(M) The Adventures of the mixed and messed up [IC]

[Highland Sniper]

Tenoba

A wonderful place full of fantasy and wonder. The roads are normally clear by the king's guards, bounty hunters, and other organizations.

but darker forces lurk still. what sinister plans might they be spinning in the depths of darkness?
what devices have they to unleash evil on this world?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jaydeen slowly opened his eyes and almost flinched at the blinding light streaming in through his window. His head hurt, but he had managed to block it out a little. though it still made it a pain to think.
"how much did I drink last night?" he muttered irritably as he rubbed his head before getting up.
all of his things were neatly placed on the small round table in the room.
He slowly got his clothes on and belted on his holsters and sword belt and stowed away his daggers
His head has only started to clear when he walked out the door and down the stairs to the bar.
"your special with milk please." he grumbled his request before sitting down.
Hey payed with a few silver when his food came and slowly started to eat, putting a spoon full of nice out-meal in his mouth before taking a small swig of fresh milk.

He was on the trail of one Deveris Alvester. A man with two kills and no less then five high price robberies to his name. The man was rumored to be last seen here with a wagon full of stuff, possibly some merchandise he was looking to get rid of. He had to be getting close since there were no other leads. He'd had little luck trying to find anyone who would be buying hot items and anyone who seemed shifty enough to know was very tight lipped about a black market no matter how he prodded, though he almost got a knife to the ribs once or twice, so he knew he was pushing some buttons.

He sighed after he had taken another sip of his nice milk. he had no idea what cow it came from, or what they fed it, or even what they put into the milk afterword, but it seemed to help clear his head to think.
He would have to try looking around the river side docks today, it was one of the few places left to look. those warehouses seemed great for shady deals, it was a shame he didn't look there first. little for it now then to go and check it out.

[Alura]

"Purchase two bottles of that milk from the barman before we leave, Imp, and be sure Octavius' Second Revision on Abstract Chattel Replication is in the carriage along with those other books I asked you to ready for the journey. I expect those quills to be sharp this time. Just because you're a bit miffed at the consequences of your little jibe the other night do not think I shall give you the slightest bit of slack in your responsibilities. Perhaps you will have another think the next time you go prattling on about things that aren't your business to mind."

Pausing dramatically on the landing and arching a brow at the little imp nearly apoplectic with his rage over still being tongue-tied by her spell, Klara von Acanth added, "Let's not forget to pay for our rooms this time either, shall we? No one wants to be chased halfway down the high road over a few measly coins. Behave yourself until we reach Lady Dunderry's estates and I shall be happy to set you back to rights."

Waving a hand dismissively at the little creature, she marked with amusement that it threw her one last dirty look as it hopped its way down the last of the steps to the common area of the bar below. It staggered under the weight of the books and papers it carried, managing to wedge them onto a stool near a roguish looking half-elf before it hopped onto the books it had carried and waved over the barman. Plunking down the fee for the room, the carriage house, and the other amenities its mistress had enjoyed, the little creature whuffled indignantly and hopped down again, traipsing to the door.

With a delicate yawn into the back of her bejeweled hand, Klara blinked away the last cobwebs of sleep from her lashes, and snagged the fine leather gloves topping the imp's burden to wriggle her fingers into them. It seemed by the light spilling through the door the creature staggered through and the window Klara herself stood beside that it would be a fine day for travel.

The Lady Dunderry was in the royal favour, perhaps too far into it if the rumours about the king were to be believed. Still, where the king directed the Acanthas went. As she was of an age to begin serving them outside of her family's household near the castle, she had been set the task of discovering precisely what plagued the noble Dunderry House and how she might alleviate it. From what little information had been shared by the king's messenger (the queen understandably had little interest in allowing her husband to delve into the nuances of his alleged mistress's administrative affairs), there was some dispute over long held farmlands and the cattle farms that operated alongside them. "Something about water", was the extent of detail she had received.

A simple property dispute, no doubt, and one that she had every confidence she could settle to the satisfaction of all: particularly Lady Dunderry, who would most likely come out of it a wealthier woman. Smoothing a hand along her richly plaited hair, Klara smiled at how deftly she had already formulated a solution for anything that might arise. If she were to measure up to her grandmother's legacy, this would be an excellent beginning.

Retrieving the pages of delicate script and hand drawn diagrams she had set on the nearby table to don her gloves, she leaned toward the window's light and reviewed her notes while her underappreciated imp moved back and forth between the rooms above and the carriage drawn up near the door outside, heavy chests and all manner of other scholarly and feminine accoutrement weighing it down with each angry, shuffling pass.

[Highland Sniper]

Jaydeen gave a sideways look at the imp that got up onto the stool to grab something before getting back down before following it around the room with his eyes before it caught on a lovely dressed women sitting at a table as she slowly ate her own food. Considering the way she was dressed and the very little attention she was paying attention to everyone else, she was most likely a noble. Seemed like a perfect target for someone like Deveris. Someone should keep an eye on her is anything happened, though she could probably take care of herself or have a platoon of guards do her dirty work.

He sighed as he turned back to eat his food. He felt an obligation to warn her and then trail her from a distance to make sure she's safe for a while before coming back to pick up where he left off. It was really annoying thought, but it might be just what he needed to bring the guy in, or kill him in the process. Either way, it was a good amount for his head.
He took a few more bites before taking another sip of his milk. dang it was good. Then he finished the last of his food and the last dregs of his milk before getting up.

He walked over to the well dressed women. "My lady, I suggest you be careful this morning." he said softly so that few could overhear, "the roads are a bit treacherous at this time."
and then he started to walk out the door. If Deveris knew a noble women was hear, he'd be close by to take advantage.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol came in, looked around, and walked with weariness to the bar. He brought out coins from his bag at his belt. "Hail! A soup, or a salad, all vegetables, would be good," he said, "yes, that would be fine, and directing me to where I can buy a map would be appreciated."

He waited quietly until he was served. He felt the stare at him. He looked up. "I come all this way from the Primal Forest. I was sent from my city with my companion, Eyriconer, to deal with any threat there to passersby, many of those from our city simply disappeared there. As we came close, a great monster reached out and pulled him in. I shot my weapon at where it seemed to be in the dark spaces within. I seemed to have struck it. Yet I called to my companion, so that he would come out. He never did though I called several times, and he never responded with any noise though I listened. I fear he was killed before I stopped that monster, which also seemed to have been killed. I grieve for Eyriconer still. I cannot view my mission as a success." He closed his eyes for a few moments.

[Enigma]

Nasa sighed softly as the pass opened up and she could see the two men with spears on the road below - and they could see her, alone. They were taller that even Corbis the Tree! How she wished he was here to see this, but even his spirit had departed.

The goblin heads hanging from her horse's mane began to giggle and snigger.

"Ehävebá!" she ordered sternly as she followed the road. The guards' spears were not quite pointing at her - she was an elf, but she was a lone elf. Half-way down, she raised her hands, guiding her horse with her knees, letting them see they were empty. She made no attempt to hide her sword, bow, or blade.

"Lêssingsbï noën heetå," she greeted them, pressing both knees into the plains horse neck.

"What you want 'ere, girly?" the older one spat, his face whited by his graying beard.
"Ien éeks hetën radért, ëens hemt avéh ouyën?"

"Carl, what's she's sayin'?" the younger one asked, wide eyed.
"'Ow should I know? I ain't been doin' no readings! Who are you?"

"Who?" Nasa frowned, then laid her right hand on her chest. "Nasa."
"You invading us?"
"Carl, she's alone!"

The goblin heads sniggered, making both men start uneasily.

"Er, beggin' yer pardon and all," the old one said, hastily bringing up his spear and stepping out of the road. He glared at the other man to do the same.

Nasa raised her right eyebrow, but took up the reins and dug in her heels to get the horse moving again.

"Carl, what was that?" the young man asked, stepping into the road after she passed. They could still hear the heads laughing.
"That's an elven witch, m'boy. She's enslaved a few goblins, and I'm not 'ankerin' ta join 'em."
"Shouldn't we stop her?"
"You can iffen you like," Carl grinned. "'Ope you don't miss yer feet, or anything else fer that matter."

[Alura]

"My lady, I suggest you be careful this morning. The roads are a bit treacherous at this time."

The soft voice was so near that it caused Klara to nearly come out of her skin. Disliking the feeling almost as much as she disliked surprises in general, she turned to study the face of the speaker. Handsome, tall though he bent a bit to address her. Scarred and by the fit of him a fighter rather than a farmer. He could be a young brigand or merchant, but his clothes were not fine enough for nobility and his nails not embedded with the dirt of the fields. The man said nothing more, though, before he walked away and Klara blinked into the air a moment as her examination was cut short.

A threat? No, no. If he were going to attack he'd have been stealthier. On the road outside of the village perhaps, not in a tavern where there were easy witnesses and other well-armed people. What then? A warning? Hmph, remember, people seldom give aid for free, even words of warning.

Snapping her fingers and thumbing up the papers she had been perusing, she watched as the little imp made its way over to her, tail lashing furiously from side to side.

"Is the carriage readied, Little Devil? Nothing forgotten?"

It twitched with annoyance, but gave a firm nod. It was mischievous and prone to little pranks, but it knew that she meant what she had said about restoring its speech.

"Good, then. If my cloak is on the gillie seat go fetch me a mouse. There should be some about, though a bird will do in a pinch. I'll wait for you by the carriage and we'll whip up a little someone at the next crossroads to help us on our way, shall we?"

The imp gave a pop and vanished from sight while the woman swept her green velvet skirts over the threshold of the common room and out into the daylight. Blinking a bit from the directness of the sun, she lifted a hand to gaze at the sky and the courtyard in which horses, a few small dogs, and other patrons were gathering to begin their day's work as well. Sniffing faintly while side stepping a muddy little mongrel, the sorceress peeked up onto the carriage board to confirm the imp had done its job - not that it had really been a question.

Where was the little thing, any rate? Collecting a small creature should be but a moment's work for the crafty imp.

[Highland Sniper]

Passing people on his way out, Jaydeen quickly scanned the area for any suspicious activity. Though he did find what might be the the young woman's carriage. it looked nice enough for a noble, be he saw nothing but the carriage and it's cargo.
seeing nothing else at eye level, he quickly looked up at the rooftops for anyone who might be keeping a close eye on things. he slowly looked before turning back to a spot he thought he saw some movement and stared at it for a minute before walking off. There must have been someone there, or he was starting to see things. A bad sign that in his line of work.
Finding nothing else, he walked off a short distance so that he could more easily keep an eye on things without being seen himself. He did his best to find a good spot that gave a good range of sight without drawing attention to himself.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol had finished soon. He said, "Two blocks that way, right?" to the bartender's indicated direction. He then got up, carrying his not really large bag over his shoulder. He passed through to the front from that room, not so crowded now, after two patrons had just left before him. He looked around again in the brighter light out here, and then turned right, and walked on, watching at the fronts of the places of businesses along the way.

Arapegol came soon to the place of business that must be what he had been directed to, with a sign on it indicating travel supplies. He went in, and saw the man who must have been running this business, at a table there. "Where can I pick up a map of the local area and its vicinity?" Arapegol asked. An aisle was indicated. He went along that, looking at items on display there. Knives and swords were in one area. "How useful any one of those might be," he thought, "but I and others working for the wizard, Endemark, were warned that trying to use any weapon like these would be a distraction that would hurt our ability to use the items provided for us, and the encumbrance of additional accoutrement would be a disadvantage to use of those items, as there had to be movement in just the right way." It would be too bad, he thought. Everything he could do in an urgent situation would depend on his use of the rod or the orb he came with, and nothing else. Well, at least he might use his own fists if he had to, but that was only useful in few circumstances.

There, right there, he saw, were maps. He looked at them. Some seem to be of very different places in the world. There was one he saw which seemed to be the land he was in. Yes, he recognized the name of a city in the general area he was familiar with. He should get this one, he had not yet seen a map with this much on it, of the wider area he was in. And he looked then through what was there on display for a map of the area around this city. There, he thought, this seems to be it. He picked them up and brought them to the man running the business, to buy those. As he paid for those, he just noticed there seemed to be some disturbance happening just outside.

[Enigma]

"Another stinkin' human city," fumed Uidegá as they wandered through the open city gates. The goblin head's knowledge of the common tongue had proved useful to Nasa, so for weeks now she had him hanging from the saddle horn.

"So you think you can find some sign of your trader here?" it demanded, ignoring the shocked looks the people on the street gave it. "This isn't da afterlife our people were expectin'."

"Ilèncesÿ!" Nasa ordered curtly. Truth to be told, this city was larger than all of the northern clans put together, and they were always here! Half the time the streets were swallowed in shadow and you'd have to walk a long time to escape them. How could they stand to live like this, so close?

"I ain't gonna shut up," Uidegá snerked. "Up ahead, see dat guy comin outta dat door? Dat's a shop dat sells stuff to people like the traders do. Maybe dey know dat trademark onna blade?"

Nasa looked up, frowning at Arapegol and the shop behind him and suddenly grinned lobsidedly. Soon she could have her revenge!

[Highland Sniper]

The young woman came out of the Inn about the same time as another guy who turned down the street. Just fine so far as the young woman guts into her carriage with. Nothing wrong yet. Then a young elf with a talking head heads towards one of the stores the guy went into a few blocks down.
He checked the roofs again to make sure everything was clear before all hell broke loose. Deveris must have had some friends wanting a big score, because about six people with masks popped out and three shots rang out as bullets struck the carriage.
He grit his teeth as this happens. The guys who shot replaced their muskets with Crossbows as the guy he thought was Deveris made his demands.

"Alright, here is how this is gonna go! you are gonna get out of that pretty wagon of yours and we're gonna take off with it and everything in it." He said. "Now, when you get out, you're gonna lay on the ground and stay there until we are long gone. and if you move a hair, you're gonna get shot!"

During this time, Jaydeen was working to get into a good firing position as quickly and discreetly as possible.
His musket was already loaded, he just needed a good, clean shot with good cover in front of him.
Other people shot first it seemed as a few shots came from the windows from the Inn he was in only moments before.
He let off his shot, wounding a man on the roof, who fell to the ground.
He went behind a wall and started to reload, taking a paper wad and tearing an end off with his teeth before popping it down the muzzle of his musket before ramming it down with the ram-rod and priming the pan and cocking the striker before getting back into position as more shots rang out and bolts flew everywhere.