Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

Sharpened nails, clawlike in their hardened beauty, dug into the slabs of dried meat, tearing each piece into thin lines. Navyri’s blue eyes danced upon the crowd, chewing a salted strip with careful consideration. Each person her gaze lingered on had a purpose; potential. She didn’t seem to be eyeing anyone in particular at first - young, old, strong, frail. The city of Etzos had a variety of individuals that would suit her purpose, and with a final bite, she pushed off from the wall she had been leaning against, and weaved within the crowd. She imitated their movements, the flow of the people. She watched the way they stepped, and felt the pace of which they shuffled about. The streets were crowded, but easy enough to slip in and out of the bodies for those light of foot.

She dropped to the ground, as if retrieving something that had dropped, but for those perceptive enough, they might have noticed the sheen of a blade as it was pulled from the leather of her boot. She stood easily enough and continued to walk as if nothing was out of the ordinary. People paid her no mind, or so she thought, and the dark haired Naer moved to where a woman was bent over, wiping the ruddy face of a child who was crying, with two more little tykes tugging on her skirts. Navyri smiled only slightly when she saw what she was looking for, and walked briskly past the woman, the blade reaching outward and digging into the coin purse hanging from the side of the woman’s hip. Silver coins dropped and scattered on the stone streets, the sound causing heads to turn in every direction. Money was always wanted, always recognizable.

The people only hesitated for a moment, their hands going to their own pockets, before greedy fingers clawed at the ground. Navyri could imagine it now, the mother’s face as she turned and looked down at the sound, unsure whether she should scramble with the rest of them, or protect her kin from the chaos that followed. Perhaps the woman would justify it later, or… perhaps not. Navyri regretted not looking back, keeping her eyes focused solely on her next target - her real one.

Success was defined by many factors, but when it came to stealing, pickpocketing, lockpicking, the main objective was always the same - don’t get caught. Or if you are, never stick around long enough for the punishment. The Naerikk had been living by these rules for sometime, and now was practicing the second - picking your hit. She saw him hesitate for a moment like the rest of them, but was far enough away there would have been nothing for him to pick at, and judging by his scowl and the fabric of his tunic, couldn’t imagine his need for monetary value. Not like the rest of them.

Navyri glimpsed down at herself, and frowned. Her shirt was red, far too bright to blend if this went south, but judging by the guards that were moving to break up the crowd that was now bickering over a few silver nels, her chances were better than before. Holding her blade downward, not swinging her arm and keeping it close, she looked passable for another citizen, and sheathed it in her boot once more. Her target was trying to move out of the crowd, and dipped a hand into his trousers, opening a pocket watch and snapped it closed. Navyri’s eyes locked on it like a cat spotting prey, and she sped up, closing in, and right before passing him, shoved into another. A small cry, particularly for dramatics, left her lips and she stumbled into her target, hands gripping at him as she fell to the ground.

In the mess, her hands caught upon the thin gold chain hanging from his pocket and she felt it snap, just as she dropped to the street. The richer man rounded, realizing her fall and tried to catch her, but Navyri was already cursing the rudeness of some people and looked up at her savior.

“Oh, thank you,” she breathed, reaching up for the arms extended towards her and gripping them as she was pulled to her feet, “The audacity of some….” she trailed off, stepping perhaps a little too close and looked into the eyes of the man. She could see the effect she had on him, the briefest hesitation as his touch lingered before pulling away. Navyri continued smoothly, “These people…” (The poor) her tone screamed, “Are acting like animals. Have they no manners?”

She gave a dirty look to where the money had dropped and the man seemed to catch her drift, spotting the expensive color of her shirt, “Some people simply have no class. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Oh, you’re too sweet,” one hand rested on his chest, catching his attention, while her thumb and pointer finger gripped the end of the chain. There was some resistance and she extended her one of her feet, “I might have hurt my ankle when I fell… It hurts to move it a bit,” she rolled the joint of her foot, wincing audibly, and forced the desire to smile from her face when he bent down to inspect it. As he lowered himself, the pocket watch freed itself and she internally breathed a great sigh of relief when she began to tuck the stolen item into her back pocket and away from lingering eyes. It was there her free hand rested as she made light conversation with the man, praising his good heart and reassuring him that she would be fine. She made a few more comments that implied she had wealth, that somehow the two of them were above the rest of these people, and could tell he appreciated the camaraderie. Being attractive helped too, she was sure.

Wrapping up the conversation, she gave him a kiss on the cheek in farewell and moved back into the crowd, giving a small limp for extra grandeur. Smiling to herself, the rush of adrenaline thrilled her like it did with every steal, and she returned to her original spot against the wall, the pleasant weight of a new trinket now in her possession.

Cutting purses was easy. Leading the eye where you wanted it to go, taking a prized possession from someone even as you looked them in the eye and smiled… that… that was a game that required a sort of boldness. A drive for self interest. Navyri watched the crowd move and sway, recovering once more from her little act, when she reached into her back pocket and finally retrieved her prize. She knew it would be foolish, and wouldn’t have dared touch it had the stakes been higher but the man she had kissed was long gone and to the casual viewer, she was nothing but another woman.

The watch slid free of her pants and she eyed the smooth, dark metal, running a thumb over it. Then she flipped it over, fingers hesitating when the face of a bright, golden sun stared back at her. Something about it… felt strange, and she recalled the one fear of her people. The punishment for the true betrayers. The thing that truly scared her - a place where no shadows existed. A place of true light.

The sun.

She swallowed and tucked it away just as a cloaked figure strolled beside her, glancing at him from the corner of her eye for only a moment. They made eye contact, and she caught a glimpse of a smile, before he spoke, “Nice show.”

Navyri faced the crowd, pressing further against the wall as bodies moved past her, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Had she known this man, perhaps she would have offered a small smirk, but she knew she had been seen. Perhaps even caught. But what would he do? Go gather a guard? If he hadn’t done so already, by the time they turned back, she would be gone.

No, instead, he had approached her. Why?

A rising suspicion settled in her stomach and she felt guarded, and spared another look towards him. Whoever this man was, he was watching her; she could feel his eyes. The blue eyed Naer looked to the ground as if to dismiss him, but what caught her attention made her go still. The shadow tied to the feet of the man moved separately from him, hunched with bright green eyes that held such… irritation. She straightened, mesmerized as she watched it, seeing flashes of her her home before the cloaked man stepped over the dark reflection and the shadow vanished from sight. The Naer snapped her head upwards to the man, mouth agape slightly in awe. (What are you?)

Such a display would likely scare off others, but to her - to another shadow with bright eyes, trapped within the acceptable skin - she listened to his next words eagerly, catching a glimpse of the black lines that decorated his neck. “Look, if you are bored and want some work that’s a little more… interesting, follow me.”

He nodded towards an alley and walked away. The Naer watched the back of his robes, their finery and glanced around to see if anyone else had seen them. She said nothing, and followed at a safe distance, looking for the glimpse of his shadow when he disappeared down the street and into an alley. Navyri slowed as she approached, stopping at the mouth of the grimy space, arching a brow.

How many women would follow a cloaked figure into a dim alley? She smiled slowly, weighing the odds. But then again, how many women were also nightmares? Navyri stepped confidently in the dark, her bright eyes refracting the minimal light and making them glow. The mysterious figure led her around corners and side streets, finally stopping when they were completely alone. He turned towards her, Navyri considering the blades on her persons.

He spoke and she crossed her arms, tapping her finger against her bicep, “A business proposition?” She shifted her weight, her smirk mischievous, “Hm, and what skill set are you looking for?” After all, what did this man really see? “Petty theft?”

She smiled proudly, “If I impressed you already, I think you’d be very surprised by my capabilities. Now… What is this lovely organization, and who is in charge? You?”

It was hard not to notice the way the man watched for the guards, and seemed to have his attention divided between the conversation and getting spotted. Navyri looked over her shoulder to the mouth of the alley and then skyward, a thought playing silently across her features, “Asking a woman to share all her secrets? How… naughty.” The Naer chuckled softly and tried to imagine what kind of inconspicuous man this leader was, if he stood out even more than the one before her.

“Well, let’s see…” she trailed off, tapping her chin with a sharpened nail thoughtfully, pausing only momentarily for the guard to pass the opening, and continued, “I can tell you exactly how many law men are on the street, or if you prefer… where they are.” She watched him, keeping a safe distance when she cocked her head and a far off look grew in her gaze. “After all, we are having a discussion. Our attention should be undivided; it’s only polite.”

Navyri’s lashes fluttered and she took a deep breath, snapping her attention back to the black veins staining the man’s arms, “Five, including the one you just saw. And-” she smiled dangerously, “If you don’t believe me… A woman with a… brown apron is about to walk by.” The Naer sidestepped to give a clearer view of the opening and sure enough, a woman with blonde hair thrown in a bun and flour dusting her clothing strolled past, paying no attention to the criminal’s conspiring. Sure enough, her apron was a warm hazel, and then she was gone. Out of sight, almost out of mind.

The Naer laced her fingers in front of her, and stepped carefully, assessing the man and what exactly he offered, “You want someone who can get information. Someone… distracting.” A bit of amusement quirked up the corner of her lip, and she moved deeper into the alley, past the strange man and eyed a particular area that was shadowed even more. Above them, an awning blocked out what little sunlight trickled through the contiguous structures, and she was pleased to see it. Her next trick wasn’t something easily believed. Extending a hand, the feathered markings lining the length of her forearm was on display for him to see, and she spared him a glance from the corner of her eye, wanting to see his reaction when she dipped her hand into the darkness.

Her skin… smooth and lightly tanned began to disappear and fade into something entirely different. It began at her fingertips, the skin darkening past normalcy, shifting in form. Her hand elongated, her nails becoming ethereal claws of midnight that curled and beckoned lovingly. When she removed her hand from the darkness, she felt the flesh tighten into its rightful place as her blessing repainted itself upon her skin, “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Navyri’s voice was soft and wistful as she watched her true form being replaced with the one she was so familiar with now, “I am a Naerikk, a shadow woman from the city of Augiery,” she flexed her hand and stepped away from the awning, “That thing - the parlor trick at your feet - that is what I am. What I should be, always. When I saw.. your essence moving independently - not quite like the puppets I've grown used to - I'll admit I was surprised. I hope we can have a conversation about him in the future.” She gave a small shrug, not denying her own curiosity and continued, “What you should know, is that when night falls, I can get you what you want. I can go where you need me to go. Or - I can remain exactly as you see me now. It would depend entirely on what I am tasked to do. Cards on the table, I need not worry about winning sides in Etzos, I have transportation if the need arises. But, I’m curious about one thing - what can Al’Angryl do for someone as rare as me?”

The idea of being desired for her gifts; No, controlled for them…

Navyri narrowed her eyes dangerously at the words that came from the man’s mouth, her displeasure open for him to spot. He promised security, a way to avoid such an arrangement, but she wondered if he was just another man who craved the power.

After all, he had said he was here to unleash her. She noted the passion and fury in his voice, how sharp it sounded in contrast to his other words and eyed him and his expensive robes. He had been impressed by her gifts… She had seen the way his mouth dropped and the interest in his eyes. She thought to that now and how he had behaved, forcing herself to relax, “Hm.” She noticed him moving down the alley and followed at a distance, “I told you I was impressive.”

She tried to imagine this sanctuary and wondered who these unique individuals were. Stepping lightly, she tried to calculate possible outcomes to this offer. Past stained walls they walked until the two emerged into a garden of sorts, Navyri glancing for any signs of an ambush when the man sat on a creaky bench and motioned for her to join him. She glided forward, ever cautious, and finally settled beside him, “It’s a small sloop. Hardly extravagant.” This last piece of information was useful in staying hidden for what he was suggesting, but a touch of bitterness still kissed her tone.

Tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear, she did not seem nearly as shy about revealing her appearance as he was. She looked down at his hands, now tapping against his bicep, and laced with black veins. How did that come to happen? “You ask a lot of questions.” She looked up, trying to glimpse into the opening of his hood and then looked to her hand, “If I accept your offer…” she pulled the stolen pocket watch from her back pocket and instead ran her thumb over it soothingly. Curio flew over them, and then circled down into the garden, perching upon the well. The owl was invisible to others unless he wanted to reveal himself and the only way she had been able to predict the guard count.

The Naer spared the familiar a glance and continued, “Payment will be discussed on a job to job basis, and I want a tour of this sanctuary and a meeting with your leader. I will need to know what kind of items you’ll need transporting and where to know how best conceal them-” she paused, a grin lighting up her face, “What? I’m assuming these items aren’t exactly…” her voice lowered conspiratorially, a touch playful, “Legal, in nature.” Her brow quirked and she flashed a wink, lightly nudging him with her shoulder as if they familiar friends, “Shall we strike a deal?” She leaned in and extended a hand, her black nails glinting as they lied in wait.