ROLEPLAY HQ - a-thief-redeemed

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Archive 25 / a-thief-redeemed

Triggers: Fantasy violence, blood, death

It was a quiet evening in Silverwood, a town named after the silver-barked trees that made up the forest surrounding it. In the center of the town, owned and ran by a small family of humans, was the Steel Tap, a tavern that served all who passed through the town. Standing behind the counter was a sickly-looking man with pale skin and dark eyes, a sharp contrast to his black hair framing his face. This man was Xander Ilas, the resident bartender who took very little shit from anyone- Primarily due to him being snappy from a lack of decent sleep. Any time food was ordered he'd call it back half-asleep, and served any drinks people wanted, but didn't do much else. The only thing that gave any impression that he was alert were his eyes, which were constantly moving and darting around, inspecting anyone who entered. He had to, given his job. His main job. @sumilumia

Je'Sue had been traveling for days by the time she reached Silverwood, a small town past a beautiful forest of silver-barked trees she'd had the pleasure of passing through tonight. She passed cute little cottage homes with their porchlights on but interior lights off as she looked for an inn or somewhere to rest her head for the night. It was getting late, so it made sense that townsfolk were home and preparing for bed. For Je'Sue, it had been nearly two weeks since she'd slept on anything other than an unrolled mat on the ground. She would take any other surface at this point. Anything a little warmer than the cold hard ground could have her sleeping like a baby sloth in minutes. As she made her way towards the center of town, she finally spotted an open business, a tavern by the name of 'Steel Tap' according to the sign outside. It wasn't an inn, but she could smell delicious food from inside and maybe she could buy something and pass out in a corner booth for a few hours. She pushed inside the quiet tavern, knocking her travelpack against the door frame clumsily as she did, and looked around the place. It wasn't completely empty, but the few patrons she saw didn't even lift their heads upon her entrance. Good, she thought to herself as she headed up to the bar and up to a sickly looking barkeep with dark hair and alert eyes. "What time does the place close?" She asked as she leaned forward on the wooden countertop, trying to figure out exactly how long she'd have to rest before the staff came to kick her out.

19:15

@cecilharvey03

"We're closed in a couple of hours." Came the man's response, worn hands resting against the wood of the countertop. His eyes quickly examined her, sizing her up. Clearly not from around here, not used to traveling all that much, if the way she seemed so tired was anything to go by. The ears and the markings obviously mark her as some kind of elf, perhaps with magic. "As long as you don't cause trouble and you've got the cash, I can get you a hot meal and a cold drink. Whaddya havin'?" Whatever she ordered, if it was food, he'd call it back. If it was drink, he either poured it from a tap or got it out of the icebox, depending on what it was. It'd be a few minutes before food would be brought out for her, and then the man spoke up again. "We don't get many travelers out this way. Silverwood's too far off the beaten path. Where you headed?" @sumilumia

When she'd hesitantly asked for evermead and mistbread, she didn't expect at all for this small town bar to have what she was looking for. Being banished from her home-city didn't mean that she couldn't miss the comforts of home. But much to her surprise, he pulled the drink from the tap and the meal was slid in front of her just a few minutes later in exchange for the universal coin everyone this side of the globe accepted as currency. The young woman was out of a home and family, but she had money to spare. For now. The deep timbre of the barkeep distracted her before she could wallow in self-pity though, and she was both grateful for his conversation and curious as to why he wanted to hold one with her at all. "Nowhere in particular. I'm looking for a new place to lay down some roots. Looking for a change." It wasn't a complete lie. She was just out by force instead of choice. "How does Silverwood treat travelers? Any chance of making an honest living here for a newcomer?"

15:09

@cecilharvey03

He noted her surprise at him having what she wanted, since her orders were from a more expensive provider. Few places in smaller towns would be able to afford such 'refined' food or drink. Putting the coin away, he listened to her talk about where she was from and what she was doing. How does Silverwood treat travelers.. That was an interesting question. "To be honest, you won't find much going on here in Silverwood. We've got people lookin' out for us that keep dangers away and keep the peace, so unless you want to open a business or help out with farming or logging, Silverwood's probably not the place for you. We're friendly folk, though, so you shouldn't have too much trouble from us." He watched to see her reaction to him mentioning the protectors. There were several things they looked for in people, and certain reactions were one of them. @sumilumia

Dangers. Je'Sue had come across a few beasts on her travels out this way. A horned boar with smoke coming out of it's nose and angry red eyes. A mist troll who had the sense somehow to take a knee and let her pass (thanks to a well-aimed arrow on her part). But nothing had been a match for the bow on her back or the water at her hands. And she hadn't run into anything at all from the time she entered that silver forest through to arriving in this town. Was this the work of this protection crew? She mulled over her other options as she sipped on the drink she'd paid for, plans to hide out and rest in a corner booth of this tavern long gone by now. She had no real skill that could make for a lucrative business, and logging and farming sounded like it'd bore her to absolute tears. Back home when she wasn't stealing for the fun of it, she was holding a minor political position. Abbess Minora or Reverend Mother's Daughter, in charge of overseeing the responsibility of all youth in the city during religious celebrations. It was at least an interesting job. Logging and farming could never compete. She could take her meal and a few hours of rest and keep going to the next town...but the band of protectors was holding her interest. She wanted to know more. "What does a little town like this need protecting from?" She asked after finishing a truly delicious bite of mistbread.

04:17

@cecilharvey03

Curiousity. That was a good sign. "The world's a dangerous place. Monsters, bandits, other dangers.. Our protectors do their best to keep them all under control and away from the general public. It's all rumors and stories, of course, since they supposedly work in secret, away from the public eye. But we don't see monster or bandit attacks, so there's at least a little bit of truth the stories, i'd say." Xander could tell that she was only really interested in the protectors. Her hands weren't worn from work, she didn't carry the scent of a peasant. Farming or logging weren't anything she'd be able to do, given her lack of experience in the fields. Though, a high-society lady like her likely wouldn't enjoy hunting down and killing monsters. That's what they paid people to do, after all. But he'd been surprised in the past, maybe he'd be surprised again. Only one way to find out. @sumilumia

"Only rumors huh?" Rumors with at least a hint of truth to them considering how peaceful and safe this town seemed to be. Je'Sue drummed her fingers along the smooth, lacquered wood of the long bar, trying to decide if she was going to inquire further. She didn't really know if she was cut out for monster-hunting, but she kind of wanted to find out. "Would you...happen to know how someone could investigate these rumors and stories? To see if there was any truth to them?" This barkeep had to know right? Barkeeps knew more about the world around than than practically anyone else considering how easy it was to spill your guts a few drinks in. Would he divulge any info to her even if he did know anything though?"

04:55

@cecilharvey03

"Bartenders tend to know a lot of things about rumors, yes." There was a certain level of secrecy that came with just about everything with the Protectors, since their whole purpose was to stay hidden and protect people from the shadows. Fighting large groups of monsters out in the open leads to panic, which was what they were built to avoid. That made being a Protector a thankless job, outside of the thanks that went to the group as a whole. Being a Protector means shedding your individuality, at least when it came to fighting monsters and defending the common man. Being a Protector means that you are a part of a secret family, yes, but only that family knows you are one of them. "Before you ask any more questions about these rumors.. I have a simple question for you. Would you don a mask if it meant helping those who can't help themselves?" Her answer to that would determine whether or not she'd be able to meet anyone of import. @sumilumia

"You're asking me if I care whether or not anyone knows when I do a good deed?" She tilted her head in further curiosity, but there was a smile crossing her lips already. She was a thief. She already lived in the shadows. She already hid her identity to do what she wanted. Whether her reason for hiding was good or bad, she doubted she'd have a problem with it. "I'd don a mask to pick up groceries, mister. I don't care if anyone knows I saved their life."

05:38

@cecilharvey03

He stared into her eyes for several seconds, almost as if he was trying to search for something in particular. A certain spark, a willingness to disregard everything and do what was needed. After enough time, he reached down and set a small object in front of her, a piece of metal roughly in the shape of a shield, though it took several seconds of inspection to realize what was on it. In such faint engravings was a handful of markings in some unusual language. "Remain seated. You'll get the answers you wish soon." With that, Xander moved away from her, leaving Je'Sue with just the piece of metal. A few hours passed uneventfully, with Xander dealing with other patrons as needed. Finally, after everyone else had left, Xander motioned to Je'Sue to move to the edge of the room, and not too long later, several people of various races, sizes, and obvious skillsets filtered into the bar. One particularly large warrior-type guy walked over to Xander at the bar. "Who the hell is she?" His deep voice slid out in a not-so-quiet hiss. "A potential new Sister." He replied. @sumilumia

Je'Sue spent her time finishing her meal and studying every detail of the small metal shield the bartender set in front of her, but as the hours passed, she felt the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her shoulders until she finally allowed her head to drop down to the counter to rest. She woke when the tavern seemed to fall a little too quiet. The regular patrons had all gone, she realized as she lifted her head and looked around again. But then a new group started to file in, none of them seeming to harken from the same family or even place in the world by how different they all looked. Mostly men from what she could tell, but two women stood out to her just as intimidating as the rest. Je'Sue straightened up and slid off of the stool she'd been sat on, adjusted the bow at her back, and tried to look confident as the barkeep explained very vaguely who she was. "You all must be the rumored Protectors. My name is Je'Sue. I'm new in town. I want to join your cause."

06:42

@cecilharvey03

The man turned to Je'Sue, a large human with a scarred face, dark brown hair cut roughly and a face full of stubble. He wore a deep scowl that made his brown eyes seem even darker as he looked down at Je'Sue. "This is a dangerous job. You will die if you're stupid, and even if you aren't, you might lose an arm or a leg. If you're not prepared to hurt, leave now." With that, he turned and walked away. Xander looked over at Je'Sue and shrugged. "That's Aldric. Don't mind him, he's rough on everybody since he takes the job so seriously. You'll have to perform some kind of test, a trial if you will, in order to prove to them that your skills are worthwhile. It shouldn't be too difficult, since we're not out here trying to kill potential new members, but it won't be easy. And as the one bringing you forward, I'm going to be the one watching over you on whatever job they decide to send you on. Just to make sure you don't die, or drag your body back if you do." After the group met up fully and talked amongst themselves for several minutes, the same man, Aldric, walked back up to Xander. "Take her out to clear this den of rogue summoners." Slamming a map down on the counter, he pointed to a mark in the forest. "You know what to do from there." The bartender nodded simply. "It'll be done, one way or another, Aldric." Once the man walked off again, Xander slid the map over to Je'Sue. "There you have it. Your trial's to hunt down and kill a group of rogue summoners, nobody too strong. Most you'll have to worry about is a handful of summoned monsters." @sumilumia

Aldric seemed gruff, kind of mean even. But Je'Sue didn't expect a total stranger to be nice to her just because she had a pretty face and showed a mild level of interest. She listened to the bartender explain the dangerous task she'd have to complete with him as her handler as she looked over the map he'd placed in front of her. She could read a map, so there was that, but she had very little experience fighting multiple enemies at once, low-level or not. "A trial. Okay. I can do that." She said with an aire of confidence she didn't actually possess. One thing was for sure, she wouldn't be brought back in a body bag or missing any limbs. "When do we leave?"

08:24

@cecilharvey03

"Better to leave immediately. When there's a threat to deal with, the Protectors don't tend to wait." He reached under the counter and brought out a satchel of presumably supplies, but he didn't open it. Handing the map to her, he motioned to the door. "They know not to fuck with my bar while i'm out. Lead the way." Walking out of the tavern, he carried the bag with him. "Don't expect me to help you much. After all, it's your trial, not mine. I've already proven myself." He spoke in a hushed tone, despite the empty streets in the late evening. It was agreed that people were to leave the midnight streets to the Protectors. It was impossible to know if your neighbor was a Protector, but you weren't supposed to find out. It was a part of the process. The path the map pointed to was about a ten minute walk out of the town, through some dense foilage. It definitely wouldn't be a particularly stealthy path, if that was what she'd want to do, but it'd be the simplest path there. Whichever way she chose to tackle the job, it was entirely up to her. Xander had no intention of influencing her decision. @sumilumia

Je'Sue simply nodded, straightened the strap of her bow across her chest, and followed him out with the map in hand. She wondered if it was an accurate depiction of what was out past the town and they walked in silence to the outskirts of town. He was quiet then, so she would be too. The behavior was not unlike what she'd been raised to exhibit at home. Follow your elders as they always know better than you. But at the edge of town, once they'd passed the last obvious home, the young woman finally spoke up. "You own that place? What's your name anyway, Barkeep?" She'd meant to ask earlier, but now was the first time that felt appropriate to, and as she waited for him to respond, shook directed them left away from what she expected was dense foliage on the map. That path wasn't suitable to set of skills as a thief. Too noisy. Too straightforward.

17:56

@cecilharvey03

"Nope, not the owner. I just look after the place, make sure nothing gets broken, or if it does, I get it fixed. The owner travels all over, and owns several different businesses. They can't worry about my little place off the beaten path." The bartender responded as he followed behind her, allowing her to take the lead. "Call me Xander." When she decided to go away from the given path, Xander's eyebrow raised and he moved to follow. So she was planning on doing something unusual, or at least not head-on. Maybe that'd be useful to balance the group out, since they had people like Aldric who took the fight to the front. "What's your plan?" Xander spoke up, a hand in one pocket and another on the strap of his bag. @sumilumia

"Xander. Thanks for vouching for me." Je'Sue flashed a kind smile, her training in hospitality ringing clear to make sure she was always polite as her eyes bounced between the map and the landscape to make sure things matched up. "We're going around, finding somewhere I can perch and take out enemies one or two at a time. I'm not suited for head-on combat." She wasn't really suited for combat at all. Thiefs moved in the shadows to avoid that sort of thing, and even if she got caught, she always escaped relatively unharmed. "Since you're not really here to help me, I assume you are okay with this plan?"

04:07

@cecilharvey03

"My job is to bring prospective members to the group's attention. What'll vouch for you is how you perform on this trial." Unlike Je'Sue, who was trained in diplomacy, Xander cared little for niceties. "So you intend to attack the summoners from a distance, hopefully trying to avoid combat by eliminating them before they're able to call forth their summons." He nodded. "Depending on how many there are, that should work. What will happen if you don't manage to kill them all before the attention comes to you?" He needed to make sure she'd be able to adapt, should things go south. Very often, things went south and the Protectors had to adapt. Hell, he was a prime example of that. @sumilumia

So Xander wasn't exceptionally friendly, Je'Sue thought to herself when he answered about his job. That was about as okay with her as any other option. Mission-oriented, results-focused. She could respect that and she certainly could handle it. At his next question, her expression dropped to a level confidence. "That's not gonna happen. I'll kill them all before they have a chance to counter." She was confident in her abilities with a bow and arrow. She was a sharpshooter of sorts thanks to years of practicing in secret. "If they decide to flee, will I have to kill them anyway?" She glanced up at her handler for a brief moment, trying to see if he was convinced by her show of confidence.

04:39

@cecilharvey03

"How many arrows can you fire quickly?" He questioned. "What if they have summoned monsters already? One, maybe two'll go down before they realize what's happening, and then the summons will move in to protect their masters. The summoners' den is in a cave, how do you intend to see them all immediately?" These were all serious matters to consider before tackling this group, since this was how she wanted to do it. As the observer, it was his job to ask these questions. Get her to think. Get her to solve problems. "The job is not to kill the group, it is to drive them away. You don't necessarily need to kill all of the summoners, simply get them to leave the region. Up to you how exactly that happens." @sumilumia

Je'Sue frowned and began re-thinking her approach. She hadn't taken the cave into consideration at all. If they retreated into it, she'd have to follow and drive them out and away. "I can get twelve arrows out in a little over ten seconds...is there any intel on how many enemies there are? Are what they're able to summon?" She was started to feel nervous, unsure of herself, but she tried not to let it show.

05:12

@cecilharvey03

"They're a small group, so I wouldn't expect more than 5 or 6." Xander was a perceptive man, particularly when it came to negative emotions like anxiety or nervousness. Strangely enough, he could smell the emotions on people as a result of what he was. "As for what they can summon, they're minor summoners, so small imps, wolves, things like that is what you'll likely find. They'll have some summons watching over the area, probably a bird or two, so if you're not quiet enough they'll have a heads up." He seemed a bit too non-chalant about this, hands in his pockets as he watched her process what he was saying. @sumilumia

"Five or six. Minor summons. Be quiet. No I can handle that." And if she couldn't handle that, she had a backup plan to protect herself. "I can definitely be quiet...how do you usually check for scouts?" She didn't want it to seem like she was clueless, but she was. In the city from which she was banished, the only thing she'd had to worry about seeing her was cameras, and she could handle those with a simple flip of a switch. Je'Sue was out of her element out here. She was determined though. She pointed out a tall rocky hill out to the west as her idea of a perch for this mission, kind of hoping Xander might have an opinion on it in case she was walking them into more danger.

06:58

@cecilharvey03

The man chuckled to himself. "My way of checking for scouts is far different from most people's. If you're going to look for scouts, observe the area. Against summoners, they mostly have eyes in the sky, so look for birds that are circling the area for an extended period of time. As long as you stay in the undergrowth or below the canopy, anything in the sky will have a hard time finding you." He looked over at the hill she was pointing out, shaking his head for a few moments. "Too open. You'd stand out against the rocks by anything with a sharp eye. Try again." He shoved his hands into his pockets again, watching her struggle with thinking about this. Clearly she wasn't used to moving through nature, must've been a city kid.. That much was evident through her scent, though. @sumilumia

Je'Sue huffed when her idea was shot down in an instant. She'd been so quick to come up with it, way too confident too. Of course it was the wrong move. Still... "I need height to be able to see the whole picture." How else was she supposed to track each individual if she could not see them with her eyes? "What is your way of checking for scouts then?" She asked and peeked up at him again. Maybe he'd be willing to help her if she just asked.

16:50

@cecilharvey03

"..There's plenty of ways to get height without making yourself obvious. Look around." He chuckled, with a subtle nod toward the trees. "My way of checking for scouts is entirely tied to my particular skillset. I've got the ability to transform into animals, so I just take 'em out that way, and summoners tend to think that their summons just got killed by some bird of prey, or something along those lines. Usually works against greener summoners, anyway." The man seemed so casual about it, as if it were as natural as breathing.

16:53

@sumilumia

A shapeshifter. Je'Sue had never met one in person, but she'd read about them plenty in the personal archives of her family. Should she disclose her magical affinity as well? Instead of doing that, Je'Sue looked to the trees Xander had just gestured towards and wondered if she could even climb up one to get the height she needed. Climbing concrete stairs was vastly different than traverse the natural world, and she didn't have much of any relevant experience. Not that that was enough to deter her. "Do you have a favorite animal you like to shift to? What does it feel like to transform?" Nothing wrong with small talk while she figured out this mission right? She was super curious about her questions anyway.

18:32

@cecilharvey03

His hands remained in his pockets as he watched her eyes scan the trees, comtemplating if she'd be able to get up there. Such a thought was understandable, given she was clearly green when it came to this kind of thing. He remembered his first assignment, and how terribly it went.. He'd had shit luck throughout his life, and only recently had it gotten better, once he'd decided to accept what he was instead of fighting it, using that power to help people to make up for it. "Hm.. A panther, perhaps. They're strong, yet nimble. Really helps out in a lot of cases. I tend to stick to things like hawks or owls when it comes to scouting in open terrain, through, and an octopus is great for underwater scouting." He explained with a chuckle. @sumilumia

"Bet turning into a panther could help a person scale a tree." Je'Sue mumbled and shot another glare at her first real obstacle in the distance. "I can breathe underwater, but I can't fly...or climb-. Wait, there's a lake here." She pulled up the map again and pointed to the lake further to the east of the trees. It ran up to a shore that didn't appear to be too far from the cave entrance where their targets were probably stirring up a way to attack the village at this very moment. Maybe she could use that in a way that didn't give away the power she preferred to keep to herself. "I can shoot from the water. Do you think that could work?" She could have literally crossed her fingers in hope if she wasn't afraid of looking desperate and immature in front of this man sent to be her handler.

12:33

@cecilharvey03

"It could, but this is your trial, not mine." He shrugged, watching her expression change as she looked around. No, he didn't suppose she was naturally inclined to flying or climbing, his abilities were something special, directly tied to what he was. "How will you garuntee you kill or drive away all of the summoners? There's still the issue of a lack of knowledge. If you don't know what you're dealing with, you're going to need to just go with your gut and hope for the best. Are you ready to take a risk, Je'Sue?" Their job was all about taking risks in an attempt to help people. Anyone involved would have to be willing to take risks and put themselves in harm's way to solve problems. @sumilumia

"Anyone or anything that runs to the water will be dealt with." She was more than confident in that. Still, if anyone receding into the cave, she still wasn't sure how she would manage them. Maybe she just wouldn't have to deal with that possibility? "I'm comfortable with the risk. I can take them all out from the water, Xander...where are you gonna be while I complete this mission?" Hopefully far enough away that he wouldn't see her screw up if she did.

05:38

@cecilharvey03

He didn't expect the summoners themselves to move to the water as a result of an attack from the water. The summons themselves were more likely to move towards the water.. And the summoners into the cave. He'd have to wait to see what her plan was to handle that. "If you think you can handle it, go ahead. As for where I'll be.." He chuckled. "I'll be watching. Don't you worry.." He made a motion toward the lake, letting her set off to go through with her plan. @sumilumia

Je'Sue tried not to frown at the way her handler chuckled. She had no real reason to believe that he wanted her to fail. She just...felt it. Or maybe that was just a result of her confidence wavering further. But why would it even matter if she failed? Why was she suddenly so invested in getting into this protectors guild she'd only just learned about? She wanted to prove herself, that's why. Prove herself useful. Prove herself valuable after being banished from her homeland for acting out a little bit. The young archer nodded and folded up the map to put in her back pocket. Heading northwest from here would get her to the lake in no time at all. She was determined to complete this mission. She would not fail. "Thanks for your help and conversation Xander. Enjoy the show I suppose." She said, and stepped off in the proper direction without another word, adjusting the quiver on her back as she went.

16:42

@cecilharvey03

It wasn't really that he wanted her to fail. He had just seen several people try to get themselves into the Protectors, and everyone had different ways of handling these situations. He found it amusing to watch each person's brain work differently, how they worked towards solving each of the hurdles ahead of them. "Good luck, Je'Sue." He called after her- Not too loud, of course, he wasn't here to sabotage her. Once she was off, he began to transform into a bird, his skin quickly getting covered in feathers that seemed to grow over his clothes and other gear. His features began to shift from humanoid to more animalistic, his face quickly growing a beak, his feet transforming into talons, and after just a couple of seconds, Xander assumed the form of a hawk and took off into the sky, circling the area surrounding the cave so he would get a good look at everything. As Je'Sue approached the lake, she could hear quiet conversation between three of these supposed summoners. It sounded like light-hearted banter, though when she looked in their direction, she could see a couple of wolves sitting at their feet, with a small yet clear sign that they were magical, that being their unnatural eyes and a faint shimmer around them. @sumilumia

Je'Sue made it to the lake rather quickly, and after looking around and finding that there were no eyes on her, at least as far as she could tell, she slipped into the water without so much as making a ripple. It was odd to her that the summoners sounded so...friendly. She couldn't make out what they were saying as it was a language different from anything she could understand, but the tone of their banter seemed light-hearted. Anyone could have a cheery conversationt though, she decided. Even her people's greatest enemies had to find humor in something. She quickly formed a bubble around her head with enough oxygen to be able to cross the lake and dipped beneath the surface to make the swim towards the other shore, grateful for the light of the moon illuminating her path enough to stop her from getting lost. And as she swam, she wondered where Xander was. What he could see. Whether or not he was actually planning to help her or not.

16:52

@cecilharvey03

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