.โ Heโd stollen jewelry not from the couple, but from their personal jewelers and the more weโll compensated staff. He couldnโt remember what it was made off, but he knew where it was supposed to be. Heโd be preparing to ditch the castle within his first couple years of servitude.
It never happened.
At Zaphireโs last comment Sarwala shrugged a little as he lead him through the canalโs paths. โNothing Iโm not used to. Iโll be fine...โ There was no way for him to promise that he would actually be fine, but he could hope.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 7:03:12 GMT -5
The dark water was cold and uninviting, but the sound of it gurgling by was more than enough to cover the sounds of their hushed voices and light footsteps. Even while injured, being quiet on his feet came naturally after years of practice. There very well might have been no one down in these dimly lit passageways, though better safe than sorry. He tried to pay attention to the twists and turns they took, but after a while, it all blended into the same mental image. The walls all looked too similar and there was nothing to distinguish each individual hall, not that he planned to ever come back here. It was all just out of habit to keep track of where he was and how he might find his way back, if need be.
โAnything that looks pretty is sellable. I once sold a fake gold necklace for four times the price of a real one,โ Zaphire commented with a tiny smirk turning up his lips and a short, quiet bubble of laughter. โI can sell what you have in no time for a fair bit, Iโm sure. Then we can afford a wagon to the next town over.โ He was good with people, with lying and charming his way into a decent amount of gold. It was amusing, how often people fell for his poorly thought out schemes.
Already, he was plotting the route they would have to take to get past the mountains. It would be a slow journey, made slower by how they would need to be more cautious now, but he was convinced they would make it within a couple months. Maybe sooner, if they were lucky.
Around the corner of the hall they were in, a small opening light in the faint light of the outside and a cold, chilly breeze. Zaphire waited for his new friend, but he couldnโt help but to walk to the edge of the doorway and stick his head outside. A thin flurry of snow was drifting down from the gray sky.
โI hate the snow,โ he decided with a frown and a shake of his head, black curls falling over his horns. โAnd the cold. Thatโs all it ever does here.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 10:06:38 GMT -5
He wasn't much a swimmer, although he liked the sound of the water. When he wasn't meant to be doing something specific or he couldn't sleep the tiefling found himself down here often, simply sitting with his back against the walls. It was a good place to calm down if he ever needed. Also, a good place to avoid the guards when he didn't want to deal with them any longer. Somewhere along the way, he'd picked out small differences in the walls, learning how to keep track of where he was in the halls. It wasn't an easy task, as he'd gotten lost for hours down here, but he'd done it.
As his companion spoke on his past selling feats, he couldn't help but grin at him. Fake gold? That was pretty cool. "That's pretty amazing - I'd have loved to see that sale go down." He could only imagine the shop's surprise if and when they found the jewelry to be fake. Or maybe a very angry customer. Either way, he was sure the reactions had been highly amusing. As he continued, Sarwala nodded along, figuring they'd be fine in this aspect.
Honestly, the ex-servant didn't really have a place once they got out of the castle, so he was thankful that Zaphire did. He'd long since given up on the idea of leaving, and thusly forgot any plans he'd previously made. It wasn't that he was a stranger to traveling and coming up with solutions on the fly, however with this added hostility from the emperor's death, he wasn't sure where to go. While he'd hate to admit it, he was a bit out of practice. While he'd gotten the chance to put his skills to use, they were impractical as far as he was concerned, which put him at a slight disadvantage.
As they approached the way that would lead them outside, Sarwala paused to run his hands over the walls. Which stone was it... Ah, this on. Removing it, he reached up and pulled out a small pouch before replacing the stone once more. "Just where I left it," he murmured to himself, opening the small bag as he made his way over to the other tiefling. A few rings, two jeweled necklaces, and a wide assortment of little earings. As the other spoke, he looked up, glancing outside. "It's definitely not pleasant..." he muttered.
Sighing he, simply stared at the world outside, silently cursing his hatred of the cold. And then the land for simply being cold. Still, he found himself stepping forward and pushing the odd door open, a chill wracking down his spine at the sudden difference in temperature. "Let's just get out of here." He was determined to leave the castle now. If they got caught again, another escape wouldn't be easy. Or impossible - it was likely they'd be killed on sight. Despite this logical reasoning, he just wanted to finally be out of the building. After years of serving here, it was... well, he'd grown tired of its many aspects.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 10:44:06 GMT -5
No, it wasnโt pleasant, but very few things in this world seemed to be. Warm mugs of tea with lots of sugar were pleasant, soft blankets and angering the local guards by being obnoxious. Those things were nice. Cold snow and no sun were not pleasant, not to him. Perhaps to someone, somewhere, they were. He was not that person. โNo, it isnโt. Very little about this country is pleasant.โ
Folding his arms to fight down the goosebumps from the cold, Zaphire paused to pull up the hood of his cloak before stepping out into the open. โLetโs,โ he agreed with a solemn nod and didnโt so much as take the lead as he did stay by Sarwalaโs side. The water canal opened up into a sloping field, covered in muddy snow, and bordered by tall stone walls. He suspected that they may have been at the edge of the royal estate, in part of the courtyard, though he couldnโt have been sure. On his arrival, he had been half-unconscious and wasnโt able to see much of the structure before being imprisoned.
A medium-sized hole in the stone wall looked like an excellent way to escape. Zaphire scrambled up the short distance, boots skidding against the frozen stone, and wiggled his way through the space. It was just big enough for Sarwala to get through, thankfully. Someone in this estate clearly hadnโt been keeping up with the necessary groundwork.
It wasnโt until Zaphire dropped down on the other side of the wall that he heard the loud clacking of hooves beating the ground. Horses were approaching the estate and, out of instinct, Zephire ducked down to hide. The path curved around the structure and out of sight, so once the carriage passed, he lifted his head to peer at Sarwala through the hole. โThat was close,โ he mumbled, a bit lightheaded from the rush of fear and adrenaline. Sneaking around was generally easier when he was alone, so this was different than usual, and it had his heart racing.
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 13:56:21 GMT -5
He would easily agree in saying that nothing about this country was pleasant. It was too cold, the people were rather closed-minded, and the resources were limited once the cold set in. There was nothing he found pleasant about this land that made him stay save for the fact it was just where he happened to be at the time. It was all he really knew. It was part of the reason he stayed - he at least knew the city rather well. Well, that he'd gotten himself stuck here, but that was beside the point.
Once outside, he quickly noted that they were on the east side of the courtyard. Or what he assumed was the east side, everything tended to look the same when it was covered in nothing but snow and ice. He didn't pay too much attention to the courtyard as he should off, but the canal generally went east, so he felt like it was a logical conclusion. Looking at the stonewall that lined the castle grounds, he frowned a little. If the staff had actually done their job, the hole somewhere in the wall would have been sealed off by now. They'd either have to scale it (out of the question due to their injuries), or find another way out (they'd likely get caught again).
His worries vanished when he noticed Zaphire had already located and was making his way through the hole in the wall. Wonderful! All that he had to do was get up through the hole and they'd be on their way. He poised himself to follow, however, the sound of horses's hooves and the wheels of a carriage clattering on the stone had him dropping down into the snow. Suppressing his urder to verbally protest the sudden cold against his flesh, he kept himself low until the sound passed. He even gave an extra second until the sound of the other tiefling's voice reached his ears. Standing slowly, Sarwalla brushed himself off, noticeably shivering now despite how calm he appeared. "I hate snow," he hissed quietly, finally hauling himself through the hole in the wall.
On the otherwise, he examined himself. His clothes were wet and cold, he was wet and cold, but his leg had stopped bleeding. Despite this, he was still covered in a large mixture of blood that was his own and from the now-dead guards. "As much as I want to go, I don't think the inn well let me stay like this..." He could pass off the blood on his pants as an injury, mostly because it was, but the rest of him... He'd have to ditch his shirt somewhere. Here was good. So he peeled off the blood-stained fabric, turning and shoving it back through the hole in the palace walls. Bending down, he picked up a lump of snow and simply scrubbed it against his hands. As long as he got most of the blood off it would be fine... Before long he didn't really have much snow left in his hands, but his hands and claws were mostly free of dried blood now. Golden eyes looking to Zaphire once more, he grinned a little. "Let's get gone."
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 15:03:20 GMT -5
It came as a small surprise when Sarwala ditched his bloodied shirt and began to scrubbing the blood from his hands with the use of the fallen snow. He wouldnโt have thought twice about the otherโs appearanceโhe was used to seeing blood everywhere he wentโbut Sarwala made a very good point. The innkeepers would likely be a bit on guard if they showed up looking like a couple murderers. Other than a sore, bruised leg, Zaphire looked fine. He had no bloodstained clothes or hands to hide away, out of sight. However, he was concerned about his new companionโs lack of a shirt. Wordlessly, he unclasped his cloak and tossed it over to the taller man.
โHere, youโll catch cold and draw suspicion walking around with no shirt,โ Zaphire murmured as he began walking, the snow crunching beneath his boots just a tad too loud for his liking. Also, though he would never admit to it out loud, it was rather distracting to have Sarwala shirtless in his line of sight. It was hard not to pay attention when the individual in question was quite handsome. Zaphire liked pretty, shiny things and pretty, handsome people. Really, just the typical mindset of a thief. He tried to move as quickly and quietly as he could down the sloping road, the way he had grown up doing, but it was difficult with an injured leg that continued to freeze up in the cold weather.
What I wouldnโt give for a place of sunshine.
An eternity seemed to pass before they reached a small clearing within the city, a half-circle of rundown shops and half-torn buildings. Too many guards were crawling around for it to have been a quick journey. By the time they reached their destination, the sky was dark and the temperature had dropped so low that Zaphire was beginning to miss his cloak. He did his best to ignore the shifty men at the end of the alleyway as he approached the building to their right, kicking snow from his boots and pushing the wooden door open. Inside, it was comfortably warm and the strong scent of cinnamon and apples hung heavily in the air. All it did was remind him of how hungry, tired and beaten up he was.
โYou look like trouble,โ the elderly woman behind the counter muttered, instead of greeting the two tieflings. Her eyes were narrowed slightly. โGet inside and shut the door. Youโre letting out all of the heat.โ When Zaphire did as he was told, she glared at them. โEach room is fifteen gold per night.โ
Zaphire nearly stopped breathing. He wasnโt sure how much he had in his coin purse, but fifteen might have been all of it. โFifteen? The sign says five!โ
โItโs five for everyone else,โ she snapped. โItโs fifteen for the likes of you. The extra ten is insurance just in case you turn out to be no good troublemakers.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 15:45:57 GMT -5
Sarwala had nearly forgotten about his appearance until he'd brushed himself off. As it stood he was already freezing, so being without a shirt didn't seem like much of a difference to him. Still, he was a bit surprised when the other tossed his cloak to him. Despite his surprise he caught it with ease, simply staring at it for a second before actually putting it on. "Thanks," he responded, smile nearly bright enough to rival the sun. He couldn't recall a time he'd experienced such kindness. That, and the fabric was still warm from having already been warm.
The journey through the city was long and most of it didn't sit well with him. Although, considering the circumstances, it was probably the most fun he'd had in years. It had been a long time since he'd been out to the city with a purpose of his own creation rather than on an errand. While the crunch of snow under their feet hand been a bit of a hindrance, he had long since mastered the art of distractions. A few tossed items and tripping a civilian or two along the way had seemed to be enough to divert any raised suspicion away from their general location. As the temperature dropped, he only became more aware of his injuries. Mainly the ones that had resulted in open wounds.
Once they had reached the clearing, Sarwala drank in his surroundings. It'd been quite some time since he had been here... Golden eyes landed on the small group of men at the end of the alley, partially wondering if they'[d try anything. It would be fun if they did... For him, anyways. He hadn't spared in a while and could do with practice. It was an odd thought since it took a lot to provoke him into ill intentioned violence. Or into violence at all, really.
Following Zaphire inside, he didn't really react at the woman's 'greeting' as he was much used to things like this. As the door was shut, he only listened as she upped the price of staying for them. While he wanted to say he was surprised he couldn't quite say that he was. He'd stayed here before on a few home visits. Not extremely often, but he had. Rather than try to fight it, he honed in on the fact that each room was fifteen gold per night rather than per person. A mistake on her part, really. "Then we'll share a room, no big deal," the tiefling decided. For this, he already had a plan. It wouldn't be hard to steal from somebody else's room, especially if they were preoccupied with, well, himself.
He had to do what he had to do, right? Right.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 17:54:36 GMT -5
Weโll share a room.
Ah, a loophole. Clever of Sarwala to find it and foolish of the woman to not pick her words carefully. Smug as a bug, Zaphire dug out his faded leather coin purse and studied its contents. Three copper, four silver and exactly fifteen gold. He sorted out the gold coins into his palm and slapped them down onto the counter, rougher than he needed to be, but risking the rudeness in order to make a point that this wrinkled old bat didnโt scare him. โWeโll take a single room,โ he said, echoing Sarwalaโs decision with confidence. Better to seem like they knew each other well than act like the strangers they truly were. In these dark parts of the city, there was strength in numbers. โHow much for a meal?โ
The woman counted each coin unnecessarily, scooped them into her palm, then turned to toss the tiefling a rusted key. โMeals are three silvers a piece,โ she mumbled.โ
Again came his bright, smug grin. He was glad to have hidden away his money when the guards were chasing him down. No one ever checked his boots for stolen items, though they should have. He kept jewelry and a knife in his shoes most days. โThen Iโll take a meal as well. We can split it, my friend. Iโm starving.โ
With the begrudging promise of bringing their food to their room, Zaphire eagerly pranced his way to the room in question. He was a bright, chipper sort of fellow most days, with his constant smiles and laughter. While he too was used to the poor treatment, he always expected better. It wasnโt like they were rocks โ they had thoughts and feelings. They were people. And, quite frankly, handsome people, if Zaphire did say so himself.
โA bed,โ he cried as he flung open the door to their admittedly small, cramped room. He wanted to fling himself onto it, but he was in fact covered in mud and some of his own blood, so he chose not to out of politeness for Sarwala. โOh, lucky, thereโs a wash bucket in here! Now I donโt have to die in the river. What a luxurious room.โ
It was anything but luxurious, but exhaustion made him sarcastic, and he was very tired. As he kicked off his boots, he turned to his companion with a grin, waiting until the door of the room was closed to speak. โThere was a man out in the foyer with quite a sparkly pocket watch. Perhaps he might find it gone in the morning and we can afford a much better room once we leave this forsaken city.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 19:27:42 GMT -5
(this is short I'm so sorry)
Golden eyes watching the exchange, he couldn't help but wonder where this hatred of their kind came from. Maybe past incidents? Or something historically that he didn't know about or hadn't bothered to learn. Regardless, he didn't really care for it and did his best not to let it bother him anymore. Granted, some comments kept him up at night, but he'd grown weirdly accustomed to the poor treatment. He really only came back into focus of the conversation when it was mentioned that they could share a meal. He nodded, grinning at the prospect. If he were to be honest, he wasn't extremely hungry as it stood, so he probably wouldn't eat much of it. Still, the concept was nice.
Following the other into the room Sarwala drank in the people in the common area before drawing his focus to the room they'd be staying in. He himself didn't bother with the bed, partially feeling as though if he let himself get even remotely comfortable he wouldn't be getting back up for a while. In the meantime, he couldn't help laughing at the other's obvious sarcasm. It was more than amusing to him if his heartfelt laugh was anything to go by. "You'd be a wonderful actor, my friend," he commented, pushing the door closed with his tail.
As Zaphire mentioned a watch on one of the people out there, he grinned mischievously. "Really? We can add it to the collection of things to be sold. I'm sure I could keep him occupied in the meantime." While he himself knew what he meant, he hadn't even thought if the other would catch on. In all honesty, he'd caught the eye of the man and hadn't even bothered to look him over. Rather he'd caught his eye and recognized the look he received was one of an exotic discovery. His intention had been to seduce him and take whatever coin he had while he was distracted or asleep afterward. Either way worked for him. Though, hearing of this watch meant he definitely had more than enough for the taking. It'd be fun to get back into stealing... Not that it was a good thing, but it was fun which was all he cared about.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 19:51:37 GMT -5
(( Itโs no problem! ))
โAh, missed my calling, I suppose. One day Iโll live my dream of being a famous actor,โ the tiefling announced and spread his arms out wide in a dramatic stance. He did a small, unnecessary little twirl, tail flicking slightly. โAnd Iโll entertain thousands with my wonderful sense of humor. You can be my assistant, of course. A very important job.โ
A dream made of smoke, really. There would never be a day where he didnโt have to steal to feed himself. He knew that his one true talent was taking from others, often those who felt that they were better or more entitled than the people around them. Like the man out in the foyer, whose interested glances in Sarwala had not gone unnoticed by the thief. He seemed to be a filthy man and Zaphire instantly disliked him, planning to take all his valuables and coin before their stay was over.
Cleaning himself quickly of the mud and dirt of his short imprisonment with the bucket of cold water, he scrubbed at his shirt in a hopeless attempt to freshen it, then wrung it out and hung it near the fireplace to dry. He only had the one shirt, which was unfortunate, but the room was warm enough that it didnโt matter too much. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he grabbed his shoes to examine what little he had left to sell.
โI have two rings left, which might earn us a good six gold a piece if weโre lucky, so thatโs twelve gold in total. Plus what you have, we should be able to scrounge up twenty or thirty something. If we add in that manโs watch, it could go up to forty. That should be plenty to get us a wagon to Westri,โ Zaphire counted on his fingers as he tried to work out how much they could earn from their collective stolen goods. โThereโs a merchant down the street who I hear will buy things no matter where they come from, so we should visit him in the morning. I bet thereโs some spare coin lying around this place, as well. Maybe the store ownerโs lockbox, I think I have a couple picks left.โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 21:24:59 GMT -5
Sarwala found himself laughing again as the other twirled, only nodding when it was stated he could be his assistant. While a large portion of him knew that this was something that wouldn't come true. Still, he wanted to live in this moment of hypotheticals and dreams. It was a good distraction from, well, everything.
As for the main in the foyer, he had a plan. He'd swiped a knife from the guard who was now half-blind. In addition to stealing the watch, he'd leave the other's room with his coin and maybe a few extra clothes. That was a hard maybe, however. Perhaps if he went over in the cloak he could simply wear several layers hidden under it... He could pull up a loose floorboard like he did when he was younger and hide everything under it until they had better means. Yes, this sounded fine to him. And like a fun little challenge.
When Zaphire spoke up, he nodded slightly. Forty... If they had a better fence they could get more for it. Then again, out here finding a fence was hard. Still, forty wasn't too bad, and perhaps in Westri it'd be a bit easier. Watching the other, he couldn't help but find it a bit cute the way he counted on his fingers. "I'll be taking whatever coin he's brought with him... I'll leave the guard's knife and tear a few things apart and he'll think it's the lowlifes from the alley coming in through the window. The whole exchange shouldn't take more than an hour - I doubt he'd last longer than twenty minutes." The last part came out as a snicker. Honestly, even that time frame was generous. Most of the allotted time was for him to search the room and take what he wanted.
Glancing at the fireplace, he did remove the cloak for the time being, simply holding it for a moment. "I'll need this before I go - might be able to snag a few clothes from him too..." He'd never stolen clothes before if he were honest, but he felt as though his plan would work. After another moment he got to scrubbing out any stains he'd added to it during their travels. "The lockbox should be behind the counter. At least a small one usually is at places like this - there may also be a safe in the basement... Though I'm less sure of that."
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 22:03:00 GMT -5
โIโve never had a partner in crime before. Letโs make it a challenge, eh? Whoever gets the most coin by the end of the night wins,โ Zaphire chirped gleefully, way too happy for someone who was speaking about robbing the guests and owners of the inn of all their valuables. He knew that stealing was wrong โ and punishable by death, in extreme cases, though not so much in Thoril these days โ but it had been his profession since he was a child of only six. He knew thievery like the back of his hand, had perfected how to sneak and swipe and take what he could when the opportunity presented itself over the many years. โWell, thereโs no real prize since weโll be splitting the profits anyway, but youโll get bragging rights! And it shall be fun.โ
When told that Sarwala would need his cloak, he offered a grin and a shrug. โTake it if you need it. All I ask is that you not rip it. It was a gift,โ he warned gently. He had owned the cloak since before he found himself on the streets โ it was all he had of his mother, who had not wanted him. Sheโd been kind enough to leave him her cloak, so that he would not freeze the night she abandoned him. โIโll check behind the front desk and take a peek in the basement as well.โ
After a moment, he checked on the state of his shirt. Still damp and nowhere close to being dry, but good enough. He slipped it back on over his head, adjusted the collar and shoved his feet back into his shoes. Before leaving, he lifted a corner of the mattress to store away his goods for the time being. He would find a better place later.
โShall we meet back up here in, say, an hour?โ
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 22:29:24 GMT -5
A challenge? That would surely be fun. Although, based on the challenge, he was sure that he wouldn't come close. Even still, he very much liked the sound of this. Sure, he'd lived relatively crime-free for a few years, but it's not how he grew up. This is what he knew, and part of him was happy to be back to it. Maybe it was the freedom that he liked so much? That was more likely. Even still, what was theft when the people were treating others poorly? It was merely returning the favor... "I'm at a disadvantage, but you're on." He was sure he'd hear the other tiefling brag all night. Even still, he didn't mind too much.
Wringing out the cloak, Sarwala nodded a little. "I'll take good care of it." He was nothing if not a man of his word. If the other prized the clothing item, then he would take the best care of it he could manage, no questions asked. Ringing out the cloak once more, he figured he could deal with the damp fabric for now - it wasn't as if he'd be wearing it for long if all went well, anyway. And it always did. Pulling it back on, Sarwala nodded with a grin on his face. "An hour it is."
He left the room as soon as an agreement was made. He crossed the foyer easily, drawing his tail across the man's shoulders as he went. Setting himself at the counter while the elderly woman wasn't there, he glanced over his shoulder, only confirming that he'd caught his attention. He grinned a little, knowing this would be an easy conquest if he could even call it that. He really just wanted his belongings. It wasn't long before the human had joined him at the counter and struck up a conversation, though his intentions were clear. The tiefling made quick work of him, not having to do as much as he usually would to wind up in his room.
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 21, 2019 23:08:43 GMT -5
The innkeeper was not a vigilant woman, despite how much she insisted that the tieflings were not to be trusted. In this particular case, she was certainly right โ one was a crafty man up to no good and the other was an ex-servant, run away after attacking a guard to seek freedom. She should have known better than to leave the front desk unattended, where Zaphire came to collect his freshly prepared meal. Under the guise of taking it back to his room, he waited for Sarwala to make his move on the unsuspecting man, before he made his own on the cheap little lockbox behind the front counter. All it took was a spilled drink across the room, the beginning of a brawl, and a thin lock pick for him to reach his prize.
He cleared out the entire box, stuffed the jingling coins in his pocket, before he headed down into the depths of the basement. The door was not locked, but as he surveyed the shelves and drawers, he found little more than vegetables and spare bedsheets. Nothing of worth that would fetch him a good price. As for the people spending their night being rowdy and loud, well, they were far too distracted to notice the lack of coins in the pockets. If Zaphire did say so himself, it was a prosperous night and a job well done.
He was on his way back to the room when a snippet of conversations caught his attention, the hushed voices of two men.
โThey say the emperorโs murderer was a demon,โ the first mumbled into his cup, spitting the last word with hatred. โSent to kill him and his wife so that they could take the throne for themselves.โ
The second man clumsily waved that idea away, spilling his drink across the table as he did so. โNo, no, youโve got it all wrong. The murderer was one of them demon people, what are they called? Teeth something? Anyway, one of those, and they were sent by something called the Moon Order or whatever. Real secret organization, I hear. Rumor says theyโre made of killers and the worst kind of criminals.โ
โWhy doesnโt the empress have them all arrested, then?โ
โโCause no one knows where theyโre at. I said it was secret. Only reason anyone knows anything about โem is because of that raid they did in Westri a few months back, when they took all those weapons. I bet theyโre planning to overthrow the empress or start a revolution.โ
Zaphire stopped listening after that, but he filed the information away for later. How much of it was true and how much was rumor, he wasnโt sure, but rumors could sometimes be good sources of information. Feeling a bit curious, he opened the door to his room, pushed it shut with his tail and slid off his boots. As he collapsed onto the bed, he grabbed a boiled potato from his slightly cold plate of food and munched on it thoughtfully. If Westri wasnโt so close to the mountains, he would have thought to avoid the town, but he wasnโt sure they could afford to do that. They would just have to be cautious, he supposed.
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Post by Myst on Oct 21, 2019 23:42:33 GMT -5
Sarwala had been right in thinking twenty minutes had been generous. The man was inebriated, and honestly, didn't seem to actually be experienced. It was only ten minutes before he laid the poor human down in his bed and stared at him for a moment. Fast asleep and unsuspecting. He took the coin from his pockets first, then from his bags. It wasn't smart of him to be carrying this much, although he figured it would make for good use. If they were going to travel then they'd require better gear. That, and money to actually travel. Or get at least one horse, which made more sense to him personally.
All in all, he'd collected about a hundred gold, three shirts that he was now wearing to avoid carrying them two stray amethysts, and the watch he'd been wearing. It wasn't bad, but after that extremely unsatisfying event, he'd been hoping for more. He'd also found an odd note indicating, well... He wasn't too sure. If anything, he was either a target of something or targeting somebody else. Quickly replacing the note, the tiefling reminded himself he didn't want to be in this room all night. Even still, now came the fun part. He took his time ripping his bags and making a general mess of the room. When he was done he dropped the knife on the floor near his bag before adorning the cloak once more.
He slipped out of the room, noting the brawl that had clearly happened judging by the mess. It didn't take much for the ex-servant to find himself back in their shared room, closing the door gently behind him. As soon as he was inside, he hung it near the fireplace as it was still damp. This only revealed the fact that he was indeed wearing three shirts, and the only thing he really had to attest for what he'd gone to get what he wanted was tousled curls. "So I got us some clothes among other things. Well, at least shirts," he grinned, starting to pull them off one by one. He sounded rather proud of this feat, although it was because he wasn't sure how it would work out. "I think we should consider saving for at least armor. I'm sure we can procure weapons, but armor ain't as easy." It didn't take long for him to be shirtless once more. "Take your pick."
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 22, 2019 0:27:06 GMT -5
Zaphireโs total came to roughly three hundred gold, a better haul than he was used to. It was more than enough to tide them over for a long while to come. Once they sold their jewelry and gems, they would be even better prepared for the long and tedious journey to come. He was contemplating what would be best to buy first โ weapons or good quality armor โ when the door opened and Sarwala strode inside. Looking not much different, aside from rumpled clothing and messy hair. If he were a less observant man, he wouldnโt have noticed at all. As it stood, the slight differences were hard to miss.
โArmor would be a good idea. I hear thereโs trouble in Westri. Something about a secret organization leading raids and possibly being responsible for the murder of our dear emperor,โ he commented offhandedly through a mouthful of potato, eyes half closed and sleepy. At the mention of clothes, he shoved the rest of his food into his mouth and chewed as he sat up. Ridding himself of his ripped and ruined shirt, he chose the one he thought might fit best. It was a little loose around the neckline, leaving it to pool around his shoulders, but the sleeves were long and the material was thick enough to fight off the growing chill. With a clean shirt, he flopped back onto the bed and stretched.
โWeโve plenty of coin for the good armor they sell uptown. I was able to find about three hundred, between the innkeeperโs box and the distracted men outside. Nothing valuable in the basement. Not much jewelry, though. Most of these men arenโt fond of such accessories.โ Zaphireโs grin was wide and somewhat smug, confident that he had won their little game for sure.
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Post by Myst on Oct 22, 2019 7:43:48 GMT -5
The tiefling had come to the conclusion that the other had spent a large portion of his money on drinks. This concept hadn't been surprising to him, but it made his haul disappointing. Still, considering he hadn't stolen anything in literal years he wasn't as disappointed in himself as he was in the victim. He busied himself with moving the watch and the two gems to his pouch of jewelry as his companion spoke about Westri. Very interesting...
He thought very briefly about what he'd found. "I found this odd note in his bags - I'm not sure if he is a target or is targeting somebody, but it could be related." If he were honest, he didn't pay too much attention to it. He'd briefly read it, although he was sure he could gain access to it again tonight if need be. Rather he sat down in a chair, not bothering to claim a shirt to put back on, rather he was enjoying the warmth of the firelight. In the meantime, he found himself watching with a grin at Zaphire picked one out almost as soon as it was mentioned. It was amusing to watch, but he had the right idea. At this point, he wanted to pass out and just stay asleep for at least three days.
As the haul was brought up, Sarwala couldn't help but chuckle. "You definitely did better than I - a hundred gold, two amethysts, the three shirts and a room that should divert attention away from us." He'd left the room in such a state that it looked like a rushed, inexperienced thief. He sighed gently, though was smiling none the less. "I'm out of practice. Still, you've definitely bested me."
He fell silent for a few moments, contemplating the new information about Westri. It almost sounded like it was worth checking out... "We can catch the Khajit's caravan on the way out of the city. They don't stay long here, but I know they're here. Same month, same week - they sell good armor." The Khajits were in the same boat as they were in this damn city - disliked and unwanted in any way shape or form. As for other cities where they would stay at least a week, they only stayed three days here. He'd gotten to know them rather well, and they'd made good trades. "... I want to know what's going on in Westri. We're still gonna go there, right?"
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Post by ๐๐ธ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ on Oct 22, 2019 8:08:47 GMT -5
An odd note?
That peeked Zaphireโs interest and he blinked over at him. โWhat did the note say? Iโm assuming it was written like a contract?โ He knew of a few groups scattered across the world that were assassins and thugs for hire. There was the notorious Black Brotherhood, which if the history books were correct, had disbanded quite some time ago. Once upon a time, there had also been a guild of thieves, though he wasnโt sure if that was still around either.
โThatโs not bad for someone out of practice,โ Zaphire pointed out with one raised hand, amazed that his companion could come up with that much on the very first night after having not done this in a while. To a man like himself, it was quite an impressive feat, and rather respectable.Whether it was a crime or not, true thievery was a skill that took effort and many years to master. โYouโll be wonderful competition once you get into the groove of it, Iโm sure. At any rate, what you have will undoubtedly bring us plenty to travel with.โ
Khajiits were friends, in his experience. They felt the same pain of being shunned and judged for their appearances and their culture, unwelcomed in this desolate land. According to the rumors, they were treated worse in Thoril than they were in Skyrim, which was saying something. It was a shame, truthfully, since they could be such kind individuals and sold some of the best wares. โThey sell many good things,โ he agreed as he lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. โOf course weโre still going to Westri. Itโs too close to the mountains to skip over. Perhaps we can find you some answers while we are there.โ
In a rare show of warmth, the tiefling scooted over in the small bed to lie down against the edge, pressed to the wall. โWe should sleep. I promise I donโt bite,โ he said with a toothy grin and patted the empty side of the bed. If someone had told him he would be sharing a bed with an ex-servant, ex-prisoner tiefling, he would have died laughing. The situation sounded a tad ridiculous when put like that. โI may kick you, however. Iโve been told that I like to move in my sleep.โ
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