[Location] Killroy's Kennel

[Leviathan]

Antar, by some stroke of luck, found Killroy right off the bat, rather than any of his several employees. Killroy alone trusted Killroy to make sales and purchases for Killroy. He had made that excruciatingly clear to everyone who worked for him. "Killroy speaking, unless you are returning and demanding your money back. If that's the case, I'm not home." Killroy chuckled. There were plenty of people who assumed Killroy had never really been "at home" in the mental department, but it was believed to be a mistake to say so. "He smells like death." It was the first thing Killroy had noticed about a horse. There were things a master of horses could read, then there were things that a master of Sunberth could read. Killroy was more of the latter than the former. "Death, that's not ever, never never a good smell is it? You know, just yesterday I heard about an event, a gruesome one. You know, lots of death, and dead people and missing things. I wouldn't know if a horse was missing, but several people are missing. Surely there's not a relation between missing Corpse Movers and a Horse that smells like it has been moving corpses for a long time." Killroy moved to the horse and shook his head. "Bad business it is. Selling a horse that isn't yours." And Killroy, of all people, would know this. "Dangerous, someone might think all this smell of death from a horse in my stables... dare I say it. They may think I had something to do with all that death and missing people. Killroy will assume you aren't involved either, and you just found this horse. Yes, that's best for both of us I think. Thirty Mizas." It was no mystery that Killroy stole horses, but to think that he would try to almost be businesslike about it was quite a shock to some. Taking them off the streets was much different than swindling. There was something odd about the way Killroy was watching Antar as well. As if it was more than just trying to read what he was thinking, but rather, memorizing everything about him. "It'd be best if I didn't point you to the rest of them, right?" And what transaction in Sunberth didn't have a threat or two involved? Hell, it wouldn't be a true Sunberth trade without threats of selling out the other to somebody who would want blood. Antar was wanted, just almost nobody knew who he was, but Killroy was now one of the few.

[Antar]

Antar shrugged and smiled, "My dear Sir, you wound me. This horse has been brushed and cleaned, there's no smell about him at all. By jove, you must be mistaken on your information. Of course, that is the case only if you didn't have your eyes on stealing him back yourself."

Noth's smile widened a bit as he glanced in killroy's direction as the man continued, impersonating any other snake oil salesman of the times."Of course if such things did happen as you say then it would be bad for business to telegraph such things so openly. Would it not? Especially if further... acquisitions would come your way. You know very well a horse like this true worth is at least 110 mizas, and a quick dye of the coat to sell it off wouldn't be more then an investment of five for you. And the risk... well the risk around these parts would be smoothed over by a 30 miza deduction from the full worth to keep your interest, don't you think? Making it's high end value to the least 75 mizas. To say otherwise would demean both our intelligence, Sir Roy. May I call you Roy?" Noth said with a smile. "Besides, you and I both know there won't be many questions here for the horse." He leaned closer to the man, conspiratorily, "Let me tell you this, rumors say this was driven by two rambunctious murderers who decided to play fast and lose across the respective lines. Made a couple of slavers very angry, if you know what I mean. So why , if I did as you say, happen to find this horse, must I be beholden to deduct the cost of your smoothing things over?"

Holding up a hand , Noth spoke with a sly smile, "No, no, my dear man. No need to answer that, I will pay the deduction of thirty gold from my profits, since I intend to bring any... animal acquisitions I find in the future exclusively to you. Consider it a ... business arrangement. Even a 60 miza shellout on your end for this horseflesh would net you a profit of over 20 gold mizas. So tell me true, can we come to an arrangement here that might be mutually beneficial? "

With a wink in killroy's direction, Noth simply stated in an uncowed manner as his eyes gleamed with amusement. He was enjoying himself to be sure, and the other man might pick up on it, "Now be straight with me, and I'll treat you fairly in return. That's my personal credo, and I hold to the idea of being tough but fair. So let's try the start of this conversation again, shall we? For civility's sake, what is the highest price you're willing to pay for this fine horseflesh? Even if, I ... you know... happened to find it."

Noth looked at the man a moment, gauging the necessity of whether he was truly beholden to the type of threats he could mutter. As far as Noth was concerned, whenever he had taken on a job he'd gone under aliases to protect his identity. And even now his face was scruffy from a woodsman's beard. It would be hard for anyone to truly identify him, and without any definitive proof or holding of him here, Noth could simply walk out into the city streets and disappear. Of course... with letting it slip to Killroy, the misinformation that it was a slaver's job would spread further and ripple outwards to the right people clouding any fault towards Noth. That was the real cause for the thirty miza deduction Noth just suggested. After all, a wise man once said, it took three to play the game of Sunberth's politics. Me, myself, and noone you'll ever know...

Of course , there was another underlying threat present simply by Noth's presence being here. If he knew killroy right, he'd see Noth possessed the eyes of a true manslayer, not a barbarian, or a brute, but the cold calculation that wouldn't quit till those who betrayed or stole from him lay dead with their blood running in sunberth's streets, or floating by the bay. If killroy truly wished to take anything of noth's features away this day, that would be the sole aspect he'd remember. It wasn't a sense of intimidation either, just a sense of what was. And Noth would ensure the kennel owner would remember that, each and every visit...

Worse, if Killroy truly spread Noth's features around, the ghosts of Noth's past would descend upon him like ten glassbeaks in full hunt. Seeking to break every bone in his body for the sheerest scrap that Noth was alive, and ignoring Killroy's protestations all the while. But that wasn't here, not in sunberth. But if the demon's of his past could speak to killroy now, then he might know there were only two roads for those who truly meant to cross him, extinction, or mutually beneficial business affairs.

[Leviathan]

Killroy shook his head slowly. "You get thirty for it, or you can feed it and sell it to someone else. Assuming it isn't stolen, killed, or runs away from you. A shame that would be. It's not cheap keeping animals fed and trained, and I can't trust your word it isn't harmed, or has any craziness in it. Thirty mizas is all you're going to get. Take it, or leave it." Killroy nodded his head slowly, as if to confirm his decision. He had no lack of horses, well fed, well trained, and ones that didn't have the faint lingering stench of death on them. It wasn't often someone saw the other, less pleasant side of Killroy. Behind that comical mask of silliness, he was actually as vicious and greedy as anyone, not to mention crazy in his business as he was anywhere else. The Horse Antar has wasn't a bad horse, not nearly as good as he claimed, and thirty gold was still low. But in business, you didn't buy to make a small profit, you scored big. At least, that was Killroy's profit. And he had a tendency to get his profit, be it from willing hands, or broken ones.

[Antar]

Smiling, Antar replied and factored things right, Killroy had stopped the threatening game even if there was a bit of malice there but the unspoken words of trying to sell him out was completely gone from the table.. But Noth smiled ruefully and chuckled, "You know Killroy, was it any other man I'd say no I'd keep the horse. But you... you're a man after my own heart who likes to play hardball. Thirty it is. Maybe next time we can skip the threat games and get right to business. I think we'll both work out better that way. I'll be back my newfound friend. There's plenty of animals to sell after all. You'll find me coming by quite often. Though profits will be beneficial for a bit of both of us. Good by for now Killroy. I'll be back."

Pocketing the gold he laughed a little he started to hum on his way out. Showing the man he was leaving behind, there was no fear to be between them. Only mutual respect .

[Shai]

Timestamp: Fall 30th, 511 AV

Shai approached the stables. Tua’s warning made her nervous, it’s not that she disliked men or had troubles with morals regarding humans, but anything a man like that might warn her against sounded like bad news. She was still a bit nervous, being out in the open during the day made her feel like a target. The black cloak usually hid her race at the very least but it also made her stand out during the day. Shai figured standing out as odd was still better than drawing attention as exotic in Sunberth.

Passing through the entrance, Shai found herself in the stables among the merchandise. She kept towards the walls both to stay out of people’s way and their notice. She was busy looking around for whoever looked like that ran this show. She finally decided to ask a slim jovial man who clearly worked here. She’d simply ask to speak with Killroy and hope that whatever had this man in high spirits would mean she’d get a straight answer.

“Excuse me, could you by chance point me to Killroy? I was sent here by Tua, I am looking for employment.”

[Leviathan]

For a long moment, the man, who was having the time of his life just looking at himself through a hand mirror and giggling softly, ignored Shai. He was Killroy, but she obviously didn't know this. Why not have a little fun with it? "Well now, why should I direct you to the God of the Kennels, the master of Sunberth Animals, the Paragon of Beauty, and the Manifestation of Joy? Perhaps, you need to earn it? Yes, I think so. How though? How should this young girl earn her meeting with the proprietor of this business? Killroy lifted his gaze from the hand mirror as he tossed it carelessly over his shoulder, only moments before it shattered against the window behind him. Whatever value it had, it lost. "You look like you have delicious lips, perhaps they might be able to swindle the knowledge from this man. Maybe a taste would find you more knowledgeable?" A grin, a cruel disgusting grin. Arrogant bastard. Whoever she though he was, certainly such a thought was there.

[Shai]

For a moment Shai thought she’d need to repeat herself, the man seemed absorbed in his own image. But just as her lips parted to speak the man finally acknowledged her. If acknowledged was the word for the tirade of praise for Killroy. Once again she was about to speak when he threw the looking glass. Right, he’s happy because he’s absolutely insane, great. I had to pick the one crazy fellow in the entire stables.

With her eyes still on the shattered mirror she was a little surprised by the next suggestion. It took the majority of self-control to not just give him a toothy grin and scare him into giving her what she wanted. But she’d paid to get through Tua she’d manage to get through this idiot too. This disgusting pig was what now stood between Shai and her job. “Well in the spirit of this establishment, how about I make a counter offer? I am truly an awful kisser, why the last man who actually managed to scam a kiss from me died from the terrible skill of it. I promise not to kiss you and in exchange, out of immense gratitude, you will tell me where I can find Killroy.” She let a low laugh escape as she concluded her offer; it was a joke of course. Oddly enough, this man was the second in just over two weeks to ask for a kiss from the Symenestra. Regardless Shai’s bid was as close as she was willing to get to an actual threat right now, but if the man continued to push she’d start playing the cards in her hand. "Aside from that, with that parade of praise earlier I can only assume you would rather a man's lips than those of an insignificant woman."