A Ship, Crew and Map (Open)

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio handed over a few coins to the rough-looking type who captained the barge from Corone, gathered up his horse and his belongings, and stepped off onto the pier.

He'd been to Scara Brae a few times before, but never had a journey like that. It was a short three days' sail and the seas had been calm, but the tension was palpable. In spite of his seniority, that oaf of a captain wouldn't give him a cabin, and Alyrio had had to take a hammock below deck with all the sailors. None of them would speak to him unless necessary, except for one who shouted at him, "Oi, m'lud, why're you goin' ter Scara Brae? Not enough whores in Corone for yer?" Alyrio had chuckled inwardly at that. No, there weren't enough, but that was entirely beside the point. Here on Scara Brae, he wasn't going to be Alyrio Moreira, gambler, drunkard and womaniser. He was going to be Alyrio Moreira, Belsin Moreira's son.

As he led his horse through the docks, Alyrio's senses were assaulted in every way possible. This was something you never got living in a keep at the edge of a forest. The cries of seagulls, the noises of horses and pigs and cows and chickens, the noise of people shouting, talking, brawling and selling their wares; the docks of Scara Brae, no doubt about it, were the loudest place Alyrio had ever been. The smells of fish, seaweed and salt hung in the air like perfume. The docks were full of narrow alleyways, twisting and turning like worms, that barely two people could squeeze through at a time and more often than not led to a dead end. The cobbled streets were slippery underfoot, and only the constantly shifting mass of people kept Alyrio from losing his footing.

Eventually, his eyes happened upon a likely-looking inn. The Sail and Anchor, said the sign above the door. Probably a basic place for sailors just arrived on shore, he decided. Still, that was part of my goal, was it not? To live like a commoner? He handed his horse over to the ostler in the yard, and walked in. He had deliberately chosen simple clothes, and did not take his swords with him. They were enamelled deep red and had pearls set in the handle - the swords of a nobleman - and a nobleman wandering into a rough sailors' tavern and ordering a glass of spiced wine wouldn't be taken lightly.

The interior wasn't promising. The bar was a basic place, with one long table for the evening meal and a few smaller tables dotted around. Thickly muscled, macho-looking types with shaven heads, scrubby beards and tattooed arms sat around these tables and at the bar, drinking ale. The innkeeper looked just like his patrons, standing behind the bar drawing ale from a keg. Alyrio walked up to him and inquired about a room for the night.

The innkeeper snorted. "Now, that'll be three gold pieces, more if yer want to stay longer. Pay in the morning for more days. And if yer want feedin', you'll pay two gold pieces, and one more for ale." Six gold pieces for bed and food in a place like this? This is ridiculous! Ah well, it'll do. I hope not to be here for long. Alyrio handed over six gold pieces. The innkeeper bit the coin he gave him to see if it was real, then, satisfied, he gave Alyrio the key to his room. "You'll eat at sundown, or you won't eat. And watch out for rats." Six gold pieces for rats. Such is life.

Alyrio went upstairs and unlocked his room. It was as small and basic as he'd feared, containing nothing but a bed with a rock-like mattress and thin, soiled sheets, a roughly-hewn dresser and a small window high in the wall. He'd heard that noblemen would often be fleeced mercilessly when they came to commoner's taverns like this, but not this badly. Oh well.

He left his bag upstairs, and went back down to the bar and got his pint of ale. He sat down at a table near the door, and took a sip. The ale was warm, and tasted like cow's piss, but slightly less appealing. Of the patrons of the tavern, there were a few likely-looking coves who he could have asked to crew his ship, a pair of unsavoury-looking men who would probably slit his throat and take his money given half a chance, and a smattering of green boys who looked too young to be anything more than cabin boys. Alyrio would have to find out how much a ship cost soon, and fast. And where on earth would he find a half-decent crew?

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio had been sitting, nursing his drink for a while now, when another patron came into the tavern and swaggered up to the bar. He was wearing the roughly-sewn clothes of the other sailors, and his head was shaven and his arms bedecked with tattoos, but there was something different about him. Even though he had to be almost fifty, he moved with the easy grace of a tomcat, and there was no grey in his beard - it was still a fiery red, curling over his chest and almost to his stomach. He was talking with the innkeeper, and the two of them seemed to be laughing at some kind of private joke. Obviously, they were old friends - the innkeeper didn't bite the coins the other man offered him, and afterwards the two of them clasped hands.

The stranger took a table near Alyrio, and squinted at him as if trying to remember who he was. "So, what brings a lordling like you to a place like this?"

Alyrio sighed and took another sip of his ale. "That easy to tell, hm?"

The stranger snorted. "You're wearing fine-woven clothes, and you got a couple o' swords by you're side. You don't get those by fishing." He continued to squint, then gasped. "You're Belsin's kid, ain't you? Yeah, you're his spitting image."

He reached his hand out. "Kyshar Githorin, captain o' the Happenstance, at yer service. I sailed with Belsin on the Osprey, all those years ago."

Alyrio grew hopeful. Perhaps Kyshar could help him out with finding a ship... and finding out if Marista existed. He clasped Kyshar's hand, rough and callused from hauling on ropes all his life. "Alyrio, of House Moreira."

Kyshar's face fell for just a moment, then brightened. "Ah, Belsin told me about his third son. The drunkard fool." He laughed.

Alyrio stiffened and glared at Kyshar over the rim of his mug. "I would like to tell you, sir, that I am putting that behind me. Now, I was hoping you give me some information. Did my father discover a new continent, or not?"

Kyshar grunted. "Wouldn't know. He had me put ashore at Istraloth. Said I was undermining his authority, or some other bloody thing. We were always gonna clash - he was the upper-class romantic chasing a dream, I was the workaday grunt who actually ran the ship. No wonder he sank his ships at Istraloth, I told him everything I knew about ships, but did he listen? Like hell."

Alyrio was chewing over Kyshar's thoughts in his head. This is different. Everyone I knew in Corone always said my father was a wise man, a great man, who was always fair to his men, who knew everything to know about ships, who only died due to bad luck. Maybe he was given a status he didn't deserve... Well, this is for another time. He stood up. "Come on. They're serving dinner."

Alyrio and Kyshar took their places at the long wooden table. The innkeeper was already there, doling out bowls of fish stew from a big iron kettle. There were chunks of hard bread to go with it, and more mugs of ale, for those who could stomach it. Kyshar began shovelling the food straight into his mouth, while Alyrio picked at it delicately. The stew wasn't too bad, actually - the fish was unidentifiable, but it was thick and hot at least.

Neither man spoke to each other for a while. Eventually, Kyshar piped up, "So, what brings Belsin Moreira's son to Scara Brae?"

Alyrio replied, "Actually, I was planning to take a ship of my own south. How much would a ship cost, d'you think?"

"You got 15,000 gold pieces? Cause that's what you'll be paying for a new ship. Now, the Osprey is in the dry dock to be broken up, and you won't pay much for that, but they won't sell it to you, they'll get more profit from breaking it up. 'Less you won a tourney or brought the Scourge's leader in for a bounty, you'll never get enough money."

"And my father's map?"

Kyshar shrugged. "Went down with his ship. I had a copy, but I sold it to the library a couple of years back. Who knows where it is now?"

Alyrio had a thought. "Kyshar... um... would you be willing to take your ship south again?"

Kyshar gave him a hard glare. "Are you completely bloody mad? I got a good job, takin' wheat to Alerar. I ain't gonna give up my ship for some lordling's wild goose chase again. Best of luck to you." He got up and left.

Alyrio had finished his food as well. Kyshar's pricing had got him thinking. Unless you brought the Scourge's leader in for a bounty, you'll never get that kind of money. Could he bring the Scourge's leader in? Maybe not the leader, but one of the other Scourge members. The dream was looking closer after all...

[Yari Rafanas]

As Kyshar exited, another man entered, this one obviously not a sailor or a Scara native by any means. His slender form was mostly hidden by a tattered cloak, but what could be seen was covered in dark blues and arctic leather, riddled with expensive metal studs. The man rolled his right shoulder and revealed a set of knives strapped to each of his hips, his hand resting on the curved grip of one of the blades. It was an habitual movement, not intended to stir the patrons, but a few of the chattering men lowered their voices as they eyed the new guest.

Despite the weight of his boots, the man moved mostly silently, weaving patiently through various chairs and benches, ignoring those he passed and walking with a clear intent towards the bar. He reached the counter, having gained the full attention of the innkeeper, and leaned close for a hushed conversation.

The innkeeper wrinkled his nose, trying to mask the look of recognition as he realized who his latest guest was. Subtly was not the owner's style, and he replied loud enough for others to hear, “No, ain't none of yer kind been around here for some time... and that's a good thing—whelps actually have gold to pay fer their rooms now.”

The cloaked figure hung his head into his hand, disgusted at the lack of confidence in the innkeeper. He sighed and pulled back his hood, ruffling his fingers through his wild hair and taking a frustrated breath of air.

“Look, I don't need your sad story about your purse feeling light,” the stranger spoke loudly now, “You're not the only tavern on this sad island. If I have to find out from the Queen herself that the operation is still up and running, you'll have more to worry about than gold.”

He pulled away from the counter and faced room, his blue eyes bouncing from sailors in the corner to those attempting to still enjoy their meals. None of them looked like they had any idea what was going on, and so the ruffian made his way towards the exit. Confused whispers of the Scourge and an angry bark from the drunkest of seamen trailed him as he retraced his steps through the tavern. His short visit was over, but there was still more to do.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio felt confused after the man left. Who in the world was he, and why would he keep his face hidden behind that tattered cloak? The patrons of the tavern were obviously shaken - one of them had loudly cursed at the stranger as he walked out, and the two unsavoury-looking men were still sitting in their corner whispering, but they looked worried and their hands were clasped tightly. Obviously, this man was somebody important to them, but in what way? The innkeeper probably knew.

Alyrio got up from the table and pushed through the door to the kitchen in the back. The innkeeper was more nervous than anybody else there - he was humming tunelessly to himself as he placed the dirty pots under a standpipe, and he was trembling all over like a leaf about to fall from a tree.

Alyrio strode up behind the innkeeper and asked, "What was the name of the man in the cloak?"

The innkeeper was startled by this and jumped, dropping his pots with a deafening crash. When he turned around, he had the look of a deer blinded by bright light, and his eyes were dancing wildly. "Y-y-you're not s'posed to be here..." he began, but Alyrio soon cut him off.

"What was the man's name?" he repeated.

Beads of sweat were dotted all over the innkeeper's flabby face, and he was wringing his hands together. "I can't... he's a..." He sighed and blurted out, "He's Yari Rafanas."

Alyrio's head was ringing. Yari Rafanas? The Yari Rafanas who leads the Bandit Brotherhood? The Yari Rafanas who instigated the Bazaar War? What interests could he have in Scara Brae? The last I heard he was still in Concordia! "The Yari Rafanas?!"

When the innkeeper barely inclined his head in reply, Alyrio tried to ask what the innkeeper's plans with him were, but the innkeeper, in return to Alyrio's entrance earlier, cut him off. "I - I couldn't tell you. He's a powerful mage, he leads a clan of bandits... he'd have you dead in a minute. Please, I beg of you... stay out of this. You'd die..."

Alyrio strode out of the back of the inn to the stares of the patrons (the two men in the corner looked at him with an especially hard glare), but that didn't matter. Alyrio could only pray they hadn't heard anything. He now knew what he could do, how he could be a hero and live up to his father. He would trail Yari Rafanas and bring him to justice.

[Yari Rafanas]

The docks were beginning to prove fruitless. Yari had hoped that the Sail and Anchor, like the many other taverns he had visited that afternoon, would have been bustling with activity—packed to the walls with eager new wizards and adventurers ready to take on Scara Brae's challenges and test their might at the Dajas Pagoda. Sadly, this was not the case. Just a bunch of drunk sailors and tourists eating whatever slop the chef had scraped from the bottom of the reef overnight. The spirit Yari had once seen in this island was seemingly gone, and every soul he questioned gave him only grief.

Though the night was quickly approaching, Yari Rafanas was not done with his hunt for information. There was still much of the city left, and the bandit was getting anxious. There would be no more questions, no more dramatic tavern-visits, and he was most certainly not going to see the Queen. Not yet, anyway. The next step would be to go to his old proving grounds, maybe there he could acquire something more.

Yari approached the edges of the docks and their markets, unaware he was being trailed, his overconfidence preventing him from even looking back into the throngs of commoners and sailors behind him. Departing from the busy streets was a horse-drawn large cart of supplies, driven by a kind-looking old man, half-blind from the looks of it, on his way to the inner parts of the city—exactly where Yari desired to be.

“Need a hand, chief?” Yari called out.

With a false sense of kindliness, Yari bounced up into the passenger seat of the already-moving cart, wrapping an arm around the older man and offering his company. The old man smiled, revealing his missing teeth, excited to have a stronger, younger man there to help with his last chore for the day. Yari returned the old man's grin with a smile of his own—almost genuine, if it were not for the fact that the bandit was taking pleasure out of tricking the man for a free ride.

The cart rolled along the cobblestone, heading for the heart of Scara Brae.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio had no idea where Yari might have gone. As far as he knew, Yari had no business being on Scara Brae in the first place. It was times like this that he wished he had paid more attention to events at home.

Of course, you couldn't avoid being caught up in the Bazaar Wars. It was amazing to think that, with one event, the entire world could change like that. But through all this, and the civil war too, Alyrio had kept himself and House Moreira out of the fighting. What was the point of being caught up in all that blood and carnage, putting your life on the line for nothing? A few of his men, being men of Gisela, had declared for the Corone Rangers when the civil war broke out, but Alyrio was secretly more a supporter of the Corone Empire. He had always thought that having the common people in power would diminish the power of the nobility, and being unable to spend his days hunting and gambling would have been a fate worse than death back then. Maybe all that would change. Who knew?

He had left the docks by now, and was wandering through the narrow cobbled streets of the city. What he was hoping to do for now was find the library Kyshar said he had left Belsin's map in, and hope that he saw Yari again. That was a slim hope, but it would have to do for now. Just one more time when I should have done more at home. One more to go with the others.

The library was an elegant white marble building set in a large square, near the centre of the city near Queen Valeena's palace. It had the aspect of a massive bird, the walls curving away from the bronze-studded oak door like wings and a spire pointing into the air like a beak. The walls flashed back the sunlight, casting shadows over a small square of grass in front.

Alyrio entered the library and was dazzled by the number of books on display. Thick illuminated leather-bound tomes from the monasteries sat side-by-side with slender merchants' casebooks, histories of times past rammed up against fanciful adventures of knights and maidens, scrolls of every description piled high on racks, books in every language known to man; all these were to be found at the Scara Brae library. And yet most of them looked unread, yellowing in the cool stone halls and thickly covered with dust. It was normally only noblemen and monks who could read any of these books, and they had no need of libraries, as they often as not had their own private studies. One day, this library would be shut down, and that would be a sad day to be sure.

Alyrio walked over to a stand full of scrolls and began riffling through them. Whoever owned this library had obviously long since lost control of their stock; nothing was arranged in any kind of order, or even by type. In this one rack alone, Alyrio saw maps (he pocketed a map of the seas from Alerar to Istraloth, thinking it would be useful in the early stages of his voyage), lists of goods, royal summonses and letters from all types of people. This was going to be a long haul, and the library seemed to be abandoned, or at least the owner was very quiet. Ah well, it's not like I have anything better to do anyway.

[Yari Rafanas]

“Son, there is nothing left in that Pagoda. The criminals running it abandoned this island many years ago. Warms my bones knowing my sons will not learn death so early at the hands of those thieves.”

Hearing the old man talk about the Pagoda masters like that caused Yari's heart to twitch in his chest, but with that uncomfortable sting of guilt came a sense of victory. Every other soul on this island had been very tight-lipped about the situation, as if the Scara Scourge had them all scared to share word on any criminal activity—even that which had died some time ago. This man, however old and overly trusting he may be, seemed wise and open, and did not treat Rafanas as though he was there to rob him blind.

“What about names? Papers? The gold those men stored? Surely the infamous Max Dirks would not have left all that behind?” Yari continued to prod the old man for information.

“Well, reckon the money is gone. Gold has legs, you know,” the old man chuckled a bit, steering his horse around an alley bend. “But the Queen's men paid good labor money for those who moved most of the supplies out of the tower. If its records and recordings you're seeking, they'd be at the city's library. Hauled them there myself.”

Finally.

“Listen, chief. You've been a lot of help, I'm gonna come clean with you,” Yari stood up and loosened his legs, the cart still moving. “You're on your own with... whatever it is you're carting around, but you have been a lot of help. Tell your sons to buy something nice, but if they value their lives... keep them out of Concordia.”

Rafanas tossed a small bag of gold in the seat next to the aging man. It was money he had budgeted and planned on bribing officials with, should words remain locked up the next day, but the unsuspecting geriatric deserved a break. His cloudy eyes gave a confused look towards the king of thieves, the sense of betrayal swirling behind the milky clouds, but his spotted hand had no problem accepting the offer. With a nod, Yari kicked off the cart and headed towards the plaza. The library was not far. With the setting sun, he was sure it would be empty and ripe for the picking.

[MinzigFrish]

"Kill it! That mongrel stole my fish!" The shouts echoed down the street, but they were far enough back so as not to be worrisome. Zarah bolted down the cold cobblestone street, weaving between startled fishermen and ducking under the skirts of spooked ladies. Ah, I do love a good scene. They could have chosen a better word than mongrel, though. Makes me feel so.... dirty. She thought with a hint of smugness. The silver wolf wriggled under a large wooden hay-cart, hopping out the other side and booking into a narrow alleyway. She perked a pointed ear to hear for any nearing footsteps or shouts, but it seemed that they had lost track of her. She spat the slimy fish onto the dirty alley ground, then lie on her belly and began to gnaw at it. Her stomach growled as she realized just how hungry she was. She bit clear through the fish with a sickening crunch, using her pearly teeth to strip the scales away and get to the meat.

Zarah's feast was interrupted as an echo closed in. It was unmistakably the sound of running footsteps. She raised her head to listen. Had they managed to follow her after all? As she saw one burly, scruffy-looking man round the hay-cart, then another, she found her question answered. Immediately the wolf leapt to all four paws, her tail bristling and fur on end. The men slowed noticeably in the face of the growling hound.

The first man nodded to the right, a signal for the second to sneak up on her from the side. He picked up the pitchfork sticking out of the hay cart, and inched closer. "Here, ya bastard doggy...."

And that was Zarah's cue to get the hell outta there. She spun and bolted down the alley, leaving her meal behind. Oh well, she would just have to steal something simpler next time.... The men shouted and followed still. They just don't give up, do they? She growled to herself and sped up. A huge run-down building caught her eye. It seemed whoever was last in there hadn't shut the door all the way, and it remained open a crack. That was enough for her though, and she could hide in there, at least long enough to disguise herself. She ran to the door and used her nose to nudge it open more, then squeezed in. It was heavier than she had anticipated. Sparing a quick glance about, she realized the building was an old, empty library. Good, no one was around. She shut her eyes and a small shifting wind surrounded her, and in the place of the wolf stood a stark naked human. Zarah pulled her long green hair over her shoulder and stretched, glancing around to look for something to use as a temporary cover. A dusty cream colored curtain was the closest material she could see. Better than nothing... She padded to it and yanked it off its rod. She hurriedly wrapped it around her bare form, just as the two hulking men burst into the library. She paused, looking around. Crap... She backed away slightly. Would they put two and two together? They looked about, then at each other, seeming slightly confused. The first man looked her up and down. After a long moment, he questioned, "You seen a wolf 'round here?"

Zarah quickly raised an arm and forced a fake smile, pointing into the library. "It ran out the back door..." She purred, and they nodded thanks and took off out the front door, more than likely to head the now imaginary wolf off. She released a pent up breath. Well, if anyone was here, they certainly knew Zarah was here too. What a commotion..... She momentarily pondered leaving too, but decided against it. Perhaps those two brutes were idiots, but most people would find it odd to see a girl strolling around wearing a dirty curtain. She would just have to hang out here and let things cool down before going to fetch her own clothes. May as well look around then...

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio had been sitting on the floor of the library for what seemed like hours, and probably was. He'd been through six stands of scrolls - all packed to bursting, and none of them containing Belsin's map. And there were still so many to look through! His buttocks were sore from sitting on the cold stone floor for so long, and his back ached from bending over the stands of scrolls to look at what they were.

It was getting dark outside, and soon the light would be gone in the library (unless somebody came along and lit the candles standing in iron brackets) and he would be unable to read the scrolls. Both prospects facing Alyrio were unattractive. He could either go back to the tavern, where the beds were infested with fleas and both the innkeeper and patrons would be wary of him after the incident with Yari, or he could sleep here and resume his search for the map in the morning. A tough choice, to be certain. And where on earth was everybody?

Suddenly, the silence was disrupted by somebody pushing the door open, and the sound of bare feet slapping on the floor followed by a rattle. Curious, Alyrio stood up with some difficulty, having grown stiff from sitting on the floor for so long, and walked round to the door. There was a strange sight there, to be certain.

A young girl was standing there, wearing nothing but for one of the library's dusty cream-coloured curtains. She was attractive, but had an otherworldly aspect with her deathly white skin, deep forest green hair and purple eyes. She was facing two burly men who were dressed in the rough woven clothes of commoners. The larger of the two was toting a pitchfork. Alyrio was immediately worried - were these men chasing her, and why would they in any case? - when they began to talk.

The man with the pitchfork was asking the girl, "You seen a wolf round here?" The girl responded by pointing towards the back of the library, and told them, "It went through the back door." A look of confusion flickered over the men's faces for a moment, then they thanked the girl and ran back out the door.

Alyrio was confused. A wolf? In the city of Scara Brae? Between this girl and Yari Rafanas, I've faced enough mystery here to last a lifetime. I'd have been better off facing those grumbling peasants back home. I suppose I'd better ask her. Putting one hand on one of his swords as a caution, Alyrio stepped out from behind the bookshelf to face the girl. "Who are you? And what's this business about a wolf?"

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah stiffed with the mans voice. It had spooked her, for lack of a better word. She hesitantly cocked her head to peer at the man who faced her. He looked to be about thirty years of age, in his prime and basking in it. Zarah would have called him a mouth watering sight in any other situation, but the fact that he was ready to brandish the sword at his hip at any moment somewhat took away from the eye candy. She plastered on a faux-innocent smile and hoisted the drooping curtain a bit higher around her curvy chest.

"It's not polite to demand answers from a lady, you know." She took a cautious step toward him, though not enough to cause him to draw his weapon. "But if you absolutely must know, my name is Zarah. And yourself? And uh, don't worry about any old wolf. Those lugs were chasing fairy tales." She extended a slender hand to him, using the other to clutch the thick curtain to herself. "I'm surprised you haven't asked why I'm all dressed up yet." She purred, but sarcasm laced her words in an overly obvious manner. The cute cock of her head, though, played it off as pristine. She was putting on a charming facade (at least, as charming as she could get). It was the same one she used on any man she met, and they all reacted to it the same way. Trust was just too easy to gain.

Zarah sized the man up in her head. He was much larger than her, though she was sure she could win if he attacked her. The element of surprise could get you far in life. He didn't look as though he meant her any harm though, which allowed her to relax, if only slightly. What was this man doing alone in this library? He must have been the one who had left the door cracked in any case. She supposed she had to thank him for that at some point. "So, what are you doing up at this hour, and in this dump no less? Not that I don't respect the value of the books. The public library in the next town over isn't quite as much of a sty though." She stated nonchalantly, glancing around the dirty building. "I suppose if someone cared enough to give her a good dusting, things might be a little more chipper in here, don't you think?" She looked at him with large eyes, a small smile on her full lips.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio clasped the girl's hand. "Alyrio, of House Moreira of Corone." Zarah was making him suspicious, and he didn't know why. Her hair and eyes were of no shade that occurred in nature, and there was no discernible reason why she would have run into the library naked. Perhaps the wolf she was talking about really was a fairytale, or perhaps not. No reason to get involved in another mystery.

He relaxed a little, and took his hand off the hilt of his sword. Perhaps Zarah was just a magician whose magic had changed her appearance in some way. Nothing suspicious, but he'd have to keep an eye on her. Alyrio walked back over to the scrolls he had been examining.

"Did you ever hear of my father, Belsin Moreira? He sailed south of Istraloth, and claimed to have discovered a new continent named Marista. He drew a map of it and gave it to his first mate, and he sold it to this place. I don't know if it's still here, but it's worth a try." Alyrio cocked an eyebrow. The curtain covered most of Zarah's body, but she wasn't unattractive in any case, and it could have slipped away at any moment. Well, it's good to know I can always count on my libido. He cocked an eyebrow. "So, why are you naked? Did you just abandon your clothes in the street?"

[Yari Rafanas]

It seemed as though Yari was wrong about the library on both accounts. For one, ripe was hardly the word he would use to describe it now. Though he had never been a regular visitor to these archives, Yari certainly did not remember Scara Brae's collection of books being so downtrodden and neglected. He was foolish to assume he knew so much. All of Althanas was changing—its entire nature in constant flux. Who was he to be so confident in the library's condition? How was he going to find anything in that maze of paper and dust? Questions bounced about in his head, but they were quickly replaced by other concerns.

It appeared he was also wrong about the place being empty.

The King of Thieves remained outside the library for now, standing deftly on a very slim ledge just outside a second story window. His back was pressed against the building, his armored hands clinging tightly to the grooves in the wall. He was at the perfect vantage point to watch as two men ran into the alleys behind the establishment carrying pitchforks and muttering obscenities, leaving what Yari assumed were their accomplices behind. However, as Yari peeked his head into view and peered through the dirty window, he noticed that the two that remained were certainly not of the same low caliber as the men before, nor were they acquainted.

His sharp eyes watched from beneath his cloak as the curtain-garbed woman cast her charms against the man. Her subtle sways and pretty smile were weapons Yari was very familiar with, and he enjoyed watching her put them to use—for obvious reasons—but he was hardly unaware of what she was doing. But what of this man she targeted? Why did he seem so familiar?

The Sail and Anchor...

This noble had been there, in the crowd of unruly men, but had not said a word. Yari's mind flared up with paranoia as he began racing to conclusions on just why this man had reappeared this evening, and in the very spot where Yari hoped to find his answers. He could find good reason for his presence, and assumed the noble was on course to intercept what Yari sought. Be he an opportunistic swindler, spy, or agent for Max Dirks, this man would soon answer to the King of Thieves.

[MinzigFrish]

"Belsin Moreira? Sorry, doesn't ring a bell. I'm not native to the ocean though. I'm what most would call a drifter, born to the desert sun, and cast about to do as I please. My clothes on the other hand.... Well, actually, that's an interesting story that should be saved for another time." Zarah pushed her silken hair over her shoulder, waving off his question.

"So you're searching for a map? That must mean you're a traveler as well. Where are you hoping to head? I'm sure there must be several maps here that are resemblant of the one you're digging for, even if it weren't drawn by the same person..." She peered over his shoulder, at the piles of scrolls strewn about and the thousands more still stacked on the shelves.

It crossed her mind to leave the man be, for he seemed a bit busy, but he piqued her interest. That, and she couldn't help but oogle the pearl embedded in the handle of the weapon at his hip. It screamed big bucks. She decided to keep this man on her radar, just in case she found an opportune moment to snag a pretty penny from his pocket.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio had turned his back on Zarah, and was about to go digging through the shelves again, when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Outside the window, he could have sworn he saw a face peeking through the window... a face, moreover, shrouded entirely in a black cloak that looked very familiar. Yari Rafanas. So the so-called king of thieves seeks information from this place too. And all my hopes are paid off once again...

Thinking quickly, Alyrio picked up one of the iron stands that had once held scrolls, and whose contents were now littered on the floor. Ordering Zarah to stay where she was, Alyrio ran towards the window with some difficulty, the heavy stand threatening to fall from his hands at any moment. Drawing his arms back, Alyrio hurled the stand through the library's window, breaking the glass with a deafening crash. I may have let myself go to seed, but I've still got it in me. Luckily, the square the library stood in was all but abandoned by now, or else it would certainly have drawn attention to them.

"Yari Rafanas," he shouted, "If you are out there, you may consider yourself under arrest in the name of the Corone Empire."

[Yari Rafanas]

The muffled voices of the noble and his newfound admirer were beginning to grate on Yari's nerves. He could not make out a single word through the glass, try as he might. He unintentionally leaned further and further into the window until at last most of his form was exposed. Though dusk was ending, there was still plenty of light in the sky to reveal the thief as he perched on the window and spied on his target.

As quickly as Yari realized this on his own, he was discovered by the nobleman. He scooted hurriedly out of view and dug his heels into the ledge, arms re-gripping the wall as an explosion of glass flew by his form. The shards scattered into the alley below him, their decent catching the fading light beautifully before bouncing harmlessly against the stone floor. The crash was enough to warrant a few barks from some far-off dog (the wolf those men were chasing perhaps?) but hardly loud enough to cause a stir in the city—good for Yari, bad for the noble.

The taunts from within the archives were both enlightening and disheartening to the King of Thieves. If this man was just an Agent of the Empire, than Yari extremely doubted the usefulness of the situation. While only minutes ago he considered this encounter a breakthrough in his personal quest of Revenge and Revelation, now it was only a mild coincidence that he stumbled upon the same library as this opportunistic bounty hunter. Still, even if the library held nothing for Rafanas at this point, he could not let his ego back down from a challenge, and having the Empire hot on his tail (even across oceans) was not going to make things easier. At last, it was time to sort things out.

In the mere blink of an eye, Yari began his decent into the establishment. He fell gracefully from the second-story window, his tattered cloak spread wide like the wings of some gruesome bird of prey. He landed deftly, his arctic-leather boots slapping against the dusty floors with an intimidating thud. As he rose from his low crouch, he rolled his shoulders back and lifted his hood over his head, revealing a wild set of hair and a smirk nearly as legendary as his name.

“Many of considered my arrest before, but none have ever delivered,” Yari spoke arrogantly, taking a step forward and clearly showing his right arm resting on the pommel of one of his daggers at his hip. “Somehow I find myself doubting imperial sword is going to change that. Unless you have help?”

Yari's gaze trailed from the noble to the woman just behind him. A dark, underhanded, and seductive magic seemed to swirl behind his blue eyes, causing them to almost glow in the dimly-lit room. He stared right into her, still smirking. “What part will you have in this, miss?”

Level 4 ability: Wishful Wink

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio quickly undid the clasp fastening his cloak and threw it away - it would only be cumbersome if it came to a brawl - revealing the glint of pearls set in the hilt of two longswords. He grabbed the swords and whipped them out of their holsters, pointing them downwards. He hoped it wouldn't come to a stand-up fight; his swords might have had a longer reach than Yari's daggers, but Yari was, in all likelihood, a far better fighter than he was, and had massive magical power besides. Who knew what kind of abomination he could have turned Alyrio into?

Looks like I'm about to get a taste of that power right now. Yari's eyes looked to be an unnatural shade of blue, and looked as if they were gleaming with arcane power in the dim light. He was wearing what he probably thought was a winning smile, but looked more like a predator leering at its prey, and he was staring straight past him towards Zarah. "And what part will you have in this, miss?" His tone of voice was not the arrogant snarl he had heard earlier, but a smoother and more seductive tone.

So he's trying to play the charmer. And here I was thinking that was my job. "You leave her alone," he growled, pointing his slightly shorter off-hand sword towards him. "She'll want no part in this, not if I have anything to say about it. Now, I want answers, Rafanas. What are you doing in Scara Brae?"

[MinzigFrish]

The order to stay put almost drew an angry retort from Zarah, but as the noble chucked the iron stand through the window with an ear-splitting crash, it drew instead a surprised yelp and a flinch from her. Was this guy insane? She had only suggested finding a different map; he didn't have to fly off the handle for it.

"Yari Rafanas," he shouted, "If you are out there, you may consider yourself under arrest in the name of the Corone Empire."

"Ya...ri?" She hesitantly straightened. If this Yari character was under arrest, why was the noble trying to kill him? I can think of several other ways to draw someones attention.... but if you absolutely must hurtle heavy items through the window, then go for it. It must be a man thing. I never did understand the... Her thoughts trailed off as a cloaked figure leapt in through the now shattered window, with all the grace of a fiction novel's hero. It was definitely a sight to bear, and she almost assumed he had some form of magic to help him look the part. No one could make a landing that perfect... These two, I swear. Have they never heard of using the front door? It tends to put on a better impression...

As the man straightened and lowered his hood to reveal his attractive features, though, his simple smile suddenly put Zarah on full alert. Her perception of him shifted almost immediately from a fantasy hero to a terrifying and very real villain. There was something spine-chilling about his smirk, and if Zarah had been in lupine form, her hackles would be at their apex and her fur bristled on end. She even found herself holding back a threatening growl. She now understood why Alyrio had attempted to kill the man, but Zarah got the feeling it would take more than just a cast-iron table to do the trick. She subconciously tightened the sheet around her body, as though it may offer some protection against this being. As if.

He spoke to Alyrio, but Zarah tuned him out, her mind racing between potential escape routes and possible attack plans. As the mans gaze travelled to her, however, she paused everything to match his look with a glare.

“What part will you have in this, miss?” He held his smirk, but suddenly it didn't seem all too threatening. In fact, it seemed rather inviting. Hello handsome.... She almost took a step forward, and more than likely would have if not for Alyrio's form blocking her. At the moment he seemed like nothing more than an obstacle, but deep, deep down she felt that she would thank him for it later. For some reason she couldn't draw her gaze from Yari's, yet at the same time she couldn't find any reason why she would want to. His eyes were so welcoming, blue and cloudy and luscious and almost calling her to him.

She heard the noble speak, but he sounded oddly distant. "You leave her alone. She'll want no part in this, not if I have anything to say about it." He continued, but Zarah payed no more attention to his words. Who was he to say what she wanted and what she didn't?

"Perhaps I do have a part in this, it all depends on how you view it...." She murred and nibbled her full lower lip, watching Yari. She felt uneasy in the pit of her stomach, and she knew it was the work of her instincts. Yet every part of her longed to go to him. What would she do once she got to him? She didn't know, and frankly, she didn't care. She simply obeyed the drawing desire to move. She took a few steps toward him, stepping around Alyrio, unable to stop her gaze or, now, even her feet. Zarah's bad feeling suddenly got worse.

[Yari Rafanas]

As the noble rose his short sword, Yari lifted his own weapon to match the movement. The revealed dagger was a short and curved blade, jagged teeth near its base and hilt and handle twisted into a fin shape. Their was an unnatural coolness to the weapon, hinting that the mythril metal was enchanted in some way. Yari swayed it back and forth playfully.

The bandit's eyes followed Zarah's as she approached him, and he took a slow step forward to stand beside her. He knew his spell to steal her heart was working, and he gambled that it would keep her under for a few more moments while he dealt with her friend. His armored shoulder brushed against the curtain covering hers and he attempted to slide his free hand around her hip.

He turned his eyes from his fist victim and looked towards the noble, his magic still pulsating behind his blue gaze. “See? She has the right idea, let's not get too hasty about all this. Why don't you give me that sword you're wavin' about, tell me your name, and maybe then we can talk about why I'm here.”

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio hesitated. Zarah was clearly under Yari's control, and if he was controlling her like that, who's to say he wouldn't do the same for Alyrio? At any rate, giving in to Yari's demands and learning exactly why he was here might have been more conducive to Corone's safety than simply running a sword through his heart.

Alyrio dropped both his swords on the floor, but a stab of fear ran through him. Is this a trick? Is he going to attack me while my guard is down? I suppose I'll have to see.

"I am Alyrio Moreira, Lord of House Moreira of the Barony of Yarborough. I'm here to find the map my father drew of a new land he discovered, and to get funding for a ship. But, see, the asking price for a ship is a bit steep, and if I brought you in, I'd have enough money to buy half the navy. There, I've told you why I'm here. Now why don't you do the same?"

[Yari Rafanas]

The King of Thieves had to admit that he was a bit disappointed the noblemen had not relinquished his weapons directly, but seeing them clang against the library floor was sufficient. As a courtesy, Yari lowered his own weapon, but he did not bring it to rest in its sheath.

“Only half the navy? Could've sworn I was worth about two-thirds,” Yari grinned. To be honest, he had not checked on his bounty in quite some time. Dying once seemed to take off a good sum of the price on his head, but in some circles it made him all the more valuable a catch. Still, the noble would not be cashing that prize anytime soon.

“But listen, Alyrio...?” Yari struggled slightly with the name. Nobles and their titles were always difficult to roll off the tongue. “You sound like you've got a lot to take care of, but you're going about it all wrong. You're not going to get the money for a boat and you're better off hijacking one. Surely you have a personal guard for your family you can hire to be your muscle. And if that's not your style, you're just going to have to get on somebody's good side and hope they know how to steer a ship.”

The bandit glanced over to Zarah and made sure she saw his smile. The blues of his eyes shimmered momentarily, but he felt his magics slipping. Hopefully with the tension easing she would not try leaving his side. He turned back to the nobleman, sounding just a bit more serious in tone.

“You and I though, we're after something similar—Hell, I wonder if we're after the same thing. This new land, is it and island home of a living city, complete with golem guards and magic traps? A secluded utopia of sorts? Did you see a map to the the Sanctuary in this mess of an archive?”

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio shrugged. "My father called this land Marista. He said it was cold and mountainous, and populated by winged humans... but now you mention it, he did say something about magic traps, and it was definitely a secluded utopia. It might be the same thing. I don't know."

Alyrio paused here. In fact, he had seen a map labelled The Sanctuary somewhere in here. He turned back to the untidy piles of scrolls, and began feverishly riffling through all the scrolls he had searched through before. Eventually, he found it. And he couldn't believe what he saw.

The map showed a large continent with a coastline dotted with peninsulas and bays, and one large bay in the southeast. Arrows pointed north towards Istraloth, and northwest towards Haidia. Small rock islets littered the seas around it; most of them were unnamed, but two larger ones off the eastern coast bore the names Jeris Island and Essyath Island - presumably the names of the seamen who had first sighted them. Triangular shapes representing mountains were clustered in the west and south, and a few sparse forests were dotted here and there. There were a three circles in the flatter areas to represent towns, labelled Nolorunt, Whaud and Vesdra. None of this was surprising. What was surprising was the handwriting; Alyrio recognised it instantly from the journals and books left behind at his keep. It was the confident, fluid curves of Belsin Moreira's handwriting.

Alyrio, shocked, rolled the map up again and handed it over to Yari. "I recognise the writing. It's my father's. And I think you're right - we're looking for the same thing." But one thing didn't add up. This map was labelled "The Sanctuary", but Belsin, as far as he knew, had never called it anything but Marista. That was something he would have to leave.

"I hate to say it, Rafanas," Alyrio continued, "but I think we can probably get more from working together." He sighed. He couldn't believe he was going to do this. Yari might have been the King of Thieves, but he didn't seem as antagonistic as earlier, and they were both after the same goal. No more point in hiding anything.

"I did try to get a ship in Corone, but nobody would sell one to me. They said I'd just waste my money, like I have for years. I have a reputation as a clown, and it's not undeserved." Alyrio turned away for a brief moment, hiding his now beet-red features from Yari. One thought was beginning to eat at him. Hijacking a ship. Alyrio had considered it, but never thought he'd do it. There were City Guards posted everywhere, and his fighting skills weren't what they once were. On the other hand, Yari had probably hijacked a lot of ships in his time, and it was the only way he was ever going to get one.

Alyrio turned back towards Yari. "I'm wondering one thing... could you come down to the docks with me and help me hijack a ship?"

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah listened to the conversation, though none of it really sunk in. She shut her eyes tightly, and slowly felt her own will slipping back to her. Her own sanity, really. What was she doing beside this man? In a moment of sobered panic, she yelped and socked him in the arm, hopping to the side and only a step away from him. Immediately she blushed feverishly, as both men were staring at her. She gripped the sheet tighter around herself, offering Yari a quick apology, but regretting it soon after. Why was she the one apologizing? He was the one who had put her under his mind control!

She cleared her throat, cheeks still flushed red. Now she felt like a fool with no sly retort. "...Did someone mention hijacking of some sort? That's my specialty, you know..."

She wasn't sure why she had said it; perhaps to draw the subject off her reaction, or simply to seem like she was of some use other than falling for stupid little mind tricks. She straightened her composure, tossing a hearty glare in Yari's direction. All she knew at the moment was that she wouldn't let this bandit outdo her, not if her pride had anything to say about it. If he could steal something, she could do it better. Better, and with a touch of sexiness. That had to count for something.

[Yari Rafanas]

Yari put his weapon to rest at his hip and accepted the map from the noblemen. Zarah had slipped free from him at that point, aiming a (what Yari considered) playful punch at his shoulder before bashfully putting distance between the two. He chuckled to himself, unraveling the map and giving it a good look over.

As his eyes traced the lines detailing this foreign world, Yari tried his best to pick up the important parts of Alyrio's story. He was right about one thing, at least, the map was labeled as a Sanctuary, but it was not one in the same as Yari's goal. Destiny and coincidence, though rather common in Althanas, were not that convenient. This mysterious land that the noble longed for had nothing to do with Yari's plan for revenge, retrieval, and revelation. He nearly crumpled the map up in frustration, but instead rolled it tightly and threw it back towards the noble.

“Nope, this can't be it.” Yari muttered. “Your father wouldn't have been there. My Sanctuary was home of a Brotherhood that once belonged to me, but was rendered soft and weak at the hands of an old friend. But...”

The King of Thieves paced quietly for a moment, scratching his scruffy chin in contemplation. His grin soon returned, and he leaned casually against a nearby table to face the two.

“You won't be able to take a ship on your own. You'll need resources... cunning and strength. Attributes belonging to a certain King of Thieves in your presence. The problem is, I don't see a lot in it for me. Luckily for you, I work pretty cheap. What's a boat worth to you, noble? Your prized sword? Maybe a magical trinket you have hidden away?” Yari's grin narrowed into his greedy smirk as he turned his attention back to Zarah, “Something less tangible but a bit more fun?”

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio was surprised by Zarah's statement. There's definitely something strange about that girl. First she shows up in here chased by two men and wearing nothing but a curtain, then she breaks free of Yari's mind control, and now she says she knows about hijacking a ship? To her, he said, "I don't know where you know anything about taking a ship, but that knowledge will come in useful. Come down to the docks with me and we'll figure something out." The plan was falling into place. But then there was Yari...

Yari was asking a lot, and Alyrio had little. Besides, he probably wasn't trustworthy - he was as likely to turn around and stab Alyrio in the back as he was to help him, if not more so. But he could be useful to Alyrio, and he hadn't harmed him yet. After weighing his options, Alyrio turned back to Yari. "I will make you a deal. I have no magic items in my possession, but I will give you one of my swords if you help me take a ship - it should fetch a good price at the bazaar - and a share of any valuables that I obtain on my expedition." Alyrio took a quill pen and a vial of ink that were sitting on a table nearby, and began to scribble something on a blank piece of parchment. "In addition, I will write you this. It is a lordly order, decreeing that no man in the employ of my house will be permitted to harm you. When you return to Corone, have it delivered to my keep."

Alyrio picked up his swords, fastened his cloak again. Opening the door, he said, "If those are favourable terms to you, then let's get out of here and take a look at the ships." Inside, he felt elated. The dream which had seemed like a pipe dream so many times before was beginning to come true...

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah hesitated. Yari had simply ignored her, which ground her nerves far more than she had expected, but then he had the gall to ask for her as payment?! It wasn't as if she belonged to the noble! She worked her jaw but shook it off for now. Alyrio, on the other hand, had asked her to help. If he thought she did charity cases, he had another thing coming.

She took a step toward Alyrio. "Before heading to the docks.... I would very much like to make a pit stop first. I can't exactly go waltzing into public wearing this. People will think I'm tasteless." She commented, regaining her naturally calm demeanor. She wouldn't let Yari get to her, and she certainly wouldn't show it if he did.

She strode away from the bandit, hips swaying with each step, then spared a nonchalant glance back at him. "You coming?" She purred, then continued to the door. She walked right past Alyrio. "I need to go to one of the alleyways near the docks.... I'm not precisely sure which one it is offhand, but it won't be an issue to find it once we get closer. Trust me." She cast him a playful wink and continued to walk. Hell yes, she was back in her game, and boy did it feel good.

[Yari Rafanas]

Yari was still standing rather confidently against a table, smiling at the way the noble caved to his demands and considering the offers that were made. His grin grew even wider as his gaze fell on Zarah's curves walking towards the exit, her sway was most definitely intentional. Yari credited his own magic to her sporadic behavior, not quite understanding the way she shifted between disposition, but enjoying it nonetheless. Being a man of impulse and greed, the King of Thieves briefly considered just following the girl to wherever it was she was going, leaving the noble waiting, tail tucked between his legs and still very much without a ship. But, as Yari knew from practice, it was attractive lures such as these that often got one in trouble.

“It's a deal,” Rafanas said, standing upright, “But I'm only taking you as far as Jadet. The port may be controlled by Imperials there, but I doubt they'll give you a hard time about a stolen ship when you tell them you were held hostage by Yari Rafanas. Or slander and lie your way through it how you want. I don't care, your politics. But anyway...”

The thief was already on his way out the door, jogging slightly to catch up with the curtain-wearing Zarah, whom he had yet to be introduced to. “While our nameless lady friend finds some clothes, I'll go round up a couple things we'll be needing.” He turned back to order Alyrio around just a bit more, “You on the other hand get to go pick the ship out. Try to find something small. We'll all meet up shortly.”

Rafanas slipped through the entrance and out of view, only a few things on his mind. One being how the night was upon Scara Brae and Queen Valeena's men would be on alert at the harbor. The other was brief contemplation on what Zarah looked like under the curtain.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio moved back through the alleyways to the docks, and towards the section where ships that had been fully loaded with supplies waited to sail out. There was no shortage of choice; there were two oar-powered galleys from Fallien, a Scarabrian cog and two carracks, a bigger Coronese galleon, and even a metal-cased brig from Alerar. Alyrio stood on a street corner and began mentally crossing out names.

The Coronese galleon was no good. Belsin had taken five of those south on his last expedition, and he'd ended up at the bottom of the sea for it, unable to sail between the rocks. The galleys and the cog were not good choices either; they might have been easier to take than the larger ships around them, but they would never stand up to being battered in a storm, and in the case of the galleys, there was no chance of making a Fallien crew trust him and his group.

That left the two carracks and the Aleran brig. The carrack further to the right, the Pelican, was probably not ideal - Alyrio could see all kinds of scratches and scrapes on the bow. One more episode of being caught on a reef - a likely prospect in the rocky seas near Istraloth - and it would be done for. The Aleran brig was certainly an intriguing prospect The metal hull would be up to tough conditions, but also made it more difficult to take. Besides, only those crafty Dark Elves knew anything about sailing those new metal ships, and they were hardly likely to co-operate with a gang of humans taking over their ship.

Alyrio had now settled on the smaller of the two carracks - a slender lateen-rigged craft like those used for delivering supplies between Scara Brae and Corone, painted deep green. The name Swordfish was emblazoned on the port side of her bow. Yes, this ship will be ideal - small enough to get between the rocks, but tough enough to stand up to storms. His choice of vessel made, Alyrio now had nothing to do but wait for Yari and Zarah.

It was the dead of night, and City Guards stood on every street corner. If he, Zarah and Yari tried to hijack the Swordfish, it wouldn't take long before the City Guards fell upon them. They could put up a fight all they wanted, but the fact was that the City Guards were heavily armoured and well-trained, and they were none of these things. Alyrio was beginning to regret ever suggesting that they hijack a ship. Impetuous fool that I was. But then, why would Yari suggest we do it if he didn't think it was possible? Unless he wanted to get rid of me... I don't want to think about that. He's definitely a strange one. He's trying to avoid Imperial forces all he can, but now he's trying to help me. None of this makes sense. And as for Zarah, I don't know what she is, but something about her is just... wrong. Attractive, though...

[MinzigFrish]

As Zarah neared the docks, having taken a different route than Alyrio, she sniffed the salty breeze. Her dress had to be around here somewhere... She knew for a fact that she had left it stranded in an alley, but the issue was, which one? She hadn't payed it much heed, at the moment having been all too interested in snagging her scaly lunch. A couple more deep breaths (the heaviness of the salt and seaweed was throwing her off) and she managed to catch a whiff of her own clothing. She hastily followed the scent, making a silent prayer of thanks for having such a fantastic sense of smell. She knew though that it wasn't any miracle of nature, but simply her lupine genetics. Being part wolf wasn't all bad....

"There you are, you sneaky little things..." Zarah muttered as she found her off-white dress lying in a crumpled heap. It was in an alleyway, sure enough, tucked out of sight behind a garbage can. You could never be too careful. She dropped the tattered curtain in the mouth of the lane as she strode to her own beloved clothes. The first thing she did was pull the dress over her head, noting as she did every time she adorned it how comfortable and perfectly it fit her. Perhaps that was why she didn't buy new clothing. Well, steal would be the more appropriate word, considering she was always dirt poor. Ah, such is the life of a thief.

She checked her belt; the tarot deck was safely in its pouch. And her pan flute, perhaps her most valued possession, was indeed sitting at the bottom of the pile, right where she'd left it. Now that everything is in order, I suppose I should go meet the boys.... She pondered to herself, buckling the belt around her waist and tying her blood red shawl around her shoulders and leather corset about her thin waist. As a final touch, she adjusted the layered skirts and tossed her long moss-colored hair over her shoulder. Ah, now that was more like it.

She turned on her heel and headed for the mouth of the alley, making sure to step over the abandoned curtain. She could see the docks from here, but no sign of either male. Then again, it was frightfully dark outside. She doubted she could have seen a human figure from this distance. As she neared, she saw armed guards posted in the area, yet no sign of Alyrio. He's probably off hiding too, but I doubt Yari has even reached us yet. I could take the guards, at least distract them, so the boys can slip onto whatever ship suits their fancy; I couldn't care less, they all look the same to me. But that noble had best be feeling generous. He's got the both of us to pay. Zarah gave a quiet scoff. Who ever would've though? A fancy nobleman asking help from a couple of thieves... Okay, he only asked for Yari's help I suppose, I simply decided to tag along. But I'm sure they know as well as I do that I will definitely come in handy...

[Yari Rafanas]

While the adventurers and sailors that inhabited Scara Brae began their nightly routines, tucking their belongings away into whatever rented bed they could afford, the nightlife of the island began anew. The Scara Scourge was mostly hidden, as always, up to no good in their own secluded warehouses or sewer hideouts, whatever they may be, while the Queen's men were positioned in a strong, tactical manner, ever-alert to danger.

One guardsman in particular was already deep into thought, eying Alyrio from a safe distance, perched low on a rooftop nearby. The rising moon was enough to cast a bit of light across the city, so only the sharpest of eyes would have made out that the man was currently nocking an arrow into his oak bow, his sights trained on the suspicious nobleman. The air was tense, and the archer tenser. He could let loose his weapon at any moment should the need arise, but he remained patient.

A few moments passed, and the archer relaxed, watching as another man approached Alyrio. He was a tall, fit man, with tattoos curved about his skull in place of hair. His garb was light, but dark in color, and he carried a duffel bag over one shoulder. He walked with a bounce in his step towards the nobleman, smiling as if not to alert him too much.

“Oy! Friend!” the man spoke up, raising a hand in a waving gesture, “No need to be so shady lookin'!”

The archer rested his arms and withdrew the arrow to its home. Though initially the noble's behavior was suspicious, the new man seemed hardly concerned with privacy, and so the archer assumed they were meeting up after a friendly drink at the bar.

Of course, he was wrong.

There was a barely audible yelp from the archer as suddenly his mouth was covered by a leather gauntlet. His eyes grew wide as his form was pulled violently backwards and held against a strong individual, a curved and vicious blade hovering less than an inch from his eye. He could not see his captor, but his playful (yet deep and dripping with malcontent) words were enough to paint the appropriate picture.

“Tell your Captain and Queen,” spoke his attacker, “That it was the Bandit Brotherhood—not those weasels in the Scourge—that have raided her harbor and left her men broken.”

The archer's eyes rolled into his skull as his very life source began to drain away. The armored glove at his mouth clenched his jaw tightly, fingers digging into his cheeks and acting as bridges from one soul to the next. Life and memory slipped from the archer, transferring to and invigorating his attacker—The King of Thieves.

Yari chuckled as he let the man slip into unconsciousness at his feet, arms dangling only slightly off the edge of the roof. The bandit knew the man would be alright. He had never killed a man by tasting his soul, but he always welcomed the recent memories and thoughts that he borrowed. The archer's mind was as useful as Yari expected, as the last thing the archer had spent a great deal pondering about were the whereabouts of other snipers and guardsmen posted nearby.

This will be easy. Just hope that the noble doesn't freak out.

While Yari busied himself above, hopping from one roof to the next, the bald man down below did his best to not look menacing. It was difficult, to be sure, as he most certainly had the build of a sailor who had seen his fair share of combat, but his voice was jolly enough.

“Alyrio, right?” spoke the man to the noble. “Yari said 'just look for the oblivious rich guy' and well... here you are. I'm Ward. Which ship are we boarding? And where is the girl?”

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio looked with suspicion at Ward. A friend of Yari's, no doubt - some Bandit Brotherhood contact in Scara Brae. Of course, we could use all the help we can get. Though I'll bet he's helping Yari, and not us.

"Yes, that's me, but I'd have you thrown in the dungeons of Moreira Keep for saying that back home. And it's "m'lord" to you, criminal scum," Alyrio growled, before cracking a smile. "Yes, I'm Alyrio. Are you one of Yari's men?"

Alyrio turned around to see Zarah walking along the dockside. Thankfully, she was wearing clothes instead of a dusty old curtain. And it's quite an improvement, too. "Ah, Zarah, you're here. Zarah, this is Ward; he'll be helping us take the ship. We'll be boarding the Swordfish, that carrack over there."

After asking Ward if he could talk privately with Zarah for a moment, Alyrio moved her into a back alley. From one of the roofs above, a limp body fell and a shadowy figure ran across the roof. Rafanas might be an untrustworthy thief, but there's no denying he's good at his job. "Before you ask, I'm willing to pay you for this. Once I return, I'll send a cache of whatever treasure I can muster from my expedition to Jadet, one for you and one for Yari. But I'll ask a favour from you too. Who are you, to know so much about hijacking? And, come to that, what are you?"

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah scoffed but smiled nonetheless. "My name is Zarah Altis. I'm a gypsy, so of course I can thieve my way out of -or into- a tight situation. And I'm not sure how to answer your latter question. I figured it would have been painfully obvious. I'm a female, silly." She smiled in feigned innocence, then simply changed the subject. "But I'm glad to know that we're thinking on the same level, payment wise. I'll accept whatever you can offer in advance, as a sort of promise that I won't be jipped, eh?" She cocked her head to the side cutely and snatched his hand in hers, giving it a hasty shake to signify the deal before dropping it.

Zarah spared a glance about the dark alley. "What exactly did Yari need to do? Oh, and while we're on the subject, what should I be doing? I could distract the guards, flaunt it a little and get em drooling, hm?" She offered a somewhat excited smile. It had been years, at least, since she had attempted such a difficult feat as this, and just the thought of looming danger made her inner wolf howl in anticipation. "I could sneak on the boat and untie the... whatever it's hooked to. My apologies, I basically haven't got a shard of knowledge about ships or any of the like." She paused to think, tapping her narrow chin with an index finger. No other options came to mind immediately, but she still favored her first suggestion. It would be the simplest method, and she would be able to play the part well. Practice makes perfect after all.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

"Yari's on the rooftops, taking out the guards that are posted there. The best plan, I think, would be for Ward and I to get onto the ship and kill whatever sailors they have on duty; most likely a skeleton crew, as the sailors will have returned to their homes for the night. Meanwhile, you untie the rope, but we'll have to wait until Yari gets back until we can set off. From there, we'll go to Jadet in Corone, and then... who knows?"

Alyrio looked down, and shuffled his feet awkwardly. "Zarah, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but... when I asked you who and what you were, I don't think you gave the right answer. I've had my suspicions, ever since you showed up naked and chased by men with pitchforks. You don't have human eye colour, or hair colour, and don't think I can't see that deck of tarot cards. It looks like you've been trying to seduce both me and Yari ever since you showed up. If you're some kind of mage, or faerie, I have no problem with that. You can tell me."

Alyrio pulled out his swords and, with some difficulty, wrenched the pearl out of the handle of one . "As to payment, I offered Yari one of my swords, but I wouldn't be comfortable giving them both up. It'd be like giving up on a link to my goal. So here's the gem from one of the hilts, and that would probably be valuable enough on its own. And there's something else, too. How would you like to sail to Marista with me? I know you said you knew nothing about ships, but I'm sure you can learn as you go. I counted on finding experienced sailors in Jadet, anyway."

[Yari Rafanas]

The King of Thieves was a block away now, straining his sharp blue eyes as he peered down the harbor, noticing that his old contact Ward was still out in the open with Alyrio and his ladyfriend. They would be discussing the immediate plan by now, and Yari expected they would be on the move shortly. He had downed at least three archers posted above, but the memories from the first guard were fading, and he felt the position of the remaining snipers slowly slip from his mind. He paused, still watching his allies, and contemplated resuming his search. Suddenly, his decision to resume was made for him.

There was a brief whistle, followed by a quiet *thwip* as an arrow sunk into Yari's back near his shoulder. He barely winced, but fell forward and instinctively ducked low. The bandit did not feel any pain, just the pressure of the arrowhead cutting into his armor. It must have been an iron head, as his cloak (along with the high-quality arctic hide and prevalida studs) prevented any real injury. However, Yari knew he would not get a second chance. Once he started moving again, the archer's aim would be true.

The archer, a young boy, probably fresh out of training and still yearning to live up to the Red Halo's name, smiled at what he thought to be victory. His grin soon faded as he watched his target turn around, unhindered by the arrow sticking from his back, and then simply vanish. Perplexed, he would nock another arrow and scanned the opposite rooftop, panic setting in.

Yari, through sheer will and mastery of his magic, had propelled his body in an instant, reappearing just a foot away from the young solider, a sneer where his usual sarcastic smirk would be. The archer froze in fear, eyes wide as he watched Yari withdraw a dark knife—the symbol of the Bandit Brotherhood, and sink it into his gut. The bandit growled and twisted the iron inside the boy, grabbing his victim's shirt with a free hand and pulling him closer into the knife. Tears fell from the sniper's eyes, chasing blood he was beginning to cough up, his lips quivering in a poor attempt to mouth the words asking “why?”

The thief saw this, and briefly considered explaining to the youth the consequences of shooting a man in the back and not succeeding in killing him. His failure would cost him his life, while the rest of his brothers lay unconscious on the buildings nearby. This angered the King of Thieves, as he would hate to end this man at such a young age, but he was not about to forgive an attempt on his life. He had reached a boiling point, no longer content with the stealth and fair play now that these soldiers had crossed the line, and decided to announce his intent it to the entire harbor guard.

There was a pathetic whimper and cry as the snipers body was tossed from above, smacking violently against a lightpost before coming to a violent rest in the middle of the street. Immediately two armored foot soldiers emerged from the shadows to check the body for signs of life, scanning the rooftops above.

Down the street, Ward heard the clank of the body smacking against the light and nervously scratched his bald head. He turned to Zarah and Alyrio, “Um, well Yari said we should avoid killin' anybody, but it... uh, looks like the boss is bendin' the rules a bit. Let's toss the shit about gold 'n payment when we are actually sailing yes?”

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Alyrio spun around and saw the two soldiers examining the body. Yari, what in the hell were you thinking, killing a man you were supposed to knock out? That's something I'd have done! To Ward, he said, "Good plan, let's get moving," at the softest volume he could.

Unfortunately, the City Guards had been trained to look and listen as carefully as humanly possible for any signs of disturbance, and this was one incidence when Alyrio dearly wished that they'd overlooked. One guard remained scanning the rooftops, while the other strode over to where Alyrio's group were talking. Like all the City Guards, he was a perfectly toned specimen in the prime of his life, dressed in gleaming chainmail and toting a vicious six-foot pike. He was wearing an expression which said, Street criminals making a disturbance. Just what this night needs to liven it up.

"And what's going on here, eh? I've seen you lot standing around all night, starin' at the ships. And just who are you? More Scourge?" The guard spoke with a sneer which made Alyrio take an instant dislike to him, but he wasn't afraid to stand up to him, being about the same size, and armed himself.

"Scourge? We'd never associate ourselves with such scum as that! We've done nothing wrong, so why don't you - " But his arrival was interrupted by the arrival of a second guard, of almost precisely the same dimensions, carrying the same pike and wearing the same armour. One would think they make these City Guards at a blacksmith.

"Sergeant Raytet! I just saw the man who killed young Adas, sneaking off over the rooftops. Any coincidence that this lot have been hanging around here all night?"

Raytet barely acknowledged the other guard, as his smirk grew ever wider (if such a thing was possible). "Keeping watch for the murderer, hm? Well, in that case - " Raytet swung his pike diagonally up, pointing it straight at Alyrio's throat. "You're under arrest in the name of her Majesty Queen Valeena, for aiding and abetting the murder of a City Guard. Do you have anything to say about that?"

Alyrio put on a downcast expression in a mock display of resignedness. "No, sir. I'll come... QUIETLY!" With this, Alyrio whipped out his two swords, making them into a cross formation and crossing them on either side of the pike and tried to shove it aside. Raytet snarled and tried to push himself, obviously attempting to shove the point of his pike through Alyrio's neck.

"Ward, Zarah, get to the Swordfish and untie the rope! Hurry!" he cried. The second guard, who up until that point was also closing in on Alyrio, turned around to go after them. Soon enough, the point of the pike had been shoved away, and clattered on the cobbles, though Raytet managed to hold onto it, and brought it in for a second push. I just hope Yari can get back to help us in time...

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah hesitated for only a moment, her wide eyes fixed on the guards weapon. She was torn between helping Alyrio out of this situation and heeding his orders, but gave to the latter. She would be more help on board the ship. Physical offense was definitely not her ace card. She gave a small nod, ignoring the fact that he had his eyes fixed on the blood-thirsty guard and not her. She glanced between the second guard and Ward, who looked ready to pounce the man. That left Zarah with her hands free to book it to the ship, if not for the several forms blocking her path. Of course she had been standing behind Alyrio, so she was on the exact opposite side of the spectrum that she needed to be. If she even hoped for the slightest chance of weaseling her way past them... It had to be done. She peered along the docks, checking for the best path to take to the ship. She couldn't help but notice, one by one, the other occupants of the area poking their tired heads out of windows or from ships at the sound of all the clamor. Lovely, just flashing my fangs to everyone. It's not bad enough that the guards'll see me, but all these gawkers too who can't look away from a good struggle.

Zarah released an agitated sigh, swaying slightly with the shift of breeze that altered her form. A beautiful gypsy to a stunning wolf in the blink of an eye. Alyrio may have felt the breeze but she knew he hadn't seen her from her position, which was probably for the best. He couldn't afford the distraction. The guards, on the other hand, caught full view of the transformation. The one fighting Alyrio nearly dropped his jaw to his chest, and Zarah snickered inside. There's no time to laugh, idiot. You can mock them all you like after we are all out of harm's way....

The large silver lupine bared her perfect canines menacingly, then as an afterthought snatched her dress and belt in her jaws before bolting straight for the closest guard. She ducked and wriggled through his legs, catching him off balance. She didn't stick around to see if he fell over or not, but she hoped Alyrio would find her distraction useful enough. The same for Ward too, though she hadn't payed him much attention. Zarah leapt with ease across the wooden dock to the anchored ship. She glanced about, pausing. Er... What now? Several men were already aboard, obviously the unlucky crew. She offered them a warning snarl, and indeed the startled men backed away.

She sniffed the air and spat her clothing onto the planks before glancing to the rope that bound the ship to port. Get rid of the knot, and we move, right? It made enough sense. She crouched low, so as to avoid any projectiles that may have decided to come her way, and began gnawing at the rope. It wore down quickly thanks to her razor-sharp teeth, but she had to stop as one of the braver crew men stepped toward her. He was a larger man, all tattoos and piercings. But he was also, and more intimidatingly, armed with a blunt club, one with a fair enough reach. Her tail flicked back and forth and her ears pressed flat back. She bared her teeth to show her dominance, as well as black gums and pearl teeth. The man didn't falter though. She growled lowly, menacingly. Not good.... If he managed to wap her with that thing, she would be down for the count, and he knew it. Zarah barked aggressively, hoping to alert Alyrio or even Yari, wherever he may have been, to hurry their arses on board and help her. These were always the times she wished she knew how to fight. Sure, lunging and slashing blindly would work, but they only got you so far until tactic was a necessary factor.

Zarah readied herself to pounce, wiggling her hips in anticipation. She didn't want to, sure the burly sailor would take a swing at her mid-leap. That would only end badly. I never expected my tombstone to say 'clubbed to death'.... She thought wistfully.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Raytet's second pike swing missed, throwing him off balance. He crashed into the wall of the alley with a tremendous clanging of armour, but managed to keep his feet. The pike swung wildly into the air, and Raytet pulled his arm back for a thrust. Alyrio, when learning to fight in the castle gardens, had been taught to swing for the vulnerable leather joins in the armor, breaking through them and getting a clear stab at their flesh. Unfortunately, this wouldn't happen.

Alyrio leapt forward to take a slash at the exposed join in Raytet's left elbow, giving the guard a window of opportunity he never would have had otherwise. He brought the pike down, carving a long slash across Alyrio's back.

Alyrio dropped his swords and cried out in pain, dropping to the ground. Raytet, his face glistening with sweat and a sadistic smile splitting his face from ear to ear, was preparing to bring his pike straight through his heart. So this is how it ends. Stabbed in the back by a Scara Brae lawkeeper while trying to hijack a ship. Alyrio closed his eyes and prepared for death, when suddenly a breeze whipped across his face.

Cautiously opening his eyes, Alyrio saw Raytet sprawled across the cold stone floor of the alleyway. His jaw was practically hanging to the floor, and his eyes were like dinner plates. He slowly set his pike down, then stood up and gestured for Alyrio to do the same; he did so, the cut across his back searing like fire. "H-h-h-how did your ladyfriend do that?!" he stuttered.

"Do what?"

"Turn into a wolf, idiot!" he snarled. "I don't know what she is, but if you've got a shapeshifter on your side... I want no part of this!"

And with that, Raytet turned his back on Alyrio and ran away down the alleyway. Off to report to the Captain, no doubt. We won't be welcome in Scara Brae again. But...Zarah being a wolf? So she was a shapeshifter. Big surprise.

Alyrio picked up his other sword, sheathed them and started to limp off down the dockside, the pain in his wound becoming even worse. He'd have that wound for a long time, he was sure of it. The other guard had by now gone off down another alley; looking for Yari on the rooftops, most likely. May your sword arm have strength in this time, Yari.

Zarah had by now cut the rope on the Swordfish, and it was bobbing at anchor, trying to drift away from the docks. Ward was facing off with two sailors who were brandishing a knife and a belaying pin, and the huge silvery wolf that had once been Zarah was snarling at a club-wielding sailor, hackles raised and hair standing up on the back of her neck. With horror, Alyrio looked on as the ship moved away from the gangplank, and the plank fell into the harbour. He'd have to jump it.

Alyrio took a running start, the wound in his back feeling like somebody had salted it, and hurled himself towards the ship. The club-wielding sailor yelled in surprise, and turned away from Zarah just as Alyrio barely managed to grab the side of the ship. Alyrio tried to hoist himself over the side, but just as he got his right hand over, the sailor, a look of murder in his eyes, brought his heavy boot down and crushed the fingers on Alyrio's left hand.

Screaming in pain, Alyrio slipped backwards, the fingers of his remaining hand scrabbling at the slippery deck and just managing to grab onto the side. The sailor ran back and brought his boot down again, but this time Alyrio pushed his feet against the side of the ship and swung himself to the right, and the sailor's foot missed. Unbalanced, the sailor windmilled his arms for a second before he fell into the sea. Alyrio could now concentrate on using his feet to feel around for scrapes on the side of the ship, eventually hauling himself onto the deck and standing up. Between his wound and his hand, he'd be in bad condition for a while. Drawing his sword slowly, he turned to face another sailor. "Somebody raise the anchor so we can get out of here!" he cried.

[Yari Rafanas]

The second pikeman fell face first into alley trash, eating a mouthful of yesterday's fish innards. He had raced head on with the King of Thieves, only to be slapped unconscious by the warrior thief's plunder palm. Yari barely broke his stride as he kicked the pikeman's own weapon up into his hands, then used it as a crutch as he leaned over the body, yanked free a decent size pouch of gold, and then began walking his allies. He twirled the appropriated polearm once before resting it on his shoulder. A solid oak, fine steel head. Nice.

With the destruction of a few of Valeena's finest under his belt, Yari was feeling rather joyous—his rage had subdued. His walk was unnaturally casual, his grin piercing through the dim night's sky. He continued at this pace, amused at how Alyrio was scrambling after the now-moving ship; even held back a chuckle at the awkward scuffle with the club-wielder. After this, the thief felt it appropriate to make his entrance.

He sprang forward, a total blur, as a powerful spell erupted in his muscles and body. He moved at lightning's pace, his momentum turning his leap from dock to ship into a dramatic longjump that sent him barreling right into the center of the ship, just as Alyrio's orders finished.

“You heard his highness,” Yari bellowed, standing tall and facing the confused crew. “I'm your captain now and we'll be on our way!”

“Now hold on a minute! Our old captain's still back at Scar--!” the disgruntled sailor was stopped abruptly, the shimmering tip of Yari's new spear now held an inch from his nose.

“Quiet. Your ship and your loyalties are now mine. Your lives are all the better for it. Make way to Jadet!” Yari's orders were intense and deliberate. The leader in him showing through in a commanding tone.

Ward was already climbing up over the side, prepared to lift the sails and assist. The other nearby sailors gave an obedient shrug, and went about pulling the anchor.

“Now where's my captain's quarters!?” Yari smirked.

[MinzigFrish]

Everything passed in a blur, but as Yari went about throwing commands this way and that, Zarah finally let her muscles unwind. She sighed, at least, it was as close to a sigh as a wolf could get. Well, at least we're all still alive and safe for the most part. Neither of them seems all too shocked about me, either. I suppose that's a good thing. She glanced about, taking in all the startled crew men and the stomach wrenching unstable-ness of the ship. She had never been on a boat before, and simply standing on board made her feel as though she was going to fall over any moment now. It was an odd sensation, something you definitely had to get used to.

Zarah very much wanted to shift back to her human form, but she was definitely not going to flash her nude form to every single beau here. Why were they all men anyway? It was slightly unnerving to be surrounded by so much testosterone. She wouldn't doubt being in the same room as them all would cause her to suffocate on it. Testosterone, not.... anyways.

Well.... What now? She looked to the sky. The stars all shined as though to light their way, a sign Zarah took as a good omen. It would be helpful to have the heavens on their side. Even though they had stolen a ship out from under the nose of the queen. And potentially drowned a man.... Okay, so perhaps it was simply just a bright night.

She glance at Yari, who seemed jolly as could be (she didn't blame him; she still felt all sorts of giddy from the adrenaline rush of the past few minutes as well), but examining Alyrio was a bit more of a sobering task. Zarah cocked her head with a small whine and nudged Alyrio's hand with her soft muzzle. He seemed a bit too pale for comfort, and the fact that blood was dripping down his back and pooling at his feet was probably not a good sign. She could smell the overbearing metallic odor even over the severely salty air. Perhaps you should rest? She looked up at him with her violet doe eyes. She knew he couldn't hear her, but it comforted her at least somewhat anyway.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

Captain's quarters?! Arrogant bastard. Ah well, let him have his fun. He'll be gone soon, anyway. Alyrio said to the sailors gathering on deck, "I'll tell you where we're going after Jadet... but first, I'll need bandaging." His head was beginning to swim, and he was just one step from collapsing on the deck.

None of the sailors moved to help him. One of them was even fingering the knife at his belt. If that one tries to finish me off, I'll use whatever strength I have left to take him down with me. There was only one who eventually stepped forward, shoulders sloping and a surly look in his eyes, to get a medicine chest from the hold. When he came back, he asked Alyrio to remove his shirt, and then held it up with two fingers as if it was something disgusting. Or it could have been because the back of the shirt was soaked in blood. Alyrio could have sworn he saw the one with the knife smirk.

"What've you done to yourself??" the sailor said incredulously. "Running around with a wound like that? This'll probably never go away. The least we can do is patch you up." He began to wrap bandages around Alyrio's back, winding them through his armpit and around his hip, and then moving onto the hand that had been stepped on.

"Now get below decks and get some rest," he ordered, but Alyrio refused. There was still one person he wanted to talk to - Zarah, the silver wolf. "Zarah, I know that's you. I know you're a shapeshifter. And you know what? I'm fine. And it's convinced me - you'd be very useful on this ship, because if you're a wolf and a gypsy, you'd be experienced in wilderness survival, right? Now I'm convinced I want you here more than anybody else we could find. You'll need to work on the ship, of course - but the pay's good, I promise you!"

[Yari Rafanas]

“Are you trying to recruit a wolf?” Yari interrupted, kneeling down next to Alyrio and his new pet. The bandit king held up a hand dismissively, not really wanting anything more than to grief his ally. “Nevermind, I don't want to know. We shouldn't have any issues outrunning pursuers, and like I said before... the rebellion is the priority in Corone. Jadet should be a good place to get some able-bodied men and women.”

Yari paused, lifting his head and reviewing the crew. He saw Ward barking a few orders to the few men who still seemed to be in disarray. Good workers, they seemed to be, but the sudden change in management still had them a bit confused. Alyrio was either really smart or really lucky to have picked a ship with such a neutral crew. He could have boarded a ship with tight-nit war veterans and Yari would have been forced to kill a dozen men versus just the one sniper from before, and that would not have made things the slight bit easier. Still, despite the hustling and bustling, there seemed to be an important individual missing.

“Hmph, looks like we lost the girl.” Yari rose again, this time stomping his stolen polearm against the damp deck and shouting his final order for the night. “Alright, listen well men. This man here is royalty, and I have taken it on myself to get him as far as Jadet. There, we'll have more things to handle, but if he dies on the way there, not only will you be answering to his kingdom, but to the King of Thieves.”

Those who did not recognize Yari yet were faced with a sudden realization that Rafanas, the savior (or scourge) of Concordia was before them. A couple of the men glanced to Ward, who had pulled up a sleeve to reveal a Bandit Brotherhood tattoo on his right bicep. Yari chuckled, pointing to his old Scara Brae contact and bringing attention to his clan's mark.

“Now then, now that that's clear, I'm getting some rest. The day's been long and full of disappointment. I want to see Concordia when I wake up.”

With that, the thief entered the nearby cabin. It led to what appeared to be a dining area of sort, very small, but enough to conduct business from, and then proceeded to the back room. Just through the last door was a cozy niche in the ship, nothing regal by any means, but probably a lot better than what they had below. He stretched, grinned, and crashed into the nearby bed. He intentionally left the door to the room cracked just an inch, his ears still trained on the commotion outside.

[Pregnant_Pickle]

The sailors were surprisingly equable towards hijackers, it seemed - even when one of them was the King of Thieves. The knife-wielder was the sole sailor who looked especially resentful, and even he didn't show any signs of outward rebellion. I'll have to keep my eye on him. The night passed in a blur, Alyrio's tiredness and faintness threatening to take over the background wash of shouting, waves and creaking timbers. Eventually, Alyrio stumbled below decks, to a hold filled with hammocks (none of which were occupied), and flopped into one still fully clothed, expecting never to wake.

It was mid-morning when Alyrio finally woke up, hot bright sunlight filtering through the hatches in the deck and burning straight through his left eyelid. The sailors were all asleep in the hammocks, and the ship didn't seem to be moving. Blearily, Alyrio moved out of his hammock, every muscle stiff and aching, and shuffled onto the deck.

The Swordfish had already made it to Jadet during the night, even faster than he expected it to. They was sitting at berth in Jadet's wide blue bowl of a harbour, the city spreading out before them. Alyrio, despite his tiredness and his pains, felt a sense of euphoria. Even if just for a short time, I'm home.

Alyrio bellowed, "All hands on deck!" Slowly, the sailors emerged from the hold, blinking in the sun and rubbing their eyes.

"Right," Alyrio addressed them, sweeping a hand toward the city, "As you've doubtless noticed, we've got to Jadet. Good job - top-class sailors, all of you. I'm looking to sail out as soon as we've hired crew - what are your positions?"

One of the shorter ones said, "Out of the seven of us? There's the navigator, the ship's cook, the surgeon and four deckhands."

"Splendid. And you're the navigator?" When the one who'd spoken confirmed this, Alyrio took the map out of his pocket and pressed it into his hand. "This is what we've come to find. This place is called Marista, south of Istraloth. My father drew this map, and I intend to find Marista."

One of the other sailors snorted. "Aye? And what do we get for findin' this fairytale of yours?"

"Pay, when we get back, and a share of any valuables we might find. Sound good to you? Anybody not on board with this, you can go right now. I won't stop you."

Much to his relief, none of the sailors made a move. At least I won't have to call for as many people here now. "Thank you. You're all dismissed for now - do what you will in town, but report back to the ship at night."

Unsurprisingly, all the sailors trooped out to take in Jadet's delights. Well, they're taken care of. Now all I have to do is give Yari his blood money, and make sure Zarah's on board. Alyrio went into the captain's cabin which Yari was currently occupying. Why on earth had he left the door open like that? "Hey, Yari. We're here, you can get off now. But before you do..." Alyrio unsheathed one of his swords and handed it over to him. "This'll fetch a good price for you. Take care. And... I know I might have originally thought of you as nothing but a sneak thief, but I can't thank you enough for helping me realise this."

[MinzigFrish]

Zarah, fully clothed and fully human, bounded into the room. "Good morning you two. How'd everyone fare for the night? Myself, I think I handled sleeping on the ship a little better than I had expected." She seemed in a more chipper mood than usual. She blinked at the sight of Alyrio handing Yari one of his precious swords, and absently dug her hand into her tarot pouch to assure the pearl he had given her was still there.

She looked between the pair. "Well... We made land, so I was going to go on up and grab a few things, supplies and the whatnots. Of course, they will only be things relevant to me, so you may want to pick up anything you need as well.... So, Bandit, I hear this is where we part ways?" Zarah peered at him, her brow furrowed, before nodding her head in respect. "You're a powerful man, and though you tried to seem like an ass, you found a soft spot for the little noble." She smiled and poked Alyrio in the head. "Cute..."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and tossed a casual wave toward the two. "May we meet again, Yari. Next time, I hope it'll be in a position where I can show you my true skills." She spared him a flirty wink before strolling from the room. Once she was out of sight, she shouted, "Be back in an hour... give or take."

Now, to go sell her little trinket and make a profit for the trip. The air here was crisper and less heavy than it was at the last port, giving the place a brighter feeling to it. Though she was still on board, she saw people hustling about to take care of their unnamed errands. Sailors and peasants, men dressed in slacks and women in beautiful dresses were just a few of the large variety of people she could see. Great, she would fit in just right here. This may just be fun....

[Yari Rafanas]

Yari had slept fully-armored, his stolen gold clutched in one hand and his eyes set on the door for most of the night. He had only drifted to sleep for what seemed like an hour or two, unable to find rest in with the unease of the ocean and the foreign nature of the Swordfish. It was not his dislike for boats (especially stolen ones) or fear of the crew, but more to due with the fact that his previous day was filled with regret. He hadn't been in Scara Brae for more than a day and found only disappointment, chained by his impulsive lust and desire for action. He probably could have spent at least a week questioning Scara Brae locals, maybe even tracked down some documents that would lead him to Dirks or Sorrain, but he let the half-naked girl in the curtain and some needy noble drive him into action, and for what? A sword?

The bandit gave a practice swing with Alyrio's weapon. It was a decent blade—neatly designed, light enough, and great for an honorable duel, but Yari was already reconsidering his payment. It was not until Zarah playfully teased Yari about his soft spot that he finally made up his mind.

“Keep it,” the bandit muttered, tossing the weapon back to Alyrio. He then motioned to the stolen pike at his side. “Not my style.”

The bandit turned briefly to Zarah and returned her wink, smiling. “Best be careful. Next time, it may be more than your heart I steal.”

The King of Thieves collected the stolen weapon and his other loose ends, exchanging a nod with the new captain of the ship, before heading to the deck. Ward was waiting for him, not being a man of any particular need, and the two shook hands.

“Been a while, boy,” Ward patted his younger leader on the shoulder, grinning. “We already plannin' on setting back up in the woods?”

Yari smiled to his old friend, “Actually, Ward, I'd like you to stick with this boat. I had my doubts in Scara Brae that this Sanctuary was the real Sanctuary, but it would be great if you could find out for sure. I don't know what the noble hopes to find, but anybody willing to risk their status and life at my suggestion may just be worth lookin' after.”

Ward nodded, “I understand. Your fathers would have felt the same.”

The King of Thieves was not looking to get sentimental, so he only shook his head slightly at the mention of his mentors and the former leaders of the Bandit Brotherhood. “One more thing.”

“Yes boss?”

“If you find Gild. Rip off his arms. Bring him to me.”

With that, the two bandits parted ways. Yari was sure to pull his cloak over his wild hair and disappeared quickly into the crowd. His forest home awaited.

[Breaker]

Music: Hasish - HAIR - Original Broadway Recording
Mood: Calm

This is the kind of thread that makes me glad to be a judge... the coming together of various characters for the benefit of all. Over the course of this story I got to see your writing styles play off each other, and by the end I felt you had all improved from the beginning. On to the numbers and such... if you have any questions/desire for further commentary feel free to contact me via AIM or PM.

Story ~ 6.5/10
The storyline was fairly simple but nonetheless entertaining. There were excellent introductory elements especially from the protagonists (Alyrio and Yari) and some well put together denouement. Zarah lagged behind slightly in these areas, but since she came off as a secondary character this really didn't hurt the score to much. The weakest area of this storyline was the rising action. One suggestion for helping to draw the reader in is to continue building their backstory throughout the rising action. That way, by the time you hit conclusion/denouement the reader will not only have an understanding of the character, but an emotional attachment to them.

Continuity ~ 7.5/10
This thread did an admirable job, for the most part, of situating me in Scara Brae. I commend all of you for doing an excellent job of portraying our unique magical world. As criticism... Alyrio's position as a noble often seemed questionable or wavering - you could think more about how a royal-blooded Coronian fits into the world. Yari, I actually understood almost all the references you made (to the Brotherhood, Sanctuary, Gild etc) but that's only because I've been around since back then and was involved in the BB. A little more information is always helpful when you toss out a name like "Sorrain", or similarly obscure reference. Zarah, some of the cliches/turns of phrase you used were so absolutely Earth-like that it temporarily took me out of the context of Althanas. Since cliches generally strong writing, I'd recommend using original imagery as much as possible in the future.

Setting ~ 6/10
Overall the setting stayed present and consistent, and you all did an excellent job of using the various senses and interacting with the setting to bring it to life, especially at the beginning. The way Yari moved between the tables and chairs as he entered the first pub really stuck with me, as did Zarah's initial run through the streets. However attention to detail waned in the latter pages of this thread. While interaction with the setting continued consistently, the library, alleys and docks, and ship were not nearly as well represented as the initial scenes.

Creativity ~ 7/10
Alyrio and Yari, you both used some advanced writing techniques that really lent flavour to this thread. Under the circumstances, I'm going to focus on Zarah in this and some of the following categories, as you both appear to be more experienced writers.

To re-visit what I mentioned about cliches in continuity, those little turns of phrase that are dragging your score down there are not helping you much here, either. But by turning cliches into actual imagery you can strengthen your writing in both these categories considerably.

Take for example, the expression "book it", which you used on more than one occasion. By substituting some imagery here (example: quick as a rabbit, Zarah darted across the street) you not only create a better image for the writer, you also keep the reader centred in what is happening in the story.

Character ~ 5/10
This lower score is more a reflection of the way the Non-Player Characters were portrayed. All three of you did a good job of playing your characters, of keeping their behaviour believable in the context of the story, and of developing them throughout the events of the thread. However, I cannot say the same for the NPCs. Most of the NPCs came off as little more than background noise and talking heads.

The easiest way (I find) to remedy this is to actually write from the perspective of the NPCs. If Alyrio had, for example, done a post or a part of a post from the perspective of the sailors on the Swordfish before it got attacked, it would have humanised the NPCs more and also probably brought up the setting score a bit. Yari was the only one who came close to representing the NPCs as well as his own character, but that wasn't quite enough to pull this score up.

Interaction ~ 8/10
This was easily the group's strongest category. Much of the interaction between your characters seemed remarkably genuine, as did most of the things they said and their casual actions. Yari, your dialogue is especially powerful and really tied everything together. Whenever I read your dialogue, I truly felt like I was listening to a native Althanian speak.

Strategy ~ 6/10
This is another category where, like in character, Yari did considerably better than Alyrio and Zarah. Both of you seemed to forget at times that your characters are thinking, analysing, planning individuals. It was like you got so caught up in the storyline you forgot that your character should actually be thinking about what they're doing. I would have expected that, between the two of them and Ward, they could have come up with a better plan of assault on the ship.

While your characters' actions did seem believable, you must remember to let the reader know how they arrived at their decisions, what's going on in their mind, when they succeed, when they fail... this kind of writing will come in time, and for now the best way to accomplish it is probably to spend some time before you write each post thinking as your character.

As a side note, whenever Alyrio talked about his goals he seemed almost like a character in an RPG who says the same greeting statement every time he meets someone. This is the kind of thing you would hopefully not include after thinking more from the perspective of your character.

Clarity ~ 8/10
There were only a handful of places where I got momentarily muddled, and overall this was a nice smooth read.

Mechanics ~ 6.5/10
I caught a lot more errors than I'd have liked to, but of the type that can only be eradicated by very careful editing. My advice is to do whatever edits you feel necessary over the course of the thread and then at the end edit the whole thing as a finished product.

Wildcard ~ 6.5/10
A light read, despite the length, and quite enjoyable at that. I look forward to seeing more from all of you.

Total: 67/100

Pregnant_Pickle gains 1350 EXP and 300 GP
Yari Rafanas gains 2475 EXP and a solid oak/steel halberd
Minzigfish gains 700 EXP and 200 GP

[Silence Sei]

Exp-GP Added.

My Rival Leveled.