Spirits of the Earth

Southern Le'raana => Zantaric => Topic started by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 01:22:10 PM

Title: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 01:22:10 PM
@JackieCat

How did I end up here? I don't remember.

Lowen was crouched over in an old cut-off alleyway, his mind racing over the events that led him to this point. I can't remembmer, he thought once more. I blacked out again. He grimaced as he rose to his feet. His body was sore - what the hell happened? What woke him up in the first place? Oh, it was raining. Perfect.

"I hate this place," he muttered to himself.

He had occupied the troubling village of Zantaric for over a week now looking for work only to find no such luck.

As he got himself together, he touched at his neck only to induce further panic. Eyes widening in disbelief, he began checking his pockets and his bag. His necklace, the one his ring was attached to, was missing.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 21, 2018, 01:50:16 PM
Rain.

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain!

It was a wonderful thing.  The sound of it was akin to thousands if tiny footsteps pattering across the ground, through the trees, over the rooftops.

It was dark, raining, cold, and windy.  It was indeed a beautiful day.

Of course, most people wouldn't think of it that way, but if Meerior was one thing, it was not
'most people'.

The young woman walked through the streets, a bounce in her step.  Though she moved quickly, there was no urgency in her steps, no purpose.  She was just walking.  She arrived here in Zantaric just hours ago, and her clothes and hair were soaked.  She carried nothing with her but the pouches on her belt.  No cloak to shield her from the elements, no pack to carry supplies.  Her clothes weren't even appropriate for traveling, though she seemed completely comfortable in her soaked garments.

She grinned and gave a cheery hello to a goblin she passed on the street, waving to him.  He scowled at her and drew a knife, but she waved him away.

"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you, friend!" she said, her voice far to loud for the dark streets, echoing over the cobblestones and peircing through the heavy blanket of rain. "I'm just taking a little walk, no need to get all frazzled over me!"

The goblin had started away by now, and was very clearly ignoring her as he walked away.

"Ooh, some people just don't understand a friendly 'hello'," the young woman said to herself, her voice still quite loud. "I mean, there really isn't a time where a good 'hello' isn't in order, now is there?" she paused for a second. "No, you're quite right, a 'hello' wouldn't really be in order if you'd already been with someone for a while.  But why not say hello again?  It really wouldn't do any harm, would it?  And what if you forgot to say hello earlier?  Or just wanted to say it again?"

She continued to talk as she walked down the street, her buckled shoes clicking against the cobblestones.  She was still talking and had wandered down an alleyway when she saw someone ahead of her.

"Hello!" she said, and continued in a voice of the same volume. "Oh, that was the perfect time to say hello, wasn't it?  Just perfect!  I think I'll say it again.  Hello!"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 02:11:27 PM
Lowen, lost in his own thoughts and current state of dismay, was blind-sighted by the abrupt greeting. He shot his gaze up to meet the woman standing before him, clothes and hair drenched by the constant downpour of rain much like his own. She was oddly dressed.

Thrown off his wit, he almost didn't register that she greeted him twice - but his mind got him there after a few moments. "Oh," he murmured, looking the strange woman up and down. "Hello ma'am. Are you okay?"

Not 'Are You Okay?' Lowen. Try that again.

"Are you too seeking shelter from this storm?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 21, 2018, 02:18:32 PM
"Shelter?" she said. "Shelter!" she repeated the word, because it was an interesting word, with the funny 'shh' at the beginning, then that 't' sound. . .  Then she remembered his question.

"Oh, no, I'm not," she said, grinning at him through the strands of dripping-wet hair that hung in her face. "I'm just taking a walk.  Are you looking for shelter?  You're not doing a very good job at it.  There are so many buildings around, if you wanted shelter, wouldn't you just walk inside?  or are you lust taking a walk, like me?"  She spun in a circle, turning her face up to the rain and holding out her arms. "It is such a wonderful day for a walk, isn't it?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 02:26:36 PM
He couldn't help but muster a small grin. "No I am not. I'm doing a poor job at that as of right now," he said in agreement. "It's kind of hard to explain."

He watched the woman's movements, a slight study of her actions and the way she spoke. Is she harmless? I'm not so sure just yet, he thought. Better keep my guard up around this one just in case,.. But, maybe she can help me.

He spoke to the woman once more. "Excuse me, ma'am. Are you from around here? I'm looking for something. You see, I've lost my ring."



Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 21, 2018, 03:11:01 PM
"I'm from somewhere," she said. "I appeared in a big city one day, there was sand all around at it was really hot.  I don't know really what happened before that." She shrugged, this matter wasn't upsettig to her at all, and it wasn't very interesting. "Maybe I was spawned from an egg right there?"  She shrugged again.

"But I do like rings!" she held up her hand and wiggled her fingers.  She wasn't wearing any rings. "I don't have any that you can see, but they're there."  She looked back at the man. "Why'd you lose yours?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 03:22:33 PM
I don't really know what happened before that, he repeated to himself. Wow. We have more in common than one would think. Do I appear this way to other people?

Wait.

Spawned from an egg. We're nothing alike.

"I didn't lose it on purpose," he informed her. "I woke up in this alleyway, and I'm not sure how I got here. My ring is gone. It's attached to a leather necklace of sorts. It's very precious to me."

Lowen really didn't know why the ring was precious to him. It was the one item he still had in his possession when he lost his memory. Is that why it's important? No, it's something else. He felt it an important part of his past, a memoir of a time forgotten. He needed to get it back.

This was the first person in this village he has had a somewhat pleasant encounter with, be it rather odd. Determining she might be the only person of help at the moment, he decided to open up to the strange girl a bit more.

"Apologies for my rudeness, ma'am. My name is Lowen", he introduced. "Lowen Thorn. What is your name?"

Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 21, 2018, 03:30:25 PM
"Very precious?  Hm," she said. "And don't worry, I forget things all the time."

When he asked her name she grinned. "Hello, Lowan!  I don't quite recall my name right now, but I'm sure it'll come to me.  I don't bother myself with worry about such small things."

She looked back up at the rain, opening her mouth to drink some of it.  Then after a moment she looked back to Lowan. "Oh, I remember.  Meerior.  I'm Meerior Shlakae.  It's nice to meet you, Lowan.  Are you going to look for your ring?  I can help you look.  I'm very good at forgetting things, but also good at finding them again.  Most of the time."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 21, 2018, 03:48:08 PM
The constant cycle of changes this girl displays was baffling Lowen to no end. He stood there, mouth agape as he watched her drink the water. So much that he involuntarily drank some himself. He shook off the wonder, spit out the water, and regained his balance of thought when she offered to help him.

What just happened? Her introduction and offer to help seemed so much sharper and together than the previous things she has spoken. No matter. Lowen would accept any help he could get.

He smiled warmly, albeit a bit uncomfortably. "That would be lovely," he said. "Thank you so much Ms. Meerior."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 23, 2018, 10:28:41 AM
Her manner, now, had completely changed.  Her silly and childlike demeanor had disappeared, replaced with a quiet calm and sharpness.  She stood straighter, and her countenance was more of a shrewd soldier or stern teacher than that of the child she had been not moments before.

"When and where did you last have it?" she asked, and her voice, too, was alert and sharp. "If you can remember, we should go there and look when we're done searching the alley."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieCat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 23, 2018, 11:42:01 AM
"The last thing I can remember..." he drifted off, thinking. He didn't register her transition at first - but when he did, he become more aware of the situation at hand. Her demeanor change was the last of his worries, and he welcomed this more poised version of Meerior than the previous image of child-like curiosity. Still, he needed to keep his guard up.

"I was assisting a merchant a few streets away from here," he said. "I remember now. He offered to pay me, not much, but more than I have. We were stocking his booth--"

His eyes widened at the sudden realization. "He was selling jewelry, clothing, and other accessories!"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 23, 2018, 02:08:20 PM
"Jewelry?" she raised an eyebrow at this.  "You lost it near a jewelry stand?"  She shook her head, exasperated. "It'll be hard to find a lone ring among hundreds."

She waved a hand, dismissing the thought.  "We'll worry about that later.  You said you were helping the merchant.  Was he selling from a stall that would be packed away by now?  Or a storefront we can go to?  Or was he traveling and would be long gone by now?"

She spoke swiftly, and as she did her eyes darted over Lowen's form, taking in whatever information she could about him.  Her previous personality was not really the type to take in information and carefully catalog it.  This persona, however, was intent on getting every bit of knowledge she could about the situation and the man standing before her. 
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 23, 2018, 02:38:33 PM
The man's mind raced with the possibilities of his ring's whereabouts. Out of habit, he grabbed at the area where his ring would normally hang around his neck, to no avail. He scratched at his chin furiously - he was inside his head.

'Was he travelling?' he thought to himself. His heart was pounding out of his chest at the thought of never getting it back. 'Why am I in such a panic? It's not that important', he attempted to calm himself. 'No! I must find it.'

Looking at Meerior, he frowned. "I really don't know," he said solemnly. "But I remember the man's location. We can start there - hopefully he's still around!"

Hopefully. Lowen did not even know what day it was, more or less if it was the same day since his black out.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on March 27, 2018, 08:46:21 PM
OOC: (Out Of Character, if you didn't know) O.o    It's been four days. . .  And I didn't notify you. . .  Sorry!

IC(In Character)
_____________________________________________________________________________


He didn't seem to remember anything.  Maybe he was kind of similar to her.  Of course, she's never met anyone with her exact powers and 'skills', you might call them, and she didn't think she ever would.  But that didn't mean that she hadn't already met some very interesting characters on her travels.  And she supposed that this man was one of those characters.  The more she traveled, the more she realized that there was no one who was boring.  Everyone had something interesting about them.  A secret, maybe.  Or a great personality.  Not necessarily a nice personality, but an interesting one, and eccentric one, a strange one.

He didn't remember much, but he said he remembered the location of the stand.  Meerior nodded.
 
"What are you waiting for, then?" she said, her hands on her hips. She waved a hand at him.  "Lead the way.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on March 27, 2018, 09:36:35 PM
OOC: Haha, no problem at all  8)

IC:

---

"Right," he nodded. "Come with me."

Lowen moved out of the alleyway the two had occupied, peering around the area through the down pour of rain. He squinted. Maybe he didn't remember where the merchant was after all. Had he forgotten already?

'I think it's this way,' the young man thought silently to himself.

'No, fool. It's the other way,' the second voice piped.

'Wait, it is the other way,' Lowen corrected himself.

He motioned Meerior to follow him, picking up his pace a bit. His heart continued to beat out of his chest at the thought of never getting his ring back. He had a hard time focusing on anything else as he shifted through the crowds - his guard was down.

After several minutes they came across the merchant stand. He was still there! Thank Gods.

Lowen looked over to his new companion with hope in his eyes. "This is the one."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 01, 2018, 09:37:05 PM
During the time they had been talking, the sun had started to rise, and the streets were starting to fill with people ready to go shopping for the day.

As they started to leave the alley, Lowen seemed as if he was unsure of where to go, and was fighting some kind of battle inside of his own head.  After a moment, he seemed to decide, and motioned for Meerior to follow him.

He seemed preoccupied as they traveled down the streets, but soon they reached a stand.  It seemed to be the right one, indeed, the man was selling jewelry.

Meerior looked around, quickly scanning the ground in case the ring happened to be there.  It was unlikely that if it had fallen on the ground, someone wouldn't have picked it up  This was Zantaric, after all.  Thieves and criminals lived here, people who had trained themselves to find anything of value and snatch it up immediately.

"Is this teh correct stand?" She turned to Lowen.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 02, 2018, 06:34:48 AM
"This is the one," he said once more, almost to reassure himself. "Let's go."

As he approached the stand, the merchant looked over to him and his face lit up with a welcoming smile. "Ah, my friend! You have returned!" the merchant called out.

Returning a weary smile at the merchant, Lowen took a few steps closer and scanned the stand for his missing ring. 'I don't see it.' He looked at the merchant again. "I have," he said slowly. "I seemed to have lost my ring. It was on a loose string of leather that I wore as a necklace, and this is the last place I remember having it. Have you seen it?"

The merchant shot him a quick, puzzled look. "Your ring?" he asked. "Why, you gave it to me! Don't you remember?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 02, 2018, 01:56:13 PM
Well, this was just great.  Meerior turned to Lowen, her hands on her hips.

"Did you really give it to him?"

If he had, in some lapse of memory, or dazed confusion, it was going to be hard to get it back, short of buying it back.  She didn't know about Lowen, but she knew she didn't have the money to do that.
Or, this merchant could be attempting to scam them, perhaps he had noticed that Lowen seemed a little confused, and ws hoping he could get him to believe he had just handed over the ring, when in fact the merchant had found it on the ground, or, worse, swiped it off of him.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 02, 2018, 02:09:38 PM
Lowen looked stunned after hearing the merchant's words.

"N-No," he said quietly, partly in response to Meerior's question and the other half toward the seller's answer. "There's no way I would have done that. Anyway, I need it back. Do you still have it on your possession?"

'I don't have any money...' the man thought desparingly.

'Oh just cut his throat open and take it off'em! the second voice huffed.

"Aye," the merchant replied, his stance getting a bit more defensive. He pulled the necklace/ring from under his shirt out into the open. He was wearing it. "I still have it, boy, but there is no why I will be giving this back to ya. You gave it to me, and it's been my good luck charm today. Now, I'll sell it back to ya if it's that important to you."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 04, 2018, 08:08:57 PM
Meerior huffed. "Just give the man his ring back.  He's obviously not right in the head.  That ring probably isn't that valuable, if you were planning on keeping it instead of selling it, so what harm would it be to give it back to him?  You'd really take something that is so important to someone who can't even remember something that happened a few hours ago?"

It maybe was lucky that Meerior was in this 'normal' mindset, as she was able to think logically about the situation.  She really knew nothing of Lowen, but if she could guilt-trip the vender into thinking that the man was in need of pity, maybe the seller would give him back his ring and no money would have to be parted with.

"Do you know how I found him?" Meerior asked, looking at the seller with the disdain that one would look at someone who had just stolen candy from a baby. "He was in an alleyway, soaking wet and trying to get out of the rain.  He didn't remember how he'd gotten there, and if I hadn't shown up, he probably would've frozen to death there.  He doesn't remember anything, except that ring.  He told me it was the only thing that connected him to his mother, who he lost when he was only a child to a terrible sickness.  It is his only tie to his family, and the only way he can hold on to even a shred of humanity."

This was a complete fabrication and lie, of course, as far as Meerior knew, and she hoped that Lowen would play along with it.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 05, 2018, 10:43:29 AM
Lowen looked upon Meerior curiously as she took control of the conversation.

'What is...'

His eyes lit up. Of course! She was, for the most part, lying. Brilliant!

The young traveler opened his mouth to join in on the ruse. "Yes," he said quickly with a reassuring nod. "I-It is the only thing I have left of value in this world! My mother gave it to me before she died, so I would never just give it away! You must be mistaken! And I do not have any spare coin-"

He stopped.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

His head started pounding. Why?

"My mother-" he said, but was cut off again by the drum-like banging inside his skull. He cupped his temples with his palms, grimacing as the throbbing continued and the dizziness ensued. Thud. Thud. Thud.

An image, though very brief, flashed over his eyes. It was a woman. A woman older than him, with wrinkles on her face and kindness in her eyes. She was beautiful. She was familiar.

"Well that is not what you told me just a few hours ago!" the merchant barked, losing his patience. "You told me you had no use for it anymore, that the mere sight of it made you sick! Something about moving on with your life!"

Thud. Thud. Thud.


Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 07, 2018, 08:23:02 PM
Good, he was playing along. . .

But what was happening to him?  He seemed to be having some sort of terrible headache, and the merchant was starting to lose it.  Meerior stepped forward.  She didn't know what was happening to Lowen, or whether or not she should help him, but maybe getting the ring back would help.

"Look what's happening to him!" she hissed to merchant. "He's having a breakdown!  What will something like that do for your business?  Do you want to make a scene?  Look!" she pointed to a few of the people who had been walking by who were now looking at them quizzically. "People are already starting to stare!"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 08, 2018, 04:00:46 PM
[OOC: I think I saw in your wants and limits that you don't like excessive swearing. There's a bit in this post as that's one of the things Ipsen is notorious for, but I'll ease up going forward.]

Click.

The man's ailments physically washed away - apparent to those around him. He shot his eyes up at the merchant standing across from him, but something was different. His eyes were cold, laser-focused, and flooded with rage.

Without missing a beat, his arm shot across the stand, grabbing the merchant's neck with a firm hand. "I changed my mind," he hissed through his teeth. There were some gasps from the crowd of onlookers around them as situation grew more tense. "I am not moving on at this point, and I want that damn ring back. And you're going to give me that ring back, got it?"

The merchant tried to respond, but the young traveler's fingers sunk further into his throat causing him to choke.

With his free hand, the man slapped the side of the merchant's head, twice. "And if you ever come at Lowen with that shady merchant backtalk shit again, I will kick your teeth in," he warned as his voice rose in volume. "You got that? Lowen's not here anymore. You gotta deal with me now, boy."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 09, 2018, 08:01:13 PM
(OOC:  I actually don't mind if it's for your character and is important to his personality(which it seems to be).  Since it's part of the story and part of his character, go for it!)

Wow.  Something changed.

Lowen, or whoever he'd changed into, was really getting aggressive.  Meerior was quite shocked by it, despite the fact that she had a similar condition.

She watched as he threatened the merchant, and when he finished talking, she stepped forward, shaking her head.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" she snapped to the man, stepping right up to him, seemingly unintimidated by his aggressive manner. "He was probably going to give you the ring out of guilt any second, and you just had to go on and get all crazy on him?  If someone calls the Town Guard, then what?"

Not that Zantaric was very good with keeping crime down, but it would still be a hassle to deal with any sort of law enforcement that came along. 
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 09, 2018, 08:15:14 PM
(OOC: Ah okay, good deal!)

The man gripped the merchant's throat even tighter as he shot Meerior a look of disgust.

"And just who the hell are you?" he barked, staring coldly into the woman's eyes. After a moment, his lips curled into an amused smile, though the look in his eyes were still every bit as insane. "Oh, you. The girl. The crazy one. Yeah, I remember him talking to you back there in the alleyway. Gods, where the hell does he find people like you? You're no better than we are!"

He returned his focus to the merchant, his lips stretching further into a sinister grin. "Back to you."

He pulled the merchant in closer to him, and slipped the necklace/ring off of the man's neck. "Thanks, pal."

With that, he pushed the merchant forward, causing him to topple over onto the ground. He shot Meerior another quick glance. "Thanks for nothing," he said quickly before turning heel and walking away.

His pace came to a halt as he saw a few figures approaching. The town guard were actually doing their job for once. Wonderful.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 14, 2018, 08:17:48 PM
Meerior did not appreciate this attitude, and let out a scoff as 'Lowen' took the ring and turned away.

She chuckled when she saw the town guard approaching. "You idiot," she said, stepping up next to 'Lowen' and crossing her arms. "Look what you've done.  Here comes the town guard."

The guards were getting closer, and Meerior sneered at 'Lowen'.  "There'll be a fight if we don't get out of here," she said, turning away.  "Follow me, I know a way to get out of here and away from them.  I don't know about your fighting abilities, but those guards outnumber us 3 to 1.  I'd rather not deal with that today."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 15, 2018, 12:12:20 PM
This newly awakened version of Lowen studied Meerior's face with an amused grin. "I'd prefer to fight these bastards myself," he sneered. "But, I am curious as to where you'll take us, and why you'll take us. Most would turn heel at this point in meeting ol' Lowen... so you're either different, something special, or just plain stupid."

He held out his arm, motioning her to lead the way.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 15, 2018, 01:51:08 PM
Meerior smiled, then her eyes flicked past 'Lowen' to the guards.  They were close now.  A tiny prick of alarm spiked in her chest.  She didn't remember the way out.

She stood there, frozen, for a second, the fear starting to turn to panic, bubbling up, just about to explode. . .

Then her head jerked to the side, and when she looked back at 'Lowen', the sensible, level-headed persona of a moment ago was gone, replaced with someone who was completely different.  Someone who appeared to be completely crazy, but the look in her eyes and the crazy grin on her face.

Meerior laughed, she remembered the way now.  In response to 'Lowen's' comment, her grin widened. "I'm a little bit of both!"

Then she turned on her heel and slipped into a narrow alleyway, not bothering to see if 'Lowen' was following.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 15, 2018, 02:02:35 PM
The man watched in awe as Meerior obviously transitioned to another personality. This was one different from the first two. This must have been what it was like to look from the outside in. The typical look of confusion, fright, of an onlooker when Ipsen took control of Lowen's mind. Not Ipsen, though. He welcomed the change. Could prove to be fun.

But was she real? The man couldn't help wonder at her rapid change of state. There were specific times where Lowen would back off into the shadows, allowing Ipsen to take control, or certain situations in which Ipsen felt the need to introduce himself. The ring situation, for instance, was one.

Sure, Ipsen was the one who gave the merchant the ring in the first place. He was tired of looking at it. It was just a symbol of their past that Lowen needed to keep buried, whether Lowen knew it or not.

So, is Meerior the same? Or is she something else? Or is this all just a game?

"Found ya a woman, Lowen," he chuckled under his breath. "This one is just as bad as we are."

The man followed the woman through the alleyway.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 16, 2018, 02:39:53 PM
The alleyway was long and narrow, barely wide enough for one person to walk down.  Meerior followed it for a while, and she could hear the guards behind them, yelling for them to stop.  She laughed, and looked behind her at 'Lowen' as she picked up the pace.

"Keep up!" she called to him.

She stopped running in front of a door to a building.  She reached up, grabbing the top of the door frame and lifting herself up, using the door handle as a step so she could reach up and grab onto the edge of the windowsill above.  She pulled herself up onto it and slipped through the open window.  She peered down at 'Lowen'.  The guards were just around the corner behind them, if 'Lowen' could get up and through the window fast enough, the guards wouldn't know where they went.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 16, 2018, 04:20:26 PM
Ipsen followed with an excited smile and a wild look in his eyes. This was actually fun. Better than killing, for now.

He came to a heavy stop, watching in awe as the woman slipped through the window and out of sight with ease. Following her lead, he grabed the top of the door and began hoisting himself up. Almost there.

He fell back to the ground. Shit. His footing never quite caught the door knob. Curse Lowen's clumsy physique and lack of strength.

The guards were nearing, and Ipsen gave it another shot. He made it this time and cleared visibility just in time for the them to come down the alley, only to be dumbfounded by their disappearance.

'That was close', he mouthed at Meerior as the men below them continued their search.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 18, 2018, 08:33:28 PM
He wasn't going to make it.  Maybe the previous Meerior personality would've minded, but this one didn't.  It would just make this more interesting!

The guards were just around the corner. . .  Then he pulled himself up through the window, just in time.  The guards hadn't seen him. Oh, well.

She smiled at him, then peered out the window at the men below.  They had passed the window.  Meerior pursed her lips.  They'd escaped.  They'd gotten away from the town guard.  How boring.

Well, that could be fixed.

She leaned far out the window.  "HEY!" she yelled, waving an arm.  The guards stopped in their tracks and turned around to see her waving at them, grinning. "OVER HERE!" she shouted.

The guards looked at her like she was crazy, an accurate assumption, and then started back towards them.  Meerior laughed and waved again.  Now it was going to be interesting again!
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 19, 2018, 07:50:50 AM
Ipsen stared at Meerior, mouth agape as she called the guard's attention after they just got away from them. Maybe he would have to kill these guys after all, or maybe he would just have to kill her. Or, maybe, she was just trying to create a game for them, and he should play along while he had a little freedom.

His frustration shifted to amusement. "Fine," he muttered. "If that's the way you want it!"

While the woman's eyes were on the guards, he gave her a firm push to send her back out the window and to their reach.

"Good luck!" he said with a chuckle as he headed further into the building.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 19, 2018, 11:31:06 AM
"Oof!"

Meerior tumbled through the window, rolling as she hit the ground and quickly getting to her feet.  The guards had her surrounded before she even had the chance to do anything.  They trained their weapons on her, and she laughed.

"Hello!" she grinned at them.  Then she muttered something under her breath.

"Hey!  What're you doing?" one of the guards snapped, stepping closer to her.

There was silence for a moment, then Meerior sighed.  "I just asked a friend of mine to help me out, he's a demon, but he must be busy."

The guards glanced at each other, she was crazy!  People weren't just friends with demons. . .  Though this was Zantaric.

"Alright, you're coming with us." The guard grabbed her arm, and she shrugged.

"Oh well," she said. "I guess I'll just-!"

She stopped when she saw a rat sitting on a pile of rubbish nearby.  "Ooh!" she cried, grinning and clapping her hands together. "Hello, friend!" she beamed at the small creature, who stared at her. "I would love a little help here.  These mean men are trying to lock me up!"

"Just shut up!"  one of the guards barked, and Meerior fell silent as the rat scurried away.  The guards yanked her down the alley, and they had almost reached the end when a sound floated from the gutter.  The guards looked down, and one let out a shriek as rats streamed from the gutter.  Merrior let out a shriek of joy as the rats engulfed the guards, crawling up their legs and onto their faces.  As the guards writhed around in an attempt to get the rats off, Meerior slipped away.  She went back to the window, climbed up, and rushed after 'Lowen'.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 21, 2018, 02:44:39 PM
Ipsen let out a sinister chuckle as he explored the new building he found himself in. What a stupid, annoying brat. Lowen sure knew how to pick'em, he thought. If they were just going to keep the guards on their tail, it would be better just to kill them.

Oh well. They had their hands full now with that girl now.

His eyes curiously scanned the building as he contemplated what to do, or steal, completely unaware that Meerior was closing in.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 21, 2018, 09:30:30 PM
She looked around the building for a minute before she found him.  He was looking around, and seemed as if he was trying to decide what to do.  She ran up behind him, her footsteps almost silent on the wood floor.

"What're you doing?" she asked.  "Do you wanna go or are you going to just hang out in this dusty building all day.  Though it is pretty interesting in here. . .". Her eyes fixated on to a blank part of the wall that appeared to have nothing interesting on it at all, but she was studying it as though there was an interesting insect or pattern there.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieCat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 21, 2018, 09:40:43 PM
[OOC: I love Meerior]

Ipsen jumped a bit at the sound of her voice, whipping around with that returning look of disgust on his face. He watched her briefly, his mouth agape as she studied the wall in front of her.

"You scared the shit out of me," he said bluntly. "The hell you doin', anyway? No offense, lady, but I got the ring back. I don't see any use for you anymore. What did you hope to get out of this?"

His hand rested on the hilt of his dagger and he glared at the woman. He was not Lowen, and he had about enough of the charade.
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 21, 2018, 10:38:01 PM
[OOC: Thanks!  I really like Ipsen's reactions to her!]

She didn't answer for a second.  Not to be intentionally rude, of course, but because she was so interested in the wall that she didn't hear him at first.  When she realized he'd spoken to her and heard what he'd said, she looked at him quizzically.

"What d'you mean?" she asked.  Then smiled at him, as if she understood what he meant. "Oh!  I'm just here because I like you.  I think you're nice." Then her voice changed slightly. "He is nice, isn't he.  Yes, he is, a very fascinating fellow." Then she seemed to snap out of it and grinned back at him. "I like hanging out with people who I like who are also nice."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 22, 2018, 08:11:16 AM
Ipsen's hand eased off of the dagger's hilt. This girl wasn't a threat, and he had nothing to gain from bringing her any harm. What's more, he felt a strange similarity to her - despite the obvious differences.

Time to find out more.

"I like you too, Meerior," he lied. "Tell me, who were you talking to just now? Do you have a special friend, or friends, that you carry around with you too? You've met Lowen, but-"

He stopped, sneaking a grin. "I don't think I've formally introduced myself! Where are my manners?" he asked, taking her hand and shaking it before she had the chance to react. "My name is Ipsen. You're a lot better off with me than ol' Lowen!"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on April 23, 2018, 05:51:07 PM
"Talking to?" She frowned at him.  "I wasn't talking to anyone, I don't think." Her voice changed again. "Were you talking to someone else?  No, I don't think so.  Oh, okay." Her voice was normal again and she grinned at him. "Nope, I wasn't.  Just good 'ol me here."

Her grin widened when he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Ipsen!  Though I do think Lowen was a interesting fellow himself.  Are you and Lowen good friends?  have you known him long?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on April 23, 2018, 07:34:57 PM
"Oh yeah," he muttered while rolling his eyes. "Best friends. Can't hardly get away from the guy, know what I mean?"

He looked the strange woman up and down, not really taking the time to before. She really didn't have anything of value, not that he could tell. So, what could he do with her?

A grin came across his face as soon as he came up with an idea. That's it! How he's longed to tell someone, anyone, about that bastard Lowen's haunted past. Of course, if he told any sane person, he would have to kill them. If he didn't, they'd tell Lowen, and he would eventually figure things out. That couldn't happen, and this girl was anything but sane.

"Meerior.. Would you like to know more about Lowen?"
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on May 27, 2018, 12:31:58 PM
"Ooh!  Yes!" She clapped her hands together like an excited child.  "I would love to hear about him!  I love stories, though I sometimes don't remember them, except when they're good, then I remember.  Though not always."  She scrunched up her face. "And I don't want to hear a boring story.  Is this story boring?  I forget boring stores sometimes.  I hope Lowen's isn't boring."
Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: Lowen Thorn on June 11, 2018, 09:02:58 AM
His grin faded into a cold blank stare. "Hmph," he nodded, tracing his finger on the hilt of his blade. "He killed her."

He took a step forward to Meerior, his hand sliding further down until he was gripping the dagger's handle. "He killed his wife and left her there until they found her," he said quietly, his eyes suddenly void of any sort of emotion. "She asked for it though. She was practically begging for it. Please, Arty. Shove your knife into my chest."

He mustered a small, muffled laugh. "And then he ran. Ran way and called ol' Ipsen for help." He sighed and shook his head as he took another step toward the woman. "P-P-Please Ipsen.. I c-c-can't take it no more," the man said in a mocking sort of tone. "I said grow up! You made yer' bed now ya gotta sleep in it! Take some responsibility for once you little girl. You stabbed her over and over and it was magic, man! Whatcha cryin' to ole Ipsen for?"

Without warning, he released his dagger from its sheath and placed the tip of it to Meerior's throat, now close enough to where she could feel his breath. "He used this dagger," he said with a sick sense of pride. "This one right here."

Title: Re: Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}
Post by: JackieCat on June 20, 2018, 06:09:20 PM
Meerior listened, wide-eyed as he told the story.  It was quite dramatic, and she even gasped a few times.

Her eyes widened further as he brought the dagger to her throat, telling her it was the very murder weapon.  When he was finished she was silent for a moment, then a smile started to grow on her face, and she started to laugh.

"That is an amazing story!" she burst out, clapping her hands together. "That was not boring in the slightest!  How come he killed her?  Why did he regret it?  How come he asked you to help him?"

Her face was practically glowing with curiosity as she spoke, her eyes going from Ipsen to the dagger and back again, completely enthralled.