Clandestine Negotiations(Eryss)

by **Antar** on September 14th, 2011, 8:52 pm

With a bit of a sigh and some sputtered coughing to clear the rest of the grains of earth from his mouth, Noth pushed himself to his feet and walked over to where he had left the drinking flask. He rinsed his mouth out first to dispel the soily after taste and spat once to the side. The next drink was longer, and the cool water helped steady his head and bring much needed refreshment. He was tired to be sure, and his body ached like he had just finished a mile and a half run.

But that was one of the costs of expending one's djed. His reserves were gone now, flat busted out of every scrap of djed he had scraped together over the past days. For a few moments, as Eryss finished speaking, Noth did nothing but listen nodding along and wondering just who he'd have to kill for the priviledge of getting a 'lesson' or two.

Finally feeling able to speak, "Very well, I'm sure you'll tell me if you need something in return. But for now... it's time to talk about the Edge's future. And where you wish to strike in the fall... there are a few places I've been looking which might be good to gain a place of operations. But many in the city proper are not a good idea to have. They're far too exposed. Too difficult to protect. Especially in the wolf's den. We'd be best making our way somewhere on the outskirts of town or the edge of the wilds , to create a fortified position of our own."

Antar's voice faded after he spoke the thought aloud, it was a quiet notion he'd been following up on throughout the summer. But he had been looking. Opportunities were everywhere for those with the resolve to take them. And in order for him to ensure his own hide's safety from his past. The Crimson Edge would have to be strong enough to handle itself in its own right.

by **Eryss Waldu** on September 17th, 2011, 12:43 am

[Once it appeared as though Antar would accept his reasoning Eryss had let his mind wander briefly, he almost didn’t hear the man as he said they needed to talk about where the Crimson Edge would go from here, but looking back at him Eryss would eventually pay him his full attention and decide how much of his plan he should reveal to the man. Oh, Antar would learn in the future who he would need to kill for these lessons but that was neither here nor there but in the future entirely. There now existed a long, drawn out, silence between both men; Antar was not the second in command of the Crimson Edge like Cade but Eryss had begun to sense loyalty in the man.]

[Nodding his head a few times Eryss would eventually start by saying...”Everything is exposed. If we only take things outside of Sunberth our influence in Sunberth will be next to nothing.”...which is essentially what it was now but continuing on Eryss would add...”We need an ally. One of the Gangs we can play against the other two. Someone who thinks that they’ll be able to control us until realizing to late we aren’t really working for them. We need to watch the streets to see who is fighting who.”...there was more, of course, but he stopped so that Antar could take in everything that he had said. He’d motion for the flask of water as well wanting to drown a small thirst that had started growing inside of him. It would give Antar a few more moments to consider what he was being told while Eryss drank water from the flask and wiped his mouth with his hand.]

[Even though his hood concealed the majority of his features Antar would be able to feel how Eryss eyes had locked onto him and begun slowly raking over his body as though he were deciding where to plant something that would inflict a maximum amount of pain on the man. Nothing Eryss observed was just to do so, he was apt at deciding what he saw in the man, often he would look at random individuals and imagine how they might act while he was flaying them. “There’s more.”...he would eventually be heard telling Antar before continuing as one might expect of him...”It could be worthwhile to take the mines. They must have some value others have overlooked. In Sunberth itself I think that instead of focusing on a business or building it might be beneficial to take a street.”...was Eryss talking madness now maybe, who could say, but he would elaborate...”Sunberth is ripe with destitute streets that mean nothing. If we can control them then we can control what moves through them. It’s a start.”...a street while expose was more difficult to pin down from any one direction he had surmised, it was only an idea at this stage though.]

[On the note that Eryss did want to control territory he would ask Antar afterwards...”What would you take? I’m sure you have ideas. Ideas beyond merely establishing ourselves on the edge of the wild.”...he wasn’t taunting Antar for his suggestion but Eryss didn’t believe it was wise to exist only on the fringe of Sunberth. He was open to suggestions though that much was clear. Shifting over the log where he sat he’d wait for Antar to respond while outstretching a hand covered with scars from where his own fire had turned back on him and begin to drink in the ambient heat radiating from the small fire separating the two men. It wasn’t the warmth that attracted Eryss though, in some strange way he was drawn to the kiss of the flame even if it proved deadly.]

by **Antar** on September 17th, 2011, 11:18 pm

Noth stayed silent as Eryss replied to his earlier words, nodding politely as the man made his points. Antar wasn't concerned about the other staring at him, thinking he was probably wondering if Noth could be trusted. If however he knew what the man was thinking about he probably would have been slightly unsettled enough to wonder if the wizard was some form of cannabilistic madman who spent far too much time with Dr. Patronius for comfort. But since he didn't know what the other man was thinking, he simply stayed politely as he was, resting his eyes upon the hot coals glowing red in the fure's bowels.

The sight was fascinating to him, not to the aspects of how it drew Noth's gaze, but rather how it's presence acted as a deterrent for the harm which it migh cause. Warning him of the fire's within could burn just as easily as the fires without. Of all the elements, Fire was the most lucrative in his opinion. More fickle then even air which seemed to blow in any direction it chose on a whim. Fire... fire was destructive, a giver of heat yes, but still destructive. If one got to close it would burn you, devour you, chew you up and leave you a shattered burned hulk, or pile of ash. Damned to death by its deadly kiss. If there was one element he would have preferred: it would have been water. Water was a fluidic element , subtle yet strong, capable of wearing down mountains if given enough time. It was a subtle lesson to partake from things, but one he learned well. Unlike fire, which brought swift destruction, and potentially rebirth, water was the element of a steady path.

Things take time, things change in time, and in order to change them in a ways that proved beneficial to you. You had to move slowly. Take things carefully, and not to rush. In this regard Antar viewd Eryss' actions so far similar in motive to his own. He wished to start small a single street... "The mines are one possibility, there are others. but I still believe a better defense can be gained in the outer reaches of Sunberth, perhaps in some of the ruins somewhere. Only then should we move for gaining a territory inside of sunberth. If you were to try, I'd suggest somewhere in the warehouses by the docks or the market for any real gains. If not, a street in the slums that is moderately traveled may suffice. For the future, I will endeavor to take more time to find out a few possible locations where others traffic."

He paused a moment to lick his lips, wondering if he should continue, finally after a long pause he did. "As for allying with one of the many gangs there are several possibilities. Other small time gangs in the Wolf's Den are one, but the main elements which control sunberth are the Daggerhands, the NightEyes, and the Dragoons. Alliances with the strongetst ones, the Daggerhands at this time are impossible due to ..." He sighed a moment as he figured out the most tactful way of expressing his displeasure, " Well, due too Cade's tastes for a woman's flesh that made us get into an altercation with those that were enjoying themselves in Stumble Alley. A foolish move on the Myrian's part, but one with consequences we all will have to bear the burden of."

Poking the fire with a stick, Noth fell silent again to organize his thoughts. "That would mean for our survival, we will have to make overtures towards assisting either the Night Eyes, or the Dragoons. Of the two the Dragoons are rumored have the less amount of territory, but the most well defended and heavily armored men. They are bruisers instead of true killers of men. But they are a hardy and dangerous lot. The Night Eyes exists with more people... but rumors say that at their core group a crew of highly skilled murderers, brawlers , and thieves protects both the Raven and the Crow. Moreover, the Crow tends to go hunting with this crew to anyone who truly crosses them. They hold the second amount of power in the city, but much of it is through smuggling in what Robern and his Daggerhands do not want in the city. They play off numerous smaller gangs, sometimes hiring them for jobs or extra muscle. They might be the easiest ones to work our way in towards, but the core would be truly difficult to dispatch, even in one fell blow as they are horribly distrustive of outsiders. Most may never even meet either of the two leaders, Raven, or Crow."

Making a decision, Noth finished with a choice set of advice, "Were we to take that route, I would suggest alliances with both the night eyes, and the Dragoons, doing whatever jobs they needed help on and wait to see which one we could truly overcome first."

by **Eryss Waldu** on September 19th, 2011, 6:36 pm

[Listening to Antar as he spoke his case Eryss found that he knew much of what went on in the city. The Mage himself knew the three main factions in Sunberth but beyond knowing which was likely the strongest and the weakest was largely ignorant of their inner workings. He could pick out the leader of the Daggerhand, everyone knew who Robern was, but the others were largely unknown to him which made this something of an information session as well. It was interesting for Eryss to listen to Antar talk about the Night Eyes and what he had heard about their leaders.]

[Beneath his hood Eryss had remained silent while Antar explained everything to him but he wasn’t merely paying attention his mind was already at work brooding over how he might be able to accomplish what he desired. Eyes had narrowed slightly as he turned his attention from Antar to the radiance of the fire again and he heard a small voice in the back of his mind telling him that they all needed to burn. Only cleansing flame would finally secure Sunberth into his hands or so the voice in the back of his mind was assuring Eryss just then. Quickly shaking his head though Eryss would turn his attention back to Antar and be seen nodding several times as though he had hung on his every word when the reality was far different; if Antar had any idea what else he was listening to he couldn’t even be sure the nodding was for him.]

[His lips were dry so Eryss drew his tongue between them once and then began by saying...”What Cade has done might more of a service to us rather than not. The Daggerhand might be the strongest gang in Sunberth but their demise would create a power vacuum we could take advantage of. It’s better they are our enemy.”...whether or not what he said was logical was another matter but after pausing he would continue...”When we need an ally the Dragoons are the most appealing. Their apparent lack of territory means they will either be eager to gain more or they will consolidate what they have and leave us to our own devices.”...he had purposely left out the Night Eyes, Eryss had no qualms about working with killers but there were other less appealing things about the group he’d heard rumours of. He thought it was best to keep them at arms length right now and deal with the factions most entrenched in Sunberth proper.]

[Shifting over the log where he sat Eryss soon went on by looking at Antar and stating...”As for territory we’ll concentrate on the Mines outside of the city. Look into the Bathhouse I’ve heard is located on the outskirts as well.”...it seemed as though he was giving Antar a job personally as he went on...”I will take Mok and go to the warehouse district. Owning a few buildings there couldn’t hurt.”...that said he seemed to have made up his mind. He stood from where he had been sitting and looked back down at the fire quietly, Antar remaining in his residual vision.]

[Outstretching a hand Eryss would emit a small amount of res channelled from his palm in a wave of translucent smoke which he began to channel into dirt. Using it to smother the fire that both he and Antar had been sitting as Eryss would produce earth to bury the flames and embers until nothing remained in a minor use of reimancy before backing away and circling around Antar while adding...”We’ll meet again soon. Practice your Shielding.”...and then he was moving away completely without looking back]

[With his boots still Shielded he made no sound, the same as when he’d arrived. It wasn’t that his footsteps were that silent but rather that the shield he had made blocked them from emitting sound and created an altogether absence of noise where he moved. In a way it was an eerie effect to have produced via shielding. Eryss maintain his shields though, not on his boots or himself, preferring to create them when he believed they were required or when he wanted to experiment seeing as how this would offer him more practice and enhance his abilities.]

[When he was far enough away from Antar, Eryss would have stopped to take a deep breath and collect himself. It wasn’t a state of overgiving or sweet whispers that he’d heard calling to him in the back of his mind but his own subconscious which was altogether worse than any of the others in his own opinion. His mind was sharp, keen, but sometimes fractured as well and while he had himself under control Eryss sometimes desired nothing more than to let loose and become a maelstrom of destruction. All in time though.]

by **Antar** on September 19th, 2011, 7:16 pm

Nodding slightly at Eryss' dismissal, consenting to the point to study more basics of shielding on his own, Antar merely watched as Eryss began to smother the fires. It was time for him to go as well. The night's discussion was over, and he had benefited greatly with the knowledge that at least Eryss' was thinking about the next step. That was a good thing, for Noth almost always considered the long term in his actions if he could help it...

Slowly he made his way back towards camp, taking a different route then Eryss', ever watchful of prying eyes. Eventually, he made his way back to his tent and settled in for a night's rest.

Eryss' skills request: :

Antar's skills request :

by **Cachet** on September 27th, 2011, 2:17 pm

Gossamer Said I could

Antar :

Eryssb :

Anything seem out of place? Any questions please feel free to contact me ASAP.