| Logs |
2005 January 02
| Idlewild |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Idlewild Logs |
January 2
Ilirith draws Steven off for a discussion of what he actually can do, to confirm his skills and her memory regarding both staffwork and the cat. She quizzes him on several things that do not seem to have relevance, as well, and the matter of Steven's former eyesight problems comes up somewhat to his surprise. Ilirith goes over what he saw in place of his companions as thoroughly as Steven can recall, which is admittedly imperfect, and considers him very thoughtfully at the end as she taps his shoulder. "I wonder if you have any aptitude for magic yourself," she says. "We don't have time to look into that, really, but it sounds like you might-- or have had a touch of true sight from somewhere else. You say it hasn't happened for quite awhile now?"
Steven blinks, and nods. "No, not for some time, actually. Then again, I haven't tried to see in that way, or gave it much thought. So much went on..."
Ilirith pats Steven again. "Give it a try. I can't be with you all the time, Lauren will need me as well, and we're going to have to pretend that the handful of you is an underground army... which means having us all fairly spread out sometimes acting like a much bigger invasion. Try it more often, the looking closely at things, and see if it comes back. It might be all the warning you have someday that something is not what it seems. --Now. I'll craft your disguise, and bring it by for final touches tonight. Til then, rest. The attendants will show you to a room here, Kabi's taking Lauren and I need to work with them first." With that, she heads off, and the attendant does indeed show Steven to a lovely room with attached bamboo-walled bathroom, tiled all in translucent jade underfoot. The room itself has the customery circle of sunken bed. Steven is left to meditate and rest for some time before Ilirith returns to hand him a small, smooth green stone and say "Don't lose this. Keep it on your person... now, we'll go see Aiden." A bustle of being hurried along by a busy Ilirith later, they arrive. Aiden is seated at the edge of his own sunken bed, with Soleil standing nearby wrapped in a large towel.
Steven nods, smiling quietly. "No rush, certainly. What we're doing takes priority. Take care, Ilirith."
Aiden smiles. "Hi, Steven. C'mon in."
Aiden says, "You too, Ilirith."
Steven nods soberly at the stone, and resolves to keep it, and the fur cloak, somehow on him at all times. "As he enters, he nods pleasantly, "Hi, Aiden..."
Ilirith steps in cheerfully, yellow hair swishing. "Thank you, Aiden. We'd like to start your depredations tonight-- have you gotten any rest?" She smiles.
Aiden nods, "Yeah, some, thanks."
Sol nods belated echo to Aiden's welcome to the pair, looking a lot more serious than usual. He says quietly, "What are we supposed to do?" Seodil is nowhere in sight.
Ilirith tilts her head at the little group, holding a small, smooth brown river-rock out to Aiden with one hand while she fishes in her pockets with the other. "Do any of you have a problem with killing scoundrels?"
Aiden says, "Past experience says no."
Steven purses his lips, considering it carefully. "Not... really. It's safe to assume that anyone we'll be involved with killing is pretty much going to be such?
Ilirith nods solemnly. "To the best of my knowledge, yes they will. There is a warehouse that Kabi asked us to hit tonight, and everyone who is not a child is fair game. You're to steal the goods as well, as if we're after profit."
Steven nods slowly. "All right." He still sounds a bit discomfited; the karmic debt from his killing of the goblin still weighs on him.
Aiden says, "Going to be rather hard to carry things with paws."
The daffodil-headed mage scowls a little. "Some of the goods are children. I don't think you'll have much trouble distinguishing who's a combatant-- ah, yes. Paws. Get the kids to help carry. There's one of Kabi's in the lot, that one should know what's valuable. Kabi said his name is Dessis."
Steven frowns. "Wait... what are children doing there?"
Aiden scowls at the mention of their being children there.
Ilirith makes a face. "The pretty ones are waiting to be sold. I'm told Dessis isn't pretty. Don't know what they're doing with her."
The mage sounds matter-of-fact but far from happy about it.
Aiden looks at Steven. "Well. I'd call that motivation. They're not still going to be sold after they're stolen, I trust?"
Steven nods to Aiden. This became much more ethically easier for him.
Ilirith brightens, a little. Her grin is wry. "No. Kabi says we can redistribute them as we please. Her words. What it boils down to is that most of them aren't local and we'll have to find where they belong, but I already said I don't mind."
Aiden nods. "Very well. I'm all for getting them out, in that case.
Steven nods, "Agreed."
Ilirith looks relieved. "Good. Kabi and Clairchiare were going to try it alone, and that's... just, not... her foot's still hurt, and I'd much rather he went with you. I'll send him over. "
Aiden says, "Of course, Ilirith. We don't particularly want him to have to be out going it alone, either."
Sol murmurs fervent agreement. Ilirith twinkles at them all. "You're good friends to him, I know. Make sure he wears his disguise, please? He's gotten... impetuous, lately." And she slips out.
Steven nods quietly to Ilirith as she departs.
Clairchiare arrives in an unremarkable cloak, silvery head emerging as he throws the hood back once inside. His pale eyes sparkle, cheeks flushed and rosy, the picture of energy. Melierel is with him. "I'll eat when we get back," Clairchiare is saying as they enter. "I do this best on an empty stomach.. ahh, friends, hello! Do you require food before we go? Honestly, I recommend against it after trying it both ways." Seodil has since emerged from the bathroom and dressed, braiding his long wet hair into a single tail down his back. A single flash of pink is visible in that braid, a thin stand of color among the silver.
Steven shakes his head, "No, I'm good, thank you.."
Soleil finishes lacing his boots and shakes his head, ghosting a half-shy smile toward Clairchiare. Seodil's smile is downright affectionate, but he too answers negatively.
Aiden smiles at Clairchiare, "I'd rather go on an empty stomach." He's thinking back to the mess that was left the last time he was forced to attack
Melierel gives them an anxious look. "Are you sure I can't come?" He's speaking to Clairchiare, who nods regretfully. "This time, yes.. I'm sorry. I don't think anyone but me will be on two legs and I can hide, but you don't know the city... this has to look like Lauren's work, and she is the Beast Queen." He says this last with a perfectly straight face, even solemn.
Aiden coughs. Bet that was her idea. That's pure Lauren right there. "The.. Beast Queen. Understood." Thank goodness I'm going to be in wolf-form. I'm not sure I could repeat that without choking.
There is a soft knock on the door.
Steven can't help himself, and grins merrily.
Melierel makes an odd snerking sound. Soleil looks like he's trying not to choke, himself. Seodil appears quite serene.
Aiden goes to answer the door, opening it slightly with his foot behind it as a door stop before he opens it fully.
Clairchiare says, "That should be Kabi--" and so it is, the sandy curls haloing the tiny woman's angelic face as she grins up at Aiden from barely above waist-height. "Room service." Her arms are piled high with folded fabric, but she does appear to be wearing something not at all thieflike underneath it.
Aiden says, "Oh, excellent. Right on time." He moves his foot and opens the door to let her in, shutting it again after she's in the room.
Once inside, Kabi promptly redistributes her wealth of cloth. Everyone gets a long, shabby cloak of brown or grey except Melierel and Clairchiare-- the latter is already wearing one. "Ilirith said you might need to be naked when she changes you into animals," Kabi says cheerfully. "These ought to cover just about everything."
Aiden takes the cloak and folds it over one arm for now, "Thank you, Kabi. I appreciate the thoughtfulness."
Steven nods, accepting the cloak. "Thanks, Kabi. That'll help, a lot.
Aiden is actually wearing chainmail rather than his clothing for once and doesn't look like he's about to take it off, either.
Moving quickly to sobriety from cheer, Kabi says "You're welcome. --Look. I should be going with you, but I've been convinced I'd slow you down until I heal. Clairchiare knows the way. Dessis doesn't know any of you, though... she's a little half-human girl, dark brown skin, one eye. About so high. If everything goes wrong and you can't get the gems out, at least get the kids. If you can't get them all, get her. Okay?"
Aiden nods, "We'll get them all, Kabi."
Steven nods to Kabi, unhesitatingly. "Sure thing, kabi. We'll get them out, at the very least.
Soleil quietly removes his shirt and ends up in leather pants and that cloak, barefoot. Seodil is wearing chainmail as well, and keeps it. Melierel fidgets unhappily, left behind.
Kabi gives them a crooked smile. "I'd appreciate that. I'll owe you a personal favor if you do. Tell Dessis that Kabi sent you." With that, she turns to go, and Clairchiare looks at the four others in cloaks. "Ready?"
Aiden flicks his cloak on over his shoulders and nods. "Ready, Clairchiare."
Steven takes in a deep breath, taking off his clothing except for the cloak and his pants. He nods. "Ready," he says, casting the shawl Kabio gave him over his shoulders. He nods. "Ready."
It's dark outside when they leave by a narrow stair hidden at the back of a rose-scented closet, ending up on a rooftop-- Aiden, Steven, Seodil, Sol and Clairchiare. The latter looks at them and says softly, "If you need my attention quickly, call me Chi. We go over the top of the city til we reach the warehouse, fifteen minutes from here. When we get there..." he shrugs, "kill everyone adult as quietly and quickly as possible, I suppose, one by one. I'm not used to directing groups... if you have other ideas, now's the time."
Aiden says, "Just point me in the right direction. I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Steven nods quietly, only a lttle discomfted by the killing idea, but considering that they're going to be rescuing the children, and that's first and foremost ion their -- and Kabi's -- mind....
Clairchiare nods back, takes off his cloak to tuck in a messenger bag slung across his chest, and pulls out a dark hood. It completes the taller, male version of the thiefish outfit Kabi wore when Aiden caught her knocking on Helebore's door. Without further ado, Clairchiare moves lightly off across the rooftops, a tall black shadow. They manage to follow, but it seems unlikely that anyone in brighter streets below would notice him. Roughly fifteen or twenty minutes later, he stops, and points at their current roof... then crouches to work on opening a trapdoor. It screeches thinly, hinges unoiled, and Clairchiare drops immediately down into the darkness inside without even a hissed curse.
Seodil's eyes narrow, and he follows immediately, cloak shed and settling to the rooftop behind him as he disappears into the trapdoor hole next.
Aiden looks around at the others and slips in behind Clairchiare. He'd rather be down first if there's danger, since he's wearing armour.
Steven sets his cloak and pants down beside the hole as well, and slips in after Aiden, trying to keep his senses alert.
It's pitch black inside until their eyes adjust. Clairchiare is crouching over a body, withdrawing a thin blade. The smell of blood fills the air. Thin chinks of light come from the floorboards-- this seems to be an attic. Sounds of merriment come from below, laughter and a few hoarse bellows. Stairs lead down, and more light comes from the wooden stairwell. There are chests, bags, and hanging bundles of dried things everywhere.
Aiden shifts as soon as he lands and looks up, waiting patiently for the others before he hunts.
"Stu?" calls an impatient voice from near the stairwell. "If I dun get some fuckin' carrots RIGHT NOW you'll be the only one ain't got a whore tonight!"
Steven immediately tenses with the smell of blood. He knows whatever he's going to see, he's not going to like one bit. He takes a breath, knowing the stench is going to be worse when he shifts. The voice makes his wince. He trioes not to think about wnting to kill. The killing sword, and the life-giving sword. Focus on that which brings good omen to others, and not that which breeds evil. He takes a breath and shifts into the big feline. Curious, he tries to peek through the floorboards.
Steven sees a thin to scrawny black figure stripped to the waist, facing off against a much taller person. Both are circling and appear to have knives. A number of men are gathered around them, laughing and cheering. The smell of cheap beer is strong to both Steven and Aiden as soon as they shift, nearly overpowering the blood.
Seodil and Soleil flank Aiden silently, both now wolves. Sol noses Aiden's shoulder, a comfort gesture.
Steven swallows a growl that comes all too easily to his feline throat. He looks up to Aiden expectedly. Sooner done, sooner better, he thinks, unconsciously slipping into a less verbal thought-pattern.
Aiden's nose crinkles at the awful smells in here. He takes a quick glance around the room, then down.
The wooden stairs shudder as the person below kicks them. "STU. CARROTS. Ain't no time for little girls when them as is better than you's waitin' to be FED!"
Aiden's glance finds the room cluttered and only one obvious way down-- the stairs.
Steven narrows his eyes. If the stairs are being kicked to get someone's attention, then someone is -- inconveniently -- up here. And what the other said about 'little girls'.... Well. For now, better to let him rejoin his comrades. Alive, at least
Aiden can only assume that Stu is the body that he last saw under Clairchiare and his knife.
Another possibility suggests itself to Aiden's searching eyes as the distinct shine of glass glints. There appears to be a window to another room, mostly covered by a chest.
Aiden pads quietly in that direction, taking care to keep to one side of the window so he can peek in.
The room it looks into is dark; Aiden's eyes strain before they pick out heads. Faces. It looks like this is the room where they're keeping the children, huddled in the dark. The window is too small to fit Aiden's body even if he shattered the glass, and too high for any of the children below to reach.
Aiden looks back at the others then steps away before the children can see him. Adults first.
Steven watches Aiden carefully as he moves to the window he had missed before.
"I'm gonna come kill your ass, Stu," announces the menacing voice from below. "WITH a carrot." And footsteps sound on the rickety wooden stairs, coming up fast. Clairchiare ghosts over to wait, thin knife ready.
Steven pads over silently to where the person will be coming up will be facing away form him.
Aiden moves back to a position where he won't be immediately apparent to the person coming up the stairs.
Steven and Aiden both move near Clairchiare. The tall elf gestures to them; "be my guest" is as clear as if spoken, even without seeing his face. Seodil and Sol both stay on the far side of the small attic, letting their companions have room to manuever. Another voice comes suddenly from below, rougher. "Where's dinner? Promised the little slip we'd feed her if she won-- what the hell are you doing?" As the first yeller's head pops into view, he calls down "Killing Stu, little bastard's wanking with the carrots again, just a--" and then he turns. And looks straight at Aiden, Steven and Clairchiare, still standing on the stairs with his upper torso in the attic room.
Steven moves quickly. He draws back his large paw and swings it hard at the man's face, aiming to both stun him, throw him to the side and now down the stairs, and to keep him from saying anything.
Aiden would grin if he could. He puts his ears back and backs up, trying to draw the man into the room.
Steven's paw connects heavily, and there is an audible crunch as the man's head goes to the left at a nasty angle. The man's body thuds heavily against the side of the attic floor, then... the limp man falls back down the stairs like a sack of dead guy.
Steven blinks. Oh, NO FAIR! he tries to reach out with his claws to dig them in to the guy's back to keep him from falling down.
"Shit!" says the unseen man downstairs.
Unfortunately for anyone trying to get down the stairwell after the only living person who knows something's wrong in the attic, Steven's claws connect perfectly and there is now a limp body jamming the stairwell. Clairchiare snarls and shoves frantically past it anyway, eeling down the stairs headfirst to hit the floor below with a thud.
Aiden waits for Steven to stop toying with his prey.
Steven winces, and lets go of the body, sighing to himself, which certainly pouts a damper on his adrenaline, at least. He backs up to let the other wolves go down ahead.
Aiden goes bolting down the stairs as soon as the body is out of the way.
The sounds below suggest that either Clairchiare or his assailant is strangling to death; as Aiden gets down there, fast followed by the others, it turns out that Clairchiare is staggering about being strangled by a much burlier man despite a knife in said man's shoulder.
Aiden snarls and makes a leap for the man's arm.
Aiden's teeth catch the cloth sleeve instead and rip it off. Clairchiare is hurled to the floor as the burly man faces this new threat instead-- and then his eyes widen as he sees the rest of them and starts backing toward the door instead. Seodil rushes to bar the way, and the man yanks the slim knife from his shoulder to menace Aiden. Soleil runs in to worry the man's ankle.
Aiden drops the cloth as he lands and rounds on the man, his hackles raised and growling.
Steven slides quickly down the stairs after Sol, taking stock of the situation, and moving to likewise block the door with Seodil, not really trusting himself not to do something else stupid.
The man slashes at Soleil to get the golden wolf's teeth off his ankle, turning his back to Aiden and leaving a perfect exposed target-- his thick neck, unprotected as he stabs at Aiden's lover-- so far, unsuccessfully, as Sol dances away snarling to hold his attention.
Aiden moves to take that target. No one tries to hurt Soleil and gets away with it.
This time he connects, and the man screams as powerful jaws close. The din for the other room's knife fight cheering is so loud that the cry probably goes unnoticed.
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