Advertise/Affiliate Other Forum Main Page The World Before You Play

A Profitable Venture

Started by kleineklementine, August 14, 2015, 07:23:42 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages1
User actions

kleineklementine

August 14, 2015, 07:23:42 AM
Tags to @visualspice




"Please, my daughter and my grandson, they fled to Serendipity. My grandson, he's... Well, you know. So they left, but they could take so little with them. Almost nothing!" The well-dressed, elder man wrang his hands, fretting visibly over this. It was clear from looking at him that no grandson of his could b possibly go through life with nothing! "Please, you must understand. I want him to have a future, an education! I tried to send them something by conventional means, I do have trade connections that cross the border you know, but it's almost impossible now! Even... even with bribes," he added in a hushed tone. Though he'd already been speaking hardly above a whisper. "I asked and asked where I might find help. Where I might find someone - anyone! - who can make it across. Who can be trusted. No one. Until someone gave me your name. Please, you have to help me. You're my last hope."

The man folded his hands on the grimy tavern table and looked imploringly at her. Dolores Ansbacher, or Hawkeye by her professional name, looked at him with a casual pity. The poor old money bags, couldn't imagine the inhumanity of his daughter and her mage brat having nothing. Like half the rest of the world. Please. But she didn't say that; she gave him a polite, businesslike smile.

"You have to understand, Mister Cantillon, my business isn't 'helping people,'" she explained calmly, holding up a hand to silence the sputtering corrections ready to burst from his mouth. "But yes, I can make the delivery you want." The man practically melted in relief. "I still have ways over the southern mountains that go undetected. But my price is high."

"Name it!" the man breathed heavily, looking like he was ready to throw money at her right there. Then they settled down to the business of settling business. When they were done, they shook hands, exchanged money, and the grateful old man bought her a beer out of goodwill, shook her hand again, and said he would see her soon to complete the transaction. To give her his precious cargo.

Dolores watched him go, propping her boots up on the table and leaning back in her chair. She took a long sip of the crisp amber ale. She had lied, of course. She would take his things - money and previous jewels and the like - but she had no intention of taking them to Serendipity. And why should she? The man would never know. With the war raging, communication between the nations was virtually impossible. He'd feel better, believing his kin better off, his daughter and grandson would make do (after all, she'd grown up with nothing, and she was alive and well), and Hawkeye would reap the profits.

There was a killing to be made in Connlaoth.

visualspice

#1
August 16, 2015, 05:31:09 AM
Reajh.
He hated the city. The bigger the city, the bigger the problems. But.. nothing had ever been simple for him. As the son to the Duke of Castavar, he had always felt as if he had lived braced beneath a pile of rocks. It was for this very reason his own soured heart grew, his only relief found in his sister- who he found out later in life had been shipped off to be experimented on inside the church. And during his rescue of her, he'd come to find out his wife had been pregnant...

But that had been over a year ago. Now he knew not where either party was, he had taken to drink, and had made even more enemies during his time of mourning. For all he knew, Valentina and Attalia were both dead. And what of his child? His wife had been so far along in her pregnancy...

BY now, if she were alive, the child would have been born. And though he had been precariously balancing his hope that both were alive, every day he felt that hope crumbling as he felt himself falling deeper into a wretched and belligerent state. It was when his parents aimed to set him up to remarry that he blew his top, threw chairs aside and stormed clean out of his parents castle.

And he had taken his horse and rode out into the night, for as far as he could go. His horse naturally brought him to the city, which made his already foul mood fouler. But it was soon to be night fall, and the first set of curfew bells were tolling. It was at this time Leif Arrant stepped into the tavern.

And he must've seemed a mess, with his hair untamed, dark circles beneath his eyes and a steely look emanating from his cold, deep green eyes. And the first thing he did was order the nastiest and most potent of drinks.
CHECK OUT MY LATEST SITE EVENT!
The Never King- a king erased from history because of his dabblings in dark magic (among other things...) suddenly because a present day problem when an unlikely group of adventurers 'awakens' him from the grave. You can read more about the event on the plotting page here and information page here!

I ran the Connlaothian civil war. For more info, check out it's page here. The war has now turned into a 'Cold War' with it's plotting page found here. It's no longer a huge site wide event but the scars are there.

My currently active characters:
Grand Duke Calent Allarrick // Aella Coleridge // Blaith Harmond // Kella Harmond  // Hope Allarrick // Krah Mordeth // Mehtwald Allaen // Zannrick Austengarde // Katahnia Harmond // Jinai Rinstgate  // Leif Arrant // Dekka Blade  // Kentamin Dhelsbar  // Dahnny Quills  // Victoria Armani  // Ohna Waitsmith  // Jarrett L'isson  // Trest Arristaire  // Clayton "Jack-in-the-Box" Wilson // Cullen  //  Vels // Shay // Killian  // Fluke  // Mellesta // Danning // Petrin // Gavriella // Dornsley // Miersck // Aelith // Iyla // Angel // Ellarrah // Persea Ah'nikh // Phone // Jace // Ne'friss // Opus Dey // Lord Amalin // Ehvren // Narophne // Edward // Dehzrehn // Chase Vander // Valeska // Jayo //Layana // Rezvek // Red Sun // Harmanaija // Mirajah // Liana // Oska //Hay-gee // Beatrice // Ninn // Dao'bachpa //Pao'orha // Mae'leena // Davishire // Davina// Gemla // Hyathia //Thethysis // Urd // Missendria // Ina-herit // Feni'tat // Phen // Evelyn // Kell // Striker // Ithica // Connor // Vlint // The Gambler // Lord Aegis // Thomas // Quince // Althea // Vaeyna // Ihlsepar Asawa'eht // Krazxick // Djchastese // Katoma // Na'o // Moonlight // Bluesong //Caollette // Artemis // Arrick // Evetta //Jackal // Winston //Lenny // Anphis // Hebara //Ibra // Dre'hn // Veride // Arthund // Kao

kleineklementine

#2
August 16, 2015, 08:59:05 AM
Leif Arrant wasn't the only person that had taken refuge in the tavern that evening to drown their worries; this place was notorious for the sort. That's what made it such a good place of business for Dolores when she was in Reajh. The sad, drunk, and delirious didn't tend to pay too much attention to the quiet conversation of others. Another man at the bar, easily twice as wide as Leif, if not moreso, with a great bald head and more than one missing tooth, was ordering two great flagons of beer as Leif approached the bar. Even before picking the two heavy wooden flagons up, the man could barely hold his feet, swaying slightly from side-to-side. The barmaid slapped them down on the damp, greasy counter in front of him, and the hulk of a man picked them up, turned around, and swaying -

Slammed straight into the wild-looking Leif Arrant.

Both beers sloshed heavily, half-spilling on the great drunk man.

"Hey!" he complained loudly, his voice a little slurred. "Yeh skinny twat! Yeh spilled my drink! Feckin' bastard!"

And before Leif had the chance to defend himself, the big oaf pushed him hard into the bar. Sending Leif's own drink clattering to the ground.

"Ah'll teach you fer spilling my drink, fecker!"

The typical crowd at the bar might not be interested in a smuggler's business, but they were interested in a good bar fight! All the eyes that were still coherent enough turned to the big man - who was soon joined by his nearly-as-large friend and to Leif. Eager muttering filled the air as they waited to see what the pale, moody-looking man would do. Some placed some not-quite-discrete, slurred bets.

Dolores, for her part, watched from her table. But with interest. The drunkards might not notice it right away, but the new man didn't look quite the type that normally visited establishments like this. Too well dressed, not quite rough enough. He clearly came from some strata of the upper classes. Who, she wondered, was he? And what was he doing here?

But she didn't move yet, just perked up a little in her seat, watching curiously, but still casually.

visualspice

#3
August 16, 2015, 09:54:47 AM
A bar fight was the last thing he expected (or desired) when finding himself in an establishment like this. Or maybe it was, because the sauntering, drunken behemoth was causing quite the scene, and most were betting he'd level this new comer, flat.

He didn't even say a word, his eyes simpler grew sharper, and the second the man came tried to come at him- Leif knocked his fist into his teeth. The giant man stumbled back, letting out a surprised cry as the remaining drink in his hand tumbled to the floor. And as he moved to catch his balance on a near by table, he spilled the drinks on the table there as well, and knocked another patron to the floor. ANd it took him a few extra seconds to get his balance again as he raised a hand to his nose and saw the blood.

That's when his eyes and nostrils flared.
"YOU FECKER!"

The big man was on his feet again, barreling straight towards Leif, who seemed as cold as a winter night, and simply stood his ground, unimpressed. And as the man threw a few punches at him, it seemed the smaller man dodged with ease, and landed another punch to his jaw, a hard, jumped kick to his gut, then a higher kick to his face that sent the behemoth on his face, knocking  a tooth out as he went down hard.

It tumbled across the bar floor, living a little trickling trail of blood before hitting against the woman's boot sitting in the corner.
CHECK OUT MY LATEST SITE EVENT!
The Never King- a king erased from history because of his dabblings in dark magic (among other things...) suddenly because a present day problem when an unlikely group of adventurers 'awakens' him from the grave. You can read more about the event on the plotting page here and information page here!

I ran the Connlaothian civil war. For more info, check out it's page here. The war has now turned into a 'Cold War' with it's plotting page found here. It's no longer a huge site wide event but the scars are there.

My currently active characters:
Grand Duke Calent Allarrick // Aella Coleridge // Blaith Harmond // Kella Harmond  // Hope Allarrick // Krah Mordeth // Mehtwald Allaen // Zannrick Austengarde // Katahnia Harmond // Jinai Rinstgate  // Leif Arrant // Dekka Blade  // Kentamin Dhelsbar  // Dahnny Quills  // Victoria Armani  // Ohna Waitsmith  // Jarrett L'isson  // Trest Arristaire  // Clayton "Jack-in-the-Box" Wilson // Cullen  //  Vels // Shay // Killian  // Fluke  // Mellesta // Danning // Petrin // Gavriella // Dornsley // Miersck // Aelith // Iyla // Angel // Ellarrah // Persea Ah'nikh // Phone // Jace // Ne'friss // Opus Dey // Lord Amalin // Ehvren // Narophne // Edward // Dehzrehn // Chase Vander // Valeska // Jayo //Layana // Rezvek // Red Sun // Harmanaija // Mirajah // Liana // Oska //Hay-gee // Beatrice // Ninn // Dao'bachpa //Pao'orha // Mae'leena // Davishire // Davina// Gemla // Hyathia //Thethysis // Urd // Missendria // Ina-herit // Feni'tat // Phen // Evelyn // Kell // Striker // Ithica // Connor // Vlint // The Gambler // Lord Aegis // Thomas // Quince // Althea // Vaeyna // Ihlsepar Asawa'eht // Krazxick // Djchastese // Katoma // Na'o // Moonlight // Bluesong //Caollette // Artemis // Arrick // Evetta //Jackal // Winston //Lenny // Anphis // Hebara //Ibra // Dre'hn // Veride // Arthund // Kao

kleineklementine

#4
August 16, 2015, 01:42:33 PM
Dolores leaned forward to pick up the bloody tooth. She examined it, holding it carefully between her thumb and index finger. Well, the little rich boy was a better fighter than she would have guessed. Dolores Ansbacher never gambled, but if she did she certainly would have put her money on the hulking drunk. Though the fight wasn't over yet.

By the time she looked back up, several of the poor, grimy patrons were beginning to notice the same thing Dolores had instantly noticed: that the way the man dressed and held himself implied he was a far richer man than any of them. Connlaoth had had some lean years on this end of the social spectrum: men driven to war, taxes raised, food rationed while the wealthy still threw lavish parties. And now here was one of them coming into a common man's tavern and acting all better than everyone else. Throwing punches, too! The mood of the tavern was changing rapidly. It might have only been a fight between two people in the beginning, but it was about to be a brawl between many more. With just one target: the wintery man who was clearly out of place.

That's when Dolores acted. She swept in just as the big man's friend was rearing up to take a swing at him and two others were coming in from the side.

"Let me take this trouble-maker off your hands for you, Jack," Dolores called to the bartender as she entered the brawl and pushed Leif out of the way of the oncoming assault. Lucky for both of them, though they might be drunk ruffians, most of the men here wouldn't hit a woman. And Dolores was well-liked in this particular establishment.

She kept moving, half-pushing half-dragging Leif out of the bar, before the drunk masses clearly understood what was going on. Once she shoved Leif out the door back into what was now lashing rain, she turned and threw one of the gold coins she'd just earned from Mister Cantillon to the barman. "Buy a round on me, Jack!"

Then she was outside with Leif, the door swinging to a loud shut behind them. "C'mon, keep moving. They'll catch on soon enough," she said, giving him another push. It wasn't rough, though, and she was following along. "Sorry 'bout that, mate. You may have had sobriety on your side, but they had numbers. You can buy me a drink down the street to say thanks."

visualspice

#5
August 16, 2015, 02:54:17 PM
Taunt muscles poised like a cat on the hunt showed the black haired man was undeterred by the numbers. He'd take on the whole damn tavern if he had to. And just as it seemed the fight was about to escalate, a strange woman stepped in.

Leif found himself nearly choking on his own breath as he glared at the back of her damned head. And before he knew it, she was dragging him away. He cursed, baring teeth at her as something not short of a feral beast.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Once they were outside the tavern, he practically ripped himself from her grip, and took a moment to give a few tight jerks to his clothing to straighten them out.

"I have no reason to thank you." He had worse odds when he was the masked mordecai...
But even that legend seemed to be as dormant as his heart. It ached so he wanted to scream, to roar. But instead, he turned away from the woman and made his way towards his horse. He might have some suicidal mission here, but he wasn't going to abandon his horse. The pair had been through a lot as it was. Maybe he'd just find solace, or trouble, in the next town over. Or on the other side of Reajh.
CHECK OUT MY LATEST SITE EVENT!
The Never King- a king erased from history because of his dabblings in dark magic (among other things...) suddenly because a present day problem when an unlikely group of adventurers 'awakens' him from the grave. You can read more about the event on the plotting page here and information page here!

I ran the Connlaothian civil war. For more info, check out it's page here. The war has now turned into a 'Cold War' with it's plotting page found here. It's no longer a huge site wide event but the scars are there.

My currently active characters:
Grand Duke Calent Allarrick // Aella Coleridge // Blaith Harmond // Kella Harmond  // Hope Allarrick // Krah Mordeth // Mehtwald Allaen // Zannrick Austengarde // Katahnia Harmond // Jinai Rinstgate  // Leif Arrant // Dekka Blade  // Kentamin Dhelsbar  // Dahnny Quills  // Victoria Armani  // Ohna Waitsmith  // Jarrett L'isson  // Trest Arristaire  // Clayton "Jack-in-the-Box" Wilson // Cullen  //  Vels // Shay // Killian  // Fluke  // Mellesta // Danning // Petrin // Gavriella // Dornsley // Miersck // Aelith // Iyla // Angel // Ellarrah // Persea Ah'nikh // Phone // Jace // Ne'friss // Opus Dey // Lord Amalin // Ehvren // Narophne // Edward // Dehzrehn // Chase Vander // Valeska // Jayo //Layana // Rezvek // Red Sun // Harmanaija // Mirajah // Liana // Oska //Hay-gee // Beatrice // Ninn // Dao'bachpa //Pao'orha // Mae'leena // Davishire // Davina// Gemla // Hyathia //Thethysis // Urd // Missendria // Ina-herit // Feni'tat // Phen // Evelyn // Kell // Striker // Ithica // Connor // Vlint // The Gambler // Lord Aegis // Thomas // Quince // Althea // Vaeyna // Ihlsepar Asawa'eht // Krazxick // Djchastese // Katoma // Na'o // Moonlight // Bluesong //Caollette // Artemis // Arrick // Evetta //Jackal // Winston //Lenny // Anphis // Hebara //Ibra // Dre'hn // Veride // Arthund // Kao

kleineklementine

#6
August 16, 2015, 10:56:11 PM
Dolores pulled the collar of her overcoat up around her against the lashing rain. Well, this guy was just a real peach, wasn't he? Thank you for saving my skinny ass, Miss. How can I repay you, Miss? Tch. Typical. Her dark eyes watched unimpressed as he stormed around and over to what she assumed was his horse.

"Alright, you don't gotta thank me, honey," she told him with the fainted sound of amusement, and even fainter of annoyance, in her voice, "but you at least owe me a drink. I paid a whole gold coin to save your skin in there. I only just earned that, too!"

Her dark eyes glanced back over to the tavern they'd just left. Some angry voices still boomed from inside, and Dolores skirted away from the exit a bit. If an angry drunkard barreled out the door, she didn't want to be in his immediate path. "Then, if you still want to goad poor, drunk fools into fightin' you, I won't get in your way. Deal?"

This time if she were a gambler, she'd bet that the moody rich boy would just stalk away without so much as another word to her. But she was curious about him and what on earth he was doing here, and whether or not there was any business opportunity there, so what the hell.

visualspice

#7
August 23, 2015, 09:01:20 AM
He hesitated only briefly beside his horse to glare at her from over his shoulder before fishing out a pair of coins from his pocket and flipping them her way.
"There's your gold coin back. And a second one so you don't follow me."
And he slipped his boot into the stirrup and slipped onto the saddle.

He paused a moment, looking down at her with a frown.
"These streets are not safe. Curfew or not, this city is damned. You'd do well to try to make a profit elsewhere."
CHECK OUT MY LATEST SITE EVENT!
The Never King- a king erased from history because of his dabblings in dark magic (among other things...) suddenly because a present day problem when an unlikely group of adventurers 'awakens' him from the grave. You can read more about the event on the plotting page here and information page here!

I ran the Connlaothian civil war. For more info, check out it's page here. The war has now turned into a 'Cold War' with it's plotting page found here. It's no longer a huge site wide event but the scars are there.

My currently active characters:
Grand Duke Calent Allarrick // Aella Coleridge // Blaith Harmond // Kella Harmond  // Hope Allarrick // Krah Mordeth // Mehtwald Allaen // Zannrick Austengarde // Katahnia Harmond // Jinai Rinstgate  // Leif Arrant // Dekka Blade  // Kentamin Dhelsbar  // Dahnny Quills  // Victoria Armani  // Ohna Waitsmith  // Jarrett L'isson  // Trest Arristaire  // Clayton "Jack-in-the-Box" Wilson // Cullen  //  Vels // Shay // Killian  // Fluke  // Mellesta // Danning // Petrin // Gavriella // Dornsley // Miersck // Aelith // Iyla // Angel // Ellarrah // Persea Ah'nikh // Phone // Jace // Ne'friss // Opus Dey // Lord Amalin // Ehvren // Narophne // Edward // Dehzrehn // Chase Vander // Valeska // Jayo //Layana // Rezvek // Red Sun // Harmanaija // Mirajah // Liana // Oska //Hay-gee // Beatrice // Ninn // Dao'bachpa //Pao'orha // Mae'leena // Davishire // Davina// Gemla // Hyathia //Thethysis // Urd // Missendria // Ina-herit // Feni'tat // Phen // Evelyn // Kell // Striker // Ithica // Connor // Vlint // The Gambler // Lord Aegis // Thomas // Quince // Althea // Vaeyna // Ihlsepar Asawa'eht // Krazxick // Djchastese // Katoma // Na'o // Moonlight // Bluesong //Caollette // Artemis // Arrick // Evetta //Jackal // Winston //Lenny // Anphis // Hebara //Ibra // Dre'hn // Veride // Arthund // Kao

kleineklementine

#8
August 26, 2015, 02:31:42 PM
Dolores  deftly caught the coins he threw at her. Strictly speaking, she didn't appreciate people throwing money at her like she was some sort of nighttime entertainer, but hey - she wasn't going to just let it fall into the mud and leave it there, either.

Letting the coins drop into the pocket of her old overcoat, she looked up at the mounted fancy man, shoulders hunched against the lashing rain. "More dangerous for you, honey, dressed nice like that in this neighborhood. You'd 'do well' to go back to the glitzy salons where you'll find more've your own."

She flashed him a knowing smile, and gave him a wink. "Just some friendly advice."

visualspice

#9
August 28, 2015, 04:40:49 PM
His demeanour soured.
"There is no saloon that houses my own." he told her coldly. Then with a kick to the horse's side, he took off down the street. But he hadn't gotten far when a pair of city guards stopped him in his tracks.
CHECK OUT MY LATEST SITE EVENT!
The Never King- a king erased from history because of his dabblings in dark magic (among other things...) suddenly because a present day problem when an unlikely group of adventurers 'awakens' him from the grave. You can read more about the event on the plotting page here and information page here!

I ran the Connlaothian civil war. For more info, check out it's page here. The war has now turned into a 'Cold War' with it's plotting page found here. It's no longer a huge site wide event but the scars are there.

My currently active characters:
Grand Duke Calent Allarrick // Aella Coleridge // Blaith Harmond // Kella Harmond  // Hope Allarrick // Krah Mordeth // Mehtwald Allaen // Zannrick Austengarde // Katahnia Harmond // Jinai Rinstgate  // Leif Arrant // Dekka Blade  // Kentamin Dhelsbar  // Dahnny Quills  // Victoria Armani  // Ohna Waitsmith  // Jarrett L'isson  // Trest Arristaire  // Clayton "Jack-in-the-Box" Wilson // Cullen  //  Vels // Shay // Killian  // Fluke  // Mellesta // Danning // Petrin // Gavriella // Dornsley // Miersck // Aelith // Iyla // Angel // Ellarrah // Persea Ah'nikh // Phone // Jace // Ne'friss // Opus Dey // Lord Amalin // Ehvren // Narophne // Edward // Dehzrehn // Chase Vander // Valeska // Jayo //Layana // Rezvek // Red Sun // Harmanaija // Mirajah // Liana // Oska //Hay-gee // Beatrice // Ninn // Dao'bachpa //Pao'orha // Mae'leena // Davishire // Davina// Gemla // Hyathia //Thethysis // Urd // Missendria // Ina-herit // Feni'tat // Phen // Evelyn // Kell // Striker // Ithica // Connor // Vlint // The Gambler // Lord Aegis // Thomas // Quince // Althea // Vaeyna // Ihlsepar Asawa'eht // Krazxick // Djchastese // Katoma // Na'o // Moonlight // Bluesong //Caollette // Artemis // Arrick // Evetta //Jackal // Winston //Lenny // Anphis // Hebara //Ibra // Dre'hn // Veride // Arthund // Kao

kleineklementine

#10
September 06, 2015, 12:15:04 AM
[[Hope you don't mind me taking some liberties with Leif's father!]]

The guards were also mounted on horseback, and struck imposing figures. They weren't bumbling drunks; they were armoured and armed men in the Grand Duke's service. And they firmly blocked Leif Arrant's path. They exchanged knowing looks between each other, then turned to Leif.

"Excuse me, sir, are you Leif Arrant?" he asked curtly, but with the firm voice of someone who wanted to put himself 'in charge' of a situation. He didn't wait for an answer, before continuing. "We have received instructions from the Duke of Castavar to escort you to the palace."

That wasn't entirely true. They were following the Duke's instructions. But he had sent word that his son was unstable and potentially dangerous. And that, when found, he should be detained until the Duke himself could appear to deal with Leif himself.

Lo watched the interaction with interest. She'd already slipped back towards the inn, sheltering from the rain under its eaves. The guards didn't notice her; the shard of the Grey Stone she wore around her neck ensured that. At least, as long as she didn't do anything to be noticed. And it wasn't only the guards talking to Leif that didn't notice Lo, but also not the two other guards who waited in the shadows behind Leif, just in case the young man cause too much of a fuss.

This was very interesting, indeed!
Print
Go Up Pages1
User actions