Mortal Thread - A Roleplay

[+Sorana]

Bree raised an eyebrow when Kleisha turned to her, wondering if the woman had asked this if if she wasn't paying her, too. Wordlessly she continued to study the other one for a moment, tried to see past the act and the strange wording. Maybe some tailoring had gone wrong, or maybe she was a bit dumb, or and giving Kleisha's reaction most likely she was very, very bright and smart.

Giving Kleisha an respectful nod for having looked through the act of playing drunk she then focused completely on the other one. She was good. So good that Bree was sure, that she wouldn't have noticed something off about her act. The subtle differences between reality and act tended to elude her. It was the price she had to pay for being who she was. For being able to think without having to struggle with anger or fear or hate all the time. And Bree liked who she was.

"Why don't you tell us your name?" she asked calmly, " and if you're looking for imformation for someoneelse -" she spread her hands and smiled again, this time nearly feeling it. "I'm pretty sure we might be of assistance. You seem to be rather new around here," one hand indicated the place in contrast to the Underground in general. Given the quality of her act the other one had to be experienced. "Maybe we know someone who is able to help you."

And maybe that way that could learn something more about that Shadowcastle or Hellomorsels. They sounded stupid enought to be some sort of gang, although you never knew. Still, if they were spreading their influence it couldn't hurt to know about them. Nor did it hurt to learn more about the mysterious she, who seemed to be the real power behind the pawn in front of them.

@Mystic Syn

@Channelknight Fadran

Edited October 28, 2021 by Sorana

[Mystic Syn]

“Name?” Haruh echoed, cocking her head at the new speaker. “Names names names. Very strange, names are. Assigning people with certain sounds, then expecting them to respond. Ridiculous! Though, guess proven useful ‘cause if we didn’t––” She stopped herself before she went on a mindless ramble. “Wait, you meant what was my name. Well, the certain sound I was given by my loving parents was Haruh.”

She grinned again, looking a bit proud. Though her own family’s gang was small, it was best to leave out her last name in case people asked questions. It was safe to say her first name, though, since no one particularly pays attention to her and what she does on a regular basis. It wasn’t like people were going to remember her and what she did here. This was just a job, nothing more and nothing less.

Haruh focused her attention back on the two. “Yes! Information. Not exactly new, but new enough. People either don’t want to talk or… hm, they just don’t want to talk. Didn’t want to help give information to her. Very sad. So sad. They like their guns, actually; though, if they actually wanted to shoot me, why haven’t they done so? Hm?” Her gaze fell on Kleisha for a moment, letting her see that there was something hidden behind the act, before smothering it and grinning again. “No matter no matter! They probably don’t want to have to clean me up afterwards. Very messy. Messy messy.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

The glance told her everything. By god, how could she've been so stupid? She'd assumed an inexperienced, badly-trained agent of some gang or another: the bad acting, the direct questions, the inability to take sudden changes in stride. By all rights this 'Haruh' should've been a brainless rookie far out of her league; so of course all that was just a cover.

Damn. Kleisha thought. I underestimated you.

This could all only mean two things, though: either they were walking into a trap, or Haruh was an ally.

Well, Bree seemed to trust her. And it probably wouldn't be a great idea to deviate from her patron's plans on their first day working together. "Heya, Keeps." She said.

The barkeep turned towards her. "Hm?"

"I don't suppose the back is free, is it?"

He tossed her a key. "All yours."

Kleisha turned back to Bree and Hurah. "Why don't we take our drinks somewhere little more private?"

@Sorana @Mystic Syn

[Fallapede]

On 10/26/2021 at 8:38 PM, Rushu42 said:

Teresa jumped and dropped her phone. "Ah, yes, I - they remind me of a movie I saw last week." Passphrase complete, she turned around and did her best to smile. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Teresa."

"You as well. I'm sure you value your privacy, as I value mine, but might I inquire as to what exactly you wanted? Your correspondence was somewhat unclear."

[Rushu42]

2 hours ago, Fallapede said:

"You as well. I'm sure you value your privacy, as I value mine, but might I inquire as to what exactly you wanted? Your correspondence was somewhat unclear."

"Right, yes. Well," she took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. "I need to know about Tailoring. Specifically, where I can find a reliable clinic for... less than legal procedures. Someplace with especially skilled Tailors, if possible. Um, thank you." 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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Bree and Drunk Person you are SUMMON

@Sorana @Mystic Syn

Edited November 4, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Fallapede]

"I don't intend to demean you, but... is that all you required me for? Information like that isn't exactly hard to come by, though I'm certainly happy to provide it to you, especially for the listed price."

@Rushu42

[Rushu42]

3 minutes ago, Fallapede said:

"I don't intend to demean you, but... is that all you required me for? Information like that isn't exactly hard to come by, though I'm certainly happy to provide it to you, especially for the listed price."

@Rushu42

Teresa swallowed. "I... well, I didn't want to just ask right off the bat, but I need access to a bit more than the usual procedures. I need to find a Tailor who knows something about the process of Splitting. Discreetly, of course."

[Mystic Syn]

29 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Bree and Drunk Person you are SUMMON

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Syn cannot join right now, since she's actually being a productive writer and actually writing and in the groove of that. Besides, I was waiting for Sorana to respond before I did anything.

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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n i c e

 

[Fallapede]

24 minutes ago, Rushu42 said:

Teresa swallowed. "I... well, I didn't want to just ask right off the bat, but I need access to a bit more than the usual procedures. I need to find a Tailor who knows something about the process of Splitting. Discreetly, of course."

Thalise steepled her fingers.

"Ah. That's more worth what you were offering. I do know a few individuals in that line of work, though for something of this nature I can't make guarantees. Before we get into that, however, are you simply seeking information, or are you after something more... practical?"

[The Ward's Guard]

Quote

Character Sheet

Spoiler

Name: Nida Chayon

Age: 26

Height: 6'9

Gender (if applicable): Female

Appearance: Tall and well-tanned. Descended from the Marrtyk desert folk, so she shares their bronze skin and black hair. Her build is thick and well-muscled for her unusual height. She also wears a selective amount of loose-fitting armor from her belt fashioned from a scorpion's tail down to her feet that appears to be carved from the shell of a large beast. The rest of her attire is clothing sponsored by House Khayin. It is loose fitting to allow the most movement possible.

Tailored? Yes/No: Yes

Modifications: A large number of an insectoid's exoskeleton has been tailored onto her arms as a protective armor. The exoskeleton begins at her shoulders and extends down far enough to cover her knuckles, as well as protruding farther out in a half pincer shape.

Describe alt appearance (if applicable): Not applicable. 

Other Tailored aspects: As a secondary modification, her muscle mass has been artificially increased through poor tailoring to help her effectively use the new exoskeleton.

House Affiliation: House Khayin, a house that notably deals with the "civilizing" of newly conquered territory.

Backstory: The moment that the Marrtykish military collapsed, and the Imperial occupation began there was a divide in the Chayon family. Some of the family sought to align themselves with the new Imperial forces, while others sought to fight the assimilation, aiming instead to keep true to their traditional ways. As the divide grew, violence seemed inevitable. Caught in the middle, several children were brought into the traditional ways, only to choose a different path for themselves. Nida was blessed with the Alkhiata of the Scorpion, but instead of completing her rites of passage, she chose to side with the Imperial governor, who was of House Khayin. With the blessing of the scorpion, she used her strength and power to keep order in the Marrtykish lands. However, as House Khayin is not known for their peaceful ways, she spent most of her time busting any attempts at forming organizations that had the potential to make a stand, including worker's unions and religious movements. After performing the governor's dirty work for years, too much attention was drawn to Nida for her good, and the governor made the arbitrary decision to move an asset as valuable as her through the canals and rivers down to the city of New Lere. However, she is far from her homeland, and notoriously capable of getting herself lost. 

 

Taking in a deep whiff, Nida got her first good smell of the glorious city of New Lere, and she nearly retched at it. The fault might have been with her for chartering a trip on the cheapest available ship to avoid any trouble with money, but she didn't care in the end. Even if she ended up in the dumps, it had to be better than back home. If only she hadn't forgotten the directions given to her over getting to the city; she was downright awful at winging it as she went.
 Just as the small ship touched in at a dock nearby the river's outlet into the ocean, Nida began to disembark. She waved to several of the crew members as she made her way to the gangplank, only to stumble across the captain as he was preparing the cargo to be moved ashore.

"Ho there, Marrtyk!" The captain waved her down. "Leaving us so soon?"

Nida gave a quick and sloppy salute. "Yes sir, hate to cut things short."

The older man grunted. "Been a lot easier on us with you about. Ya sure I can't pay ya to stick around? Could use some of your muscle."

"Nope, sorry sir. I'm here on business."

"Alright, just keep away from the law. They'd deport ya back to your deserts in a heartbeat."

She furrowed her brow as she considered the statement. "But I'm a citizen. Why would they deport me?"

The captain chuckled. "A Marrtyk a citizen? Might wanna try a different story. But do try ta stick to the undercity, 'kay?"

"Not entirely possible, sir. But I'll see what I can do."

"Good, now kindly get out of our saltin' way."

Nida looked around, and realized she had been standing right in the path of a number of dock workers. "Oh, sorry!" She called out as she jumped out of their way. "Didn't mean anything by it!"

The captain shook his head. "Just be gettin' a move on. I might still be here if you're looking to book a passage back home."

"Sorry, sir." Nida stepped away towards the gangplank, looking towards the city she had just arrived in. "I think I'm already home." The large woman stepped down the gangplank, determined to find this "Contact" she had been told to meet up with upon entering the city. Surely, she could find someone to help her. People were bound to be friendlier here, it was a certainty.

Edited November 5, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[Channelknight Fadran]

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This RP is too cool to die!

The 'back room' was little more than a glorified closet, which the barkeep had repurposed for parties and richer patrons. After a few controlled trials Kleisha had determined that it wasn't completely private or soundproof, but it was far more secure than the gambling ring outside. Even so, she kept a close eye on the knotted gaps between boards for any shadow or hint of an eavesdropper.

"So what is it that you want with Shadowcastle?" She asked.

@Mystic Syn @Sorana

[The Unknown Ajah]

A sloth sits in the corner.

[Mystic Syn]

1 hour ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

The 'back room' was little more than a glorified closet, which the barkeep had repurposed for parties and richer patrons. After a few controlled trials Kleisha had determined that it wasn't completely private or soundproof, but it was far more secure than the gambling ring outside. Even so, she kept a close eye on the knotted gaps between boards for any shadow or hint of an eavesdropper.

"So what is it that you want with Shadowcastle?" She asked.

@Mystic Syn @Sorana

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(눈‸눈) I guess I’ll respond.

Haruh looked around the room, distracted by the overall ‘newness.’ She’d been here multiple times, and she knew that the other patron––the one where Haruh let the purposely horrible act down for her to see––was catching on to something about her. Haruh wasn’t able to get a good read on her, though she knew that if she didn’t make friends with her fast, things wouldn’t end in the way her mother wanted. Her parents had prepared her for people that could see through the acts she pulled, and all the advice they had given her was this: Keep the act going till you’ve figured them out. When she had first gotten on the job years ago, Haruh had no clue what the buttons they were talking about, but after learning from experience and the punishment she’d received when she hadn’t figured it out.

She focused her attention back on the speaker, cocking her head. “My purpose or will is not with the Psychopaddles, no no no,” Haruh said, giving a shake to her head, her brow knitting together. “I only follow her will. If I don’t, bad things, tsk tsk tsk.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Her?"

[Mystic Syn]

"Yes, her," Haruh confirmed, nodding as if that explained everything. "Wouldn't want to get her angry, no no no. Last time that happened..." she trailed off, looking distant for a second, before shaking herself and grinning. "Well, that's why I'm following her orders to find the Pillowdazzles."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Well, I don't know anything about these 'Pillowdazzle' people." Kleisha said, growing just a little impatient. "If you'd like to drop the act soon and talk like a human being, then I recommend doing that. Otherwise I have no reservations against getting you kicked out."

Edited November 10, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Mystic Syn]

Haruh rose an eyebrow at the woman, smiling slightly when seeing her impatience. She may not be the best in the Arcangelos, far from what her siblings were like and not to mention her parents, but Haruh knew a thing or two about how to grind people's gears. It was something she often did with her parents, and she suffered greatly from it, but when doing it to random people off the streets... There was just something more amusing about it. Something that she couldn't explain, but it made plenty sense to her.

"Very correct. Very, hm. The whole drunk thing was something I was playing around with," Haruh admitted, but she still held that grin. "Playing is a fun thing to do every once in a while. You should do it more. Just by looking at you, you've never even had some fun with a guy. Tsk tsk tsk. Despite being at a party like this–" She gestured to the gambling ring and noise outside. "–you have the uncanny ability to be the worst at 'em. Betcha the Tangocattle have a better time than you. Maybe they'd even give me what she wants, 'cause I'm just being myself, which is apparently wrong according to your standards. Wrong wrong wrong."

She was unbothered by the threat; in fact, Haruh even rolled her eyes. "You people always resort to guns and ships to get rid of people like me, who is just speaking in the way she'd been raised to by her mum and da. Perfectly normal. Besides, you don't wanna mess with me–" Haruh brought up her fists in a manner that looked wrong in every way possible on purpose, and gave a few false swipes in a random direction. "–they taught me how to defend myself from noodles like you. Noodles? Noodles."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Really? Kleisha thought. Seriously, who was this person? And how much had they just revealed on accident?

"Yeah. Fun, I guess. Sure, in the Underworld." Kleisha brought out a pistol again, checking to make sure the safety was on and pointing it at Haruh's face. "The kind of place where you shoot things like these out into the dark if you think you're being followed. Bang!" She clicked the trigger, lowering the weapon. "You ever shot anyone? Ever been surrounded by thieves and give a potshot at the nearest bush; hear screams and watch everyone scatter? Bet you've never fired into the dark and hear nothing. You just pray nobody died.

"I pulled you in here because you want to know things, and so do we. If you're going to go out asking in the open for something you shouldn't be asking about, you might as well show a little respect to the rare couple that gives you a chance and doesn't put a hole in your face. I don't know if you've been down here for a day or too long for your own good, but clearly either you've cracked or don't get that blood's the only real currency down here. So give us all a little credit for sticking with it if you want to talk like reasonable people, but if you want to fight then go ahead." She clicked off the safety. "It wouldn't be the first time Keeps's had to clean up somebody else's mess."

Edited November 10, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Mystic Syn]

"Oh, yes yes," Haruh agreed, slowly walking toward Kleisha, making swirling motions with her hands. "They appear in the darkest corners of your mind, coming out of the shadows to make your worst nightmares come true. The nightmares keep you on your toes, making you unable to sleep at night, not without a weapon of sorts. Nightmares, nightmares. They come at the wrong time, and before you know it, you're the one that's trying to either run, give in, or take care of the problem; they're the type of problems that persist, keeping you wide awake. Without sleep. Without a blink. Always tired. Always running."

She made it to Kleisha, her grin all but gone. Looking death straight in the eyes, the corner of Haruh's lip twitched upwards. "Overconfidence often leads to weakness. You think I don't deal with that pain? You think I can sleep at night, happily escaping the pains of life?" The smile faded, her expression becoming a blank slate. "Maybe I've cracked, maybe I don't know the difference of who I should execute her will on till after she's told me, or maybe I'm just as normal as the rest of the city. But all I know that if I don't do whatever she wants–" Haruh snatched Kleisha's wrist in a quick motion, holding it tight as she pulled it and the barrel of the pistol to her own forehead without emotion. "–death would be the a mercy."

Haruh stared in her eyes for a while, her blank expression never faltering. Her eyes, however, were as dark as the sea: Tossing and turning from being blank or stormy. She kept the stare, daring her silently. It wasn't the worst she's dealt with, that part she hadn't lied on. Deep down, she wanted Kleisha to pull the trigger, so she wouldn't have to; however, Haruh knew that the Arcangelos wouldn't be able to function without her. Her parents always reminded her of that, and they were right. She might not have that big of a role in the gang, but she knew her parents wouldn't be happy.

Still... that deep part of her wanted to be free of this. The traitorous part was winning ever so slightly, her mother's voice screaming at her to grow up and just do what she ordered. Haruh, however, didn't let the emotions show, not even with her eyes as she continued to stare her down.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Kleisha waited, her finger on the trigger.

"Alright." She said, pushing the safety back on with her thumb. "Great. We'll go from there. I've worked for Shadowcastle a few times. What is it that you want to know about them?"

[Mystic Syn]

She held her grip, scanning Kleisha’s eyes. Her father’s voice begged her to fight back, to show who was the one that was really in charge; her mother’s voice, however, reminded her that she needed information. Together, the voices drowned out her own. Suwh and Katyn fought for which one she’ll listen to, but not enough to induce a headache. It was normal to have their voices fight over what actions she’ll pull, and the one celebrated when she followed their directions; her parents in real life, though, always found something she was bad at and punished her for it. It was fair for them to do, since she messed up all the time and never met their expectations.

Haruh eventually let go of Kleisha’s wrist, stepping back, the traitorous part of her wanting her to pull the trigger, but was suffocated by the other voices. She waved her hand in a dismissal manner. “She wants to know where the Hallowrascals’ Lab is,” she said. “What she wants to do with it is none of my business. She mentioned something about Thread, though…”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Who is 'She'?"

[Mystic Syn]

“‘She’ is the person I work for,” she said, without explaining it further.