[Continues] Morcrux Campaign: Tale of Two Scales
- Thread starter Grimoire
- Start date
Draco holds Shimbala back with her arms reaching out for the item in his hand. Draco shoves Shimbala off him and she smirks as she contains her teasing. Draco watched as the three of them approached him eager to see what he got. Draco groans and holds out his hand to reveal:
A normal looking a Jade brooch of a dragon holding a scroll in its mouth.
Shimbala and Randy are underwhelming bothered by his choice. Jibril looks at it: it is DEFINITELY enchanted with something that it's glowing a strong blue aura that envelopes Draco's hand. Jibril's Spectral Sense may have given her insight into magic but it could contain a spectral creature or entity. But it's a Blue aura, not a Red aura: so it's a good spectral anomaly?
"I know this isn't what you three had in mind but this was made in Sapphire Falls. I'm hoping I could..." Draco sounds sad, like he's clinging to some hope about something. "Nevermind"
He shakes off the thought, he turns his frown upside down with a smile and bolsters a laugh. "Let's have that drink!"
A normal looking a Jade brooch of a dragon holding a scroll in its mouth.
Shimbala and Randy are underwhelming bothered by his choice. Jibril looks at it: it is DEFINITELY enchanted with something that it's glowing a strong blue aura that envelopes Draco's hand. Jibril's Spectral Sense may have given her insight into magic but it could contain a spectral creature or entity. But it's a Blue aura, not a Red aura: so it's a good spectral anomaly?
"I know this isn't what you three had in mind but this was made in Sapphire Falls. I'm hoping I could..." Draco sounds sad, like he's clinging to some hope about something. "Nevermind"
He shakes off the thought, he turns his frown upside down with a smile and bolsters a laugh. "Let's have that drink!"
"I would rather have a drink after our race" Draco insists, tucking the brooch away into his back satchel. He gestures his chin to the brothel ahead. "Come"
Shimbala nudges Jibril in the boobs: "Yeah, he's not gonna budge. But that doesn't mean his lips will stay sealed after hitting the outset booze in all the land. If you catch my drift"
"I wonder if they have anymore of that 'bourbon' stuff Trisha made" Randy wriggling his hands.
"Shouldn't you be in rehab getting your act all cleaned up?" Shimbala scolds.
"Really? You're telling ME not to drink?"
Shimbala thinks a moment before realizing it. "You're right. You're the village idiot that nearly got us all killed, what did I expect? Drink up!" Randy grabbed her by the collar: "Who you calling an idiot? It's true of course but it still hurts. You're the one that"
Jibril steps in to break up the fight: "Okay. Okay. Can we just relax and have a night to ourselves? We got some cool stuff, it's been a long day for some of us. This can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"
Shimbala and Randy sigh and Randy lets her go. Shimbala brushes her tunic, straightened out, she walks with Jibril towards the Brothel. Randy puts his hands into his pockets and saunters behind them.
"What do you think he's hiding?" Jibril asked, "It's someone he fancies, right? What's he scared of proposing for?"
"Maybe it's not the proposing so much as the girl he's in love with" Shimbala implied, "Could be some woman out of his reach and he's not with her. Or she might not be around, who knows."
Shimbala nudges Jibril in the boobs: "Yeah, he's not gonna budge. But that doesn't mean his lips will stay sealed after hitting the outset booze in all the land. If you catch my drift"
"I wonder if they have anymore of that 'bourbon' stuff Trisha made" Randy wriggling his hands.
"Shouldn't you be in rehab getting your act all cleaned up?" Shimbala scolds.
"Really? You're telling ME not to drink?"
Shimbala thinks a moment before realizing it. "You're right. You're the village idiot that nearly got us all killed, what did I expect? Drink up!" Randy grabbed her by the collar: "Who you calling an idiot? It's true of course but it still hurts. You're the one that"
Jibril steps in to break up the fight: "Okay. Okay. Can we just relax and have a night to ourselves? We got some cool stuff, it's been a long day for some of us. This can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"
Shimbala and Randy sigh and Randy lets her go. Shimbala brushes her tunic, straightened out, she walks with Jibril towards the Brothel. Randy puts his hands into his pockets and saunters behind them.
"What do you think he's hiding?" Jibril asked, "It's someone he fancies, right? What's he scared of proposing for?"
"Maybe it's not the proposing so much as the girl he's in love with" Shimbala implied, "Could be some woman out of his reach and he's not with her. Or she might not be around, who knows."
"Jibril if she not around then there's no point in buying jewelry no i think it's something else it could be the women he love's have a higher status then him or he believe that he isn't worthy of her.Once he get drunk and spill his story we should help him out in his love quest for this women that he so enamor about
Shimbala nods in agreement and they shook hands on it: Get Draco Drunk!
It's a lively night for everyone at the Red Queen, a lofty bordello made of red brick and limestone concrete which stands surrounded by and open courtyard of vines held up by trellises and verandas covered in very thick walls of creep vines with trimmed hedges to mask the comings and goings of the patrons. Jibril and Shimbala stand at the mouth of the trellises opening up to the open courtyard where wrought iron benches litter the potted plants, rose garden, replanted oak trees and shrubbery are deep lust green with much in the way of undergrowth covering the bricked up walkways throughout. The Bordello itself is a four story Italian style villa inspired from the 16th Century with with a second story balcony overlooking the main entrance tot he brothel with a square uniformity found it the architecture with a veranda canopy overhead with flora providing shade and roofing to the drinking and smoking patrons lounging outside on the terrace.
Taking a step into the open courtyard, Jibril sees two oak trees brushing against the wind as fallen leaves wisp across the ground as lovers, courtesans and the disreputable hooligans wander about with skimpy women dress in short Victorian style dresses and dandy men with lots of uses of reds of all the spectrum to be worn by both escorts. Lanterns and strange lampposts are posted around the courtyard to provide lots of red lights the glow red flames, most likely from the stained red glasses the lanterns have to give it that effect. But what is curious is the strange glass lampposts in black painted metal with a metal hat capping them with a filament inside the glass, Jibril wondered what use are these things? Are they decoration or do they serve a purpose beside standing there, she noticed all of these lampposts all over the city and they aren't very pretty but they do remind her of the magical powered candelabra from the Magi College in Medressa. (These were, in fact, street lamps lack electricity to power them up. Something that will perhaps occur soon) But her interest in them fades as her mouth is parched and her soft belly groans at the thought of food, she very hungry!
Shimbala walks with Jibril as Draco keeps his hand on his belt and walks with a gait in his step as he approaches the two heavy double doors with two brass busts of woman with large breasts greet him and Randy. Randy reaches up and grabs the large nipple piercing passing off as a knocker for the door, Jibril and Shimbala follow behind them as the bordello guards open the door and gesture them to enter. The Militia Guards check them for weapons, upon finding their things they asked the group to go over to the Coat Check desk and check-in their gear and taking a ticket. Overhead read a sign: "No Ticket, No Check-Out!" which means everyone better keep a hand on their tickets if they intend to get their things back.
Jibril has a few ideas on what she could do:
- Grab a bite in the Cantina Lounge,
- Join Draco and Randy at the Five-Finger Bar,
- Partake in some tobacco smoking in the Hookah Lounge with Shimbala
- Browse the Escorts for some fun, she is after all, in a brothel
- Get to work looking for Guadalupe and Maria that Madam Rouge sent to meet Jibril to discuss the Alabaster Negotiations, maybe Jibril can get in contact with Madam Alabaster.
It's a lively night for everyone at the Red Queen, a lofty bordello made of red brick and limestone concrete which stands surrounded by and open courtyard of vines held up by trellises and verandas covered in very thick walls of creep vines with trimmed hedges to mask the comings and goings of the patrons. Jibril and Shimbala stand at the mouth of the trellises opening up to the open courtyard where wrought iron benches litter the potted plants, rose garden, replanted oak trees and shrubbery are deep lust green with much in the way of undergrowth covering the bricked up walkways throughout. The Bordello itself is a four story Italian style villa inspired from the 16th Century with with a second story balcony overlooking the main entrance tot he brothel with a square uniformity found it the architecture with a veranda canopy overhead with flora providing shade and roofing to the drinking and smoking patrons lounging outside on the terrace.
Taking a step into the open courtyard, Jibril sees two oak trees brushing against the wind as fallen leaves wisp across the ground as lovers, courtesans and the disreputable hooligans wander about with skimpy women dress in short Victorian style dresses and dandy men with lots of uses of reds of all the spectrum to be worn by both escorts. Lanterns and strange lampposts are posted around the courtyard to provide lots of red lights the glow red flames, most likely from the stained red glasses the lanterns have to give it that effect. But what is curious is the strange glass lampposts in black painted metal with a metal hat capping them with a filament inside the glass, Jibril wondered what use are these things? Are they decoration or do they serve a purpose beside standing there, she noticed all of these lampposts all over the city and they aren't very pretty but they do remind her of the magical powered candelabra from the Magi College in Medressa. (These were, in fact, street lamps lack electricity to power them up. Something that will perhaps occur soon) But her interest in them fades as her mouth is parched and her soft belly groans at the thought of food, she very hungry!
Shimbala walks with Jibril as Draco keeps his hand on his belt and walks with a gait in his step as he approaches the two heavy double doors with two brass busts of woman with large breasts greet him and Randy. Randy reaches up and grabs the large nipple piercing passing off as a knocker for the door, Jibril and Shimbala follow behind them as the bordello guards open the door and gesture them to enter. The Militia Guards check them for weapons, upon finding their things they asked the group to go over to the Coat Check desk and check-in their gear and taking a ticket. Overhead read a sign: "No Ticket, No Check-Out!" which means everyone better keep a hand on their tickets if they intend to get their things back.
Jibril has a few ideas on what she could do:
- Grab a bite in the Cantina Lounge,
- Join Draco and Randy at the Five-Finger Bar,
- Partake in some tobacco smoking in the Hookah Lounge with Shimbala
- Browse the Escorts for some fun, she is after all, in a brothel
- Get to work looking for Guadalupe and Maria that Madam Rouge sent to meet Jibril to discuss the Alabaster Negotiations, maybe Jibril can get in contact with Madam Alabaster.
Jibril guesses that she may have to find Guadalupe and Maria in the Five-Finger Bar since they seem to prefer the company of drink than becoming the extra meat in the whore stocks. Jibril begins telling the others she'll meet up with them later after tending to her personal business, it was important to do this now while she has the time to do so ... and somber. Jibril uses her tongue to sniff out the two lovers and it wasn't hard at all to find Maria's brand of ambergris perfume - that stuff is nasty! But for whatever reason, Guadalupe adores the smell on her. Jibril follows the wall of aroma towards the lobby as the four of them enter a vast open room with people roaming about in tight quarters with chatter and mutterings filling the absence of music that can be heard from the Cantina Lounge to the right wing of the brothel. Jibril flicks out her tongue fully to get a good whiff and finds a faint trial of perfume resting on the ground that Jibril follows with short bursts of flicking to keep up-to-date on the trial. Slithering through the crowd with a gentle finesse, she reaches the left wing of the bordello to an open archway to the bar area which is packed! Patrons were gentlemen of noble birth or merchants or travelers coming here for the taste of the "local flavor". Ebonwood round tables pepper the room surrounding a large theater stage in the back with stools and other furniture situated facing the stage, Jibril lets Randy and Draco find their way towards the bar on their own while she scopes out the stage area to look for the two women. It doesn't take her long until Jibril spots Maria sitting in Guadalupe's lap, kissing her lover's neck tenderly and spurs of giggling and laughter fill the front row table. The stage has a row of lanterns lit to mirror onto the stage as it appears that someone is going to be performing tonight.
What does Jibril wish to do with her time? Watch the show / or / Interrupt the necking couple? Or something else?
What does Jibril wish to do with her time? Watch the show / or / Interrupt the necking couple? Or something else?
Jibril sashays down the theater section as the bar gets even more busy with people grabbing their drinks before the show starts. Jibril swivels onto her right leg as she turns to face Guadalupe staring right at her. Jibril has her hand planted on her hip while resting on one leg looking back at Lupe, Lupe kisses Maria on the cheek as she turns and narrows her emerald eyes at Jibril for interrupting her make-out session. "Did you wanna talk or should i wait the whole night until you're done?"
"Hello, Jibril, my oh my" Guadalupe stares Jibril like a tall glass of water, "Aren't you a sight to see. It's been a few weeks since I've seen you in Heifong."
"We thought you and Jimmy perished in the horde" Maria says snidely, "Did you strike a deal with the Navy? Oh wait, they didn't. They fled. So how did you escape?"
"Not important, Maria" Jibril says dismissively.
"Now now, girls. We wouldn't want to sour our professional relationship" Lupe staves off Maria's temper, she redirects to Jibril. "Madam Rouge sent you a letter. You've picked a time to drop in, we were just about to enjoy a show courtesy of the owners."
"I'm keen to get this business deal rolling and collect my fee" Jibril states seriously considering what she might have to do to earn her keep.
"Why don't we discuss it over drinks, yeah?" Lupe says turning her face to Maria to then waves over a waiter at the bar to come over.
Jibril takes a seat at the table while the stage crew gets things setup for the evening's performance. A large stool sat in the middle of the stage with lights focusing on the backdrop curtains as a guitar stand rests beside it and the tables fill up and a crowd of patrons huddle together tightly to get a good view of the stage with cigarettes and pipes fuming the room in a haze. A waiter drops by the table in a formal attire befitting a butler in crimson.
Maria: "Absinthe with a few sugar cubes"
Lupe: "A bottle of you best wine"
The waiter and girls look to Jibril.
What sort of drink does Jibril want to partake in?
- Grestle Whiskey
- Spiced Wine
- Bordello Brandy
- Unowa Bourbon
- Canaanite Vodka
- Triple Distilled, Purified Water with Ice Cubes.
"Hello, Jibril, my oh my" Guadalupe stares Jibril like a tall glass of water, "Aren't you a sight to see. It's been a few weeks since I've seen you in Heifong."
"We thought you and Jimmy perished in the horde" Maria says snidely, "Did you strike a deal with the Navy? Oh wait, they didn't. They fled. So how did you escape?"
"Not important, Maria" Jibril says dismissively.
"Now now, girls. We wouldn't want to sour our professional relationship" Lupe staves off Maria's temper, she redirects to Jibril. "Madam Rouge sent you a letter. You've picked a time to drop in, we were just about to enjoy a show courtesy of the owners."
"I'm keen to get this business deal rolling and collect my fee" Jibril states seriously considering what she might have to do to earn her keep.
"Why don't we discuss it over drinks, yeah?" Lupe says turning her face to Maria to then waves over a waiter at the bar to come over.
Jibril takes a seat at the table while the stage crew gets things setup for the evening's performance. A large stool sat in the middle of the stage with lights focusing on the backdrop curtains as a guitar stand rests beside it and the tables fill up and a crowd of patrons huddle together tightly to get a good view of the stage with cigarettes and pipes fuming the room in a haze. A waiter drops by the table in a formal attire befitting a butler in crimson.
Maria: "Absinthe with a few sugar cubes"
Lupe: "A bottle of you best wine"
The waiter and girls look to Jibril.
What sort of drink does Jibril want to partake in?
- Grestle Whiskey
- Spiced Wine
- Bordello Brandy
- Unowa Bourbon
- Canaanite Vodka
- Triple Distilled, Purified Water with Ice Cubes.
Maria: "So what do we discuss first?"
Lupe: "Madam Rouge's interest in the Red Queen, for a starter"
Jibril: "Why this place?"
Maria: "This is the sort of thing Madam Alabaster enjoys, it suits her tastes more than a den of opium addicts in some ship on the water."
Lupe: "Maria thinks that, i rather enjoy the Alistair and how calming the sea is on a cold night."
Jibril: "What's the con here?"
Maria: "I wouldn't say a 'con' more or less a brokering of ownership"
Lupe: "She means we're working on getting this place to ourselves on Alabaster's behalf. In exchange, we run the bordello as the new owners while Madam Rouge moves the girls from Heifong to Helm's Deep and we get the new girls working here at a cheaper price than the competition. If we're lucky, we can ship Red Sand this place is famous for and make a premium on the Sand Trade."
So that's their game. Hide in plain sight, learn where they're making the Red Sand, buy it wholesale or steal it and smuggle it out of New Canaan to the rest of the West Coast.
Jibril: "Thought Madam Alabaster was going to oversee this deal herself?"
Maria: "Never"
Lupe: "She rather we handle the deal to ensure it goes smoothly. She learned that you'd be here through the Corsairs after your 'friends' fought your way out of the city. We saw the wake of bodies left behind leading all the way back here."
Jibril: "Rather not go further than that if you know what's good for you"
Maria: "Ooooo, sounds like somebody's got a secret!"
Lupe: "That will be a topic for another time. Madam Rouge has asked us to provide you with compensation if you can get us the deed and the licenses to operate this brothel, she would rather this be done clean and without bloodshed, if it can be helped."
Jibril: "I agree"
Maria: "We're prepared to offer 300 Gold to the Canaanites for the rights to the Red Queen and an additional 100 Gold for exclusive access to Red Sand trading in and out of the country"
Lupe: "We have a contract written up to be notarized and signed, we just need you to make a meeting with Kane directly to get his approval and then have it registered with the Notary for verifying the contents. We'll handle the distribution of Sand and employing the girls and young men ourselves from our contacts in Helm's Deep. It's all in the contract, you can look but we expect someone to give us a reply regarding the deal for us to deliver back to Madam Rouge"
Jibril: "Sounds as if you're expecting this to go smoothly"
Maria: "We took our time and learned a few things along the way"
Lupe: "They're hurting for coin, we're hoping to leverage this in our favor. Everybody wins if the deal goes through"
Jibril: "If it doesn't?"
Maria: "Then we'll have to be 'creative' and maybe a little naughty"
Lupe: "We have Garrett from the Guild send us a letter discussing our secondary offer to counter whatever legal troubles we may face with the Canaanites. If the deal fails, we'll just need to have the Notary sign the contract and have it turned over to the Guild for the forgery licenses. We can handle the displacement of the owners to allow the deal to continue unhindered."
Jibril: "You intend to kill the owners and take the place right out from under them"
Maria: "That's usually how these things go"
Lupe: "But we're not risking the wrath of the Canaanites. Something about this place seems extremely off-putting, too many happy people just doing what they please and lots of armed guards with those strange weapons. If we do this, we'll need to be tactful ... or rather you."
Jibril: "I'm the middle woman"
Maria: "Yep"
Lupe: "We'll pay you your fee once we have the reply letter or the Notary signed the faked contract and gets into the hands of the Guild"
Jibril: "I'm assuming we can't negotiate my fee?"
Maria: "We'll cross that bridge when we cross it"
Lupe: "No loose ends until the work is done. Best if we keep our meeting under the table and avoid being seen making deals to draw undue attention."
Lupe: "Madam Rouge's interest in the Red Queen, for a starter"
Jibril: "Why this place?"
Maria: "This is the sort of thing Madam Alabaster enjoys, it suits her tastes more than a den of opium addicts in some ship on the water."
Lupe: "Maria thinks that, i rather enjoy the Alistair and how calming the sea is on a cold night."
Jibril: "What's the con here?"
Maria: "I wouldn't say a 'con' more or less a brokering of ownership"
Lupe: "She means we're working on getting this place to ourselves on Alabaster's behalf. In exchange, we run the bordello as the new owners while Madam Rouge moves the girls from Heifong to Helm's Deep and we get the new girls working here at a cheaper price than the competition. If we're lucky, we can ship Red Sand this place is famous for and make a premium on the Sand Trade."
So that's their game. Hide in plain sight, learn where they're making the Red Sand, buy it wholesale or steal it and smuggle it out of New Canaan to the rest of the West Coast.
Jibril: "Thought Madam Alabaster was going to oversee this deal herself?"
Maria: "Never"
Lupe: "She rather we handle the deal to ensure it goes smoothly. She learned that you'd be here through the Corsairs after your 'friends' fought your way out of the city. We saw the wake of bodies left behind leading all the way back here."
Jibril: "Rather not go further than that if you know what's good for you"
Maria: "Ooooo, sounds like somebody's got a secret!"
Lupe: "That will be a topic for another time. Madam Rouge has asked us to provide you with compensation if you can get us the deed and the licenses to operate this brothel, she would rather this be done clean and without bloodshed, if it can be helped."
Jibril: "I agree"
Maria: "We're prepared to offer 300 Gold to the Canaanites for the rights to the Red Queen and an additional 100 Gold for exclusive access to Red Sand trading in and out of the country"
Lupe: "We have a contract written up to be notarized and signed, we just need you to make a meeting with Kane directly to get his approval and then have it registered with the Notary for verifying the contents. We'll handle the distribution of Sand and employing the girls and young men ourselves from our contacts in Helm's Deep. It's all in the contract, you can look but we expect someone to give us a reply regarding the deal for us to deliver back to Madam Rouge"
Jibril: "Sounds as if you're expecting this to go smoothly"
Maria: "We took our time and learned a few things along the way"
Lupe: "They're hurting for coin, we're hoping to leverage this in our favor. Everybody wins if the deal goes through"
Jibril: "If it doesn't?"
Maria: "Then we'll have to be 'creative' and maybe a little naughty"
Lupe: "We have Garrett from the Guild send us a letter discussing our secondary offer to counter whatever legal troubles we may face with the Canaanites. If the deal fails, we'll just need to have the Notary sign the contract and have it turned over to the Guild for the forgery licenses. We can handle the displacement of the owners to allow the deal to continue unhindered."
Jibril: "You intend to kill the owners and take the place right out from under them"
Maria: "That's usually how these things go"
Lupe: "But we're not risking the wrath of the Canaanites. Something about this place seems extremely off-putting, too many happy people just doing what they please and lots of armed guards with those strange weapons. If we do this, we'll need to be tactful ... or rather you."
Jibril: "I'm the middle woman"
Maria: "Yep"
Lupe: "We'll pay you your fee once we have the reply letter or the Notary signed the faked contract and gets into the hands of the Guild"
Jibril: "I'm assuming we can't negotiate my fee?"
Maria: "We'll cross that bridge when we cross it"
Lupe: "No loose ends until the work is done. Best if we keep our meeting under the table and avoid being seen making deals to draw undue attention."
"What do you know?" Guadalupe askings, leaning forward on the table towards Jibril.
"I've did some digging around" Jibril answered giving vague hinting of what she know. "I'm told there's a review process of who can own a business in New Canaan. Namely, you have to be a resident of the country. Secondly, if you have a criminal record or history, you're denied citizenship. Therefore, that would discredit you two"
"Why is that? We have no record of our dealings in Canaan nor does Shurifon." Maria objects.
"Because there are more people from Heifong living here, if they vouched for your history and someone investigates it, you're both finished. Might as well flee the city too considering how they treat criminals here." Jibril explains.
"Which means someone with a clean record" Guadalupe thinks on her idea, "What about forging fake identities?"
"Can't, they're complicated and no one is skilled enough to make the cards" Maria replied, folding her arms. "With magic, even a perfect duplicate is hard to do because all their cards are made with numbers and codes unique to each person, it seems. We'd be thrown into prison and saying goodbye to the keys"
"That complicates things for us" Guadalupe answers, "We're new here and know nobody that can work for the Madame."
Jibril thinks about Jimmy. If his undead condition is brought to light, they'll lunch him or something happens to him if he went with Jibril, he could die again. But then again, Jimmy's past. Who could do the job and lives a clean life? Does she risk Jimmy as her choice or find someone else?
"I've did some digging around" Jibril answered giving vague hinting of what she know. "I'm told there's a review process of who can own a business in New Canaan. Namely, you have to be a resident of the country. Secondly, if you have a criminal record or history, you're denied citizenship. Therefore, that would discredit you two"
"Why is that? We have no record of our dealings in Canaan nor does Shurifon." Maria objects.
"Because there are more people from Heifong living here, if they vouched for your history and someone investigates it, you're both finished. Might as well flee the city too considering how they treat criminals here." Jibril explains.
"Which means someone with a clean record" Guadalupe thinks on her idea, "What about forging fake identities?"
"Can't, they're complicated and no one is skilled enough to make the cards" Maria replied, folding her arms. "With magic, even a perfect duplicate is hard to do because all their cards are made with numbers and codes unique to each person, it seems. We'd be thrown into prison and saying goodbye to the keys"
"That complicates things for us" Guadalupe answers, "We're new here and know nobody that can work for the Madame."
Jibril thinks about Jimmy. If his undead condition is brought to light, they'll lunch him or something happens to him if he went with Jibril, he could die again. But then again, Jimmy's past. Who could do the job and lives a clean life? Does she risk Jimmy as her choice or find someone else?
"We'll figure out the ownership, you just worry about getting the notary to sign our contract" Guadalupe says with a low snarl, "I want this bordello."
Maria pecks her girlfriend on the cheek then stroeks the side of her face gingerly when Lupe isn't getting her way.
"Don't worry, sugar, we'll find a way" Maria assures her, she turns to Jibril. "If you could meet us again upstairs after the show, we'll hand over the monetary ... compen...sation" her words trial off when her eyes follow someone across the stage. Guadalupe follows along with Maria as they both looked with a trance at someone, breaking their speech mid stride as their heads turn in unison. Jibril was intrigue by what stirred them into a stern silence.
Up on stage a man wearing a a dark navy denim jeans, cowboy boots with the spurs and all, the white rough pressed long sleeve, collared shirt, the black buttoned up pinstripe suit vest with a silver chain leading to a tucked pocket watch inside the watch pocket. With a flick of his long quill-like black hair draping over the back of his shoulders, the lighting hits them just right that his hair is in fact iridescent, the dark black hides the shiny red sheen of the shadowy hue which stands out on his olive complexion and clean, smooth human face. When Jibril sees this man, she recognized him immediately: Kane.
"Is that who i think it is?" Maria asked softly.
"It's him" Guadalupe acknowledged.
"Kane" Jibril answers.
Kane strokes his hair laying over his left ear and tucks it over it instead, he looks completely well rested than he was previously and lost in thought as he tunes his acoustic guitar with a strange cord coming out at the bottom and plugs right into a strangely large box thing with a sheet of netting on the front of it. No wonder the parlor is so jammed packed, the President is performing tonight before a live audience. This is very unheard of where Jibril comes from for a leader to make such a statement entertaining a crowd than receiving a performance. Intrigued by this sudden event, she turns and faces the stage while the crowd is starting to turn their own heads to acknowledge the person standing before them as muttering and chatter wave across the room behind her. Resting himself on a bar stool and finds it a bit too small for someone of his height and size, he rests both feet on the ground then hikes one on the bottom stool bar as he keeps tuning his guitar with the occasional odd plucking of metal string. Jibril hears Draco and Randy whooping in the back of the bar area that stirs up the patrons to do the same, of course it had to be Red-Eye to be the one to attract the attention to his favorite idol: "Whoo! What are you playing tonight, boss!?" this earned a modest chuckle from Kane who looks up at Red-Eye across the stage and towards the bar as he stops, shooting them all with a smile. "Well Randy, if you wanna come on up here and join me, I could use another guitarist." All their heads turn back at the bar toward Randy who was holding a pint of beer in his hand. Randy is starstruck when his idol calls him up towards the stage. Randy is positively dumkbfounded that he's being asked to join Kane on the stage on the spot that he's stammering over his own words, "I-I'd just uh ... um" the crowd cheers Randy on as Draco nudges him to go and do it, goading him. Randy hesitated shaking with his beer before looking back to Kane who just smiled at him as a stage hand comes onto the stage with another stool and a guitar resting on top of the stool then walks off. Kane reaches over to tap the guitar with a 'come and sit here' sort of patting.
Randy downs his beer as quickly as he could and snakes his way through the crowd with hands reaching up and pushing him on through with a shine in his eyes: this is it! He's delighted to see that his moment has come where he gets to perform before a live audience, with Kane of all people who he's so enamored with, like it was some kind of dream he's in. Randy hops onto the stage and picks up the guitar and looks directly into Kane's eyes as he looked back at him with warmth and a smile as he takes a seat next to the large man before him. Without another word, Randy sits next to his hero and a watery tear builds up in his eye as he sat and tunes up the guitar asking him for the right setup. The two men prepare the musical number and pitch before Kane directs his attention to the crowd.
"This first song is called Old Number 7" Kane says with a loud burst of resonance that echoed behind him that catches the the crowd in the front by surprise. "For all of you drinkers tonight, you'll enjoy this little number. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. I'm Canaan Scarletta-"
"And I'm Randy Marlo" Randy jumps in.
"This here's Old Number 7" Kane finishes with a sheepish grin.
He begins plucking his string with Randy mimicking behind Kane a few string chords until he gets a rhythm going that plays perfectly. It seems these two know the song or have rehearsed it well enough because either of them sound out of position or out of place in the song as Jibril listens to the vibrations to the guitar strings playing then Kane starts to sing four chords into the intro and Randy sings the secondary lyrics: ("Old Number 7" by Devil Makes Three)
♫ "I guess I grew up on an old dirt road"
♫ "A-pedal to the metal, always did what I's told"
♫ "Til I found out that my brand new clothes"
♫ "A-came second hand from the rich kids next door"
♫ "And I grew up fast, I guess I grew up mean"
♫ "There's a thousand things inside my head I wish I ain't seen"
♫ "And now I just wander through a real bad dream"
♫ "A-feeling like I'm coming apart at the seams"
♫ "Well thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
The crowd is getting into the song, moving from side to side clacking their steins and glasses together, others are laughing as the song keeps up the flow without a hitch. Jibril sits there watching Randy having a grand old time having the best day of his life with a big old smile drawn across his face fighting back the tears in his eyes. Guadalupe and Maria are tapping toes or the table with a sway of their heads.
♫ "An'a, angels start to look good to me"
♫ "They're gonna have to deport me to the fiery deeps"
Kane nudges Randy, with a nod of his head, it was as if Randy understood him clearly as Kane pulls back and returns to the next verse.
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a I know I can't stay here too long"
♫ "Cause I can't go a week without doing wrong"
♫ "Old Number Seven" - Randy
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane sings softly into a burst at the end.
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" Randy says harmoniously
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane sings loudly with a dragged out whimsy.
♫ "Old Number Seven" - Randy sings and the crowd picks it up as well and they get into the lyrics.
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane drags says softly.
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" - The crowd sings the last verse alone with Randy and Kane looking at each other with smiles glowing on their faces
♫ "So I'm sitting as the bar stool, it starts to grow roots"
♫ "I'm feeling like an old worn out pair of shoes"
♫ "Tell me what is it that I should do"
♫ "When I'm a-swimming in the liquor only halfway through"
♫ "So I'm watching as his wings spread as wide as could be"
♫ "A-come on now and wrap them around me"
♫ "Cause all I want to do now is fall to sleep"
♫ "A-come down here and lay next to me"
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a up here the bottle never runs dry"
♫ "And you never wake up with those tears in your eyes"
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a angels start to look good to me"
♫ "They're gonna have to deport me to the fiery deeps"
Both Kane and Randy sing the last verse together while the crowd follows along
♫ "Old Number Seven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "Old Number Seven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" The crowd
Kane plays the final guitar solo with Randy playing the fading rhythm of the rest of the song until they strum the last chord. The entire bar erupts with a waves of applauds and whistling cheers, hands clapping together as the duo prepare for another song.
Does Jibril keep listening and enjoy her drink at the bar with Draco?
Does she decide to go find Shimbala in the Hookah lounge?
Does she decide to go find something to steal from the Bordello?
Does she wanna try and find the owners and steal the deed from them? (requires some persuasion or killing them)
Does she want to find a nice booty call to settle in for the night?
Or does she just wanna leave with her things and forget about buying her friends the drinks they were promised?
Maria pecks her girlfriend on the cheek then stroeks the side of her face gingerly when Lupe isn't getting her way.
"Don't worry, sugar, we'll find a way" Maria assures her, she turns to Jibril. "If you could meet us again upstairs after the show, we'll hand over the monetary ... compen...sation" her words trial off when her eyes follow someone across the stage. Guadalupe follows along with Maria as they both looked with a trance at someone, breaking their speech mid stride as their heads turn in unison. Jibril was intrigue by what stirred them into a stern silence.
Up on stage a man wearing a a dark navy denim jeans, cowboy boots with the spurs and all, the white rough pressed long sleeve, collared shirt, the black buttoned up pinstripe suit vest with a silver chain leading to a tucked pocket watch inside the watch pocket. With a flick of his long quill-like black hair draping over the back of his shoulders, the lighting hits them just right that his hair is in fact iridescent, the dark black hides the shiny red sheen of the shadowy hue which stands out on his olive complexion and clean, smooth human face. When Jibril sees this man, she recognized him immediately: Kane.
"Is that who i think it is?" Maria asked softly.
"It's him" Guadalupe acknowledged.
"Kane" Jibril answers.
Kane strokes his hair laying over his left ear and tucks it over it instead, he looks completely well rested than he was previously and lost in thought as he tunes his acoustic guitar with a strange cord coming out at the bottom and plugs right into a strangely large box thing with a sheet of netting on the front of it. No wonder the parlor is so jammed packed, the President is performing tonight before a live audience. This is very unheard of where Jibril comes from for a leader to make such a statement entertaining a crowd than receiving a performance. Intrigued by this sudden event, she turns and faces the stage while the crowd is starting to turn their own heads to acknowledge the person standing before them as muttering and chatter wave across the room behind her. Resting himself on a bar stool and finds it a bit too small for someone of his height and size, he rests both feet on the ground then hikes one on the bottom stool bar as he keeps tuning his guitar with the occasional odd plucking of metal string. Jibril hears Draco and Randy whooping in the back of the bar area that stirs up the patrons to do the same, of course it had to be Red-Eye to be the one to attract the attention to his favorite idol: "Whoo! What are you playing tonight, boss!?" this earned a modest chuckle from Kane who looks up at Red-Eye across the stage and towards the bar as he stops, shooting them all with a smile. "Well Randy, if you wanna come on up here and join me, I could use another guitarist." All their heads turn back at the bar toward Randy who was holding a pint of beer in his hand. Randy is starstruck when his idol calls him up towards the stage. Randy is positively dumkbfounded that he's being asked to join Kane on the stage on the spot that he's stammering over his own words, "I-I'd just uh ... um" the crowd cheers Randy on as Draco nudges him to go and do it, goading him. Randy hesitated shaking with his beer before looking back to Kane who just smiled at him as a stage hand comes onto the stage with another stool and a guitar resting on top of the stool then walks off. Kane reaches over to tap the guitar with a 'come and sit here' sort of patting.
Randy downs his beer as quickly as he could and snakes his way through the crowd with hands reaching up and pushing him on through with a shine in his eyes: this is it! He's delighted to see that his moment has come where he gets to perform before a live audience, with Kane of all people who he's so enamored with, like it was some kind of dream he's in. Randy hops onto the stage and picks up the guitar and looks directly into Kane's eyes as he looked back at him with warmth and a smile as he takes a seat next to the large man before him. Without another word, Randy sits next to his hero and a watery tear builds up in his eye as he sat and tunes up the guitar asking him for the right setup. The two men prepare the musical number and pitch before Kane directs his attention to the crowd.
"This first song is called Old Number 7" Kane says with a loud burst of resonance that echoed behind him that catches the the crowd in the front by surprise. "For all of you drinkers tonight, you'll enjoy this little number. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. I'm Canaan Scarletta-"
"And I'm Randy Marlo" Randy jumps in.
"This here's Old Number 7" Kane finishes with a sheepish grin.
He begins plucking his string with Randy mimicking behind Kane a few string chords until he gets a rhythm going that plays perfectly. It seems these two know the song or have rehearsed it well enough because either of them sound out of position or out of place in the song as Jibril listens to the vibrations to the guitar strings playing then Kane starts to sing four chords into the intro and Randy sings the secondary lyrics: ("Old Number 7" by Devil Makes Three)
♫ "I guess I grew up on an old dirt road"
♫ "A-pedal to the metal, always did what I's told"
♫ "Til I found out that my brand new clothes"
♫ "A-came second hand from the rich kids next door"
♫ "And I grew up fast, I guess I grew up mean"
♫ "There's a thousand things inside my head I wish I ain't seen"
♫ "And now I just wander through a real bad dream"
♫ "A-feeling like I'm coming apart at the seams"
♫ "Well thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
The crowd is getting into the song, moving from side to side clacking their steins and glasses together, others are laughing as the song keeps up the flow without a hitch. Jibril sits there watching Randy having a grand old time having the best day of his life with a big old smile drawn across his face fighting back the tears in his eyes. Guadalupe and Maria are tapping toes or the table with a sway of their heads.
♫ "An'a, angels start to look good to me"
♫ "They're gonna have to deport me to the fiery deeps"
Kane nudges Randy, with a nod of his head, it was as if Randy understood him clearly as Kane pulls back and returns to the next verse.
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a I know I can't stay here too long"
♫ "Cause I can't go a week without doing wrong"
♫ "Old Number Seven" - Randy
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane sings softly into a burst at the end.
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" Randy says harmoniously
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane sings loudly with a dragged out whimsy.
♫ "Old Number Seven" - Randy sings and the crowd picks it up as well and they get into the lyrics.
♫ "Without doing wrong" Kane drags says softly.
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" - The crowd sings the last verse alone with Randy and Kane looking at each other with smiles glowing on their faces
♫ "So I'm sitting as the bar stool, it starts to grow roots"
♫ "I'm feeling like an old worn out pair of shoes"
♫ "Tell me what is it that I should do"
♫ "When I'm a-swimming in the liquor only halfway through"
♫ "So I'm watching as his wings spread as wide as could be"
♫ "A-come on now and wrap them around me"
♫ "Cause all I want to do now is fall to sleep"
♫ "A-come down here and lay next to me"
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a up here the bottle never runs dry"
♫ "And you never wake up with those tears in your eyes"
♫ "Thank you Mickie Daniel's Old Number Seven"
♫ "Canaanite Whiskey got me drinking in heaven"
♫ "An'a angels start to look good to me"
♫ "They're gonna have to deport me to the fiery deeps"
Both Kane and Randy sing the last verse together while the crowd follows along
♫ "Old Number Seven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "Old Number Seven" The crowd
♫ "To the fiery deeps"
♫ "I'm drinking in heaven" The crowd
Kane plays the final guitar solo with Randy playing the fading rhythm of the rest of the song until they strum the last chord. The entire bar erupts with a waves of applauds and whistling cheers, hands clapping together as the duo prepare for another song.
Does Jibril keep listening and enjoy her drink at the bar with Draco?
Does she decide to go find Shimbala in the Hookah lounge?
Does she decide to go find something to steal from the Bordello?
Does she wanna try and find the owners and steal the deed from them? (requires some persuasion or killing them)
Does she want to find a nice booty call to settle in for the night?
Or does she just wanna leave with her things and forget about buying her friends the drinks they were promised?
Jibril stands but Lupe grabs her by the wrist as she tries to get up. "Where are you going?" She whispers, "He's right here!"
"I'm going to find the owner, maybe i can 'persuade' them to see it our way" Jibril seethes, yanking her hand away from Maria, "The sooner we can get this place, the sooner i can get paid."
"Then it would behoove you to remember that we need the deed signed by the owners to relinquish their titles" Maria lectures Jibril, "They're no good to us dead and without that signature, the deed is useless to us"
"I'll remember that" Jibril says drinking the last of her water. That's some very refreshing water they're serving here! She thinks to herself.
"The owners are Rodrigo Fucilini and Annabelle Lee, formerly husband and wife" Lupe answers, she points her thumb towards the bar area to the gentleman serving drinks. "That's Lucius, their son."
"Interesting" Jibril says. Guadalupe and Maria look up to Jibril when she stood there, both deadpan in their responses.
"Don't fuck this up for us" they both say in unison.
"As you wish Ms. 'Dove' and 'Blackthorn'." Jibril whips with a sass.
Taking her leave, how does Jibril want to address the owners? There's many ways to go about this scenario but what is the most desirable route to take? How will she go about her plan?
"I'm going to find the owner, maybe i can 'persuade' them to see it our way" Jibril seethes, yanking her hand away from Maria, "The sooner we can get this place, the sooner i can get paid."
"Then it would behoove you to remember that we need the deed signed by the owners to relinquish their titles" Maria lectures Jibril, "They're no good to us dead and without that signature, the deed is useless to us"
"I'll remember that" Jibril says drinking the last of her water. That's some very refreshing water they're serving here! She thinks to herself.
"The owners are Rodrigo Fucilini and Annabelle Lee, formerly husband and wife" Lupe answers, she points her thumb towards the bar area to the gentleman serving drinks. "That's Lucius, their son."
"Interesting" Jibril says. Guadalupe and Maria look up to Jibril when she stood there, both deadpan in their responses.
"Don't fuck this up for us" they both say in unison.
"As you wish Ms. 'Dove' and 'Blackthorn'." Jibril whips with a sass.
Taking her leave, how does Jibril want to address the owners? There's many ways to go about this scenario but what is the most desirable route to take? How will she go about her plan?
As Randy and Kane play an upbeat song called "Zorba the Greek" in the background, Jibril moves through the crowd and approaches the bar area with a blond haired, white male with an olive complexion bartender: Lucius stands polishing a glass beer mug with a cotton towel draped over his shoulder and placed upside down on a metal rack with other mugs. Whistling to the tune of the music playing, he's lost in thought when patrons asked for another round of beer and mead. With a flourish of his hands yanking mugs out from under the bar, he slides one after another and fills a large pewter pitcher with golden liquid from the bar ta, he pours each mug then uses a scrapper to slide across the rim to gather the foam and removes them off each mug then slides taps the rims to get the last bit of foam off. Laying the scrapper on the countertop, he slides the mugs with precision and speed to each of the patrons on the bar who clap at the presentation, clanking glasses and downing their drinks, Lucius turns to Jibril who approaches the bar, his hazel eyes lock on to hers and scratches the rough 5 o'clock shadow of his dark beard. With a husky tone masculine voice he strikes up a inquiry to her: "Well well, not every day we get one of you in our place. What can i get ya?" Jibril takes a seat furthest away from Draco who watches her from the other end before turning back to the stage watching his friends playing, giving Jibril time to chat with the bartender about his family.
Jibril: "Oh, nothing for me"
"Oh well, guess someone's not a drinker" Lucius returns to his mug polishing as patrons walk up to drop off their mugs. He goes and puts them inside a soapy sink water and starts cleaning them with a rage, sleeves rolled up when he does. Jibril presses on in her endeavor.
Jibril: "So, knowing anything about this place? It's my first time here"
Lucius: "Really? Can't say i blame you, not everything has been here that long. This place has been here ... oh about a year and a half? Family owns it, the old man runs the finances and dear old ma does the personal touches with the place."
Jibril: "Family business?"
Lucius: "That's right. Bought up the place when it was a sugar mill, renovated during the Daedran's Wrath's landscaping. What a thing that was, never seen people so fixated in filling up ravines, breaking down crags and growing fields like that before. Ma and Pop thought it was time that we made a change as well, bought up the old mill, did some woodworking with Miss Kayla until our fingers bled and hauled most of the wood here."
Jibril: "You're their son?"
"Lucius Fucilini" Lucius says offering a handshake with an award winning smile, "Didn't catch your name"
"Jibril" Jibril offers with a light handshake, a half-hearted gesture.
Lucius: "So where you from? Don't reckon you're a lizard woman"
Jibril: "Medressa, it's a city in the desert"
Lucius: "Gordo? I hear there was nothing out that way. Shows what i know, then again, I ain't been anywhere else besides Shurifon and Unowa."
Jibril: "It's quite a bit south from Genosia, we don't get many visitors from all the way up here beyond Baldur's Gate. Mostly adventurers and traders looking to trade spices and dyes"
Lucius: "Them good trading goods around here. If you're interested in making some good money, I hear the McCallister Brothers do a fair bit of trading and can use a few extra hands running caravans through the Rift."
Jibril: "Not interested in running with a caravan, traveled all the way here to settle down, get a local job."
Lucius: "Military is always looking for strong bodies or if you're not looking to die on some battlefield, joining the militia is a good fit. Brother joined up not too long ago, thought the way he tells it, Captain Zeroni is a hard man to please but fair."
Jibril: "I'll keep that in mind, my husband just opened up his own shop so we need to gain citizenship in order to stay here."
Lucius: "Hard thing to do, but if you're keen on staying here. I figure Miss Donna Hugh will be the woman for that sort of thing"
Jibril: "Donna Hugh?"
Lucius: "Right. She's a certified Notary around here, its how we got our bordello up and running. Real sweet woman, but a shrewd business one too. If i didn't know any better, she's waiting on a good lucrative to fall in her lap."
Jibril: "Speaking of, what sort of deal did your family get on this place? Must have cost you a fortune!"
"Well, it was a lot of hard work putting something like this together with just the four of us" Lucius states boastfully, hands on his hips and looking around his bar proudly. "I had to put this bar together myself and after six months, all that time and effort made this the first place folks come to. To unwind, kick up their boots and grab a girl or guy of their choice. But if you ask me, nothing i hate more than to see someone drinking alone and moping around the girls. It's depressing! But that all changed when the Prez started putting in special favors for us to make Scarlet District the first district to entertain guests and travelers upon arriving, the government shells out half the price of our budget, sets the restrictions, hands us our licenses at half the cost, bought out half the rights to the place and the rest is as they say: history"
Jibril: "Wait a minute, the government owns this place too?"
"Well, yeah. Not like them to invest so much money into the city and NOT get a piece of the action" Lucius leans against the bar with both hands holding the ledge, Jibril hears his back cracking. "Besides, if we fail to make a profit, we lose the right to bitch about it when the bank forecloses on us."
Jibril: "You pay rent to them for your own brothel? What sense does that make!"
Lucius: "I don't know, you'd have to ask pops for that. I'm just a bartender paying his end of the rent."
Jibril: "That's shady"
"I think it's practical. It's not like the old ways of doing things, we build something, we can't pay to keep the doors open, the lord of the land closes us down, family is kicked to the curb, we whore ourselves out and try making back the money to get it then we learn some hot-head from the crime families now owns and runs the place." Lucius folds his arms leaning towards Jibril, "This way we stay in business even if we sell our rights to the deed. 'Preferential Ownership' is what the Prez calls it when someone gives up ownership and later comes back to gain back their ownership, something about profit gains versus loses, having a good history owning a place makes it look better for you than someone without a history they can track."
Jibril: "That's ... oddly reassuring?"
Lucius chuckled: "I know, it sounds like bullshit. But I've seen the Grimshaws get their apothecary back when the head patriarch got sent t prison for illegal Bliss potions, I hear they're back in business with the government making chemical ingredients in massive bulk these days near the old winehouse in Tulip District. If they can get their place back from those thieving Wayenrights, there's hope the rest of us can too."
Jibril: "That's very useful info to have, thank you"
Lucius: "Not a problem"
Jibril: "So what would it take to gain full ownership of your place?"
"Uh ... hmm" Lucius thinks on it, "Can't say that i know. I've always known that you could unless they changed the laws again. I think in our case, we were pretty broke to be fair and honest with you. Nobody could have built this place with our own money so Kane and the council just pooled some coin together and distributed it around, made contracts with folks and people were making hand over fist when business was picking up. I think if you bought out the government's share of the ownership, you could possibly have the whole thing to yourself. Depends on who actually owns it."
Jibril: "What do you mean?"
Lucius: "I mean, the government may run the country but they're staking their own claims using money they loan out through the bank and treasury. Use to, a lord can buyout the land and he'd own the whole thing, rule it how he sees fit and makes the rules. We don't have lords, just the council and the good old president sitting on that stage behind you"
Jibril looks back to Kane who is all smiles and the crowds cheering when they finished another song. Jibril returns to Lucius.
Lucius: "Doesn't matter how much things have changed, some things never do. Yesterday's lords are today's councilmen. The biggest difference in this republic we're building is that we have a choice to choose who we let run the country."
Jibril: "You elect your leaders? Like ... a herald or a judge?"
Lucius: "Yep, except we can vote who becomes a councilor AND the president."
"You're telling me" Jibril points to Kane, "You elected that man?!"
"Elect him? We keep electing him" Lucius states proudly, "That man created the Republic and brought democracy and gave us actual rights to private property. I'd say if it weren't for him, this place would crumble under the council's decisions. Too many folks around here swear up and down they'd follow that man's every word. Hell, they're making him out to be a god. Personally, that's too blasphemous to call any mortal man a god"
Jibril: "You a religious man?"
Lucius pulls out a two headed crucifix of the Church of the Luminous One: "There's only one god i worship. Don't go spreading it around. The Church ain't too well liked around here after the Crusades and Witch Hunts happening out back east, more refugees looking to survive out there are coming here to escape the Inquisition. Best keep your guard up around here too, some unsavory types roam these streets and none of them have your best interest in heart."
Jibril: "Thanks for the help and the info, you've been very helpful. Awfully smart to be a barman"
Lucius: "Comes with being a good listener. I'm not very talkative most nights, helps having a nice looking woman to talk to"
Seems Lucius is flirting with Jibril, which takes her by surprise. Are humans really attracted to her? Or is it just Canaanites that are this ... forward thinking?
Jibril: "Oh, nothing for me"
"Oh well, guess someone's not a drinker" Lucius returns to his mug polishing as patrons walk up to drop off their mugs. He goes and puts them inside a soapy sink water and starts cleaning them with a rage, sleeves rolled up when he does. Jibril presses on in her endeavor.
Jibril: "So, knowing anything about this place? It's my first time here"
Lucius: "Really? Can't say i blame you, not everything has been here that long. This place has been here ... oh about a year and a half? Family owns it, the old man runs the finances and dear old ma does the personal touches with the place."
Jibril: "Family business?"
Lucius: "That's right. Bought up the place when it was a sugar mill, renovated during the Daedran's Wrath's landscaping. What a thing that was, never seen people so fixated in filling up ravines, breaking down crags and growing fields like that before. Ma and Pop thought it was time that we made a change as well, bought up the old mill, did some woodworking with Miss Kayla until our fingers bled and hauled most of the wood here."
Jibril: "You're their son?"
"Lucius Fucilini" Lucius says offering a handshake with an award winning smile, "Didn't catch your name"
"Jibril" Jibril offers with a light handshake, a half-hearted gesture.
Lucius: "So where you from? Don't reckon you're a lizard woman"
Jibril: "Medressa, it's a city in the desert"
Lucius: "Gordo? I hear there was nothing out that way. Shows what i know, then again, I ain't been anywhere else besides Shurifon and Unowa."
Jibril: "It's quite a bit south from Genosia, we don't get many visitors from all the way up here beyond Baldur's Gate. Mostly adventurers and traders looking to trade spices and dyes"
Lucius: "Them good trading goods around here. If you're interested in making some good money, I hear the McCallister Brothers do a fair bit of trading and can use a few extra hands running caravans through the Rift."
Jibril: "Not interested in running with a caravan, traveled all the way here to settle down, get a local job."
Lucius: "Military is always looking for strong bodies or if you're not looking to die on some battlefield, joining the militia is a good fit. Brother joined up not too long ago, thought the way he tells it, Captain Zeroni is a hard man to please but fair."
Jibril: "I'll keep that in mind, my husband just opened up his own shop so we need to gain citizenship in order to stay here."
Lucius: "Hard thing to do, but if you're keen on staying here. I figure Miss Donna Hugh will be the woman for that sort of thing"
Jibril: "Donna Hugh?"
Lucius: "Right. She's a certified Notary around here, its how we got our bordello up and running. Real sweet woman, but a shrewd business one too. If i didn't know any better, she's waiting on a good lucrative to fall in her lap."
Jibril: "Speaking of, what sort of deal did your family get on this place? Must have cost you a fortune!"
"Well, it was a lot of hard work putting something like this together with just the four of us" Lucius states boastfully, hands on his hips and looking around his bar proudly. "I had to put this bar together myself and after six months, all that time and effort made this the first place folks come to. To unwind, kick up their boots and grab a girl or guy of their choice. But if you ask me, nothing i hate more than to see someone drinking alone and moping around the girls. It's depressing! But that all changed when the Prez started putting in special favors for us to make Scarlet District the first district to entertain guests and travelers upon arriving, the government shells out half the price of our budget, sets the restrictions, hands us our licenses at half the cost, bought out half the rights to the place and the rest is as they say: history"
Jibril: "Wait a minute, the government owns this place too?"
"Well, yeah. Not like them to invest so much money into the city and NOT get a piece of the action" Lucius leans against the bar with both hands holding the ledge, Jibril hears his back cracking. "Besides, if we fail to make a profit, we lose the right to bitch about it when the bank forecloses on us."
Jibril: "You pay rent to them for your own brothel? What sense does that make!"
Lucius: "I don't know, you'd have to ask pops for that. I'm just a bartender paying his end of the rent."
Jibril: "That's shady"
"I think it's practical. It's not like the old ways of doing things, we build something, we can't pay to keep the doors open, the lord of the land closes us down, family is kicked to the curb, we whore ourselves out and try making back the money to get it then we learn some hot-head from the crime families now owns and runs the place." Lucius folds his arms leaning towards Jibril, "This way we stay in business even if we sell our rights to the deed. 'Preferential Ownership' is what the Prez calls it when someone gives up ownership and later comes back to gain back their ownership, something about profit gains versus loses, having a good history owning a place makes it look better for you than someone without a history they can track."
Jibril: "That's ... oddly reassuring?"
Lucius chuckled: "I know, it sounds like bullshit. But I've seen the Grimshaws get their apothecary back when the head patriarch got sent t prison for illegal Bliss potions, I hear they're back in business with the government making chemical ingredients in massive bulk these days near the old winehouse in Tulip District. If they can get their place back from those thieving Wayenrights, there's hope the rest of us can too."
Jibril: "That's very useful info to have, thank you"
Lucius: "Not a problem"
Jibril: "So what would it take to gain full ownership of your place?"
"Uh ... hmm" Lucius thinks on it, "Can't say that i know. I've always known that you could unless they changed the laws again. I think in our case, we were pretty broke to be fair and honest with you. Nobody could have built this place with our own money so Kane and the council just pooled some coin together and distributed it around, made contracts with folks and people were making hand over fist when business was picking up. I think if you bought out the government's share of the ownership, you could possibly have the whole thing to yourself. Depends on who actually owns it."
Jibril: "What do you mean?"
Lucius: "I mean, the government may run the country but they're staking their own claims using money they loan out through the bank and treasury. Use to, a lord can buyout the land and he'd own the whole thing, rule it how he sees fit and makes the rules. We don't have lords, just the council and the good old president sitting on that stage behind you"
Jibril looks back to Kane who is all smiles and the crowds cheering when they finished another song. Jibril returns to Lucius.
Lucius: "Doesn't matter how much things have changed, some things never do. Yesterday's lords are today's councilmen. The biggest difference in this republic we're building is that we have a choice to choose who we let run the country."
Jibril: "You elect your leaders? Like ... a herald or a judge?"
Lucius: "Yep, except we can vote who becomes a councilor AND the president."
"You're telling me" Jibril points to Kane, "You elected that man?!"
"Elect him? We keep electing him" Lucius states proudly, "That man created the Republic and brought democracy and gave us actual rights to private property. I'd say if it weren't for him, this place would crumble under the council's decisions. Too many folks around here swear up and down they'd follow that man's every word. Hell, they're making him out to be a god. Personally, that's too blasphemous to call any mortal man a god"
Jibril: "You a religious man?"
Lucius pulls out a two headed crucifix of the Church of the Luminous One: "There's only one god i worship. Don't go spreading it around. The Church ain't too well liked around here after the Crusades and Witch Hunts happening out back east, more refugees looking to survive out there are coming here to escape the Inquisition. Best keep your guard up around here too, some unsavory types roam these streets and none of them have your best interest in heart."
Jibril: "Thanks for the help and the info, you've been very helpful. Awfully smart to be a barman"
Lucius: "Comes with being a good listener. I'm not very talkative most nights, helps having a nice looking woman to talk to"
Seems Lucius is flirting with Jibril, which takes her by surprise. Are humans really attracted to her? Or is it just Canaanites that are this ... forward thinking?
"Jibril chuckles why thank you for the compliment but am faithful to my family buuuuut if your bored i know some two ladies who are interested in talking to you,she point's her finger at the direction of the table she came from where Guadalupe and Maria are sitting at "don't let what they say get to you when you meet them there really nice people when you get to know them,she gets up and leave the establishment ready to go home to her family.
Lucius looks to the two Alabaster girls who peer back at them and they looked away when he looks over at him. Lucius turns back to Jibril with an incredulous look, he scoffs: "I know a few Alabaster girls when i see them. Miss Lee was the one who put them in the suite upstairs you know, buuut" He looks back at them, "Wouldn't hurt to get to know the one sitting down. She's gotta bit of confidence i like in a woman, not too sure about the one sitting in her lap though. Every rose has a thorn, best not to stick my nose into their business if i know what's good for me." Jibril nods acknowledging his decision: "Maybe, or maybe they're just as interested in getting to know someone with flexible fingers. Best of luck to you, Lucius" she says getting up from her stool and walks towards the end of the bar to meet up with Draco. Draco stops himself from drinking the stein in his massive hands when Jibril approached him. "I'm thinking of calling it a night, Draco" Jibril shouts to him over the singing by Kane and Randy in the background. Draco was upset by this but understands that it was a very long evening in the shop and drinking this late, "We were hoping to get that drink you owed us. But if you insist, we can call it even after that race, you gave me quite the rush!" Jibril chuckled at his compliment, "Not bad yourself, big man! We'll try again another time, yeah? I'm starting to miss my family." Draco nods his head and pats her on the back as she starts walking away.
Jibril eyes up patrons and clients walking by her when she sees Alistair Alabaster walking towards an open room with a woman inside laying on a bed. The woman looked fragile and weak as her hand rose up and touches his face, Alistair held the woman's hand tenderly and sets his medical bag on the ground beside her. When Alistair rose up and peels away from the weak woman to close the door, Jibril and him locked eyes. No words were exchanged, his eyes turned depressed and somber and he shuts the door softly and Jibril is left wondering who was she to him? She takes the ticket she has on her person and hands it to the checkpoint kiosk attendant and retrieves her possessions and starts her way out the front door as the bouncers watched and searched guests coming in but not the ones going out.
Jibril makes her return to the Green Dragon Hotel, finds her room, dropping off her stuff inside, changed out of her clothes and slip into something nice: her cotton tunic that hangs over her hips enough like a very short skirt and sets it out. Undressed, Jibril takes a warm bath and cleans up her body with the soap bar and brushes the sweat and dirt all over her body. Her body stings something fierce as her body still has the aches and pains from the race on the Crucible and she gingerly gets herself out of the Victorian bathtub and dries herself off with the towels and makes her way towards the bedroom. When she turns into the bedroom, someone sat in the chair beside the window with the window cropped open and the cigarette tray was filled up once again with more buds with the person sitting in the chair smoking one currently: It was Kane in human form. She turns and sees another version of Kane in reptilian form.
"How did you-" Jibril stammers over her words, then she realizes that this wasn't the REAL Kane but perhaps Mellow or Sanguine impersonating him. "What are you doing here? Isn't your 'master' wondering what you're doing looking like him in his absence?"
"We have something to discuss with you" Sanguine answered in reptilian Kane's voice, "Umbra has seen your Marker and asks you to meet with him tomorrow afternoon."
"Ugh, fine!" Jibril says holding up her towel over her breasts, "Can't you just leave me be? You 'Marked' or whatever have caused me enough trouble"
"Our business has concluded" Mellow answer in human Kane's voice, "But there was ...a problem"
"What do you mean" Jibril says, fed up with the cloak and dagger routine they have.
"It would seem that Maruda wasn't entirely telling us the truth" Sanguine answers, folding his arms while leaning up against the wall behind Jibril.
"The dream you and your companions had" Mellow answers, "Not all of it was her doing"
"We were also afflicted with her interference" They both answer simultaneously.
"I don't understand" Jibril incredulously wondering how this affects her.
"You are God-Touched" Mellow answers.
"You were touched by Maruda" Sanguine pressed, "We believe this concerns Kane greatly. She is not to be trusted around him. We wanted into inquire: why you?"
"How should I know, i don't even know what that even means" Jibril protests.
"Kane seeks the Jewel of Behameth, Maruda had the answers" Sanguine interjects, "We have reason to believe that she is intentionally withholding information vital to us"
"Information about the location of this 'jewel' and as it so happens, you are from Medressa where it may be found" Mellow replies, "What is your connection to the city?"
"I was a royal guardsman to the Sultan" Jibril huffs, "I was sent on a pilgrimage to here to learn the world beyond our desert and return home upon gaining new insight for the Vizier where we may be able to establish trade routes. All the other members of the guard were sent on other pilgrimages by the Sultan to do the same, there's nothing more i can say to relieve your concerns but that is all i know. I didn't have the luxury of asking more or knowing more than my place as a servant to the family."
"Interesting" Mellow and Sanguine say in unison.
"What more do i have to do to prove i'm just here to mind my own business. I want to be left alone" Jibril answers.
"In due time, Nagini" Mellow replied, "This new insight may prove to be more than what we believe."
"Your role in this endeavor to find the jewel of resurrection may be critical" Sanguine presses further, "If what you say is true, Kane will proceed with his plans accordingly. Kane expresses this important meeting to which you must attend to tomorrow with haste, do not keep him waiting."
"We are at the precipitous of change and you along with the others called here will become the means to this end." Sanguine stresses, emphasizing that there are other people involved in this.
"Kane's Grand Gesture is upon us" Mellow stands up and smiles widely, "The day is coming where all things must come to an end. The end of an Era and new beginnings. It will be a glorious day of reckoning to be free, where will you be when that day arrives?"
Mellow leans into Jibril's face, she pulls back from him.
"What does that even mean?" Jibril quips, "He's going to make a 'Grand Gesture' sounds like a party"
Sanguine laughs a deep toned chuckle as does Mellow who cackles at the idea.
"You have no idea" They say.
Then with a quickly blink of an eye, they vanish in a plume of black smoke, leaving Jibril behind in her room alone. Gods, what has she been involved with? What do they even mean she's serving a bigger role in all of this?! She's just a nobody! Just a wayward soul far from home, she doesn't serve a god nor devil, she doesn't even have a purpose for being here! All of this is consuming her mind and time, she sat on the bed, stewing around the idea of what could Kane want with her. What is this meeting about? Are there truly others like her pulled to New Canaan in her circumstance as well? So many questions need answering, but she has her family to consider. What will happen to them? She can't bear the thought that she'll be responsible for giving them more trouble than she already has, she's worked so hard bringing this family together and mending all of her problems, thrice! She can't let this situation with Kane, the Marked and the people in her life struggling to get by!!
Jibril throws her hands up into the air, frustrated and lays on her bed still very much naked underneath her towel.
What does she do. There's so much happening all around her, she doesn't know what to do. But she knows she can't keep putting off her meeting with Kane anymore, tomorrow is the Third Day and she has to deal with what may come the following days. She still has to make arrangements to go to Sou'jure and located Hana'he for Kor'da, not mention locating Three Swords Valley, figuring out who sent her the Black Hand letter, Karlya and Karin, Jimmy and Tar'lak. She's grown to be the center of all their lives, it's not fair that she has to choose one thing each time.
... If only she could see the outcomes of her decisions.
Jibril eyes up patrons and clients walking by her when she sees Alistair Alabaster walking towards an open room with a woman inside laying on a bed. The woman looked fragile and weak as her hand rose up and touches his face, Alistair held the woman's hand tenderly and sets his medical bag on the ground beside her. When Alistair rose up and peels away from the weak woman to close the door, Jibril and him locked eyes. No words were exchanged, his eyes turned depressed and somber and he shuts the door softly and Jibril is left wondering who was she to him? She takes the ticket she has on her person and hands it to the checkpoint kiosk attendant and retrieves her possessions and starts her way out the front door as the bouncers watched and searched guests coming in but not the ones going out.
Jibril makes her return to the Green Dragon Hotel, finds her room, dropping off her stuff inside, changed out of her clothes and slip into something nice: her cotton tunic that hangs over her hips enough like a very short skirt and sets it out. Undressed, Jibril takes a warm bath and cleans up her body with the soap bar and brushes the sweat and dirt all over her body. Her body stings something fierce as her body still has the aches and pains from the race on the Crucible and she gingerly gets herself out of the Victorian bathtub and dries herself off with the towels and makes her way towards the bedroom. When she turns into the bedroom, someone sat in the chair beside the window with the window cropped open and the cigarette tray was filled up once again with more buds with the person sitting in the chair smoking one currently: It was Kane in human form. She turns and sees another version of Kane in reptilian form.
"How did you-" Jibril stammers over her words, then she realizes that this wasn't the REAL Kane but perhaps Mellow or Sanguine impersonating him. "What are you doing here? Isn't your 'master' wondering what you're doing looking like him in his absence?"
"We have something to discuss with you" Sanguine answered in reptilian Kane's voice, "Umbra has seen your Marker and asks you to meet with him tomorrow afternoon."
"Ugh, fine!" Jibril says holding up her towel over her breasts, "Can't you just leave me be? You 'Marked' or whatever have caused me enough trouble"
"Our business has concluded" Mellow answer in human Kane's voice, "But there was ...a problem"
"What do you mean" Jibril says, fed up with the cloak and dagger routine they have.
"It would seem that Maruda wasn't entirely telling us the truth" Sanguine answers, folding his arms while leaning up against the wall behind Jibril.
"The dream you and your companions had" Mellow answers, "Not all of it was her doing"
"We were also afflicted with her interference" They both answer simultaneously.
"I don't understand" Jibril incredulously wondering how this affects her.
"You are God-Touched" Mellow answers.
"You were touched by Maruda" Sanguine pressed, "We believe this concerns Kane greatly. She is not to be trusted around him. We wanted into inquire: why you?"
"How should I know, i don't even know what that even means" Jibril protests.
"Kane seeks the Jewel of Behameth, Maruda had the answers" Sanguine interjects, "We have reason to believe that she is intentionally withholding information vital to us"
"Information about the location of this 'jewel' and as it so happens, you are from Medressa where it may be found" Mellow replies, "What is your connection to the city?"
"I was a royal guardsman to the Sultan" Jibril huffs, "I was sent on a pilgrimage to here to learn the world beyond our desert and return home upon gaining new insight for the Vizier where we may be able to establish trade routes. All the other members of the guard were sent on other pilgrimages by the Sultan to do the same, there's nothing more i can say to relieve your concerns but that is all i know. I didn't have the luxury of asking more or knowing more than my place as a servant to the family."
"Interesting" Mellow and Sanguine say in unison.
"What more do i have to do to prove i'm just here to mind my own business. I want to be left alone" Jibril answers.
"In due time, Nagini" Mellow replied, "This new insight may prove to be more than what we believe."
"Your role in this endeavor to find the jewel of resurrection may be critical" Sanguine presses further, "If what you say is true, Kane will proceed with his plans accordingly. Kane expresses this important meeting to which you must attend to tomorrow with haste, do not keep him waiting."
"We are at the precipitous of change and you along with the others called here will become the means to this end." Sanguine stresses, emphasizing that there are other people involved in this.
"Kane's Grand Gesture is upon us" Mellow stands up and smiles widely, "The day is coming where all things must come to an end. The end of an Era and new beginnings. It will be a glorious day of reckoning to be free, where will you be when that day arrives?"
Mellow leans into Jibril's face, she pulls back from him.
"What does that even mean?" Jibril quips, "He's going to make a 'Grand Gesture' sounds like a party"
Sanguine laughs a deep toned chuckle as does Mellow who cackles at the idea.
"You have no idea" They say.
Then with a quickly blink of an eye, they vanish in a plume of black smoke, leaving Jibril behind in her room alone. Gods, what has she been involved with? What do they even mean she's serving a bigger role in all of this?! She's just a nobody! Just a wayward soul far from home, she doesn't serve a god nor devil, she doesn't even have a purpose for being here! All of this is consuming her mind and time, she sat on the bed, stewing around the idea of what could Kane want with her. What is this meeting about? Are there truly others like her pulled to New Canaan in her circumstance as well? So many questions need answering, but she has her family to consider. What will happen to them? She can't bear the thought that she'll be responsible for giving them more trouble than she already has, she's worked so hard bringing this family together and mending all of her problems, thrice! She can't let this situation with Kane, the Marked and the people in her life struggling to get by!!
Jibril throws her hands up into the air, frustrated and lays on her bed still very much naked underneath her towel.
What does she do. There's so much happening all around her, she doesn't know what to do. But she knows she can't keep putting off her meeting with Kane anymore, tomorrow is the Third Day and she has to deal with what may come the following days. She still has to make arrangements to go to Sou'jure and located Hana'he for Kor'da, not mention locating Three Swords Valley, figuring out who sent her the Black Hand letter, Karlya and Karin, Jimmy and Tar'lak. She's grown to be the center of all their lives, it's not fair that she has to choose one thing each time.
... If only she could see the outcomes of her decisions.
"Jibril ugh just great might as well see him tomorrow plus i can ask him for information on sou'jure it could help me when i leave to find hana'he.sigh,and i was gonna have fun with the family members but i better head in early so i can wake up bright and early,she walk to her warm bed and tuck herself in for warmth and head of to sleep
The moment the two clones vanish into thin air. Jibril removes her towel and reclines onto the bed, "Ugh just great might as well see him tomorrow" she rolls her eyes in her sockets. "Maybe i can ask him for info on Sou'jure, it could help me when i leave to find Hana'he" She sighs to herself, getting off the bed and walks on over to her wardrobe to find something to wear to bed. "And i was gonna have fun with the family! Better head in early so i can wake up bright and early. This sucks!" she says until she opens her eyes to a large parcel gift wrapped inside her wardrobe with a letter inside. What's this? She looks at the contents and pulls out some underwear: three different sized cotton panties, a strange contraption that looks like that it's suppose to hold up her perky breasts, a pair of leather ankle boots reminiscent to the Victorian style ankle boots, a yellow sundress for casual wear and a black leather corset. Jibril is delighted to see her new clothes but then she remembered the letter the parcel came with and went to read it:
"Dear Jibril, I went to the market earlier today and found this dress and thought of you. I don't know very much about women's clothing but i thought i should purchase you some lady's wears as well,to which i hope at least one of them fits you. Karin suggested this 'brassiere' thing to me, supposedly this thing is suppose to help support your breasts and went ahead and purchased one while there is one left to buy. I'm told these luxury items are quite popular here and i think they should go nicely with your new corset which was something i wanted to see you try the next time we have a moment ... alone. Karlya went with me, a very awkward request much to my embarrassment. I don't know how i convinced myself to ask her for help with all things considered, i felt out of my element when it came to fine wears of the feminine variety but she was very helpful in suggesting a good pair of shoes. It saddened me to see you walking around bare footed and no woman of mine is going to be walking around like a pauper! No ma'am! Only the finest clothes for the love in my life. I'll be thinking of you when we see each other next time."
"Aww, he sent me a dress" Jibril says to herself with a warming embrace, pulling the dress free from the packaging and flourishes out of the bag and walks over to the standing mirror in her room. Laying the sundress over her Nagini body and fanning out the skirt, it was beautiful. It was more vibrant yellow with floral design and slim, just she is with a corp top between her shoulders and neckline with short sleeves. Jibril looked at herself in the mirror and sees her amber colored eyes and pair of horns atop of her head the human-like features of her face and the freckling heat pits on her cheeks and dark lips. Staring at herself in the mirror, she felt oddly like this was out of place for her. She had always been accustomed to wearing a uniform of some kind, looked to be thuggish when the need arises, and she had always been poor even under Silverman's banner as his hired goon. She lowers the dress and drops it onto the bed and looks back into the mirror once more without her body being covered up. Seeing herself without anything to cover herself, she runs her fingers through the many scars on her arms, shoulders, chest and abdomen, the missing scales where a bad shed couldn't fix. These were her scars, her memories of the fights she's won and lost, these are what make her unique.
So far from the desert; so far from Medressa's sandstone bricked streets, the cold, dry air, the smell of cooking spices and salted pork and beef from the street food, the chattering of the bazaar she use to visit and wander around. Back then she was just a young girl looking back to her mother who held her hand firmly as they walked the marketplace. Jibril looked up to her mother's covered up facial veil and the Sultan's guards patrol by them as they make for one of their guard posts nearest to the market plaza. A tall midnight robed man approached Jibril's mother and the golden band crowning on his forehead marked him as a Vizier, beisde him stood a man in a royal guardsman uniform with hand on his scimitar and prehensile tail coiling around his feet, his facial features are very masculine and chiseled with heat pits lining his upper lip like a trimmed mustache and equally bright amber eyes looking down at Jibril. With a smile across his face, Jibril rose her arms up to the blurring visage of the man she called father picking her up and tossing her up into the air with glee, her laughter drowning out her memory.
Jibril stops, the memories of her family hurt her the most. Her hand instinctively rose up to her face and catches a few drops of her tears covering her palm. This pain she felt was an old wound, a scar that will never fade, but the harder she tries to remember the faces of her father and mother the aching pain in her heart soured and hurts. She stops trying to force herself to remember what they even look like anymore. She must forget them, she has a duty to the royal family to fulfill her pilgrimage. She's learned what she can in the years leading up to this moment, she will have to one day return to Medressa and answer the call of the Vizier and tell him all that she had witnessed. Maybe one day, Jibril may learn the fate of her father and mother.
Jibril hears a knock on the door, snapping her out of the trance of old memories. She cautiously approached the door. "Who is it?" she listens carefully. She hears Kor'da's voice, "It's me. Are you alright? You've been gone all day." Jibril opens the door and holds the towel over her body instinctively.
"Sorry" she apologized, wiping the tears off her face, "I was just with Draco and Shimbala. We were patching things up when we were out, i sorta lost track of time and came back to my room."
Kor'da noticed that Jibril was crying, "Were you ... crying just now?" Jibril assured him that it wasn't what he thinks, "No! No, I was just happy about the clothes you bought for me!"
Kor'da gives her a delighted smile, "I'm glad you like them! I was worried that they wouldn't fit."
"Actually, I haven't tried them on" Jibril confesses, "I was going to come by your room to spend time with the kids, but ... um, it seems I've been summoned to a meeting by the president tomorrow so i-"
Kor'da pressed her lips and assured her with a confidence she hadn't seen from him.
"Shhhh. It's okay, I understand. You aren't going to hurt my feelings if you have your own business to settle, we owe him a great deal for this, it would be rude of us to bite the offering hand"
"I suppose" Jibril says discomforted by the thought, "Can i ask you something?"
"Of course" Kor'da says.
"Are you ... happy ... with me?" Jibril says, confidence waning.
Kor'da is startled, but not at all surpraised by her question.He rubs the back of his head and scratching his thick leafy green scales.
"We've had our rough patches. We've said some things we don't mean" Kor'da says confidently but not shaken by the thought, "I've had time to come to terms with how things have been between us and our dealings with Kane. You're just now coming to terms with this on your own, it wasn't easy for me to accept that. You're the strongest woman I've met, independent, fierce, brave and bold. The qualities i sorely lacked until i met you, you've brought out the best in me. You still accepted me and my failings when i am at my lowest point, how can i not do the same for you?"
"But are you happy that I'm your wife?" Jibril asked, voice breaking.
"What's gotten into you? Of course i am!" Kor'da tells her.
Kor'da forces himself into her room and closes the door behind him with Jibril walking away with the towel covering her and rubbing her eye, fighting back the tears.
"I don't know" Jibril tells him, "I just don't know what to do anymore"
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks her with a hand raising to touch her shoulder.
"I thought i had all the answers" Jibril gives a sad chuckle, "I trained to face the worst kinds of people, traveled so far from everything i knew on orders from my Sultan. But then I, lost myself. I had all these plans, but everything seems to never go my way and i hate it!"
Jibril throws her towel towards the wardrobe and storms for the bed and continues to sulk on the edge with her hands on her face. Kor'da rushes by his wife's side and ropes his arms around her to comfort her.
"That's just how things are, nothing ever goes according to plan" Kor'da assures her, "You fought through it and look at where we are! We're finally here, our new home!"
"You don't get it" Jibril tells him, "I didn't plan for this"
"Plan for what?" Kor'da looks into her eyes trying to understand what she's so upset about.
Jibril's eyes are glossed over with a film of tears when she looks into his eyes: "I didn't plan on being happy"
The weight on her heart is balanced on a scale: a scale for her devotion to her life as a pilgrim and duty to the Sultan; a scale for her new life and new love to which she must come to terms with. With the valuable information of her time in the outside world this has granted Jibril a chance to return home to the Medressa, but in doing so: she will leave everything behind and unable to return. The life of a Pilgrim Guardsman is one of devotion to the Sultan and his edicts of isolationism, outsiders are forbidden to enter the city and those that defy the laws are executed and those pilgrims that return must honor their oaths to the Sultan's Will and remain in service to the royalty even in death.
[One day, Jibril will have to face the reality that she will have to make the hardest decisions. One of which will be whom does she belong to? An oath is a sacred thing, one that must be obligated but does she have it in her heart to break that oath to live the life with her new family? Only time will tell.]
Kor'da cradled Jibril in his arms and both of them laid on the bed, he stroked her head and held her close to his chest, not letting go of her as she weeps herself to sleep. Kor'da throws a blanket over himself and Jibril as they sleep together in silence as the night passes over them.
Morning of the Fourth Day:
Jibril awakens to her face wedged between Kor'da's pectoral muscles and the dampness of her tears staining his scales, her eyes are barely opened when she hears his heart beating inside his chest and the air flowing into his lungs and coming out is low hisses of a deep slumber, his tail tucked between their legs, he holds her tightly and refuses to budge. Jibril doesn't fight it, she's firmly pressed up against him with her forearms resting on his smooth scales and hers warmed by their bodies and the blankets over them. This bed is so soft and welcoming, like a cotton cocoon enveloping her the musk of his body is inviting given how extraordinarily clean he is,she can taste the olive and oak scent on him. Her head rests under his chin and hands caressing her lower back and shoulder like he's protecting her from the pain one may inflict on her. Sleeping like this, it's a sign someone is unable to cope with loss and unable to let go of something so precious. To be held in such a way is endearing and affectionate, to be the center of this one's attention is the purest sign of love in a tender embrace. Jibril doesn't want this to end, the eggs in her womb shift and move. She's blushing under her veiled face as Kor'da holds her so close, she presses her belly up against his and stirs Kor'da to reach down to rub her side and down her leg. He inhales deeply and exhales with a soft hiss from his snout.
She could take advantage of this, if she wants to.
"Dear Jibril, I went to the market earlier today and found this dress and thought of you. I don't know very much about women's clothing but i thought i should purchase you some lady's wears as well,to which i hope at least one of them fits you. Karin suggested this 'brassiere' thing to me, supposedly this thing is suppose to help support your breasts and went ahead and purchased one while there is one left to buy. I'm told these luxury items are quite popular here and i think they should go nicely with your new corset which was something i wanted to see you try the next time we have a moment ... alone. Karlya went with me, a very awkward request much to my embarrassment. I don't know how i convinced myself to ask her for help with all things considered, i felt out of my element when it came to fine wears of the feminine variety but she was very helpful in suggesting a good pair of shoes. It saddened me to see you walking around bare footed and no woman of mine is going to be walking around like a pauper! No ma'am! Only the finest clothes for the love in my life. I'll be thinking of you when we see each other next time."
~ Kor'da Slavenclaw ~
"Aww, he sent me a dress" Jibril says to herself with a warming embrace, pulling the dress free from the packaging and flourishes out of the bag and walks over to the standing mirror in her room. Laying the sundress over her Nagini body and fanning out the skirt, it was beautiful. It was more vibrant yellow with floral design and slim, just she is with a corp top between her shoulders and neckline with short sleeves. Jibril looked at herself in the mirror and sees her amber colored eyes and pair of horns atop of her head the human-like features of her face and the freckling heat pits on her cheeks and dark lips. Staring at herself in the mirror, she felt oddly like this was out of place for her. She had always been accustomed to wearing a uniform of some kind, looked to be thuggish when the need arises, and she had always been poor even under Silverman's banner as his hired goon. She lowers the dress and drops it onto the bed and looks back into the mirror once more without her body being covered up. Seeing herself without anything to cover herself, she runs her fingers through the many scars on her arms, shoulders, chest and abdomen, the missing scales where a bad shed couldn't fix. These were her scars, her memories of the fights she's won and lost, these are what make her unique.
So far from the desert; so far from Medressa's sandstone bricked streets, the cold, dry air, the smell of cooking spices and salted pork and beef from the street food, the chattering of the bazaar she use to visit and wander around. Back then she was just a young girl looking back to her mother who held her hand firmly as they walked the marketplace. Jibril looked up to her mother's covered up facial veil and the Sultan's guards patrol by them as they make for one of their guard posts nearest to the market plaza. A tall midnight robed man approached Jibril's mother and the golden band crowning on his forehead marked him as a Vizier, beisde him stood a man in a royal guardsman uniform with hand on his scimitar and prehensile tail coiling around his feet, his facial features are very masculine and chiseled with heat pits lining his upper lip like a trimmed mustache and equally bright amber eyes looking down at Jibril. With a smile across his face, Jibril rose her arms up to the blurring visage of the man she called father picking her up and tossing her up into the air with glee, her laughter drowning out her memory.
Jibril stops, the memories of her family hurt her the most. Her hand instinctively rose up to her face and catches a few drops of her tears covering her palm. This pain she felt was an old wound, a scar that will never fade, but the harder she tries to remember the faces of her father and mother the aching pain in her heart soured and hurts. She stops trying to force herself to remember what they even look like anymore. She must forget them, she has a duty to the royal family to fulfill her pilgrimage. She's learned what she can in the years leading up to this moment, she will have to one day return to Medressa and answer the call of the Vizier and tell him all that she had witnessed. Maybe one day, Jibril may learn the fate of her father and mother.
Jibril hears a knock on the door, snapping her out of the trance of old memories. She cautiously approached the door. "Who is it?" she listens carefully. She hears Kor'da's voice, "It's me. Are you alright? You've been gone all day." Jibril opens the door and holds the towel over her body instinctively.
"Sorry" she apologized, wiping the tears off her face, "I was just with Draco and Shimbala. We were patching things up when we were out, i sorta lost track of time and came back to my room."
Kor'da noticed that Jibril was crying, "Were you ... crying just now?" Jibril assured him that it wasn't what he thinks, "No! No, I was just happy about the clothes you bought for me!"
Kor'da gives her a delighted smile, "I'm glad you like them! I was worried that they wouldn't fit."
"Actually, I haven't tried them on" Jibril confesses, "I was going to come by your room to spend time with the kids, but ... um, it seems I've been summoned to a meeting by the president tomorrow so i-"
Kor'da pressed her lips and assured her with a confidence she hadn't seen from him.
"Shhhh. It's okay, I understand. You aren't going to hurt my feelings if you have your own business to settle, we owe him a great deal for this, it would be rude of us to bite the offering hand"
"I suppose" Jibril says discomforted by the thought, "Can i ask you something?"
"Of course" Kor'da says.
"Are you ... happy ... with me?" Jibril says, confidence waning.
Kor'da is startled, but not at all surpraised by her question.He rubs the back of his head and scratching his thick leafy green scales.
"We've had our rough patches. We've said some things we don't mean" Kor'da says confidently but not shaken by the thought, "I've had time to come to terms with how things have been between us and our dealings with Kane. You're just now coming to terms with this on your own, it wasn't easy for me to accept that. You're the strongest woman I've met, independent, fierce, brave and bold. The qualities i sorely lacked until i met you, you've brought out the best in me. You still accepted me and my failings when i am at my lowest point, how can i not do the same for you?"
"But are you happy that I'm your wife?" Jibril asked, voice breaking.
"What's gotten into you? Of course i am!" Kor'da tells her.
Kor'da forces himself into her room and closes the door behind him with Jibril walking away with the towel covering her and rubbing her eye, fighting back the tears.
"I don't know" Jibril tells him, "I just don't know what to do anymore"
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks her with a hand raising to touch her shoulder.
"I thought i had all the answers" Jibril gives a sad chuckle, "I trained to face the worst kinds of people, traveled so far from everything i knew on orders from my Sultan. But then I, lost myself. I had all these plans, but everything seems to never go my way and i hate it!"
Jibril throws her towel towards the wardrobe and storms for the bed and continues to sulk on the edge with her hands on her face. Kor'da rushes by his wife's side and ropes his arms around her to comfort her.
"That's just how things are, nothing ever goes according to plan" Kor'da assures her, "You fought through it and look at where we are! We're finally here, our new home!"
"You don't get it" Jibril tells him, "I didn't plan for this"
"Plan for what?" Kor'da looks into her eyes trying to understand what she's so upset about.
Jibril's eyes are glossed over with a film of tears when she looks into his eyes: "I didn't plan on being happy"
The weight on her heart is balanced on a scale: a scale for her devotion to her life as a pilgrim and duty to the Sultan; a scale for her new life and new love to which she must come to terms with. With the valuable information of her time in the outside world this has granted Jibril a chance to return home to the Medressa, but in doing so: she will leave everything behind and unable to return. The life of a Pilgrim Guardsman is one of devotion to the Sultan and his edicts of isolationism, outsiders are forbidden to enter the city and those that defy the laws are executed and those pilgrims that return must honor their oaths to the Sultan's Will and remain in service to the royalty even in death.
[One day, Jibril will have to face the reality that she will have to make the hardest decisions. One of which will be whom does she belong to? An oath is a sacred thing, one that must be obligated but does she have it in her heart to break that oath to live the life with her new family? Only time will tell.]
Kor'da cradled Jibril in his arms and both of them laid on the bed, he stroked her head and held her close to his chest, not letting go of her as she weeps herself to sleep. Kor'da throws a blanket over himself and Jibril as they sleep together in silence as the night passes over them.
Morning of the Fourth Day:
Jibril awakens to her face wedged between Kor'da's pectoral muscles and the dampness of her tears staining his scales, her eyes are barely opened when she hears his heart beating inside his chest and the air flowing into his lungs and coming out is low hisses of a deep slumber, his tail tucked between their legs, he holds her tightly and refuses to budge. Jibril doesn't fight it, she's firmly pressed up against him with her forearms resting on his smooth scales and hers warmed by their bodies and the blankets over them. This bed is so soft and welcoming, like a cotton cocoon enveloping her the musk of his body is inviting given how extraordinarily clean he is,she can taste the olive and oak scent on him. Her head rests under his chin and hands caressing her lower back and shoulder like he's protecting her from the pain one may inflict on her. Sleeping like this, it's a sign someone is unable to cope with loss and unable to let go of something so precious. To be held in such a way is endearing and affectionate, to be the center of this one's attention is the purest sign of love in a tender embrace. Jibril doesn't want this to end, the eggs in her womb shift and move. She's blushing under her veiled face as Kor'da holds her so close, she presses her belly up against his and stirs Kor'da to reach down to rub her side and down her leg. He inhales deeply and exhales with a soft hiss from his snout.
She could take advantage of this, if she wants to.
"Jibril this moment with him right now this feel's nice to be embrace with someone you love,she snuggle back with kor'dar making sure not to disturbed his sleep.Thinking back to her thought's she know's what decision she going to make even it means she have to burn the other bridge down she going to decide to stay with her new family for better or worse,and then she drift of to sleep
Jibril tosses and turns in her sleep until awaken by the emptiness of her bed, with her resting in the empty impression of her mattress, she scans the room to see where he might have gone to. Raising her head, scoping, she sees that she was alone in her room with the window of her room opened to let in the morning air. Jibril rubs her eyes to clear the sleepy sand of her eyelids and sees through the blur that the small table by the window that once held an ashtray was replaced by a silver platter of breakfast. Jibril crawls out of bed and shuffles her feet to see what was underneath the silver dome, grabbing the pitch and lifting she's delighted to see: twelve de-furred rabbit pups, boiled and seasoned with a marinade that tickles her senses! Jibril pick one of the delicious pups and flicks out her forked tongue to taste the mesquite spice and olive oil. Stretching the chin of her mandibles, Jibril sat down to enjoy her meal and relishes this meal as she continues to stuff herself with as many pups as she can muster. When finishing, Jibril is now Well Fed from a good homemade meal that she cannot eat another bite, she lets out a coo and her instinctual quirk of tongue flicking occurs when she's happy. Jibril didn't see the note but she can tell that Kor'da must have brought her breakfast when she was asleep, she looks out the window and sees that she must have dozed off when she crying last night. Which reminders her that she still has some things to consider and makes a mental note to address them. Today's Agenda:
- Mellow and Sanguine stated that Kane called a meeting for her to attend to in the Afternoon. Probably best to dress accordingly in something more professional.
- The Deal with the Red Queen has been complicated further with this country's law about ownership, according to Lucius. If Jibril wants to settle this legally, she will need to figure out who, on the council, owns the other half of the deed to the Red Queen. Which means she'll have to do some sneaking, thieving and blackmail starting at the Red Queen where the deed may be found.
- The Black Hand letter she had received said to mark her door with a hand print in order to make a meeting with the group interested in "helping her" with Kane. Jibril can use some of the ashes from the ashtray to make a black paste to cover her hand and mark the front of her door to summon whatever scout may be hiding nearby. Jibril may want to put on her new enchanted Mithril shirt, arm herself with her new Elven Dueling swords, who knows what sort of crazy shit may happen.
- Jibril should check up on Jimmy since he should have been released from the hospital, but he never showed up at the Red Queen nearest she could tell from her visit last night. Jibril did tell him they were going to meet with Lupe and Maria about the new idea for their commission. What happened to him?
- Jibril remembered how happy Red-Eye was on stage with his role model. But she does think the two of them should look into Magic Protection and Counter Spells, he probably spent the night at the brothel after the big night he's had.
- Draco and Shimbala were most likely disappointed by Jibril's early departure before having that drink she said they could share together, Draco seemed fine with her leaving but Shimbala went to the smoking lounge last time she saw her. Maybe the two of them went back to West Point to sleep off last night.
- Knowing Karlya and Karin, they're probably upstairs still asleep inside their room or Karin went to work at Gersilda's Emporium and Karlya went to drink herself at the Broken Fist Tavern again.
- Hopefully Jibril doesn't anymore new letters for her waiting downstairs, she should check with Marilyn to see if anymore mail came for her in her absence.
- Mellow and Sanguine stated that Kane called a meeting for her to attend to in the Afternoon. Probably best to dress accordingly in something more professional.
- The Deal with the Red Queen has been complicated further with this country's law about ownership, according to Lucius. If Jibril wants to settle this legally, she will need to figure out who, on the council, owns the other half of the deed to the Red Queen. Which means she'll have to do some sneaking, thieving and blackmail starting at the Red Queen where the deed may be found.
- The Black Hand letter she had received said to mark her door with a hand print in order to make a meeting with the group interested in "helping her" with Kane. Jibril can use some of the ashes from the ashtray to make a black paste to cover her hand and mark the front of her door to summon whatever scout may be hiding nearby. Jibril may want to put on her new enchanted Mithril shirt, arm herself with her new Elven Dueling swords, who knows what sort of crazy shit may happen.
- Jibril should check up on Jimmy since he should have been released from the hospital, but he never showed up at the Red Queen nearest she could tell from her visit last night. Jibril did tell him they were going to meet with Lupe and Maria about the new idea for their commission. What happened to him?
- Jibril remembered how happy Red-Eye was on stage with his role model. But she does think the two of them should look into Magic Protection and Counter Spells, he probably spent the night at the brothel after the big night he's had.
- Draco and Shimbala were most likely disappointed by Jibril's early departure before having that drink she said they could share together, Draco seemed fine with her leaving but Shimbala went to the smoking lounge last time she saw her. Maybe the two of them went back to West Point to sleep off last night.
- Knowing Karlya and Karin, they're probably upstairs still asleep inside their room or Karin went to work at Gersilda's Emporium and Karlya went to drink herself at the Broken Fist Tavern again.
- Hopefully Jibril doesn't anymore new letters for her waiting downstairs, she should check with Marilyn to see if anymore mail came for her in her absence.
After having her breakfast, Jibril is ready to start her day and get this thing settled with Kane so she can get back to dealing with this Alabaster business. Going into her wardrobe, Jibril pulls our her yellow sundress, corset and leather shoes and puts them on, remembering the Mitheril shirt she got from the Will'o'Wisp Shop last night, It's placed under her sundress for added protection, just in case. She also takes the Dueling Eleven swords with her as well inside the single sheath they come in and slide them into her tool belt and checked all of her pouches: her Marker was missing. It's probably lost inside the room somewhere though she doesn't have to worry about it for now. She looks at the underwear that Kor'da bought her and tries each one on until she finds a pair that fits her actual size then sees the bra ... then tosses it to the side "Who need it" and with that she takes off and closes the door behind her. Taking the stairs and leaving out of the Green Dragon hotel, Jibril finds herself outside on the main drag of the Golden Laurel, remembering the directions stated in the letter from Kane. He said to go to City Hall and meet him at his office. Easy enough. Heading into the branch of the district, Jibril recognizes the emblem of the country fluttering above the main building and the people coming and going in droves passing by it. Heading up the stairs and opening the double doors for her is a gentleman in a black-tie suit, wearing glasses and has jet black hair cropped shortly. Jibril thanks the man and he follows in behind her. Jibril is wide-eyed by the rows of desks and typewriters on each of them click-clacking away on the keys are the many employees and the whirring of rollers churning out papers and stacking them into the sorters. Jibril looks around the room but then focuses on the receptionist desk where another Tiefling sits but this one is more proper looking and much taller, her jet glossy lips and eye shadow are good on her but her straight silky hair is tied up into a bun and she wears a black blazer and dress skirt. Never seen someone wearing something like that before, Jibril thought, but she continues to walk up towards the Tiefling and the man who opened the door for her interrupts Jibril when she was first.
"Ursa, can you let Kane know I'll be in the Editing Room?" The man informs.
"Sure" The Tiefling replies, she watched the man leave and turns her attention back to Jibril. "Hello, Welcome to City Hall. My name is Ursa Atreus, I am the receptionist for our staff members here to assist you. If you have complaints you're better off writing them and submitting them in our box over there. Otherwise, I can address any questions you may have or direct you to someone who can answer them. How may i help you?" She's awfully cheerful, unlike the other Tiefling. "I'm here to meet with Kane? I was told he's expecting me, I received a letter from him regarding our meeting." Jibril informs her. "Okay, can i have your name, please?" The Tiefling inquires while going through a Rolodex of little sheets of paper. Jibril give her her name and the receptionist searches the tabs for the first letter and searches the index until she finds a card and flips down the rest. "Jibril, I see Kane has made a special appointment for you exclusively. Uuuuuh, I guess you're something special to get a meeting with the big man himself." Ursa says biting her bottom lip and flipping the card over her thumb, "So uh ... whatcha do to get that?" To that, Jibril recoils from her: "It's not like that if that's what you're implying. We had a contract and I'm getting what I'm owed." and Jibril leaves it at that. Ursa nods and takes the hint, "Okay. Follow me then" she gets up and gestures Jibril to follow up a fleet of stairs to the second floor. Once upstairs, the tiefling knocks on the door closest to the stairwell with a wooden placard over the wording that reads: "Chief of Editorial" with the placard reading: "President's Office".
"Hey, boss? Someone's here to see you for an appointment" Ursa looks to Jibril when she says this while listening to the door. "Which one?" Jibril can hear from inside. "Jibril?" Ursa answers. The door opens up and Kane stands there in dress clothing but no coat on and wears suspenders over his white button-up and sleeves rolled up. Kane moves off to the side, Jibril walks inside. "Thank you, Ursa. No disturbances, are we clear?" Kane tell her, Ursa nods and bows as he closes the door behind him. Kane circles around the desk and Jibril takes a seat on the opposing side while he takes his seat in the big chair with papers scattered everywhere. "I'm here, what did you want?" Jibril says crossing her arms. Kane narrows his eyes at her, "I got what i need. I gave you what you need and what you want. See how this goes? You're wondering what is it that i could need you for to send my minions after you, and you can already guess that I'm after the Jewel of Behameth which is in the Gordo Desert. Don't need to tell me, Mellow and Sanguine did their jobs for me." Jibril listens while Kane walks over to a big board and pulls down a cords to reveal a large over map of the entire continent of Norm, he points to the biggest part of the southern hemisphere where Medressa is specifically. "I know where Medressa is and the surrounding villages and rivers. I've got books, items that tell a story and relics as old as most of you dating back towards the first century. If you don't mind me retelling an old legend, I'd like to share something with you"
Jibril signs and then nods and let's Kane proceed with his story.
"Medressa was just an oasis of boiling rocks and rich clay before it was the city today. Approximately around 57 BD, there was an old empire covering most of the Gordo, Gerudo and the arid crags of Roano with half it being mineral rich lands and green fields. Seven hundred years ago, there was even more landmass then there was now which meant a fifth of that empire is sleeping under the water and the other four halves are resting in that desert. Somewhere in all that sand lies the city of Quar'nol Kesh. Inside Quar'nol Kesh, the magic was so powerful it was enough to allow people to live comfortably and well isolated from the Dark Gospel's reign between the begin of the first century and the end of the fifth. Descendants of Quar'nol Kesh were masterful craftsmen, artisans, enchanters, so on and so forth, eventually one of them became famous for creating a process of making magically infused gemstones that amplifies magical powers. The maker of this process was Arcino Zahare of Yenic, an apprentice to an inventor and avid scholar of magic, who gained the attention to the Primarch of Quar'nol Kesh. Young Arcino and his discovery were placed in the care of a guardian whom he was entrusted to. The two became friends over time as the young Arcino made his machines and planned out his process until the Primarch grew impatient with the slow process and ordered the boy's execution. Fearing this the guardian protected Arcino with their life, the guardian who cared for his ward learned the rest of the process and exploited the vulnerable Arcino, then killed him. That guardian was Invictus the First, the successor of the title of Primarch. Once the Primarch had learned of Arcino's death, Invictus assumed the new role as the creator and finished where Arcino had failed. Successfully creating a jewel of its kind, the Primarch deemed it worthy of titles and deeds to many things, but the jewel was flawed and demanded the best one Invictus could conjure up. Days turned to weeks, months into years, until Invictus was soon on the chopping block and thousands of failures were sold to people of the empire as a way to maintain their lifestyle. Invictus had enough, they made a single jewel meant for one purpose and that was the Jewel of Behameth. Named after the ancient god of time and reincarnation, Bahameth the Tempest, Invictus proclaimed that this jewel was the key to saving his life and he uses it on the deceased Arcino to bring him back from death. Much to his surprise, the jewel was a success and the jewel was meant to be given to the Primarch as the King's Jewel over Life and Death. Arcino, angered by the betrayal of his friend and learning of the person who resurrected him, he kills Invictus and stole the jewel from them."
Kane finishes his story and taps on the map: "Somewhere in all of that sand, Quar'nol Kesh holds the jewel. Before he died, Arcino left journals and clues to where he had hidden the jewel. The last journal was recovered in Sapphire Falls by some associates of mine that tells of a grand library called the Masque of Tempest. Supposedly, this library holds all of the secrets and collective knowledge of the old world and also the place where Arcino happened to have studied. We're in the process of staging a massive battle in the next 10 Days that could turn the tides of this war between Shurifon and Fjornia, my hands are tied with preparations and protecting this city. My question is, what will it take to convenience you seek out this jewel on my behalf?"
"Ursa, can you let Kane know I'll be in the Editing Room?" The man informs.
"Sure" The Tiefling replies, she watched the man leave and turns her attention back to Jibril. "Hello, Welcome to City Hall. My name is Ursa Atreus, I am the receptionist for our staff members here to assist you. If you have complaints you're better off writing them and submitting them in our box over there. Otherwise, I can address any questions you may have or direct you to someone who can answer them. How may i help you?" She's awfully cheerful, unlike the other Tiefling. "I'm here to meet with Kane? I was told he's expecting me, I received a letter from him regarding our meeting." Jibril informs her. "Okay, can i have your name, please?" The Tiefling inquires while going through a Rolodex of little sheets of paper. Jibril give her her name and the receptionist searches the tabs for the first letter and searches the index until she finds a card and flips down the rest. "Jibril, I see Kane has made a special appointment for you exclusively. Uuuuuh, I guess you're something special to get a meeting with the big man himself." Ursa says biting her bottom lip and flipping the card over her thumb, "So uh ... whatcha do to get that?" To that, Jibril recoils from her: "It's not like that if that's what you're implying. We had a contract and I'm getting what I'm owed." and Jibril leaves it at that. Ursa nods and takes the hint, "Okay. Follow me then" she gets up and gestures Jibril to follow up a fleet of stairs to the second floor. Once upstairs, the tiefling knocks on the door closest to the stairwell with a wooden placard over the wording that reads: "Chief of Editorial" with the placard reading: "President's Office".
"Hey, boss? Someone's here to see you for an appointment" Ursa looks to Jibril when she says this while listening to the door. "Which one?" Jibril can hear from inside. "Jibril?" Ursa answers. The door opens up and Kane stands there in dress clothing but no coat on and wears suspenders over his white button-up and sleeves rolled up. Kane moves off to the side, Jibril walks inside. "Thank you, Ursa. No disturbances, are we clear?" Kane tell her, Ursa nods and bows as he closes the door behind him. Kane circles around the desk and Jibril takes a seat on the opposing side while he takes his seat in the big chair with papers scattered everywhere. "I'm here, what did you want?" Jibril says crossing her arms. Kane narrows his eyes at her, "I got what i need. I gave you what you need and what you want. See how this goes? You're wondering what is it that i could need you for to send my minions after you, and you can already guess that I'm after the Jewel of Behameth which is in the Gordo Desert. Don't need to tell me, Mellow and Sanguine did their jobs for me." Jibril listens while Kane walks over to a big board and pulls down a cords to reveal a large over map of the entire continent of Norm, he points to the biggest part of the southern hemisphere where Medressa is specifically. "I know where Medressa is and the surrounding villages and rivers. I've got books, items that tell a story and relics as old as most of you dating back towards the first century. If you don't mind me retelling an old legend, I'd like to share something with you"
Jibril signs and then nods and let's Kane proceed with his story.
"Medressa was just an oasis of boiling rocks and rich clay before it was the city today. Approximately around 57 BD, there was an old empire covering most of the Gordo, Gerudo and the arid crags of Roano with half it being mineral rich lands and green fields. Seven hundred years ago, there was even more landmass then there was now which meant a fifth of that empire is sleeping under the water and the other four halves are resting in that desert. Somewhere in all that sand lies the city of Quar'nol Kesh. Inside Quar'nol Kesh, the magic was so powerful it was enough to allow people to live comfortably and well isolated from the Dark Gospel's reign between the begin of the first century and the end of the fifth. Descendants of Quar'nol Kesh were masterful craftsmen, artisans, enchanters, so on and so forth, eventually one of them became famous for creating a process of making magically infused gemstones that amplifies magical powers. The maker of this process was Arcino Zahare of Yenic, an apprentice to an inventor and avid scholar of magic, who gained the attention to the Primarch of Quar'nol Kesh. Young Arcino and his discovery were placed in the care of a guardian whom he was entrusted to. The two became friends over time as the young Arcino made his machines and planned out his process until the Primarch grew impatient with the slow process and ordered the boy's execution. Fearing this the guardian protected Arcino with their life, the guardian who cared for his ward learned the rest of the process and exploited the vulnerable Arcino, then killed him. That guardian was Invictus the First, the successor of the title of Primarch. Once the Primarch had learned of Arcino's death, Invictus assumed the new role as the creator and finished where Arcino had failed. Successfully creating a jewel of its kind, the Primarch deemed it worthy of titles and deeds to many things, but the jewel was flawed and demanded the best one Invictus could conjure up. Days turned to weeks, months into years, until Invictus was soon on the chopping block and thousands of failures were sold to people of the empire as a way to maintain their lifestyle. Invictus had enough, they made a single jewel meant for one purpose and that was the Jewel of Behameth. Named after the ancient god of time and reincarnation, Bahameth the Tempest, Invictus proclaimed that this jewel was the key to saving his life and he uses it on the deceased Arcino to bring him back from death. Much to his surprise, the jewel was a success and the jewel was meant to be given to the Primarch as the King's Jewel over Life and Death. Arcino, angered by the betrayal of his friend and learning of the person who resurrected him, he kills Invictus and stole the jewel from them."
Kane finishes his story and taps on the map: "Somewhere in all of that sand, Quar'nol Kesh holds the jewel. Before he died, Arcino left journals and clues to where he had hidden the jewel. The last journal was recovered in Sapphire Falls by some associates of mine that tells of a grand library called the Masque of Tempest. Supposedly, this library holds all of the secrets and collective knowledge of the old world and also the place where Arcino happened to have studied. We're in the process of staging a massive battle in the next 10 Days that could turn the tides of this war between Shurifon and Fjornia, my hands are tied with preparations and protecting this city. My question is, what will it take to convenience you seek out this jewel on my behalf?"
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"Done" Kane states, not taking a moment of deliberation no hesitation.
He really wants this jewel, is Jibril sure she doesn't want to exploit this unusally high gesture? She can ask for anything! She could allow everyone citizenship, have Kor'da's business completely paid off, a monthly stipend, or other curios from Will'o'Wisp, she could ask for anything from any shop in the entire city! The possibility is endless for a quest to reclaim a legendary jewel of resurrection. But if she does ask for something extremely outlandish, he may want to have her make an oath to fulfill this a done deal. Hmmm. If she were subtle, maybe Kane would forget to make this as a blood contract, then she could swindle the jewel for herself!
She might not get another chance to have someone so powerful asking her for a favor.
He really wants this jewel, is Jibril sure she doesn't want to exploit this unusally high gesture? She can ask for anything! She could allow everyone citizenship, have Kor'da's business completely paid off, a monthly stipend, or other curios from Will'o'Wisp, she could ask for anything from any shop in the entire city! The possibility is endless for a quest to reclaim a legendary jewel of resurrection. But if she does ask for something extremely outlandish, he may want to have her make an oath to fulfill this a done deal. Hmmm. If she were subtle, maybe Kane would forget to make this as a blood contract, then she could swindle the jewel for herself!
She might not get another chance to have someone so powerful asking her for a favor.