A similar debate (Inodar)

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

51st of Summer 512 AV
A similar debate.

It seemed like very person who needed a job done always meet in a tavern. Bojovnik had just gotten another job he pushed open the door and walked back into the streets of the city he curently called home. Bojovnik looked up at the sky. It was a rainy day in Ravok one big dark cloud rested over the city. Not usually does someone ask for total discretion from a mercenary but when they do it means it always important. The contact gave him a small envelope and wouldn't tell him any details on the subject just that it was going to be a very sensitive task. When Bojovnik ask who he was he said he was a "concerned citizen". The man ordered some ale for Bojovnik and left. Deciding he might as well take the free drink he sat for some time and walked out. He finally started to get a feel for this mercenary job. All you need to do is look tough and act like a total jerk. Having 2 weapons help even if he can hardly even swing one of them for his life, at most it might help in a bluff. As he walked out he looked down the street and saw a bench. Making his way over to it he decided to pull out his envelope to look at the instructions. Target Name: Deviano Marcico Target know Alias : John Smith Parents: Unknown Siblings : none Home region : Nyka Description : Deviano is a human bandit who makes his living on the missery of others. He may be heartless at times but he is always loyal to his associates and treats them as just. If his life were to be on the tine he would never rat on his friends. Personality : Straight to the point. Fearless. Mission details : Deviano is in ravok looking to steal a prized possession with some other bandits. The other bandits are not your priority and should not be dealt with in anyway you see fit. Deviano is NOT to be killed. I expect you to return him in a good enough condition to speak. When you have him in custody I want you to come to the location I told you in person and further details will be given out then on what to do. Bandit locations is in the top floor of a building along the merchants ring of the city. The building has a image of a frog in the window. Side notes: This information may have been leaked to other people as well, be very careful with who you deal with. When finished burn this paper and throw it away. Either the man contracting Bojovnik was paranoid or simply very protective. Learning to trust his gut and decided someone this paranoid wasn't to be messed with, Bojovnik put the piece back in his pocket. Contemplating how on earth he was going to find someone in this city. His best bet was to go and search for this frog building. Bojovnik stood up and started to walk to the merchants ring.

[Inoadar]

The boat swayed lazily as Inoadar lay back, paper in hand. He scanned the information there, knowing he would not be allowed to keep the scribbled notes.

Newly arrived bandits from Nyka...
Intent on theft of item...
Nature of item unknown...
Bandits led by Deviano Marcico...AKA 'John Smith'...
Information regarding bandit connection with Nyka would be valuable...
Condition of subject unimportant once information is obtained...
Bandits rumored to be holed up at "Lily's Pad"

He handed the paper back. "I'm not sure what you want." he commented.

The boatman shrugged, "As always, information. Bandits from Nyka, YOU are from Nyka. Perhaps this will give you some edge. This is simply the newest rumor. Maybe you wish to let them GET the item first. Maybe what the item IS will be valuable information. This is not a job you are doing FOR us. You don't have to do anything if you don't wish to. But the chance that you would decline only to turn around and sell OUR rumor is unacceptable."

"How am I supposed to know if any information you can use is likely to come up?" Inoadar protested.

"No guarantees, you know that. You wanted rumors with possibilities for gain. Well, here it is. Bandits stealing an item, a team of them. Probably a valuable item. How a bunch of Nykans know about it may be important to us. Use your wits, there's bound to be some opportunity."

"What I mean is, if there's no information worth anything, what payment will you be expecting for the rumor?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

The boatman grinned, "Those details are always negotiable. Sometimes we score, sometimes we only break even. But the first time we LOSE is the LAST time we give you the rumor in advance. After that, it's pay up-front, if at all."

"Well, that's certainly a motivating factor. I don't suppose you could swing by Lily's Pad?" Inoadar asked, not really expecting it.

"Sorry, not on my circuit. We don't deviate. Might draw attention." the boatman smirked, "Just enjoy the ride, they're open late."

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

Bojovnik walked into the Merchants ring. "Frog, building, Nyka ,Deviano, and bandits," He kept thinking of the main factors in this job. The only store that seemes relevant to check is Lily's pad. He wasn't sure if a frog was on the window but it would have to be a good place to start for right now. The thick crowd made it difficult to move but allowed him to think. "Lets see. We have a loyal bandit so I have a feeling he has done many things by now and partly well armed. If he has loyalty it may mean he works with the same people alot, or he works with different people because they know he can trust them. If he has never seen the bandits it may be a way in for me." Bojovnik continued to think on this subject for a time. If Deviano has never met these bandits it could be possible for Bojovnik to sneak in their place. "Just me in a room full of bandits, I don't like the idea of being alone but if that's all I have might as well try it." He walked into a less crowded street with shops on both sides of the street. A sign hung above the door of Lily's pad. Bojovnik smiled when a frog was in the window. Standing in front of the door he turned around and walked in the adjacent building. Greeting the shop keeper he made himself seem really interested in the pottery next to the window. This building gave a clear view across the street to see the bandits meeting place and concealed him nicely in a crowd. It was in this building he waited. Watching people going in and out. "3 men 4 women, 3 men 4 women, 3- 4men 4 women" Keeping track he wanted to see how this was going to turn out. It began to become much harder when what felt like everyone and their mother went into this store. Bojovnik sighd and just watched.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar opened his 'False Faces Kit' and removed the cured putty "Balding old man" wig assembly. He applied a few liver spots before stretching it over the back and crown of his head. The original glue on the "skin" side of the false 'bags-under-the-eyes' and 'jowls' was wearing out, but the kit came with more, so he'd be good for a few more applications before having to purchase some. In a pinch, glue itself, properly colored, was an ample substitute for old gray skin, but it was a chore to remove.

A tooth slip to cover the front eight teeth, top and bottom, mimicked the stains and decay of a lifetime of smoking, and the talc for his eyebrows accomplished the last detail of his "gray" hair. A blend of charcoal and cherry juice to draw a few visible veins on the backs of his hands probably wouldn't stand close scrutiny, but a bit of talc faded it somewhat, to give it an "under skin" look, as well as giving his whole hand an old-and-grey look. If someone was compelled to look closely, then he was probably already "blown".

No need for any cosmetic bandages or deformities. Just quick change clothes. He pulled a medium-dark blue cloak and a red shirt from his duffel bag. he wadded the cloak and bunched it around his waist as he put his leather armor on over it. It fit tightly, of course, but gave a him an overweight look. He had gotten a larger "heavy"-sized armor specifically for it. He put the red shirt on over his armor, and his usual dark cloak over all.

With his "cane" in hand, his bladed boots, his tamo daggers strapped over his shoulder, beneath his cloak, five darts in loops on his hidden bracer, and one in his cane, and his garrotte strung down the inside of his pants' leg, he put the rest of his 'work' gear in his rucksack and set off like a chubby, balding old man, limping his way to Lily's Pad.

He spent a few chimes looking in windows, or rather at the reflected images of what was behind him. He was glad he had not gone to the pottery store window first as the man trying to watch the store across the street would have been face to face with him. Even though he appeared to have a bit to learn about covert surveillance, he still would have seen him clearly, and such random memories of unknown faces had blown carefully laid plans before.

Well that settled it, he would have to find a way in to Lily's Pad that did not involve the door the man in the pottery store was watching. Damn him...

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

It was getting very boring looking out of the window. Four men entered Lily's Pad but it was clearly not the bandits. Their attire didn't fit and Bojovnik doubted that they would be masters of disguised. The four men did catch his attention but so did everything else. The lady in the second story window was hanging clothing in a very particular way. Could it be he was made already and the bandits abandoned the mission? Was it her signaling them he was in the pottery shop and that they should kill him now? Or was it just a strange coincidence. Bojovnik shook his head hoping he would stop being paranoid. Bojovnik continued to look out the window hopping something would happen when he saw an old man coming down. At first it seemed like nothing was wrong but Bojovnik had a strange feeling in his gut that this old man new something. The old man was doing far more than window shopping. The reflection was enough to give away that the old man was more than just a normal citizen. A crowd seemed to be leaving lillys Pad and gave just enough room for Bojovnik to slip out with the crowd. Not wanting to wast time he walked up from behind the old man, got really close to him and pulled out his axe. Making sure he knew his intention Bojovnik was extra carfull to let this old man know there was a blade ready to cut threw his ribs. "Hey friend!" Bojovnik said loudly so nobody would get suspicious. "What do you know" he said it in a low tone clearly directed only at him.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar cursed himself. He feared he had spent too much time at each window. A regular shopper would not have equal interest at every one of them. Some he would walk past with hardly a glance, while others he would stop by for several chimes. And he hadn't actually entered any of them! 'Fool!'

So now he'd been made, a weapon was in hand and he would be questioned. It struck him odd that the bandits would risk questioning him unrestrained and in public. Perhaps it was not one of the bandits after all. Competition, then? He leaned on his cane to anchor the point while he turned, unloosening the crook, to give quick access to the stiletto inside. The blowgun portion of his cane was clearly too unwieldy in such close quarters. But it might serve to parry the initial swing of the...axe...he saw as he turned. An ugly weapon in close, as much bludgeon as blade. But he found himself growing eager.

He coughed a couple times before responding, to help gruff his voice. "What? What are you-...are you talking to me, young man?"

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

Bojovnik looked right into the old mans eyes. "No im talking to the other person who I have a blade next to their ribs...yes you goddammit, who else do you think?" He looked around the area and realized he would have to move the two someplace they wouldn't be found. Not moving his axe away from a easy cutting position he ushered the old man into a alleyway adjacent from lillys pad. This seemed like the best option in his mind. If he had to do anything it could be done without the risk of killing someone flat out in the street. IN an alley you had option and keeping his hand close to this old man would be key in order to remain with the advantage in this scenario. "You have information that I want and your going to give it to me, and stop with this disquise act it's not fooling anybody, especially me." Call it luck but Bojovnik only noticed it was desquize from how he walked. Befor his limp was almost perfect but during the walk to the alley he walked normally. But if that feature wasn't mentioned it would have been an almost perfect disguise. Hopping strongly that this wasnt one of the bandits or he could seriously be screwed. It wasn't like he was some master at fighting but being the first one to have a blade out could seriously help him in any situation. Bojovnik looked over the man but his cloak covered most up. Thinking the worst he worried that maybe this man had knives or some other weapons of death hidden under their or maybe some strange poison that would shoot out whenever someone tried to open the clock. It could have been extreme but knowing this man somehow got his hands on this information meant that something must be up with him. Friends in high places maybe but that seemed to be stretching it even if he had seen stranger things in this city.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar was genuinely perplexed now. 'I have information?' he thought in puzzlement. 'Well now, that is a surprise.'. He considered a quick move with the stiletto, but the man had studded leather and an axe ready to respond. He could try to get hold of the axe and try to strike with the other hand, but the man had position on him. To keep his best hand free to wield the blade, he'd have to reach across himself. Either that, or switch hold to his weaker left hand.

He finished twisting the crook of his cane to reach the fully loosed point and decided to distract the man and see what opportunities arose. "Oh, I wouldn't say I'm "not fooling anyone." he said, rolling his eyes. "Just what information do you think an 'old man' would have for a stout young mercenary like you? I could as well be asking you why you aren't carrying a few clay pots right now. I saw you in the window there."

He nodded towards the street as he said this, taking a step in the same direction to gain extra maneuvering room, hoping it would look innocent. His hand tensed on the cane handle of his stiletto, ready to spin, duck and thrust.

[Bojovnik Vybutit]

Finnaly Bojovnik rememperd why he was always so paranoid. Always expecting someone to try and make some move that would risk it all and today his paranoia paid off. This "old man" tried to distract him and tried to get his attention some wear else. Not easily fooled Bojovnik chose to keep looking at the man and survey him once more in a final attempt to see whats what. Again his paranoia paid off as he looked down to see the mans hands tightening around his can. Suspecting some form of an attack Bojovnik went for a more defensive approach and jumped backwards giving him more room in case of an attack. He scrambled to place his axe in the ground and reached for his bow quickly loading an arrow into it. Bojovnik was far enough back that a long sword couldn't hit him right now but a step or two forward would but them in range. He didn't load the arrow fast but enough time that this disguised man wouldn't be ready to turn around and know whats happening. " Pottery isn't my thing. To sentimental for my taste. I don't usually trust people but I say we pull our information on this subject\. By the way I'm Bojovnik, I'm kind of big in this city. But you haven't heard of me for a number of reasons, The Ebonstryfe takes care of their people...and who are you mister?" He figured there was almost no way this man could call his bluff on him being with The Ebonstryfe Bojovnik just hoped it could help him at some point.

[Inoadar]

Inoadar felt the rush of air as the man backed away and knew that his stiletto would now lack reach to be effective. He spun, lifting the shaft of the cane instead. By the time he got the blowgun to his mouth, he saw the arrow drawn on him.

The pause seemed to stretch forever as the two men held their weapons on each other. Inoadar backed his mouth just centimeters away from the mouthpiece end of his blowgun. "Glad to meet you, Bojovnik. You can call me 'Tyrell'. So what do we do now, kill each other? I marked your surveillance, but left you to it. You couldn't have extended the same courtesy? You pull a weapon on me? You want to share information, then you talk first and we'll see."

He didn't want to reveal his doubts that the man had any connection to the Ebonstryfe. There would be no reason to be secretive and hide in an alley if he was. If he WAS a stryfer, then something very odd was going on and Inoadar was going to have to be very careful. If they learned who he was, he couldn't leave town fast enough.