CREDIT
The guards didnt seem to care about who entered the small city and she walked through close on the tail end of a large covered wagon bearing supplies without issue.
First things first, lodgings. She asked around, and although her wings and avian features drew several dirty glances and angry murmurings, no one was outright hostile. The directions led her to a nice, upscale inn near the northern gate, and she quickly negotiated a price for a ground floor room with an exterior entrance to a deserted alley. The innkeeper seemed hesitant to rent to her at first, but the sight of an extra few gold nel quickly changed his mind.
Val left Amber in the room, patting the tired Hyx on the side fondly as she walked over to her bag. Amber had done well the last few trials, and she deserved some R&R.
Meanwhile, Val grabbed the silver signet ring and the stolen missive and reread it. It was directed to a "Ms. Sapphire Trueman, Military Intelligence Quarter". She pulled on her mirror dust cloak and settled the green fabric around her shoulders, striding from the room and locking it behind her.
Val walked around town, feeling the hostile glares many were giving her. She pulled up the cowl on her cloak, hiding her Avriel heritage. She wandered until she found a crippled man sitting near an alley, a cup half full of copper nel. She crouched down next to him and tossed a gold nel into his cup.
"Any chance you can give me some directions?"
The man's lips split, revealing a row of crooked, yellow teeth. "Well, if ye keep paying me like that I can."
Another gold nel clinked into his pewter mug, and he nodded his thanks. "Where to little, eh, miss?"
"Well first, I'm looking to rent a warehouse for a few trials. Got some goods coming in and moving out with a caravan, but there's a bit of a layover." Val had thought up this excuse during the long walk from Etzos and the extra operating base and privacy would be welcomed. The man knew where the warehouse district was, and directed her to the outer edge, as most of those buildings were empty at the moment. He seemed about ready to turn away from her when Val asked her next question.
"I'm looking for the military intelligence district," Val said in a low voice.
The man's face paled under the film of dirt and grease, but he nodded anyway. "Three streets up and then left. Fallow that street to the end, and tha large building on the right. Thatd be it." He made a quick gesture she recognized as a ward against evil, and turned away from her.
Realizing she wouldnt get any more out of this man, she nodded and added another gold nel to his cup, saying "I was never here," and rising. The beggar studiously ignored her.
The paved road was warm under her thin shoes, and she dodged around several large puddles that collected in the wagon ruts. People walked to and fro, and the street was comfortably busy; the plague and war that had ravaged Etzos proper hadn't struck here with the same force.
She followed the beggar's instructions, changing her cloak to a dirty-looking brown as she passed by a scrap of torn cloth in the gutter and soon found herself gazing at a large complex, high brick walls encircling it like a miniature Bolstrum. She caught sight of at least three guards wandering the grounds, and one more through an open window on the third floor. They wore well-polished armour and walked their routes with purpose. If she had to break in, she'd have a hell of a hard time.
She settled against the wall opposite the house, and set out a small cup as if she too were a beggar. Val settled in for a long wait, looking for a weakness.
Three breaks later, she had seen all she needed. Half a dozen servants entered and left, but all were searched thoroughly and had chatted with the guards as they entered and left. They likely knew all the servants by face, if not by name. Four other, higher ranking, members entered and exited the building, their military rank insignia bright on their shoulders, and Val knew she couldn't impersonate or trick one of those. Military Intelligence meant they would likely be skilled at detecting deception and definitely weren't likely to be the gullible sort.
But she was in luck. Two messengers had arrived, and Val knew that there was some sort of passcode they used to enter. Neither had been searched, though both had been escorted through the premises. Both wore the same distinctive blue sash across their left arm and carried a satchel of letters at their side.
That would be her key inside the manor.
Alex leaned back over the table and laughed loudly, slapping the heavy table with a hand. The young man opposite her grinned a mischievous smile and took a long drink of his ale; ale Alex had drugged with a combination of Night Scarf, Brain Berry powder, and a carefully created, lethal mixture of Ash inhibited to be released a trial from now.
The unsuspecting courier lifted his mug to clink against Alex's and she drank appreciatively. He had bought her a strong, distilled liquor, and it traced a path of fire to her asterism. As their eyes met over the rims of their cups, he waggled his eyebrows at her. She forced a coy smile onto her face, and looked down and away.
Within a break, the boy, Sam, had invited her up to his room. Alex agreed enthusiastically and followed Sam's unsteady gait to his room. Once inside, Alex sat Sam down on the bed where he listed from side to side dangerously far. The drugs she'd given him would make this whole situation seem like a distant, pleasant dream. If she had access to her lab, her crates of raw materials, she could've made compounds that left him clear headed and still eager to spill his guts, but this would have to do.
"Sam, dear, where were you sent from?"
"Hmm? Oh, I came straight from Etzos. It was a long ride, and after I drop off my letters tomorrow, I ride back. It's my first time on this loop though," he said, and grinned a lopsided smile. Alex felt a stab of discomfort as she realized she could've liked this kid, but necessity and the actions of Sintra caused his death.
"Oh, isn't that nice. And how are you going to drop off your letters? They wont let you in without a password."
His eyes grew comically wide for a moment and he stared at her, concerned. Then relief washed over his face and he grinned again.
"Yep!," he said, "And the password is Ravencloak!"
"I'm glad you remember it. You'll do your job tomorrow well. Sleep now," Alex said as she pushed him backwards, pricking him with a needle laced with enough Night Scarf to knock out a Thunder Cat. He protested at first, forcing Alex to climb into bed beside him, fully clothed, and he settled down. Within a bit, he was asleep. Alex extricated herself from his grasp and rose, scanning the room.
It was a basic room, small, with a window overlooking the nearby alley. A set of clothing lay on the wardrobe, a blue sash atop. A satchel full of letters rested beside it. Alex scooped up both and tried the clothing on. It fit, albeit a bit long. She moved out of sight from the window and shifted to Val. The clothing fit much better and looked almost natural on her avriel form. Val shivered and shifted back to Alex, dropping the clothing and satchel into Sam's backpack, throwing it over her shoulder. She touched her cloak against the thick, black curtains, and waited until it was fully transformed.
She spread out several doses of Brain Berry tea throughout the room, trying to obfuscate what was really going to happen to Sam. The longer it took them to determine he had been poisoned and robbed, the better it would be for her. Alex unlatched the window and peered outside. The alleyway was empty. She clambered out and held onto the frame. She closed the window, but couldn't latch it from her position. She'd have to hope it stayed closed.
The room was only on the second floor, and her feet were resting on the upper sill of the first-floor window. She shuffled along until she was at the edge of the window, and dropped down to the ground with a muffled thump. Wings and flight would only make her stand out much more than a woman sneaking out of a bedroom late at night.
She took off down the alley, sticking to the shadows. They were deep and dark at this time of Saun, a stark contrast to the bright thoroughfares lit by the dual suns. She watched her footfalls, dodging around boards and piles of refuse that would give her away. When she reached the first main street, she shifted forms and Val strode out, backpack slung over a shoulder. She melded into the crowd easily and walked away quickly. She kept an eye on those behind her, but she caught no sign that shed been seen or followed. Despite that, she found another alleyway several bits later and changed her cloak to the blue of the Etzori messenger sash, and shifted quickly into an old woman. Leaning forward and hunching her back, Alex wobbled back out into the street, her backpack now hidden under the cloak.
The rest of the night passed with her taking similar precautions and Alex found herself back at the inn near dawn. Exhausted, she crawled into her bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
Date: Arc 719, 23 trial of Saun
Time: 11th Break
Location: Bolstrum
Val walked through the main gate of Bolstrum, her feet aching, and Amber padding along close beside. It had taken her 34 trials to make her way to Bolstrum, sleeping during the day and creeping along the road during the night. Amber had proven invaluable by carrying her pack, allowing Val to fly above and scout ahead. Three times she had hidden in the tall grasses along the side of the roadway as groups of riders in Etzori Military garb galloped past. Twice, she had nearly stumbled upon a raider ambush, and once she had awoken to a half-dead plague carrier from Lisirra clutching at her bed roll. Val had put the last one down quickly, unconcerned with disease. Lisirra hadn't created a disease specific for Yludih yet, and this lone carrier likely had escaped the Etzori Ghost's retribution earlier in the cycle. Time: 11th Break
Location: Bolstrum
The guards didnt seem to care about who entered the small city and she walked through close on the tail end of a large covered wagon bearing supplies without issue.
First things first, lodgings. She asked around, and although her wings and avian features drew several dirty glances and angry murmurings, no one was outright hostile. The directions led her to a nice, upscale inn near the northern gate, and she quickly negotiated a price for a ground floor room with an exterior entrance to a deserted alley. The innkeeper seemed hesitant to rent to her at first, but the sight of an extra few gold nel quickly changed his mind.
Val left Amber in the room, patting the tired Hyx on the side fondly as she walked over to her bag. Amber had done well the last few trials, and she deserved some R&R.
Meanwhile, Val grabbed the silver signet ring and the stolen missive and reread it. It was directed to a "Ms. Sapphire Trueman, Military Intelligence Quarter". She pulled on her mirror dust cloak and settled the green fabric around her shoulders, striding from the room and locking it behind her.
Val walked around town, feeling the hostile glares many were giving her. She pulled up the cowl on her cloak, hiding her Avriel heritage. She wandered until she found a crippled man sitting near an alley, a cup half full of copper nel. She crouched down next to him and tossed a gold nel into his cup.
"Any chance you can give me some directions?"
The man's lips split, revealing a row of crooked, yellow teeth. "Well, if ye keep paying me like that I can."
Another gold nel clinked into his pewter mug, and he nodded his thanks. "Where to little, eh, miss?"
"Well first, I'm looking to rent a warehouse for a few trials. Got some goods coming in and moving out with a caravan, but there's a bit of a layover." Val had thought up this excuse during the long walk from Etzos and the extra operating base and privacy would be welcomed. The man knew where the warehouse district was, and directed her to the outer edge, as most of those buildings were empty at the moment. He seemed about ready to turn away from her when Val asked her next question.
"I'm looking for the military intelligence district," Val said in a low voice.
The man's face paled under the film of dirt and grease, but he nodded anyway. "Three streets up and then left. Fallow that street to the end, and tha large building on the right. Thatd be it." He made a quick gesture she recognized as a ward against evil, and turned away from her.
Realizing she wouldnt get any more out of this man, she nodded and added another gold nel to his cup, saying "I was never here," and rising. The beggar studiously ignored her.
The paved road was warm under her thin shoes, and she dodged around several large puddles that collected in the wagon ruts. People walked to and fro, and the street was comfortably busy; the plague and war that had ravaged Etzos proper hadn't struck here with the same force.
She followed the beggar's instructions, changing her cloak to a dirty-looking brown as she passed by a scrap of torn cloth in the gutter and soon found herself gazing at a large complex, high brick walls encircling it like a miniature Bolstrum. She caught sight of at least three guards wandering the grounds, and one more through an open window on the third floor. They wore well-polished armour and walked their routes with purpose. If she had to break in, she'd have a hell of a hard time.
She settled against the wall opposite the house, and set out a small cup as if she too were a beggar. Val settled in for a long wait, looking for a weakness.
Three breaks later, she had seen all she needed. Half a dozen servants entered and left, but all were searched thoroughly and had chatted with the guards as they entered and left. They likely knew all the servants by face, if not by name. Four other, higher ranking, members entered and exited the building, their military rank insignia bright on their shoulders, and Val knew she couldn't impersonate or trick one of those. Military Intelligence meant they would likely be skilled at detecting deception and definitely weren't likely to be the gullible sort.
But she was in luck. Two messengers had arrived, and Val knew that there was some sort of passcode they used to enter. Neither had been searched, though both had been escorted through the premises. Both wore the same distinctive blue sash across their left arm and carried a satchel of letters at their side.
That would be her key inside the manor.
Alex leaned back over the table and laughed loudly, slapping the heavy table with a hand. The young man opposite her grinned a mischievous smile and took a long drink of his ale; ale Alex had drugged with a combination of Night Scarf, Brain Berry powder, and a carefully created, lethal mixture of Ash inhibited to be released a trial from now.
The unsuspecting courier lifted his mug to clink against Alex's and she drank appreciatively. He had bought her a strong, distilled liquor, and it traced a path of fire to her asterism. As their eyes met over the rims of their cups, he waggled his eyebrows at her. She forced a coy smile onto her face, and looked down and away.
Within a break, the boy, Sam, had invited her up to his room. Alex agreed enthusiastically and followed Sam's unsteady gait to his room. Once inside, Alex sat Sam down on the bed where he listed from side to side dangerously far. The drugs she'd given him would make this whole situation seem like a distant, pleasant dream. If she had access to her lab, her crates of raw materials, she could've made compounds that left him clear headed and still eager to spill his guts, but this would have to do.
"Sam, dear, where were you sent from?"
"Hmm? Oh, I came straight from Etzos. It was a long ride, and after I drop off my letters tomorrow, I ride back. It's my first time on this loop though," he said, and grinned a lopsided smile. Alex felt a stab of discomfort as she realized she could've liked this kid, but necessity and the actions of Sintra caused his death.
"Oh, isn't that nice. And how are you going to drop off your letters? They wont let you in without a password."
His eyes grew comically wide for a moment and he stared at her, concerned. Then relief washed over his face and he grinned again.
"Yep!," he said, "And the password is Ravencloak!"
"I'm glad you remember it. You'll do your job tomorrow well. Sleep now," Alex said as she pushed him backwards, pricking him with a needle laced with enough Night Scarf to knock out a Thunder Cat. He protested at first, forcing Alex to climb into bed beside him, fully clothed, and he settled down. Within a bit, he was asleep. Alex extricated herself from his grasp and rose, scanning the room.
It was a basic room, small, with a window overlooking the nearby alley. A set of clothing lay on the wardrobe, a blue sash atop. A satchel full of letters rested beside it. Alex scooped up both and tried the clothing on. It fit, albeit a bit long. She moved out of sight from the window and shifted to Val. The clothing fit much better and looked almost natural on her avriel form. Val shivered and shifted back to Alex, dropping the clothing and satchel into Sam's backpack, throwing it over her shoulder. She touched her cloak against the thick, black curtains, and waited until it was fully transformed.
She spread out several doses of Brain Berry tea throughout the room, trying to obfuscate what was really going to happen to Sam. The longer it took them to determine he had been poisoned and robbed, the better it would be for her. Alex unlatched the window and peered outside. The alleyway was empty. She clambered out and held onto the frame. She closed the window, but couldn't latch it from her position. She'd have to hope it stayed closed.
The room was only on the second floor, and her feet were resting on the upper sill of the first-floor window. She shuffled along until she was at the edge of the window, and dropped down to the ground with a muffled thump. Wings and flight would only make her stand out much more than a woman sneaking out of a bedroom late at night.
She took off down the alley, sticking to the shadows. They were deep and dark at this time of Saun, a stark contrast to the bright thoroughfares lit by the dual suns. She watched her footfalls, dodging around boards and piles of refuse that would give her away. When she reached the first main street, she shifted forms and Val strode out, backpack slung over a shoulder. She melded into the crowd easily and walked away quickly. She kept an eye on those behind her, but she caught no sign that shed been seen or followed. Despite that, she found another alleyway several bits later and changed her cloak to the blue of the Etzori messenger sash, and shifted quickly into an old woman. Leaning forward and hunching her back, Alex wobbled back out into the street, her backpack now hidden under the cloak.
The rest of the night passed with her taking similar precautions and Alex found herself back at the inn near dawn. Exhausted, she crawled into her bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.
