The barkeep carefully watched the stranger's hands for sings of coin. When Mephisto threw the bag, he frantically snatched the coins off the bar with fiendish glee. His greed was now in full swing, which was odd because he usually kept a better control of it. Something about his odd patron made him more desperate for coin than usual. He was so involved with his money that he failed to perceive the more, eccentric qualities of the man he'd just made a deal with.
He did, however, hear the threat, and the words frightened him. Something, something compelling about the man made sure that the barkeep believed every word he spoke. He was immensely relieved he hadn't made the mistake of trying to cheat this fellow. He have to make sure to remember to tell The Scorpion the exact message he'd received. He didn't want to piss this stranger off. He was more convinced of the danger the fellow presented then ever.
Haran walked into the 'Headman's Reprieve' confidently. He was known in this tavern, people were aware of the danger he presented, and he reveled in it. Of course, there were only four people other than himself and the bartender currently inside the place, so there was that.
He paced further inside, and gave a nod to the barkeep. The man recognized him even in the dim light and help up his middle and ring finger. Haran smiled hungrily. A job, and the meeting was tonight.
He walked over to the man and sat down at the bar. "No drinks tonight. Apparently I have a client."
The barkeeper nodded. "Yep. He pays well too. He should be coming in any second now." He paused for a moment, before continuing, "Now, he's a stranger, but there's something off about him. Something dangerous. I think you'll like him. He told me to tell you 'that a devil's errand awaits you, with all the rewards of the blackest sin.'" The quote was said with complete seriousness and perfect recitation, like the barkeep had spent time memorizing it.
Haran nodded with no small amount of appreciation for his new client. The barkeep had seen many things in his years working the 'Headman's Reprieve.' The assassin was aware of just how bad those could get, he'd been the orchestrater of some of the grislier scenes, so for the barkeeper to find someone off-putting. Well that was interesting, to say the least. And for him to say that cheesy line with a deadpan face. This fellow must be striking indeed. "Well tell me when he comes in, I'm looking forward to meeting him."
However, even as he was saying his words, he noticed the barkeeper scratching his head in confusion. "What's wrong?" he asked the man.
"Um," he replied, "I think he's already here." He pointed to a table near the back end of the tavern. "That's him, but I didn't see him come in. Which is impossible, I've been watching the door the whole time. Maybe I missed him somehow..."
Haran's face twisted in thought. 'A Devil's errand.' Somehow, the phrase no longer sounded ridiculous. An intense curiosity took root in the assassin. It could almost be called excitement. Almost, but not quite. "Thanks, I'll go greet my new client." he told the barkeeper as he stood up. "Standard fee if the job's good."
He turned away from the bar and walked toward the seated figure. The closer he got, the darker the environment around him felt, and Haran could swear that the walk seemed much longer than it should have been. When he did finally arrive, it seemed as if only the faintest of light illuminated his client. The black-swathed man elicited a strange emotion in the assassin. Not outright fear, nothing that strong, but rather a sense of animalistic dread. The space around him felt oppressive and uncomfortable, and Haran's ever-present desire to hurt something seemed to grow stronger.
He tried his best to clear his head of the odd aura surrounding his client, and pulled out the chair opposite the man. He sat down, and started the conversation.
"I am The Scorpion." He said it simply, just stating a fact. "A mutual friend has told me that you require my service. He also said that 'A devil's errand awaits.'" He looked quizzically at the man for a moment, and then he spoke again. "Are you the devil?"
Under other circumstance, the question could be called ridiculous, but Haran spoke the words with an intense stare and complete seriousness. He honestly wanted to know. It would explain a lot.