Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » FFT Roleplay {Open. Read First Post.}

((Before anyone asks, I was contacted by Miss about it, and I've been given control over the NPC known as Mr. Black.))

Mr. Black grumbled angrily to himself as he traversed the dilapidated slums of the city. Anyone watching could tell that he was extremely upset over something.

"Damn it all, how could he be so blind, unbeholden to our dire plight?! Hokuten, Corpse Brigade...all the same! How dare they take from our fine city's pockets, the bastards...!!!!!"

Quickly stilling his tongue, Mr. Black swung about to check the surrounding area. After all, Hokuten could be lurking about anywhere, looking to strike down any possible sedition. Seeing no hostile men nearby, Mr. Black resumed his journey, this time at a more calmly-paced walk. After a time, he slowed again, in contemplation. He had an idea, and proceeded to a new destination.

He made his way out of the slums with brisk steps, eventually reaching his home. Compared to the nearby slums, his home was quite nice, a reflection of the wealth that most merchants gain over their careers. Even lower class merchants could command great deals of currency, should they play their cards right. It was quite a surprise to Black and his family that there were few attempts on the estate, although as a protective measure he has his wife lock every door and window while he was away. Standing at the front door with a grim expression, Mr. Black knocked on the door and, after verifying it was indeed him, entered in to grab a nicely sized sack of gold/Gil, and to warn that he may not return from this outing. Soon after he left, returning to the slums.

Tannis’s form stumbles forward slightly, her hazel gaze looking over her shoulder, then drifting to the secretary and the young lad. Her curved lips curl into a soft smile, curling her right hand about the offered coin purse and idly tossing it in the air, “Tis’ fine by me.” Tannis’s fingers catch the coin purse and she pulls open her dress’s collar with her left hand, slipping the coin purse inside the top of her dress.

Tannis’s hands make shooing motions towards the young lad, her dress idly swishing as her legs carry her after him. “We will, just lead the way.” Tannis’s curved lips curl into a sly smirk, her right hand lifting up to brush aside stray locks of red from her sight, then moving to adjust her sword upon its strap. Should Max move, Tannis was sure to follow.

The guant book keeper looked down as the horned girl hugged him. His wrinkled expression changed into a idle frown, his thin fingers moving behind the girl’s back to pat her softly. The book keeper was silent for some time, his gaze drifting to look out the window. Busy merchants were walking past, talking to one another. Then he looks to the horned girl, his voice strained, “You’re welcome.” The book keeper’s arms hung low at his sides, as he took a step back.

As the horned girl exited the shop, the owner spoke softly, “You have a heart of gold. Don’t let them take it from you…” As she entered the streets, the door bell chimed and the door was shut, locked. In the window of the book shop, a sign reading “Closed” was placed in the corner. A group of Hokuten knights were chatting up the street, to the horned girl’s left.

With this, Max smiled at Tannis and began to move towards the door.

After a bit of walking, and going in a circle once or twice, Max made it back to Mr. Lambert's shop.

"Mr. Lambert! I've got your guards!"

Well that was quick. Smirking idly, Vannah quickened her pace to walk beside Tannis and followed after Max, keeping quiet for the most part and watching everything. She was officially on duty now, so no more larfing about. Her ears splayed out and her eyes sized up the male intently along the way trying to figure him out. A simple protection job... Reaching up, she casually brushed her fingers over the hilt of her sword strapped to her back. No job that could get you killed was simple.

Upon reaching their destination she glanced about with interest at the type of shop they were protecting, letting Tannis take the lead and put herself on the spot.

Silindra held the Chemistry book tightly to her chest as she walked on the right side of the road. While this book was a great windfall for her, she did feel sorrow for the bookkeeper. He had looked so worn and weary that it tugged at her heartstrings. Picturing him in her mind made a familiar wave of hatred rush to the surface within her. First those fell knight and now the Hokuten whose clean swords had been bought with the misery of the people they were supposed to protect. Where there no righteous knights left in this world?!

It take all she had to keep the hate and disdain from showing on her face. She desperately wished to show these immoral knights what it meant to be helpless, but she knew better. She had to bide her time and wait until she had grown strong. For now there was nothing that she could do, but in time that would no longer be true.

(I apologize for my absence, such a taxing time I have had.)

Deeper in the slums, a group of bandits sat idly by. Some were seated upon crates, swinging their legs idly as they talked amongst themselves. Pieces of metal and leather covered their bodies, and a rather tall man wore the blackest of armors, his pauldrons lined with fur of a silver wolf. His hair was a deep brown, and it shot upwards in a solid mass of hair. One of the bandits arrives on scene, holding a piece of paper in his hands.

“Look, Boss, they have a job out for us. Whaddya suppose we do?”

The boss bandit looks over at the other fellow, his eyebrows crossing as he snatches the paper from the man’s hands, looking it over once before crumpling it up and tossing it over his shoulder, “Let them come.” He turns around and holds out his arms as he addresses the other bandits sitting about, “Unless you are afraid to die! Are we cowards, or are we soldiers?!” The vein in his throat throbs, and the other bandits rise their weapons in response, some scrambling to their feet and others hopping off of their crates to cheer and make gestures at one another.

Then a merchant entered the scene, and the bandits quiet down. The bandit boss turns his bulking body towards the smaller male, his arms crossing over his dark chest piece, as his head tilts upwards, “You have a death wish, little man?”

Tannis’s hazel gaze drifted from the young lad’s back, to the gnoll lady besides her. Her gaze idly drifted between the beggars of the street and the brief glance of a Hokuten knight, before her sights fell upon the quaint shop that was warmer looking than the other houses around it. Tannis’s curved lips curl into a soft smile as she steps inside, the shop a mess of cluttered bottles, ingredients, books, and misc. papers. A smell of cooked food filled the air. Tannis’s booted feet carry her to the right, her pointer finger tapping lightly upon a glass bottle filled with an unknown substance.

Mr. Lambert, wearing the widest of smiles and the dirtiest, food-covered apron, enters the room from the living quarters. “That’s great, kiddo! I was worried that you got lost and I had to spend my last few coins on a beggar’s directions.” Mr. Lambert’s right hand lifts and he points behind him with his thumb, “Dinner’s ready. That is, if there’s any clean bowls around here.” To the two Squires, “You’re more than welcome to have some, once we get it served. Just watch the door for now. Wouldn't want any uninvited guests, as I don’t have enough food to feed them all.” Mr. Lambert looks over at Max, “Find us some bowls, kiddo, it’s time to eat.”

As the horned girl was lost in thought, the buildings around her became more worse from wear, her footsteps taking her away from the upper streets of the merchant district. The Hokuten knights became sparse, until none could be seen, and instead, the bearded, foul smelling, dirtied denizens of the streets were about. Some were looking at her, some were staring at the ground with their hands open. Others talked amongst themselves, dressed in dirtied, mercantile clothes.

The sky was growing darker, the sun setting on the horizon. Shards of light shined in the eyes of many, bouncing off of the crumbling rooftops and ripped-tarp-covered crates. Some of the denizens of the street finished their conversations and stared up at the setting-sun, waving goodbye to the other conversationalist, and turning to go home.

"No, I've a proposition instead."

Mr. Black seemed rather unafraid, even in the face of several bloodthirsty bandits who could well kill him the moment he missteps. His eyes scan the area, looking around for an escape route in case these talks go awry. He seemed to be faster than the lead bandit, but the others might be a problem, so with some hope nothing will go wrong. He reached for the sack of gold/Gil he had hidden on him as he began his speech.

"I heard you've marks on your heads, the lot of you. Likely the work of those Hokuten bastards, if I assume correctly. They are making all our lives living hells, be you assured of that. I have an idea that could make our lives worlds easier, however, but manpower is a vital ingredient. If you're worried I am a spy or such, then perish the thought, as I am but an angered merchant looking to rid this city of the occupying knights who leech off us, no matter the method. If you seek payment for such, as I assume you naturally would, I can provide."

Mr. Black pulled the sack of coin into plain view, and placed it on a nearby unoccupied crate, the same crate he decided to stand behind. He leaned forward, placing his hands on the crate's surface so his arms would act as supports to keep him from falling forward. He gave a half-smile as he continued his speech.

"Consider this bit of coin here an...an 'incentive', if you will. There will be more, if you desire. If you agree, I shall elaborate further on my plan. If you do agree, and we are successful, then we both shed a large burden off of our shoulders. Interested?"

(Oh my, I hope you;re taking care of yourself Miss )

"Sounds good to me" Vannah said with a smile as she nodded to Mr. Lambert and took up a position near the front door where she could keep an eye on the street and watch for anybody who was paying an inordinate amount of interest in the shop. So far so good, though it was just a first quick loo. On the other hand there were more Hokuten out there than she was really comfortable with. Her eyes narrowed in thought, watching one of the armoured knights pass the shop by, stepping further inside to keep out of sight.

Silindra turned to toward one of the shabby housing buildings that she was currently lodging in. It was all she could afford at the moment, but she intended to eventually move to greener pastures.

She went inside the building and headed to the room that was her's. She first checked behind her and then unlocked the door. She then went inside and locked the door again. The room was small as well as shabby with dull, unpainted walls and old flooring. The furniture was sparse, with a few cheap chairs, old table and a worn bed. There was little when it came to personal effects, the only thing that indicated someone lived here was a bag of bread and veggies on the table. Silindra simply knew better then to leave much here, considering the neighborhood.

Silindra, moved to the table, got a slice of bread and nibbled it as she started to study her precious book.

[Glad you are back and does this mean I get job points?]

{I am, do not worry about me too much~ And yes, job points for everyone! 100 job points for Silindra, for acquiring the most items! 100 job points for Vannah, for being the most battle-ready! 100 job points for Max, for having the shortest of posts! 100 job points for Tannis, for having the cosplay-iest outfit! And 1 Million job points for the NPCs, for being around in this large world! (They do not have skills to purchase~)} {Every player-character is 100/200 job points to their next level, of their current job.}

The boss bandit raised a hand to scratch at his face, stroking his chin in thought. His eyes center on the merchant, nearly squinting until the sack of gil is reached for. The bandits become quiet, the boss bandit crossing his arms across his black armor, "What say you, boys? Would you all like to eat well tonight?" The boss bandit tilts his head as he watches the merchant. The other bandits talk amongst themselves, and a few raise their fists in the air, "Yeah, yeeeah!"

The boss bandit nods to himself, "Alright, merchant. We'll take your gil. What's your plan?" The bandits near the crates and other areas gather behind the boss bandit, dirtied faces and worn bodies present.

Tannis leans her back against the other side of the door, her left boot placed against the wall, while her arms crossed over her midsection. Her hazel gaze drifts over to the gnoll lady, her curved lips curling into a soft smile, "The door does not have to be open, to be guarded." Tannis's hazel gaze drifts upwards, at the rickety lighting above, her fiery locks of hair shifting slightly "And it is getting dark."

A sly smile crosses the merchant's face as he leans in closer. He flings the sack of gil over to the lead bandit and begins divulging his plan.

"Excellent. From your looks, you lot are quite battle-hardened and would prefer to charge into the thick of it, which is why you may want to consider what you hear carefully as my idea calls for slightly more covert methods. We will make our way to the center of the city on the noon of the morrow, when the streets should be most heavily encumbered by patrons, all the while under the cover of disguises. Worry not, as a merchant I shall be capable of affording supplies. Then, once we reach our destination, depending on whether or not the Hokuten or any of their allies have caught onto us, we'll strike up the people into a truly titanic riot, and send them against our enemy. This is the moment where disguises can be dropped, and should you desire, you may spearhead the crowd in cleaving skulls. I would fight alongside the rest of you, but I am possessed of little fighting skill, and would you fancy risking your payment?"

He quickly shifts his gaze about the area again, scanning about for any potential Hokuten ears. No one seemed to be nearby, thankfully.

"I do not expect all their numbers to fall, but we've quite a chance of driving them from the city with their tails between their legs should our mob wield a formidable enough size. If you've any additions and/or amendments to my plan, however, I am open to suggestions."

[Silindra is just going to be studying for a little while and I really don't see any need to post that so skip me.]

The boss bandit catches the thrown gil bag with his right hand, soon handing it to a subordinate, who opened the drawstrings and looked inside. The lead bandit’s face was stern, his mouth seemingly stuck in a frown. He looks up at the sky, the moon severely dim this night. Then he looks to those around him, and then back at the merchant, once his plan was divulged. “Noon, tomorrow? Why not strike tonight?”

Some of the bandits nod to themselves, others double-checking their sheathed weapons. The boss bandit continues, spreading his arms wide as he looks to both his sides, “I may be wrong, but those that are down-trodden are already in the slums, and not yet ready for bed. We have torches, and normal clothing already. What is stopping us from starting this riot tonight?”

His face twisted into a contemplative expression, frozen as such in something almost akin to a scowl for nearly half a minute. After the rather quiet period, his eyes raised back to the level of the boss bandit.

"Hrm...to be fair, my eye has mostly settled on areas without from the slums, and I mean not to sound arrogant when I say so. I will admit I was blind in that regard. However, I can see how both sides of the plan can work together - rally the forces here, and gather citizens from the other areas of the city. Believe me when I say that other areas of the city are angry as well, given how the Hokuten have caused vast strains on the city's coffers. The slums are closer to a massive expansion than most would expect, and doubtlessly there are many here who have grudges against the higher classes of Dorter, be they born of envy or betrayal, what have you. Aside from gaining forces larger than we would have gained with my original, unamended plan, we could channel and possible bad blood between classes into a fearsome force. 'War makes for strange bedfellows', as one man once said."

The smile returned, bigger than the last time. It was almost ear-to-ear, and quite mischievous looking to boot. The plan likely would have met with far less success without the suggestions.

"Very well, I like the way you think. Let us strike out into the night, the noise of our efforts ought even wake those far outside the slums. It'll be like a wildfire!"

He rose from his leaning position and began to leave, but stopped himself before he could.

"Pardon me, but I've forgotten my manners. Many have referred to me as Mr. Black, likely a result of my hair color. How should I address you?"

While the horned girl read from her book, a certain page in the book looked to be inserted from a different book. Though the page matched the others with its beige coloring, it was composed of notes and a drawing of a young girl, dressed in the classic chemist clothing. The notes were scribbled. Mostly, but the ones written around the picture must have been in a different hand, as they were clearly understood., yet some words are underlined.

May 29th

May 30th
The rest of the report was nowhere to be found throughout the potions and plants book.

[Whoooo! More points!]

Vannah grinned at the red head and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind the dark" she told her, thinking back on something that she was taught many years ago. "Darkness isn't an enemy. It's an ally, especially for those who are born into it. It molds. It shapes. In fact, to some the light is more blinding." She chuckled and shook her head in a self deprecating way. "Just a bit of poetry I was told when I was a child. Really, I'm fine. I don't mind standing watch for a while longer. Hm." She eyed the door for a moment, then shrugged and pulled it shut, closing them inside the house. Instead she took up position near the window, arching an eyebrow at her partner. "So, Tannis eh?" he asked, striking up conversation.