• PM To Join • Darkness And Daggers

[Lavana Tharn]

11th Of Cylus 718 Evening

It was an ordinary evening in the butcher shop as she left work to head out for a while. A lot of wild shit had happened and she was ok with it, Lavana carried an assortment of bruises from her shenanigans the evening prior as she she adjusted we good dagger on we belt. It carried the oranate frill and peacocking you'd expect from an officer of the imperial army. It was a fine piece, from a time long ago made for killing rather then working styled like an arkansas toothpick.

She carried it on her unarmored form as she took the time to navigate the back alleyways of Almund. Moving her way out into the darkness as her eyes began to slowly adjust from the light to a nocturnal setting.

As hot breath escaped her lips in wisps that trailed off in plumes of hot air amidst the cold drafts the mortal born wandered lonely thinking about the exchanges she and her friend Max had made. There was a loose end though that hadn't been resolved, her tactical mind still replayed it over and over again.

The one that got away and ran, when she gave a hand to help the Rusalka mercenary. When he fled absconding into the night so did they, she always had wondered what became of him as her feet clicked and clacked on the cobblestones.

Shed felt paranoid like people were coming for her, and perhaps shed been right as two men maybe three from the darkness loomed in the shadows blocking the exit it was a strategy shed seen once before. "Your the one, that struck my friend in the head with the cross guard of your sword!" The Mortal born was already in motion with a nahhh fuck that ready to escape, as she turned heel and began a slow stride then erupted into an all out run in the other direction as she was attempting to back peddle the way she came the clattering of foot steps following her in hot pursuit.

They'd must of been watching her and figuring out how shed been getting around. You couldn't call them professionals but they were certainly stab jacks or thugs looking to exact street justice after there attempted murder had gone wrong.

[Volker]

Date

Volker had a quiet night, for the most part. He was living as well as one could imagine, and he'd returned to Almund to visit the small apartment he'd rented and stash a few trophies. Like many other serial killers before him, he kept mementos of each man and woman he butchered. He didn't keep anything so pedestrian as finger or toe bones. He kept mandibles, when he had the time to separate them from the skulls of his victims. A man's teeth told his story, or so Volker believed. He had everything from suspiciously small jaws with deciduous teeth intact to jaws that had obviously spent a long life grinding themselves down. The apartment was suspiciously empty save for a small bed and his stash of jaws beneath a floorboard, but it was a good alternative in the winter to the damned horse and cart. It was warm enough, and he decided to pull down the mattress and curl up on the floorboards for a little while. He didn't often get a chance to spend the night here between hunts.

The mare, for her sake, was grateful for the break away from Volker. She knew where home was, and the stables a few blocks from the apartment were comfortable for her. She could see Volker's window from her stall, and thus keep an eye on him while maintaining her comfortable distance. Of course she knew it wouldn't be long before Volker grabbed her and forced her to pull the small wagon again but in the meantime she was enjoying her distance from the predator. Her only roommate in the stable was an ancient cart pony used to haul grain, and he was already snoring.

She did see something odd, however, that was disturbing her quiet night munching oats. She stuck her head out of the stall and looked down the street. A woman being chased by a bunch of thugs, and heading toward her stable. Any normal horse would have been a little fidgety at the noise and cracklings of violence in the air. Volker's mare was far past such flighty behavior, and leaned her head out to watch the street thugs pursue the woman. At least she had something to watch other than Volker's window and that was only tense when he looked out to make sure she was still there.

[Lavana Tharn]

11th Of Cylus 718 Evening

Hey where you running off too? We just want to ask you a question, love!
The voice had called out to a running Lavana as she started trying to swing her arms back and forth to gather steady momentum."You already did!" as she cackled like the crazy bitch she was in the night.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, runaway, runaway,

As she was making good time to the light at the end of the tunnel. Normally they tell you to stay away to avoid that shit, the irony was not lost on Raskalarns Greatest Failure. But being stabbed to death and left to bleed out in an alley would really ruin her evening.

Shed already had been bruised and battered with her ladies night out with her home girl, hell she almost lit the buckle and chain on fire and got shot by a crossbow then jumped them at last call; but fuck it! Twas a brilliant evening. A Night out every once in a while was mandatory but this was becoming an every day occurrence.

Where were those damned elements when you needed them, oh wait yea drinking on the job. Or being useless as usual, she really needed to tell Sephira that she needed to find a new crew to hang out with because her friends sucked.

Her foot falls coordinated, her endurance in good measure the cold caressed her form and kept her in the game as she came screaming out of the alleyway only to see a charming horse. Yea go figure shed just got done talking about how she missed riding, and we'll what do you know her getaway ride was staring right back at her.

But was she a filthy thief? She could always borrow without asking and return it later, Lavana felt like she was so smart in the heat of the moment. Kura could eat her heart out, Lavana knew what she was doing; she was dumb as a fox.

In a feat of both acrobatic finesse she b lined towards the stable and lept on the adjacent pen catching the top of it and hoisting herself over the obstacle and sliding in before landing on her ass next to a sleeping beauty that just snoozed away through the whole ordeal.

Shhhhhhh

She told herself as she slowly got up, trying not to startle the old boy. He didn't need to be awoken and start kicking her in panic, as the mortal borns swift feet braced her back against the wall as she started moving away from the regal beast as she made her way climbing over the barricade and dropping into the next stall this time on her feet.

"Come out and play!" The trio hollered indignantly considering the hour of the evening gaining ground below the haunting window.

Shed be calm in her approach and attempt to pet the mare first checking her temperament, as she tried to establish trust with her.

"Let's be friends, I'm gorgeous your gorgeous; I see this working out."

[Volker]

Date

Uh oh. The mare watched the woman disappear, then heard a loud thump coming from the direction of the old cart pony's stall. She snorted and tried to look over the barrier, but she knew he wouldn't wake. Old creatures like that were just biding their time, and had seen far worse than horse thieves in their lives.

The old pony flicked an ear at Lavana, but didn't move a muscle. She couldn't ride him, she didn't want him, so he was content to slip back into a snooze. The mare had other problems. She shied off a little bit when Lavana entered her stall, and her flesh shivered under Lavana's hand when she was petted. She didn't get the same sense she got from Volker; this was no predator. This was a normal human being of the type she hadn't had contact with in a while. Maybe this was her chance. She leaned over and lipped at Levana's hair affectionately. She was most certainly ready to be stolen now.

Volker, however, was awakened by a trio of men howling under his window. He bared his teeth against the blanket and tried nuzzling under the pillow to block the noise. How was it he had more peace in his freezing little cart and tent than he did in an apartment he actually paid rent on? He tried to settle down again, but the thugs wouldn't shut up. He sat up and rubbed his hands over his face, groaning in protest. He just wanted to sleep in an actual bed for once. He got up, pulled on his clothes, and strapped his knife roll to his right thigh. Someone was losing a few fingers or a testicle; he hadn't made up his mind yet.

[Lavana Tharn]

Tharn

It seemed like everything was slowly working out between the mortal born as the mare had whinnied loudly causing Lavana to flinch in anticipation for the steed to freak out with her in the pen but was mildy surprised as the nameless mare swiped her face with her tongue leaving her grinning as she closed an eye while half her face and hair had been left damp from the exchange. Despite the dire circumstances, she reveled in delight as shed managed to put the first stone in that foundation of trust.

Lavanas amber eyes looked over the mare and realized that her leather straps and harnesses were not on her form. As she ran her hand over the mane and felt the long hair glide down the ponies back and rustle between her fingertips as she smiled warmly.

Her eyes strayed looking for leather cords to lock into the rings to the halter still attached to the horses muzzle. But it seemed however that no such luck was available, and with time of the essence she settled for less collecting a length of rope from the stable. She wasn't going to risk pulling out her knife or spooking the horse as she used arm power to tie a sturdy knot on either side of her halter with gentle precision. There was extra length but it would have to make do.

Lavana would flip the latch on the door and swing it open. Only to see the stab jacks making a steady advance, and the mortal born did not like what she was seeing. but they seemed so preoccupied with getting her they'd be easy to sneak up on.

Time was of the essence, shed leap making it part way trying to get up over the horses back making it just about half way before trying to swing a leg over and around to be firmly seated before grabbing the rope cord and giving it a swoosh with her hands. She had a little riding knowledge from her time in the imperial legion, but she was no expert and had never rode without a saddle before. One thing the mortal born knew above all else which she surmised was it was going to be a terribly uncomfortable experience bouncing around. But Raskalarns Greatest Failure wasn't going to shy away from riding bare back either if that's what she had to do, to avoid being stabbed.

Her hand up and over the stall gripped the latch and opened it. Only to see the outlines of the stab jacks shadows heading her way.

It would be a touchy feely situation whered she try to gauge the equine stranger. Shed been around wolves, but this was a different catagory of animal. If shed been given the impression it was ok shed try and leap up on his back trying to get up over the pony. Lavana would make it about half way before trying to swing a leg over and around, before grabbing the rope cord and giving it a swoosh.

"Let's get out of here girl, these guys don't know how to treat us ladies!"

Lavana would have to wait and see what the horse would do, could be embarrassing and the mare would stand there in protest. The thought loomed in the back of her mind as she commited borrowing without asking.

[Volker]

Date

Was this it? Was she finally free? The mare stared as the strange woman tied spare bits of rope to her halter and clambered on her. The human was a bit ungainly; she clearly didn't know how to ride well. A horse felt these things in the way its rider sat, and Lavana was sitting there like a sack of potatoes. However, it was doing little to ruin the mare's night. She was finally stolen, and a weight had lifted off of her shoulders. The command to go was a little....strange. She was used to Volker grabbing her halter and yanking her along, but the little snap of the halter buckles against her cheek was familiar enough.

The mare charged out of the stall like someone had shot her out of a longbow. The idea of no more cart, no more blood or weird spirits, was enough to make her turn on the speed to full. Even though she wasn't taking into account Lavana's riding skill, and cared little for it. She was out of here. She swerved away from the unsavory-looking men and clattered down the street as fast as her legs could carry her. She built up speed to a full gallop, running at breakneck pace down alleyways and through side streets.

Meanwhile, Volker had reached the street. He saw the open stall door swinging in the darkness, and heard the swiftly-fading clatter of hooves. More importantly, he smelled his horse on the wind. Someone had taken her; she'd never try and escape on her own. The horse wasn't too intelligent, but she was smart enough to figure out being a stray on the streets of Scalvoris was just asking to be spitted and roasted over someone's fire...not necessarily Volker's. Volker bared his teeth and an unholy roar let loose from his mouth. He needed that god damn horse and he couldn't afford another!

Movement caught his eye and he snarled loudly, pulling the longest of his knives from its place at his thigh. The men were attempting to follow something, but they'd been noisy enough that Volker had lost all patience with them. He waited until they attempted to pass him, and slashed for the first man's belly. If his aim was as true as it usually was, the man's intestines would be spilling into the streets. The others would hopefully think twice about crossing him.

[Lavana Tharn]

Tharn

Lavana didn't have much in the way of riding skills but she had a basic understanding of cues and pressure as she had the strength to hold that rope tight as she hung on for dear life. She also had the acrobatic finesse to keep herself from being ejected off, as the horse shot out of the pen unexpectedly. It was a bumpy ride as the animals powerful muscles knocked her around violently between her legs it was uncomfortable and down right painful experience; but the mortal born had the discipline to understand if she relinquished her grip shed be fucked royally as she resisted the natural instinct to reliquish the reigns. She knew if she had the displeasure of hitting the ground at a speed like that, shed get wrecked. So Lavana would do what she did best and endure, she wasn't going to steal this animal but also needed to get off of it without fracturing her face in the process.

While Lavana didn't have much experience she had some knowledge. She understood the mechanisms of how to ride, understood the cues of pressure as she tried to pull back gently on the reigns ready to release the pressure when the horse complied. She was ready to anti up on the pressure if the mare refused to respond to the cue, it would be methodically done until compliance was given; if it had been given.

Lavana would dismount the beast and tie her down before leaving the scene. Her owner wouldn't have to look hard to find or hear his mare, it was the best the mortal born was willing to do as she left departing the situation with minimal risk to herself.

Volker had managed to catch the man by surprise with a fluid stroke of his long knife, the razors edge departed a swift laceration that ran deep enough into the meat of his belly that his intestines came spilling out like spaghetti as its weight so it the ground as he lay there in a state of stupified shock as he had this surprised look on his face while his hand was trying to scoop his innards back in with soot and dirt clinging to his exposed organs.

His friends were quick to show there true colors and had absconded into the night, that's been caught by surprise and weren't having any of it. Three on one was fine and good if there victim couldn't fight back. Three on one vs a man that had so cleanly and slickly slain one of there own, they weren't taking that chance.

But now there was a problem, a man that was mortally wounded in the open streets outside his empty horse stall several feet away from his home.

He wasn't dead, yet but was certainly close as he was bleeding profusely .

[Oberan]

Review Rewards

Seeker Cassandra

Points awarded: 15

Knowledge:

Acrobatics; Leaping onto horse stall gate.
Strength; Pulling oneself over the stall gate.
Tactics Evading Capture from tactical retreat
Running; Full Sprint
Endurance; Maintaining full sprint.
Stealth; Not waking up the old horse.
Stealth; Trying to hide in the horse stall
Endurance; Holding onto a rough ride

Magic: No magic exp

Other: N/A


Volker

Points awarded: 15

Knowledge: N/A

Magic: No magic exp

Other: N/A

Notes:
I am saddened to see the confrontation didn't come before this thread was abandoned. I felt Lavana's attempts at explaining herself to an angry serial killer would be quite amusing.

I changed the discipline lore to Endurance, as discipline is less physical and more mental.

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