A Game of Tag - Part 1 [Red Rogue][Complete]
Dec 24, 2022 1:10:37 GMT -5
Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Dec 24, 2022 1:10:37 GMT -5
The rich merchant class of Darkveil is saturated with individuals just as corrupt and shady as the criminal syndicates that their businesses often intertwine with. Many of the Ashen Fathers have close connections with traders and smugglers, a not-so-subtle attempt to control the flow of commerce within the city under the nose of Count Mallock. Some of the families have better luck than others, with the top three having the most stable and influential connections while the rest scavange for whatever scraps they can sink their teeth into. It was no different than a den of starved jackals.
Zarius’ family are equally as ravenous for their own share. His father’s main role as a lesser Ashen Father is to form these relationships with the local merchants, curry their favor, and try to ensure they wouldn’t just be bought out by the next crime family they spoke with. It's a constant battle that demands his full attention, which is why making connections beyond the city’s limits falls squarely on Zarius’ shoulders.
Despite their distinct roles, there are times when Zarius’ father calls on him to help with the business at home. This is one of those times. Zarius’ sister first relayed the request for Zarius to return to the manor in order to discuss details of a negotiation currently underway between his father and a conglomerate of wealthy merchants in Darkveil. It was a very rare opportunity their family could not ignore and, should the negotiations go well, would guarantee they could be more financially competitive within Darkveil’s underbelly.
The family estate is well guarded, though one would not be able to tell from a first glance. All of his father’s staff are highly trained in remaining unseen, much like Eirynor who worked as Eameia’s right hand man and personal guard before he began assisting Zarius at the Rookery. In addition to the invisible guard, there are also magical wards put in place by his mother to protect against spells that could be used to infiltrate the building. Every possible precaution has been taken in order to protect the family from assassination attempts. So far, it works.
The manor itself is a grand building constructed out of volcanic rock and blackened wood harvested from Mount Drakolt and the Deadwood respectively. The interior is lavishly decorated with accents of polished metal which reflect the soft glow of magically enchanted lantern light. Exotic tapestries with ornate patterns hang from the walls next to finely painted landscapes depicting natural wonders across Zeinav. Vases perch on side tables every few feet filled with floral arrangements of Ash Roses, Lux Lilies, and Baby Dragon’s Breath. The floors are polished to a mirror-like shine which make the spaces look all the more grand despite the rich, dark colors that dominate the interior.
Zarius walks quietly through the familiar halls until he steps up to a set of double doors. He senses the presence of two unseen guards flanking either side, but pays them no mind as he gently knocks on the door.
“Come in.”
The tiefling opens the door and steps beyond the threshold before quietly closing the door behind him. The room is set up to work as an office space with a heavy, dark wood desk in the center, a high backed velvet chair set behind it, and bookshelves lining each wall except for where a large oil painting of Mount Drakolt hangs. Standing off to the side near one of these bookshelves is another figure, currently holding an open book in their hands.
Zarius’ father, Anselm Dvara’Oriyn, stands taller than his son by a few inches. He has the same dark, charcoal-grey skin and piercing gold eyes as his children, though his horns curl like a ram’s instead of twisting up like an antelope’s. The resemblance between himself and his sons is obvious, and if his age wasn’t apparent in the creases in his face, he would easily be mistaken as another one of Zarius’ siblings.
The man looks up from the book in his hands before closing it gently and placing it back on the shelf.
“Thank you for rushing over on such short notice.”
“Of course, it is no trouble.” Zarius replies, he stands at attention with his hands rested behind his back.
Even though he has a good relationship with his father, the man is still an Ashen Father and deserves the respect that comes with holding such a position of power.
Anselm steps around his desk and leans back against it with his arms crossed.
“I take it your sister passed on my message?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, this is a very important mission. Those inspired by the legend of the Red Rogue have gotten bolder with each passing year and more of the well-off merchants have taken up drastic measures to protect their wares. A group I have been negotiating with have asked us to step in and assist in exchange for exclusive business rights with them. While something like this would normally be entrusted to my own underlings, we cannot afford any mistakes. I believe more personal hands-on involvement will also show them that we are taking their offer very seriously.”
Zarius nods. “I understand. Though the request seems a bit…shallow.”
Anselm lifts his head a bit, looking down his nose at his son.
“Perhaps, but these supplies are part of their livelihood. From the conversations so far, they are highly materialistic and any threat to their belongings is taken as a personal insult. For the time being, that weakness of character, that greed, is just the kind of leverage we cannot ignore. Having a good rapport with these merchants might give us the edge we need to move ahead with grander operations.”
It was sound logic. Zarius would expect nothing less from his father who he admired and respected greatly. It was annoying that he was going to be acting as a glorified security guard, but it was more about the principle of the thing rather than the actual service.
Anselm continues. “I trust you to use your best judgment. As you are well aware, the Red Rogue is not just one person, but a group. While they likely are not heavily armed, they could still have many tricks up their sleeves. Do not be made a fool of.”
Zarius chuckles a bit. He didn’t plan on underestimating the thieves. The legend of the Red Rogue inspired many, and those who were good at following in those footsteps were able to give most city authorities and hired mercenaries the run around. In Darkveil, it would not be surprising at all for the Red Rogue copycats to all be decently skilled thieves in their own right given the consequences of failure were so much worse than serving some jail time or having to pay a hefty fine as would be common punishment in other regions. He meets his father’s piercing gaze.
“If I made a fool of myself that would only reflect badly on your teachings.”
The twitch of a smile tugs at the corner of Anselm’s mouth.
“Play it smart, and be careful. You are dismissed.”
Zarius bows his head a bit before turning on his heel and leaving the office. He was already formulating a plan of action in his head as he walked down the hall and departed from the estate using one of the many hidden entrances. It was best to limit his comings and goings in case anyone was keeping an eye on their movements.
Back at the Rookery, Zarius gathers what he needs for his mission from his room before he heads to the base of the old clock tower. He looks up the stairs which lead to Caedes’ private quarters.
"Caedes!"
After a few moments of silence, Zarius frowns and walks up the staircase to the door.
"Caedes?" He knocks on the door, but there is still no answer.
A perturbed look crosses his face before he walks back down the stairs and heads into the lounge of the building. Glancing about the bar, he still doesn’t see the changeling, though his sister, Eameia, is present behind the bar currently sampling the newest batch of wine from the Lord of Ghouls himself. He approaches.
"Have you seen Caedes recently?"
The female tiefling glances at the ceiling in thought for a moment then tilts her head to one side. "Hmm, I believe he left the other day and did not return during the night."
“Any idea where he is?”
“Afraid not, he did not specify what he was up to.”
Zarius is silent for a moment, a look of consternation on his face. "I see…I suppose he likely has other business to attend to." He walks past and removes a cloak hanging from a hook on the wall near the front of the lounge.
Eameia swirls the dark red liquid in her glass before taking a sip. She looks at her brother out of the corner of her eye with a coy grin.
"Are you disappointed, brother?"
He gives her an incredulous look as he fastens the clasp of the cloak over his shoulder. "No. It just would have been good to have his help with this task. That is all."
Her grin widens. "Whatever you say."
He sighs, exasperated, then goes about gathering a few additional things from behind the bar, including three glass vials. "Are you comfortable keeping an eye on things here?"
"Of course. Eirynor and Snow should be finishing their business on the other side of the city soon and I expect Miss Iryla and Cyran will be returning from their own missions any day now."
He nods. "Good. I will try to make this quick."
For a moment he considers asking her to pass on a message to Caedes on his behalf. Considering the importance of this mission, it would be good to have someone he trusts supporting him. On second thought though, he really did not want to give her even more reason to justify wearing such a smug smirk on her face.
It was a shame that he would have to handle this on his own, but he would manage one way or another. There was too much at stake and he was not one to make excuses.
The warehouse is located on the edge of the city of Darkveil, and while it normally has a good number of guards, many were home with the families for the holiday. This was set up in advance so as to not raise any suspicions, and the rumor of the merchants generosity had been quietly sewed into the crowd of the Dancer’s Den. Anyone looking for leads on opportunities to launch a break in would certainly hear the news.
As per the agreement between Anselm and the merchants, Zarius is to be the only one present throughout the night. He can easily hide his presence from most folk, and he has plenty of skills to counter a handful of thieves, even if they turned out to be armed or knew magic. By all intents and purposes, this should be a simple task.
He first scouts the building inside and out, getting familiar with all the entry points and the surrounding buildings as well. He does this while invisible to ensure no one keeping an eye on the place takes notice of him.[1]
While scaring the thieves off before they could actually try to break in would save him a lot of hassle and time, the merchants seemed more interested in ensuring whoever was targeting them was stopped for good. Zarius would have to let any thieves at least get into the building before cornering them and taking them out.
As night falls, Zarius takes up roost in the rafters of the warehouse. From his vantage point, he can easily see the whole floor of the warehouse which is a labyrinth of crates, barrels, and burlap sacks. All the doors and windows are locked, so anyone looking to get in will have to spend some time picking the locks or use some alternative ways to infiltrate the building. Any light they need to see will easily give them away in the pitch black darkness of the warehouse, and Zarius’ keen eyes can pick up anyone skulking around without any light.[2]
All in all, unless the thieves are the best of the best, they will be in for quite the beating if they make the poor decision to target this warehouse this night.
[1] Invisibility
[2] Dark Vision
Zarius’ family are equally as ravenous for their own share. His father’s main role as a lesser Ashen Father is to form these relationships with the local merchants, curry their favor, and try to ensure they wouldn’t just be bought out by the next crime family they spoke with. It's a constant battle that demands his full attention, which is why making connections beyond the city’s limits falls squarely on Zarius’ shoulders.
Despite their distinct roles, there are times when Zarius’ father calls on him to help with the business at home. This is one of those times. Zarius’ sister first relayed the request for Zarius to return to the manor in order to discuss details of a negotiation currently underway between his father and a conglomerate of wealthy merchants in Darkveil. It was a very rare opportunity their family could not ignore and, should the negotiations go well, would guarantee they could be more financially competitive within Darkveil’s underbelly.
The family estate is well guarded, though one would not be able to tell from a first glance. All of his father’s staff are highly trained in remaining unseen, much like Eirynor who worked as Eameia’s right hand man and personal guard before he began assisting Zarius at the Rookery. In addition to the invisible guard, there are also magical wards put in place by his mother to protect against spells that could be used to infiltrate the building. Every possible precaution has been taken in order to protect the family from assassination attempts. So far, it works.
The manor itself is a grand building constructed out of volcanic rock and blackened wood harvested from Mount Drakolt and the Deadwood respectively. The interior is lavishly decorated with accents of polished metal which reflect the soft glow of magically enchanted lantern light. Exotic tapestries with ornate patterns hang from the walls next to finely painted landscapes depicting natural wonders across Zeinav. Vases perch on side tables every few feet filled with floral arrangements of Ash Roses, Lux Lilies, and Baby Dragon’s Breath. The floors are polished to a mirror-like shine which make the spaces look all the more grand despite the rich, dark colors that dominate the interior.
Zarius walks quietly through the familiar halls until he steps up to a set of double doors. He senses the presence of two unseen guards flanking either side, but pays them no mind as he gently knocks on the door.
“Come in.”
The tiefling opens the door and steps beyond the threshold before quietly closing the door behind him. The room is set up to work as an office space with a heavy, dark wood desk in the center, a high backed velvet chair set behind it, and bookshelves lining each wall except for where a large oil painting of Mount Drakolt hangs. Standing off to the side near one of these bookshelves is another figure, currently holding an open book in their hands.
Zarius’ father, Anselm Dvara’Oriyn, stands taller than his son by a few inches. He has the same dark, charcoal-grey skin and piercing gold eyes as his children, though his horns curl like a ram’s instead of twisting up like an antelope’s. The resemblance between himself and his sons is obvious, and if his age wasn’t apparent in the creases in his face, he would easily be mistaken as another one of Zarius’ siblings.
The man looks up from the book in his hands before closing it gently and placing it back on the shelf.
“Thank you for rushing over on such short notice.”
“Of course, it is no trouble.” Zarius replies, he stands at attention with his hands rested behind his back.
Even though he has a good relationship with his father, the man is still an Ashen Father and deserves the respect that comes with holding such a position of power.
Anselm steps around his desk and leans back against it with his arms crossed.
“I take it your sister passed on my message?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, this is a very important mission. Those inspired by the legend of the Red Rogue have gotten bolder with each passing year and more of the well-off merchants have taken up drastic measures to protect their wares. A group I have been negotiating with have asked us to step in and assist in exchange for exclusive business rights with them. While something like this would normally be entrusted to my own underlings, we cannot afford any mistakes. I believe more personal hands-on involvement will also show them that we are taking their offer very seriously.”
Zarius nods. “I understand. Though the request seems a bit…shallow.”
Anselm lifts his head a bit, looking down his nose at his son.
“Perhaps, but these supplies are part of their livelihood. From the conversations so far, they are highly materialistic and any threat to their belongings is taken as a personal insult. For the time being, that weakness of character, that greed, is just the kind of leverage we cannot ignore. Having a good rapport with these merchants might give us the edge we need to move ahead with grander operations.”
It was sound logic. Zarius would expect nothing less from his father who he admired and respected greatly. It was annoying that he was going to be acting as a glorified security guard, but it was more about the principle of the thing rather than the actual service.
Anselm continues. “I trust you to use your best judgment. As you are well aware, the Red Rogue is not just one person, but a group. While they likely are not heavily armed, they could still have many tricks up their sleeves. Do not be made a fool of.”
Zarius chuckles a bit. He didn’t plan on underestimating the thieves. The legend of the Red Rogue inspired many, and those who were good at following in those footsteps were able to give most city authorities and hired mercenaries the run around. In Darkveil, it would not be surprising at all for the Red Rogue copycats to all be decently skilled thieves in their own right given the consequences of failure were so much worse than serving some jail time or having to pay a hefty fine as would be common punishment in other regions. He meets his father’s piercing gaze.
“If I made a fool of myself that would only reflect badly on your teachings.”
The twitch of a smile tugs at the corner of Anselm’s mouth.
“Play it smart, and be careful. You are dismissed.”
Zarius bows his head a bit before turning on his heel and leaving the office. He was already formulating a plan of action in his head as he walked down the hall and departed from the estate using one of the many hidden entrances. It was best to limit his comings and goings in case anyone was keeping an eye on their movements.
Back at the Rookery, Zarius gathers what he needs for his mission from his room before he heads to the base of the old clock tower. He looks up the stairs which lead to Caedes’ private quarters.
"Caedes!"
After a few moments of silence, Zarius frowns and walks up the staircase to the door.
"Caedes?" He knocks on the door, but there is still no answer.
A perturbed look crosses his face before he walks back down the stairs and heads into the lounge of the building. Glancing about the bar, he still doesn’t see the changeling, though his sister, Eameia, is present behind the bar currently sampling the newest batch of wine from the Lord of Ghouls himself. He approaches.
"Have you seen Caedes recently?"
The female tiefling glances at the ceiling in thought for a moment then tilts her head to one side. "Hmm, I believe he left the other day and did not return during the night."
“Any idea where he is?”
“Afraid not, he did not specify what he was up to.”
Zarius is silent for a moment, a look of consternation on his face. "I see…I suppose he likely has other business to attend to." He walks past and removes a cloak hanging from a hook on the wall near the front of the lounge.
Eameia swirls the dark red liquid in her glass before taking a sip. She looks at her brother out of the corner of her eye with a coy grin.
"Are you disappointed, brother?"
He gives her an incredulous look as he fastens the clasp of the cloak over his shoulder. "No. It just would have been good to have his help with this task. That is all."
Her grin widens. "Whatever you say."
He sighs, exasperated, then goes about gathering a few additional things from behind the bar, including three glass vials. "Are you comfortable keeping an eye on things here?"
"Of course. Eirynor and Snow should be finishing their business on the other side of the city soon and I expect Miss Iryla and Cyran will be returning from their own missions any day now."
He nods. "Good. I will try to make this quick."
For a moment he considers asking her to pass on a message to Caedes on his behalf. Considering the importance of this mission, it would be good to have someone he trusts supporting him. On second thought though, he really did not want to give her even more reason to justify wearing such a smug smirk on her face.
It was a shame that he would have to handle this on his own, but he would manage one way or another. There was too much at stake and he was not one to make excuses.
The warehouse is located on the edge of the city of Darkveil, and while it normally has a good number of guards, many were home with the families for the holiday. This was set up in advance so as to not raise any suspicions, and the rumor of the merchants generosity had been quietly sewed into the crowd of the Dancer’s Den. Anyone looking for leads on opportunities to launch a break in would certainly hear the news.
As per the agreement between Anselm and the merchants, Zarius is to be the only one present throughout the night. He can easily hide his presence from most folk, and he has plenty of skills to counter a handful of thieves, even if they turned out to be armed or knew magic. By all intents and purposes, this should be a simple task.
He first scouts the building inside and out, getting familiar with all the entry points and the surrounding buildings as well. He does this while invisible to ensure no one keeping an eye on the place takes notice of him.[1]
While scaring the thieves off before they could actually try to break in would save him a lot of hassle and time, the merchants seemed more interested in ensuring whoever was targeting them was stopped for good. Zarius would have to let any thieves at least get into the building before cornering them and taking them out.
As night falls, Zarius takes up roost in the rafters of the warehouse. From his vantage point, he can easily see the whole floor of the warehouse which is a labyrinth of crates, barrels, and burlap sacks. All the doors and windows are locked, so anyone looking to get in will have to spend some time picking the locks or use some alternative ways to infiltrate the building. Any light they need to see will easily give them away in the pitch black darkness of the warehouse, and Zarius’ keen eyes can pick up anyone skulking around without any light.[2]
All in all, unless the thieves are the best of the best, they will be in for quite the beating if they make the poor decision to target this warehouse this night.
[1] Invisibility
[2] Dark Vision