Severnaya: Search for a Weapon
(OOC: The type of weapon I am searching for is an Artifact 2 martial arts weapon. Exactly what I can find is up to you of course. Though I do think Severnaya would look pretty sweet with a pair of sai.)
Severnaya continued to browse the shops of Pyramid Square, frustrated by her inability to find some quality martial arts weapons. Surely someone in this district has something decent she thought to herself as she made her way to the next shop in the street. While she didn't have the money for something of the quality she was looking for, she did have other means of obtaining it. Once she could find it that is. Plan A: play a game of chance for one. Plan B: simply steal it.
She entered the next shop, a small blacksmithing shop with a limited selection of melee weaponry. Didn't seem like they were going to have any martial arts type weaponry, but it's difficult to tell who might have some more unique wears behind the counter for more elite customers.
She was not sporting a disguise, but her cloak's hood provided a shadowy cover over her face. She was still wanted in this town, though the signs had begun to diminish over time as the White Leopard has become the priority. She walked up to the counter slowly and said to the man behind it. "Perhaps you can help me... I am looking for some martial arts weaponry that is... enhanced, you could say." He could tell she was paying no mind to the items placed around the room, as they were of no interest to her.
Kirkland 00:04, 25 August 2008 (EDT)
The shopkeeper pushed a wry grin from behind his cracked, almost saurian lips. He spoke with a reptilian hiss that echoed the aesthetic of his wrinkled face.
"You play a dangerous game, little one..."
Seeing Severnaya slightly puzzled at his response, he continued. "Someone of more... respectable... origins would have gone through an official channel..."
The shopkeeper, understanding of Severnaya's desire to remain anonymous, made no attempt to discern her identity. He stepped back from the counter a few steps, sizing her up before he continued.
"I have nothing of the sort. To carry such contraband would make me a target for suspicion I can't afford. That said, depending on what you're willing to risk..."
Severnaya, growing ever suspicious that perhaps this mortal was buying time for an ambush, slammed her fists down on the counter and leaned in aggressively, taking care to keep her head tilted such that the hood of her cloak continued to provide adequate cover.
"Spit it out already! You know as well as I that neither of us should be having this conversation, so let's end it." She snarled menacingly at the withered man, actually managing to startle him, despite his malignant facade.
The man cleared his throat and regained his composure before continuing.
"Er, hem... yes. Perhaps you've heard of Kaliph? He is a dangerous man, and some will refuse to go any farther at the mere mention of his name. His access to a more... esoteric arsenal is considerable, and you may have some luck, so long as you're willing to provide.. adequate payment..."
Severnaya tilted her head a bit, slightly concerned at the shopkeeper's awkward emphasis on the payment. Seeing her hesitance, he continued further.
"Of course, you could go through an official channel, were you to obtain the proper credentials... I'm sure one a blacksmith in Diamond could forge a fine jade weapon, but somehow, I get the feeling that's not quite what you're looking for..."
Unfortunately, he was right. Severnaya replied in a harsh whisper, demanding as ever.
"How do I find Kaliph?"
The shopkeeper averted his gaze, staring at the ground as he spoke. It was clear that he was hesitant to relinquish the information.
"Usually, Kaliph finds you. That said, if you go to the Red Tape Saloon, you can probably find some of his thugs, there... I know he has a hideout in Tempest Plaza, too, but you didn't hear that from me..."
Finally having mustered the confidence to sneak a glance at her face, the shopkeeper looked up to gauge her response - Severnaya, however, was already gone.
Dan 15:20, 8 September 2008 (EDT)
Just as Hawke said, Kaliph could be found at the Chrysalis under a specific set of conditions - a certain timeframe with a certain bartender on duty. She briskly weaved through the active streets of Tempest Plaza, making her way toward the Chrysalis. Seemed like everything she tried to do these days led her to Kaliph; it was finally time to meet the person behind the mask. She knew they would have more to talk about then a mere weapon. The disturbances brought on by the White Leopard and the beast attacks on the city could very well come up. Whatever the result, she was now ready to face the man she ducked away from at a tavern earlier in the month.
She entered the Chrysalis, which was lightly populated. Much to her pleasure, the young man behind the bartender fit the description. She walked up to the bar slowly and sat down, much in the same manner she approached the shopowner earlier with her cloak masking the features of her face.
In a soft yet firm command, she said, "A Jade Plum Sunrise, please."
The bartender cocked his head sideways. This wasn't one of Kaliph's usual guests. "Sure, just a minute," he said, setting the glass he was holding upside down on the counter and dismissing himself for the back room. Nearly a minute ticked by, and Severnaya was growing a little anxious. The bartender returned, with one of Kaliph's men beside him. Severnaya stood and approached the two in the hallway. Her head tilted toward the bartender. "And my drink?" she asked, with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"R... R... right." he said, turning to go back down into the cellar. The guard turned as well, and Severnaya followed down the spiral staircase.
Kaliph stood in the center of the room and she lowered her hood as she approached. "Severnaya," he said, as if he knew she was coming. Severnaya bowed and replied, "Good afternoon Kaliph. Finally our paths have crossed." The bartender handed her a small shot of Jade Plum Sunrise and quickly proceeded up the steps.
She continued to speak. "I came to discuss the affairs in Covenant in an effort to make an agreement that will be beneficial for both of us. We meddle in the same affairs, I've come to find." She couldn't help but manage a smirk as she said it.
Kirkland 00:41, 9 September 2008 (EDT)
Severnaya makes a deal with Kaliph. She is to find a corrupt bureaucrat in the Diamond District and arrange a meeting between Kaliph and that bureaucrat. Basically a bureaucrat that looks like he would take a bribe. In return, Kaliph is willing to provide a powerful martial arts weapon.
Kirkland 21:33, 11 September 2008 (EDT)
Severnaya surveys the entrance to the Diamond District for a large portion of one day, contemplating how best to infiltrate the district.
Kirkland 13:33, 19 September 2008 (EDT)
Severnaya had spent nearly two days scoping out the Diamond District. She knew the face of every one that came and went from the main gate and when. She already had her target picked out -- Nunaho Klecht, the leader of the tax collecting thugs in the city. He was a god-blood who worked for Ragara Kitono. He had a fair amount of access to the satrapy vaults and considerable sway over future tax revenues, as he is the one that collects them. Sufficient enough to fulfill Kaliph's request, she mused, and an easy target to lure with power and wealth. He was, after all, a mere leader of tax collectors.
Earlier in the day, she spent some time in a nearby tavern that some low-level bureaucrats were relaxing around zenith. She learned the location of Nunaho's residence in the diamond district, which was all she would need. She was currently leaning against the side of said tavern, near the diamond district gate, looking down the bustling street. Nunaho should be returning from the garrison soon, so it was time to move.
She stepped quietly into an alley and channeled seven motes of essence into her new disguise--a noble-looking bureaucrat whom she saw leave with a small group earlier in the day. She waited for the next set of people to approach the guards. Just as they were letting the group in, she began to approach.
The group were about 20 feet into the diamond district when she approached. It was the same guard on duty from a few hours ago, when her lookalike had left the district. It was no perfect mirror, but then again the guards didn't have the photographic memory that she did. The person she was imitating wasn't a local, she was a member of Talonlord Tepet Seljuk's recent entourage.
She approached the guards, and unfortunate for her, they stopped her. Politely, the guard asked, "Your name and purpose for entrance?"
Dodging the first question, she responded, "I am a member of Tepet Seljuk's attachment, surely you saw me leave this morning." She kept her cool even as the guard did not look convinced. "I'm afraid I did not, let's see documentation."
She visibly scowled and began to reach into her pocket, not quite sure how she was going to play this one yet. Fortunately for her, the second guard looked over. "She's good," he called. She smiled to the both of them and removed her hand from her pocket empty. "Thank you gentlemen," she responded, as she cleared the gates and entered the diamond district.
She headed straight for the Kleckt's residence, winding her way through the elegant roads of the richest district in Covenant. There it stood, as advertised. It wasn't as elegant as many of the other residences in the district. Severnaya was beginning to have second thoughts about her choice of target. Nonetheless, she continued up to the front door, gracefully unlocking it with a simple touch and a few motes of essence. She entered the home.
It was less than an hour before Nunaho Kleckt returned from his routine trip to the garrison. He set his belongings down on a small table by the door, including his weapon, and proceeded into his main living area. Severnaya sat, undisguised, at the head of his dining table. Three candles burned brightly in the middle, illuminating the otherwise dark room.
Nunaho was not a man who liked to be startled, and he immediately began to reach back for his sword. Severnaya looked at him and spoke calmly. "Ah ah, Nunaho Kleckt. Swords aren't always the safest course of action. Please sit down, I have a proposal for you."
He grabbed his sword anyway, but his demeanor became less aggressive. He did not unsheath it as he walked over to the table and took a seat across from Severnaya. He recognized her from the descriptions given by many of the guards on the day she was captured and subsequently set free by a giant bird. "Who are you?" he inquired.
She responded quickly, cutting him off before he could ask anything else. "Who I am is not important. I come here as a messenger. A man named Kaliph requests a meeting with you, one on one. It is possible you can assist this man, and I assure you the reward for such assistance would be substantial." As she continued, her tone became deeper and more intimidating as she channeled four motes of essence into her next oratory. "The meeting is risk free. Refusing to meet, however, carries dire consequences."
Kirkland 02:15, 3 October 2008 (EDT)
Klecht let slip a slight grin, causing his parched lips to crack, bleeding a little at the corners. He licked them free of the humor as he eyed Severnaya, as a blacksmith eyes a finely crafted hammer. Though taken off guard, he was beginning to regain his cool, if not a little swagger.
"That's quite an ultimatum for someone so pretty."
Klecht's dirtied hands made their way to the table's top, folding neatly in front of him as he leaned forward across the table, speaking softly and slowly.
"Couldn't you think of... more pleasant ways to make a deal?"
Though there was some ambiguity at first, the thug's lustful gaze and perverse smile made his intent clear. Severnaya was tempted to snatch the man's blade from its sheath and slit his throat with it; he'd be dead before he even had the chance to regret his mistake. That was, perhaps, why Severnaya chose to keep her cool - it'd be far too pleasant of a death for the rotten bastard. Her reply was curt and cold.
"You couldn't please me even if I allowed you to try. This isn't a deal, it's an opportunity."
As Severnaya spoke, she focused in the back of her mind and gathered latent strands of Essence in the air around herself. The Essence swelled invisibly, though palpably around her form and traveled outward with her words, carrying them to greater effect than any mortal would be capable of achieving.
"Your life is nothing more than harassing commoners for petty cash. I know you came from the Realm - you got stuck here like the rest of us; thrown out by the system because you were unwilling to play by its rules. Certainly you were a greater man, there. You wouldn't be worth elevating to a position of power in the first place if you were always like this, a rotten, stinking mess. You're half-drunk most of the time, and smell drunk all of the time."
Though Severnaya had geared her words toward a specific end, there was little falsity in her last statement - she nearly reeled at the stench of bear emanating from the man's labored breaths. She continued, steely as ever.
"You don't think I've been on the other side of law before? I'm on the other side of the law right now. I know what it's like to be hunted, exiled, persecuted. But I also know the thrill of a pulling a job, or putting everything at stake and risking double or nothing. I know you crave that, the same way I do."
Severnaya's speech became just slightly more impassioned as she spoke; she leaned forward a bit to mimic Klecht's earlier motion as she described the criminal life as sensuously as such a thing could be described.
"I know you want more than this. You do this because you don't have a choice, but just as I am, you are capable of far more than brutalizing the peasantry for cash you could just as easily steal yourself. So, if it helps, don't think of it as a business opportunity, think of it as a chance to live again."
Severnaya relaxed, resuming her glacial tone, a stark contrast to the impassioned whispers she'd spoken her romanticism with.
"Or, hell, don't think about it at all. Remember who I am, and who you are. It's just as well that you should be drawn and quartered by your own horses - I'm the better off for it if you don't plan on acquiescing Kaliph's request. This a chance, nothing more, nothing less. I'll let you think it over."
Before giving him a chance to reply, Severnaya stood rigidly, giving him a fleeting glare as she turned. She had said everything she intended to say, and was on her way out the door when Klecht broke the lingering silence. She stopped at the doorway and, without turning back to face him, rested her elbow on the door frame as he spoke.
"I'll be there."
Severnaya did not reply, though she had figured as much.
(Think of this as a rough draft; I did a lot of dialogue for Severnaya, so if any of it isn't true to character {I'm still feeling the nuances of her personality out}, we'll make necessary revisions or scrap the whole thing. Suffice it to say, though, that she solidly beat Klecht's MDV with a Presence attack, so she can successfully persuade/force him to meet with Kaliph.)
Dan 03:17, 11 October 2008 (EDT)