Port Lorrel- Prison Break

[Jack Rothwell]

The men who'd guarded the back entrance to Logan's business had been replaced by a pair who looked, if anything, bigger and even more surly. The half-elf was reminded of his own job as a guardsman, spending hours of the day staring into the distance, frustrated, bored, itching for some action.

Well, these gentlemen were about to enjoy all the action they could handle.

The larger of the two raised his hand in a halting gesture as the Ralkin members approached.

"No entry."

Gabriel and Eli exchanged brief looks, then drew their swords.

The battle was short but bloody, the ex-militiaman darted forward and skewered one of the men, while the other lunged at the half-elf, only to have his thrust parried and the magic-user to fire a sharp shard of elemental rock directly into his chest. The guardsmen fell, gurgling, their cries ended as Gabriel patted them down for the keys to the door.

A few minutes later they were walking down the narrow corridor on the top floor which led to the business owner's office. The mercenary pushed the sliding panel open and stepped inside with his comrade just behind him.

Logan was sat, as before, behind his desk with stacks of paperwork in front of him. Eli's eyes picked out the decanter filled with an expensive-looking, mahogany colored liquid which announced that Lucas was mixing business with recreation.

'Nothing wrong with that.' He thought, as the older man looked up at the invaders with a mixture of shock and annoyance.

"What are you doing here?"

"My apologies Lucas." Gabriel said, taking the lead and walking towards the desk, Eli mirrored his movement, walking on the opposite side and wrapping a hand around the knife in his pocket. "We forgot something on our last visit."

"I owe you nothing mercenary!" The businessman stood up, his breathing deepening in preparation to yell for his security. "Leave this building now or I'll have you forcibly..."

Logan's voice faltered as he saw the blood on Gabriel's clothing, an alarm rang in his head, too late, as it turned out.

"Guards!"

"Now!"

Eli moved on Gabriel's signal, breaking into a run as he pulled the enchanted blade clear of his coat. He saw Lucas raising an arm in self-defense, fumbling with the other to grab some kind of weapon stored in his desk. He closed the gap and lashed out, scratching the man's arm with the blade.

There was a flash of red light, short but intense, that left afterimages to those who stared directly at it. The runes on the knife glared brighter than ever as the businessman staggered backwards, clutching the wound on his arm. As the Ralkin watched, one of the sides of the knife grew dark, the energy from the symbols poured from the tip of the blade into the open cut of Aleron's business partner, sealing it closed in its wake. Lucas looked up at the men in shock.

.......

Back at Weatherby's mansion, Aleron smiled as the artifact he stood before began to make a humming noise.

"Good lad." He murmured to himself.

.......

"What did you-"

"Forget what I just did." Eli said.

Logan's eyes went blank for a moment as though he'd gone to sleep standing up. He 'woke' a second later looking confused, as though the last few seconds had vanished from his memory.

'That's because he doesn't remember!' The half-elf thought with barely contained excitement. 'By all the Gods that walk or crawl, it works!"

Even the group of men who came bursting through the door seconds later did nothing to ruin Eli's mood, the Ralkin sheathed their weapons as the leader of the group addressed his employer.

"Mr Logan sir, is there a problem?"

"It's nothing." Eli said. "Your boss and us were just discussing a new business venture, isn't that right Lucas?"

A slight pause, Gabriel clenched his fists for trouble, the half-elf swore he could hear the lie burrowing into the merchant's mind.

"That's correct." He said, the conviction growing with every word. "A joint venture regarding... ahh..."

"Additional security for your operations in and around the Port."

"Yes. There are many details to be worked out."

"So your men can be on their way."

"You're dismissed." Logan said flatly, the authority in his voice making the guards bumping into each other as they hastened to follow their leader's orders.

Eli exchanged anther look with his partner, the triumph in his eyes was undeniable.

"Now." The mage said, levering himself into a chair and reaching for the decanter. "Where were we?"

[Jack Rothwell]

"Let's celebrate!"

The banditwoman raised her glass at the thief's declaration.

"Here's to wealth, good times and killing the arseholes who cross you." She said.

[Alberich]

Jack joined in that one. "Or stripping 'em to the skin!" He tapped the card deck. Then he looped his drinking arm around hers so that when they sipped, their heads had to be close together. And he whispered, "Let's celebrate in private." If she didn't resist him pretty strongly she was going to be led away by their intertwined arms, to where a few hours later he'd be whispering details of some good paying jobs.

[Jack Rothwell]

"Let's celebrate in private."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" She asked playfully, leaning in to sip her drink, and running her tongue across her bottom lip to catch an errant drop a few inches from the thief's face. "Now we're in business together, maybe I'm not that sort of girl, Jack. Maybe I'm unreceptive to your charms."

OOC I think we're nearly done here Al, feel free to grab the reins (figuratively speaking) in this scenario and then we can shut this thread down. We can fill in the exposition when the good guys catch up./OOC

[Alberich]

"You missed some," said Jack, carefully extending his own tongue and dabbing up the bits of remaining beer from her lower lip. From which one thing led to another, and before the night was out, they were planning and executing daring break-ins for pay.

[OOC: I agree. When the other group gets to Lorrel & does whatever they're doing, these two can pop up wherever it's interesting for them to pop up.]

[Jack Rothwell]

OOC I thought I might add the occasional update to give a clearer idea of what's happening around town. Just putting a few pieces in position./OOC

As the sun cleared the horizon on a new day in the Port, things were moving forward.

It was to be a day of surprises for the city, particulary for anyone who was under the employ of Lucas Amadeus Logan. His employees arrived at work to find stacks of orders sitting at their stations and their employer sound asleep at his desk, dressed in the same clothes he arrived in the day before. The day rolled on...

A group of the businessman's security detail were ordered to meet the half-elf visitor who represented His-Friend-From-The-South's personal interests. As ordered, the ten men followed Eli to the militia's headquarters in the centre of town and flanked him as he entered the building. They listened as the half-elf explained to the men posted in the entrance hall that he had proof of the innocence of Gabriel Averis, and an endorsement from a powerful businessman. The flash of an official document and a golden handshake had gotten him through the doors and into the office for a private meeting with one of the Captains, a man named Warren Jeraque. Some ten minutes later Eli had immerged with a quiet smile on his face and a pardon letter clutched in his hand. And the day rolled on...

One of Logan's assistant managers took a trip to the waterfront and, with fortuitous timing, secured the purchaise of a pair of ex-military vessels whose owners had to sell them immediately to compensate for the mysterious disapearance of a valuable client's cargo. Myra dragged Jack to the nearest bar to celebrate a job well done. And the day rolled on...

Riders were sent to Logan's rest, the trading post a few miles from the city, with orders to retrieve supplies and arms to outfit an 'expanding' military force. At the Port, weapon traders had their shelves emptied by official looking men holding clipboards with quota's writ upon them. And the day rolled on...

In the fading heat of mid-afternoon, the newly-pardoned Gabriel Averis walked through the market district with a group of Logan's men. The group clinked in their new armour, turning heads as they marched down the street, making a beeline for the notice board that advertised local employment. As the audience gathered, the ex-Captain stopped at the board and held out his hands to his subordinates. Two men handed him a roll of paper, nails and a hammer, and the mercenary went to work. Heavy bangs filled the air.

"Not that I'm complaining." One of the men said, as they stepped back. "But why didn't he ask one of us to do this?"

"He said he 'wanted the satisfaction of putting the notice up himself'." His colleague replied.

Gabriel finished the job and stepped away from the notice board. He gave a smile to the assembled locals that had a surprising charm in it.

"The Black Guard are now recruiting." He said.

And the day rolled on.

[Jack Rothwell]

As the Sun sank further past the horizon four figures were sat around a table at The Jilted Heart, three of them listening to the fourth telling a story. Aleron had sent his proteges to call a 'business meeting' ('Since that's what were in now, like as not.' Eli thought) to give the new recruits some direction, and to explain the small matter of what they were allying themselves with. Eli had smirked at the idea, dismissing it on the grounds that 'thugs were a blunt instrument, and didn't need to be told why they were used', Gabriel had impressed the importance of having allies who knew exactly how powerful their friends were, and how enticing remaining friends would be. The half-elf had eventually conceded.

"...and that's about the sum of it."

Eli had listened to Gabriel retelling the events of the last few weeks to the new recruits without comment. He'd made no effort to explain his own reasons for getting involved with Aleron, and expected the bandit and the thief to take his recruitment as simple greed. And greed was something he'd be getting plenty of chance to experience given the way things were running. He surprised himself by adding a final word to the tale.

"We've got Lucas by the balls and all his assets at our disposal, that's all matters."

"Not bad for a day's work." Myra threw back her head and laughed raucously. Eli raised an eyebrow and turned to his comrade.

"And the men?"

"A hundred all told, but most of that's the men Lucas already had. However..."

"However!" Myra called, slamming her empty cup back on the table and making the half-elf flinch "Word is, round and about town, that the black guard are offering a decent wage and good armanent to people who know how to fight. That's an offer that'll draw people by the score."

"Music to the ears of an uneducated thug, no doubt." Eli muttered.

"What does music sound like to a pointy-eared freak?" The banditwoman fired back.

"Like the screams of a dying banditwoman." The half-elf replied.

OOC If you want to weigh in on this little scene feel free to borrow the characters for a line or two bud./OOC

[Alberich]

Well, this was interesting. The "revolution" would provide further cover for the work he'd done already, and if this Eli continued to show the same tact, caution, and discretion as he was showing now, well, it really couldn't be helped that he, too, would be mustered into the ranks of the unliving. And "Jack" suspected that Gabriel, here, really wouldn't mind that too much. Whatever his ears might say, there was something more serious about him, more long-term and dedicated, than was normal for the men Jack met.

Against his natural inclinations he was developing a very grudging respect for Gabriel and Aleron. At the very least, he thought this strategy of briefing the operatives was smart. If he'd really been what he seemed, this would've shown him the folly of turning his coat or deserting. Who knew? This little operation might end up as an actual State for Farrel, to herd all the little sheep from one coast to the other. Of course, a State for Farrel would still be a state for Farrel, and as such nothing of consequence. But for his own work it would need to be infiltrated. And he might as well get in on the ground floor. Or stop the whole thing, depending.

As the banter turned nasty, Jack sized up the situation tactically. If the errant started an actual fight with Myra, then he'd just have to be killed, right then and there, because Jack was "defending her," of course...and most definitely not because Jack himself had anything whatsoever to do with the errants who just happened to die in burglary attempts, accidents, brawls, and other unpleasantness during times when he just happened to be in the vicinity. Still, he'd rather not employ his "other" talents, not 'til he knew and had seen more.

"So this Aleron's quite a leader, then," he said, "in command of pointy-eared freaks, bandits, cutthroats, thugs, and...so they tell me" -- he whispererd melodramatically - "thieves! Those terrible thieves! And now some actual troops on top of it. And he's managed it without going broke, which sounds like the hard part." Whether he could rule without going broke was another question entirely.

Jack was hoping Gabriel would take the opportunity to defuse the situation, and in the process talk a little more about his leader. He didn't want to ask direct questions lest his curiosity about Aleron excite curiosity about his curiosity.

[Jack Rothwell]

"It's all a means to an end." Gabriel replied, nudging Eli surreptitiously to convince him to knock off his insult trading. The banditwoman shot the half-elf a smile and took another swallow of her drink.

"What's lined up for tomorrow?"

"More of the same. Wagon's from Logan's rest'll be arriving, the warships'll be refurnished, and we'll start a manhunt."

Gabriel reached inside his coat and drew out the trio of pictures.

"Well, womanhunt, technically speaking."

He scattered them on the table between the four people. They were wanted posters, each depicting a different woman; one elf, one human, one kobold.

"We're handing these out to the men tomorrow. These are highly dangerous people, hence the hefty rewards."

"I think Aleron... ha! I mean, Lucas, should have offered more for Drusia." The half-elf tapped the elf woman's image firmly. "I recognize that furball, she accompanied my old... friends for a while some time ago, she can use some kind of cat-girl magic."

"Well she used that 'cat girl magic' when her and her friend..." He tapped the human's picture. "...destroyed the Ralkin's last artifact."

"Too bad you didn't get their names. It would've made them easier to find."

"I wasn't in my right mind at the time."

"Maybe you two could keep an eye out for them." Eli suggested, turning back to the banditwoman. "If you get lucky and put a bullet in one you can afford another floor on your tent!"

"If you volunteer to be my human shield we can go looking for them now." Myra said, in tones as mild as milk. Inwardly, the banditwoman was enjoying herself, free booze, the prospect of earning a fortune and baiting the (admittedly handsome) half-elf was an entertaining evening in her book.

[Alberich]

It was lucky for Jack that long years of covert work, and a refusal to get really drunk, made him able to keep his face calm. Well, well, well, so Drusia was coming! And so carelessly that the quarry knew she was coming. And even knew her name! He hoped she wouldn't be dumb enough to give him away if she saw him. He wasn't going to try getting in touch to warn her. She could look out for herself. And if she couldn't, too bad! For her and her pets! But there was enough magic floating around that any betrayals would be detected, and he had "inside" work to do.

Well, may as well see what these silly sheep actually knew about their enemies. If they didn't know about Drusia's teleporting tactics, they were in for all kinds of surprises. If they did...if he remembered, she wasn't that strong in a toe-to-toe fight.

"So...what can you tell us about what these dangerous targets can do? And what they're after?"