(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

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A lawless town of anarchists, built on the ruins of an ancient mining city. [Lore]

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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Antar on June 28th, 2011, 3:15 am

7th day of Summer, 511 av "ooc"This thread will predominantly be for developing these characters stealth skils

With everlasting patience, Noth waited alone within the side alley off the slums main thoroughfare. His eyes were steadily watching the progress of a distant wagon, laden with goods on their way towards the Seaside Market. Two men sat upon its wooden bench, one holding a crossbow, and the other guiding the horse which pulled it forwards over the rough cobblestones.

Antar wasn't interested in the goods, most of them were forgeries.

Instead, he was interested in the men themselves. A pair of two bit halfwits that liked to bully the weaker denizens of town. Last night they had apparently slaughtered a few of the beggars in the area,leaving only an old man alive. Antar wasn't here because he believed in any sort of justice for the vagabonds. This was just a job, apparently the old beggar, a survivor had said that the pair had taken something from him, an old memento of his wife.

A wife the old man, named Grimswald, lamented had died through his own fault. Apparently the wife he used to have during his days as a mage, was the reason he gave up the Craft and the Sight. Her death in the fires of his reimancy had caused him to fall into the trap of being a drunken whiny tramp that wandered and begged for money for his meals.

Grimswald wanted the memento back, it was that simple. There wasn't any money in this job, but to Antar, the washed up mage possessed something far more valuable- knowledge.

Knowledge which might be taught to whomever brought his little trinket back... and for Antar, that was its own form of coin, more then worth its weight in gold mizahars. Noth was merely waiting for a bit of help to arrive before he started tracking the pair.
"I am the Shadow and the smoke in your eyes, I am the ghost that hides in the night."
~Back, but slow. :)
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Kiara Killraven on June 28th, 2011, 8:49 pm

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Most people likely would have used one of the main streets to traverse Sunberth. Kiara liked to keep to the alley ways. She knew them better then she knew the streets and they were almost always empty. For good reason too considering a large portion of Sunberth's crimes happened in them, away from prying eyes and ear shot. Despite the quickness she moved along the alley ways she couldn't shake the habit of sticking to the shadows, often times darting into a door way when she heard a noise instead of ignoring it. It was those very actions that had saved her life countless times in her past.

Sunberth certainly was a city of mystery. Neither her nor the others in their group had expected for a beggar to come along and ask for their services. As expected the man hadn't had no sort of currency at all. The others had turned down the offer and summarily left the man to his guilt and anguish. After their group was about wealth and power. There was no such thing as charity work. Kiara too had been about to turn down the man's offer or even slip her dagger into him for wasting her time when Antar had spoken up and talked to the man. Obviously the man had something Antar had thought would be more valuable to the two of them then money. That is what brought both the rogue and the assassin out into the day light for once.

Kiara had donned her traveling cloak again. It just would stand out far too much if she were to wear her ink black leather in the day light. She still wore the armor but it was underneath her cloak, firmly hidden from outside view. It didn't take her much longer to find her companion. He seemed rather intent on surveying something in the street. Kiara crept up beside him, making sure to give tell tale signs she was there before approaching the man. While she could made it close without alerting him she likely couldn't have gone long without being noticed. They were both the type that were extremely hard to sneak up on. The last thing she needed was an arrow sticking in her for making the mistake of not identifying herself.

As Kiara moved up next to the rogue she let her gaze drift into the direction he was staring. That wagon was what they were after. It wasn't most of the goods that they were after. It was a simple trinket. But to the old wizard it must have meant a lot to risk his life in contacting them. Much less trying to ask for their help without any money. Keeping out of the eye sight of others was the main reason Kiara used alleys to traverse Sunberth. But there was another large reason as well. The smell. As she peered from her vantage point the smell hit her. The scent of bodies that hadn't bathed in weeks perhaps even months washed over her and made her grimace. Even if she was one of the cut throats that resided in the city, she managed to keep herself clean.
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Antar on June 29th, 2011, 8:35 am

Knowing where one was at all times was an irreplaceable skill to anyone whose life depended on it. Knowing where others were in relation to you was even more irreplaceable a skill which went hand in hand with the first.

But even so, Antar knew that his skills were sorely in need of honing so he smiled when he heard the faintest of footsteps and a cracking of an old twig in the alley alerted him to his fellow hunter's presence. He knew she was better then he at the business of sneaking and being quiet. But in this game of cat and mouse, it wouldn't always relate to how calm and noiseless one's footsteps would be. Though that was one part of stealth to be sure an important one.

Sometimes, the greatest part of stealth was hiding in plain view, and blending in amongst the crowd. Dodging and ducking between those who were obstacles as you tailed a target, yet still keeping yourself compliant with the background of the situation enough in order to not attract notice.

The third part of being stealthy he'd only heard in passing, yet in some ways the most important- knowing the differences of when to act, to continue following a target, and deciding when to break off , get quiet, and break out of a bad situation.

They'd need all three types of stealth today, he'd make sure to follow the lead of his acquaintaince during the times when her particular brand of stealth was needed. Of that, the woman could be sure of...

Antar smiled a cold hard smile as the woman came up beside him as unearthly in her demeanor as a ghost might be. He wasn't one to speak on a mission, or a job. But when he did it was almost always 'all business.' "Are you ready to blend into the crowd today, my friend? Despite their appearances, our marks today are as cagey as they come. I hope you brought your friendly little blades if this gets ugly..."
"I am the Shadow and the smoke in your eyes, I am the ghost that hides in the night."
~Back, but slow. :)
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Kiara Killraven on June 29th, 2011, 6:18 pm

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It was true. She was rather well versed at masking her foot steps. In many other ways however she too was a novice. But she was getting better. In the world of stealth, greatness is awarded by practice and experience. Today however she would get practice in a different form of stealth then she was used to. It was much easier to hide at night when her armor could help her blend in with the environment. During the day it was a different story.

Kiara looked out into the crowded street and let a scowl cover her face again. Whether she liked it or not they had to finish their job today. While she wasn't particularly one that cared about her word going back on your after taking a job could have more lasting consequences. Such as the lack of people coming to you for new jobs. Oddly enough, getting double crossed on a job was more common then not getting it finished. Also better liked as she had learned from such encounters in the past.

The white haired assassin took her eyes off the street long enough to glance back at Antar. He was quite the handsome of men she had to admit to herself. If she had been interested in such things she might have made a very feminine move then as he stared into the street. Her past however prevented her from attempting to court any time of romantic relationships. She just couldn't comprehend such things as others did.

She turned her head back towards the crowd to make sure there would be no stray passerby that would over hear her words. "Does it look like I have much of a choice whether I want to go out there or not?" Her words, despite the almost tender voice, were as cold and to the point as they ever were. She was the type that liked to get things over with quickly. The quicker things are done, the more quickly the window of possibly dying closed.

Her hand disappeared into her clock for a moment. To her credit there was no sound of a blade leaving a sheath. There was no scraping of a metallic blade leaving its encasing. But sure enough a few moments later the tip of a steel blade peeked through the folds of her cloak. More intent on keeping the two men in view she didn't turn as she spoke. "What are we doing this job for anyway? We aren't getting paid." She didn't notice that she had subconsciously brought the dagger up to her lips and kissed it softly before she added, "Why didn't you let me just kill the old man?"
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Kiara Killraven
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Antar on June 30th, 2011, 3:27 am

Antar's eyes watched the distant marks noncomittedly as Kiara spoke to him. As the carriage continued upon its way. As one of the two ruffians grunted and sweat in the hard sun, the man loosened the collar of his jacket which allowed Antar to spot the telltale glint of metal within on a thin neck strap.

A tiny hint of wealth in an impoverished place like the slums was like a flame beckoning to a moth. He mused the only difference in the analogy was that his particular moth had a wicked stinger if things began to get into a scrap. But still- the glint was a good sign they were on the right path. Noth would almost bet it was the memento the beggar had asked returned to him. The washed up mage had marked it as a medallion with a pair of linked rings bearing an inscription of runes the old man had fashioned the day of his wedding to his late wife. At least that's what the old man had told him.

Antar didn't really care, the fact was he'd done some digging into the drunkard's background. The man had been a mage, and a pretty good one. Well versed in reimancy, glyphing, and most importantly Auristics. So the only real merit the fact of the memento still being in the ruffians possession was a simple one: they hadn't sold it... yet.

'Who knew what would happen if they reached the Seaside Market?'

Instead of answering the woman's question, he asked a question of his own."So tell me my friend, which do you desire most: to become stronger, or simple riches? Long term gains, or short term benefits?"

His eyes narrowed as the horse drawn carriage began to get farther away. "Besides, beggars like the old man, have one currency that can't be bought or extracted easily, only enticed: can you guess what that is, Kiara?" Without waiting for a reply, Antar stepped out from the alley and began to merge behind the nearest group of walkers, steadily making his way into the crowd, blending into the hustle and bustle of any city, even one such as low down and despicable as Sunberth. For a moment, he wondered if Kiara would keep up; after all there was a decision she had to make: to follow, or stay behind...
"I am the Shadow and the smoke in your eyes, I am the ghost that hides in the night."
~Back, but slow. :)
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Kiara Killraven on June 30th, 2011, 4:39 am

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Kiara also continued to keep her eyes locked on the two men that were riding in the wagon. She had no idea what they were looking for. All she knew was that Antar told her that he would need her on this mission of his. He had also told her that it would benefit her in a way wealth couldn't. She adjusted her cloak a bit, the sun causing beads of sweat to appear on her brow. She moved her hand up and wiped the sweat away with one of her hands. This is another reason she preferred the darkness of night.

Unlike Antar she didn't have a way with people. Her form of gathering information about something was threatening to stick her dagger into the person until they told her what she wanted to know. She did however have a keen eye for things that were out of place. Like Antar she too saw the faint glimmer of something metallic. The glint from the sun and the fact that the man who held it kept it hidden told Kiara that it must be worth something. She couldn't see it but she sensed the slight change in Antar's body language.

The white haired woman glanced back as Antar addressed her. He did raise an interesting point. It was true. All of them had stated pretty openly what they wanted. Or at least hinted at it. Even Antar admitted he was attracted to wealth. She on the other hand had kept her mouth shut about what exactly she was after. Her goals were simple though. Her goal was to become strong. Strong enough that she never again had to bow down before another. Strong enough that she would never meet something she could not kill if she so pleased. It was a simple goal. A pure one at that.

As Antar slipped out into the street Kiara found herself starring at where she had watched him join the crowd. His words did not infuriate her so much as annoy her. Though usually the outcome was the same whether someone annoyed her or made her angry. Despite herself she had grown to like the little group that they belonged to. They left her alone and let her do as she wished. They all did so. It was more of a group of mutual self preservation. She couldn't afford to kill him and put that into jeopardy.

The white haired assassin watched as the carriage moved further along the main street of Sunberth. That blank stare that had been on her face up until then was now replaced with a scowl. She might not kill the man but she would sure as hell get the man back for playing his word games with her. Kiara waited a few moments before she too slipped out into the crowd. She moved deftly between the people in the street. Or as deftly as she could manage. It was true this was a different type of stealth then what she was used to. Still she managed to catch up to Antar without stepping on too many toes. Soon she was walking along the street beside her fellow snow haired rogue.
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Kiara Killraven
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Antar on July 1st, 2011, 7:26 am

Smiling slightly as the woman caught up with him, Antar's eyes remained fixed on the quarry. The carriage was entering the heaviest crowds of the city on its way to the Seaside Market. A place where beggars and pickpockets were plentiful, so Noth kept one eye on the target, and one eye on his surroundings.

In a city like Sunberth, or any city. The city was a world of mirrors, he took careful note of the reflections in glass windows, the hanging bits of metal and glass bottles strewn about the ground. Using them all in combination to keep observing the areas all around him out of the corner of his eye as the he waded deeper into the crowds. Up ahead, the carriage driver stopped and waived a beggar, a young boy, out of his path with what looked like a loaded crossbow lent the ruffian enough of an authority to make the boy heed his words.

The young boy fled just smiling and nodding as he prostrated himself out of the carriage's path. Noth merely thanked the temporary distraction and used it to get closer, as the ruffian called out a sharp word and a crack of the reigns to get the horse moving again.

With care he sidestepped around a pair of knuckleheads, brawling about one's dropped urn, and looking quite ready to come to blows over it. And once they were behind him, they did as catcalls and jeers were taken up by a soon to be forming crowd. Noth hoped Killraven would be just as adept avoiding the altercation, today was not about attracting attention, but rather the idea of following someone at a distance. They would lose their view of the carriage if anything went awry, and that was something that they couldn't afford on this job. A single moment of not having their eyes on the prize might mean the ruffians had time to depart, or enter more unscrupulous places it might be best to avoid...
"I am the Shadow and the smoke in your eyes, I am the ghost that hides in the night."
~Back, but slow. :)
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Antar
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Kiara Killraven on July 1st, 2011, 10:07 pm

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Like her companion Kiara kept her eyes locked on the carriage that moved through the cities streets. She let a small sigh escape from her lips as she noted that it was entering a busier part of the city. If they didn't keep a decent vigil on the two men or if they lost sight of the carriage for just an instant they could lose their pray utterly. She had been reluctant to come on this little job of Antar's but she had agreed. The second she had agreed she had limited her options. People didn't screw others over on jobs without good reason. That lead to lack of work.

Antar was able to move smoothly through the two before the fight started. Kiara on the other hand had been lagging behind. By the time she got to the group they had already began to tussle. The crowd around was jeering and urging them on as they started a full out fight. Despite this Kiara managed to somehow make it past two of the on lookers and passed by the two brawlers quickly. Luckily for her the fighters and the crowd too were focused on the fight and didn't seem to notice her as she made it past them.

The white haired girl darted her way through the crowd as she sped up. If she didn't hurry up and catch Antar she would lose him and their quarry alike. Kiara was someone who was unaccustomed to moving about unseen. Even in her haste she made a conscious effort to keep from being able to be seen directly by those that she and her companion were stalking. The would be assassin slowed as she approached a rather large man that was conveniently walking close to Antar. Using the man to hide her body from direct view by those in the carriage she matched her pace to the one she was behind, peering over his should keeping the two dim witted men in sight.

The pale haired girl was far from new to such things. Turning to look at a fellow stalker as you spoke was a mistake that tended to bring attention to you if you seemed as though you were disinterested in your surroundings. "No I don't know what such a man would have to trade that would be worth more then coin," she said as her eyes remained locked in front of her. "But if you keep playing these word games with me I will show you one of the things I want." She moved her cloak slightly. Such a gesture would have been lost on anyone randomly glancing in her direction. But to someone who knew her or at least had been around her for a decent amount of time it would mean that she had just unsheathed and then again sheathed one of the daggers hidden under the cloak.
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Kiara Killraven
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Antar on July 2nd, 2011, 1:42 am

Antar smiled a little as the slight movement under the woman's cloak marked the white haired femme fatale as ... playing with her accessories. He almost hazarded to make a rather prurient joke on the spot but held his tongue on such a matter.

Keeping his eyes on the prize he slid through a pair of heckling merchants and spoke softly without looking ahead. "My dear friend, I would say these aren't word games but more a means to help you understand the way I think, and for me to understand the way you think. It's a quirk of mine if you would, please bear with it, the 'word games' aren't going to go away..." Noth sighed a moment as he hop skipped a bit over the crowd to keep sight of the carriage as it rounded a corner to a street off the main thoroughfare. They were about halfway to the docks now, and Antar knew that once in the Seaside Dock Quarter this job was probably going to take a life of its own. "If in the present and future we are to be on jobs together we'll both have to understand each other, the way each of us thinks, and reacts. To understand that; I need to know a bit more about your motivations, and you know mine. You still haven't answered my original question which in turn would have lead to an answer to yours. So tell me my friend which is it? To become stronger, or simple riches? With an eye to long term gains, or short term benefits?"

The smile did not leave his face though his eyes never strayed as they rounded the bend to the side street. The carriage still safely in view in front of them. "As I said, in your own answer lies the reasons behind this job. But in order to explain such to you properly, Kiara I need to know how best to explain it to you."
"I am the Shadow and the smoke in your eyes, I am the ghost that hides in the night."
~Back, but slow. :)
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Antar
"A thousand voices screaming in unison..."
 
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(The Slums) Silent Steps (Kiara Killraven)

Postby Kiara Killraven on July 2nd, 2011, 1:57 am

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Kiara didn't notice that Antar had turned towards her as they were walking. With the volume of those talking in the streets it was hard to make out Antar's words. She did her best however to listen to his words and think on them.

She wasn't used to others asking her questions. In fact she had went days before without speaking to another. It was much easier just to kill your prey then talk to them when you were unused to speaking with others. They both spoke common fluently but it was still difficult for her to wrap her mind around the idea that someone who had a similar skill set to her's would love to talk so much. "What do I want?" she repeated the words aloud. She still was unsure how to put what she wanted into words properly. "To be stronger. That is all I want. I want to take down those in my path with my own hand."

Despite herself she did turn to look at him this time. For perhaps the first time since they had met there was something out side of that cold dead look that usually resided there. "Can you understand that?" she asked. "Can you understand the need for power?" Before he could answer she turned her head back in the direction they were walking, managing to slip between a couple that were in a rather heated conversation over something to do with a horse.
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Kiara Killraven
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