Placeholder Staking Out the Homestealer

[Basek]

78th of Winter, 513 A.V.
Basek's eyes gazed across the snowy road before him, Leth providing little light this night. It was an especially dangerous time, for even a public area such as this could result in the mugging of any traveler, sordid or posh. The brisk hold nipped away at him, keeping his cloak wrapped around his frame to conserve his warmth.

There was a single torch lit on this road, two nondescript men standing outside. Their features were lost to the inky blackness of the night, standing mere inches away from the end of the illuminating torchlight. Basek attempted to pass them, staying in the shadows of the far side of the street.

He had never seen the place before, nor what they were guarding. The two men outside stood silently, wearily watching with their eyes forward. They wore thick leathers to protect from the cold, so Basek was able to deduce were obviously paid well for what they did after putting two and two together.

Approaching with caution, careful to watch the sound of his steps in the snow, he stood directly opposite from the guards and the torch, which illuminated a wooden door with a wide iron sliding peephole. He stood there, watching the two guards and the door, waiting for a change. He wasn't quite sure if they had seen him, with how dark it was, but he was pretty sure they couldn't.

Basek wanted to know what this place was for, but he didn't want to risk approaching two people, who, quite frankly, looked like ruffians that would attack if he showed interest in the open. Suddenly one of the guards turned their head, towards the direction Basek had just come from.

The whoosh of a stone flew past Basek's head, an audible singing in the air that he caught wind of but inches from his hood. This caused him to turn, and he immediately saw two shadowy figures approaching from down the street. The glint of steel was apparent to Basek's straining eyes, one of them wielding some sort of blade a forearm in length.

He saved his breath, cursing underneath his tongue in a shallow whisper instead as his face fell into a deep-seated scowl, peering ahead of him to spy on any trap he may have walked into. He didn't see anyone, so he began to run. He didn't look back as he leaped forward, sprinting quickly with each foot pressing into the snow beneath his feat, creating a soft crunching sound and leaving behind his footprints for the two thugs to follow.

He had to make it to a public place, where they wouldn't dare to make a scene. His mind raced, he knew his current location but there was nowhere safe. There was a place even more dangerous nearby, but it would likely provide him a moment of solace from his pursuers.

He traced his thoughts along a mental layout of Sunberth, seeking to make it to a den of thieve's. He was beginning to curse the fact that he had spied that place, and had gotten caught doing so by those who sought to protect it.

But as he stopped sprinting, his breath labored from the full minute of quick running, he realized he was alone. The two were no longer pursuing him. He surmised that they had intended to drive him away as if he were a vulture. But then things changed.

Basek saw the faint flickering of a torch over yonder. He was at the bottom of a hill, and on top of that hill was an old abandoned home he had never paid any particular attention to. It was larger than most, and a little intimidating to Basek. A single willow tree rose from its courtyard, draping wispy vines over what one could see.

The torch light immediately vanished at the top of the hill, and he could no longer make out signs of the place. Abandoned homes generally stayed abandoned in Sunberth, it was strange to see such a place contain even a moment of activity. He decided he would learn more, to figure out if he could benefit from freeing the area of a few valuables at a later time.