Zack/Intro2

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Scarab's Intro

>> You have been staying at this inn for a fair amount of time now within the city of The Lap. The city itself appears to be fairly calm, though this probably can be attributed to the Realm presence. They haven't a clue to what you are though, and you've run into miminal trouble as an result. The demand for a gem thief has been quite low at the moment, however.

>> You are roused from your slumber by a knock at the door, then the sound of paper sliding underneath it.

Scarab is laying flat upon the inn bed, a little oversized for her small frame. Her eyes flutter open, and practiced senses jump to awareness. Her gaze tilts to the door. "Eh?"

>>On the floor in front of it you see what appears to be two pieces of paper folded together.

Scarab leaps out to the floor, crouching once and stretching her joints. She looks down at the paper, swiping up the two pieces with a deft hand.

>>One appears to be a letter, while another seems to be a set of directions. Could it be a job, finally?

Scarab opens the letter up, careful not to smudge the ink in her relative haste.

>>The letter reads as follows:

Dear Scarab,

I hope that this letter finds you in good health and fortune. While you may not know of me yet, I have heard a great deal about you and your abilities. I am in need of an individual such as yourself in the task that stands before me in helping the people of this city. Of course, you will be well rewarded for your aid. Information, money, favors, whatever I can do within my power will be done. Also, there are others who will be on their way who are quite like you in some respects.

More than you might imagine at first. While you've done well in keeping a low profile, I must again warn you to be careful.

Also, I request that you relieve a certain noble of a gem that is currently on display within his abode. Enclosed are directions to his home. If you are indeed interested, meet me in the Half Past Inn. -Soran

Scarab reads it over a few times to make sure she understands it right.

( Like me? Just who is this Soran guy and why haven't I heard of him before this? )

>>The letter reserves its own thoughts on the matter.

( My gut tells me this is risky business... but then, I just can't pass it up, can I? )

Scarab looks at the directions provided, trying to see if she recognizes whom the home might belong too from her pre-liminary casing of The Lap proper.

The directions are simple enough. From what you know, it is one of the lower nobles of the town. Recently however he came into possession of a large sum of money, hence why he's even able to be noticed. Below the direction is a note to be at the Half Past Inn in exactly a week.

Scarab smirks a bit.

( New money like that always loves to flaunt it.. until they get burned... by people like me. This should be a piece of cake. )

Scarab folds the letter back up, marking her mental to-do list for next week sharp. "Alright, Mr. Soran. I'll play this little game for now," she says to herself.

Scarab suits up in her lighter everydaygear & cloak, and heads out to first investigate this noble's daily habits and other fine details about his abode...

>> As you go about figuring out everything you can about the guy, you find out a few things, but definitetly that a whole lot. You manage not to be spotted by the guards on the outer wall of the estate barely, and notice that there are indeed guards up there. As far as the noble goes, he isn't one to typically leave his home except for business trips, which he just returned from.

>> Three days have since past.

Scarab returns to the inn a bit frustrated. "Not my best work... I think this slow town is makin' me go soft." Scarab sketches out a map of the estate's walls on the back of the letter from her memory, thinking of the next step.

( It seems like I can't catch them off guard. I've got to get more intelligence about the lcoation of his gem display room. )

Scarab sets her jaw, and goes to see what more she can dig up in a short span of time.

>> You don't find out that much, except that he's been showing it off to visiting nobility and other such persons.

Scarab works with this tidbit, trying to pick up any rumors of one his next visitosr and their possible timing if it is within the next few days...

>> From what you can dig up out, it will be a while yet before the noble has another visit to show off his gem to.

>> Another day has since past.

Scarab is left lying on her rented bed after the rather unfruitful day, mumbling to herself. "You coulda picked some better timing for this hunt, Soran." She sighs. "It looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty earleir than I thought." Scarab proceeds to sharpen her wits and her shurikens, waiting for the day to fade and nighttime to approach. Under it's comforting embrace, she slips out towards the mansion grounds...

>> As you approach the grounds, the wall and gate come into sight soon enough. It is a new moon, offering no extra light, and the town itself is quiet at this hour.

Scarab tries to stay out of sight and scout the defenses. There must be a weak spot she can exploit.

>> You do indeed manage to stay hidden, and find that there is a guard at each wall, except for the wall with the front gate. That guard appears to be quite frankly asleep at the moment. Gotta hate the night shift.

Scarab chuckles to herself, the sound muffled under the scarf hiding a large portion of her face.

( Maybe my luck is changing after all. )

Scarab dashes out from her hiding spot towards the gate, making what under normal circumstances would be a very brazen maneuver!

>> The guard, in his unending vigilance, is completely unaware since he's a lazy ass. Zzz.

Scarab runs right up to the large doors. But instead of trying to open them, she instead places her feet and hands carefully upon the stone walls. Her black boots and gloves tingle with a familiar energy, as they grip the stone like a spider itself. She presses herself flat against the wall and climbs quickly.

>> You make it up the wall with /ease/, and are at the top before you know it. The guard is still asleep, while the others are watching their own directions at the moment. Within the walls, you can see a well sized courtyard, and the building itself.

>> You see the guards on the other walls, watching their own areas, one guard wandering the courtyard, and yet another by the entrance to the building looking bored.

>> The courtyard itself is pretty plain, except for one tree in the center.

Scarab couches low, trying to ignore the snoring guard and plan her next move. That tree looks particularly good, and the courtyard guard is facing away.

( Maybe that little trick I learned might just work. )

>> The guard snores.

>> Loud.

Scarab concentrates a moment, focusing all of her thoughts on her feet. Essence floods the tendons one by one, filling them with the energy of a coiled spring. With a deep breath, she gives this power it's moment of release, vaulting clear into the air and right across the courtyard towards the first floor of the building!

>> You make it onto the roof of the first floor, actually going a bit past the front part and landing near a closed window. There isn't any source of light within it, it seems. And the guards remain blissfully unaware of your presence.

Scarab catches her breath after quite an exhilerating ride. She has to do that again sometime. With a foot she pokes the window to see how securely it's locked.

>> It... swings open.

Scarab asks no questions and carefully twists her body to drop through the opening into the darkened room.

>> You land with barely a noise, and hear the sound of gentle breathing. The room appears to be a bedroom, and in the bed the form of a sleeping child can be seen. There are various playthings about the room, and a door on the far end.

Scarab scans the room once, not seeing anything remotely gem-like yet. Her eyes hover on the child a moment, before darting towards the door with the steps of a practiced footpad.

>> You don't see anything close to a gem. Maybe that rock collection over there, but that's about it.

>> You sneak your way across, the kid blissfully sleeping still.

Scarab checks the door to see if it is locked, eager to get out into the hallway. She doesn't want any trouble with the family.

>> The door appears to be unlocked. Apparently the kid feels safe and secure in his own home, protected by all of those top notch guards daddy hired at discount prices. Like that upstanding guard sleeping in a chair next to the door.

>> Across the hall is another door, down the hall to the right is a set of decorative doors, and to the left there is a normal looking door.

( Tsk Tsk. Is this the best guards they can rustle up in this backwater? )

>> The guard snores. Not quite as bad as the other one.

Scarab slithers on by the slumbering nightwatchman, and with her web-crawling prowess, also takes to the walls and then the cieling in turn, making her way to the decorative doors.

>> Slither you do, as you take to the walls and ceiling with godly grace. The guard continues to snore as you approach the decorative doors. As far as decoration goes, mostly low key. Perhaps the noble's money went towards the gem, instead of actually getting a good security force or fancy doors at least.

Scarab stands upside down from the roof of the hall and checks the door's lock.

>> Wow. This door is actually /locked/.

( About time. I was starting to get bored, here. )

Scarab takes an index finger to her mouth, licking it once. It takes on a twinkling golden hue for a brief second. She then places it right next to the keyhole and moves her deft hand like a living lockpick...

>> Click. Open sesame.

( I really could get to like these powers... just what else can I do with practice? Mmm. )

Scarab pushes one of the doors open carefully, crouching down upon the cieling once more, incase a guard pops out.

>> Five seconds pass as the door is opened...ten seconds... then finally a guard walks out, yawning as he glnaces around. He blinks a couple of times, confused by the sight of only the sleeping guard.

>> "Who..."

Scarab reaches down with one of her hands and covers the guards mouth. "Shh," she intones in a silent whisper...

Scarab then uses the other to grab the back of his neck and with the leverage of both gives a hard tug and then twist!

>> The guard wide eyes, then goes limp. Ow.

>> Yeah, cream of the crop security, here.

Scarab takes care to hold onto the guard, and sets him down lightly onto the floor below her, away from the door....

( Sorry fella, but I don't like an audience. )

>> The dead guard doesn't offer much in the way of protest.

Scarab scouts out the door again, to see if he might have any other friends.

The other one just snores some more. No one else appears to be emerging from the open door.

Scarab slips quietly into the room beyond, hoping the fancy doors held something even fancier inside.

How do you say, jackpot. The prize of your quest sits in a fanciful stand, the chair where the guard must have been sitting empty next to it. Arrange to form the four points of a square are four unlit braziers. The gem itself... looks quite familiar to you, actually. It is a bit smaller than a child's fist, and possesses an array of colours.

Scarab tries to hold back her emotion, as a mix of excitement and disgust well up inside of her.

( By the flames, that's the rock that nearly got me killed! What in the hells is it doing here?! )

>> The gem just sits there, offering no insight into that matter.

Scarab remains attached to the cieling, skulking directly overhead of the gem stand.

>> The snoring from the hall continues, and that's about the only noise besides your own breathing.

Scarab is also breathing quite heavily now, trying to contain her lust to set things right. This gem WILL be hers, after all she had to suffer to get here and see it once more.

Scarab leans down and makes a grab from her high perch, not trusting the purchase below on the floor. Traps could be hidden.

>> You easily nab the gem. All has been set right, for it is now in your possession

( No other gem ever caused me so much trouble...)

>> Then the torches suddenly light, a rush of wind is felt, and there is the sound of a loud BANG, followed by shouts outside the room. Looks like it isn't done yet.

Scarab hurriedly puts it into a back pocket of her stash, senses screaming as the trigger goes off.

There is a shout from the hall as the guard from the hallway runs in, sword drawn. "YOU! STOP!"

( Cripes.. I was too hasty! Time to bust this joint before I end up flayed alive AGAIN. )

Scarab quickly draws her knife. Looks like this job may get a little more "wet" than she would have hoped for.

Scarab continues her gravity defying antics, running straight at the guard with lightning speed and stabbing from above in a quick thrust!

>> The guard tries to knock away the thrust with his own blade. He doesn't quite make it, and gets a knife to the throat. One gurgle of blood later, he's going down. Thunk.

>> The shouts continue, and the sound of a kid crying.

Scarab grunts once to herself as she takes another life this evening. There is no time for thought, as the clock is ticking. She races into the hallway and heads for noises of the crying child.

( If that window is still open.. )

>> The other door opens, and a man hastily wrapping a robe around himself steps out. He glances over at you, blinking a couple of times in surprise. "THIEF!"

>> A blast from the past indeed, this guy is /quite/ familiar.

Scarab gets a flash of recognition as she stops dead in her tracks and utters a low rasping growl. "You... BASTARD."

Scarab alights herself on the right side of the wall, and wastes no time reaching for the belt underneath her cloak holding her deadly shuriken. Her fingers count them off..1...2...3...4.

>> The man blinks, once, before he goes /pale/. Oh, and a wet spot appears on his person. "Y-y-you! You're supposed to be DEAD!" Meanwhile, from his room, a female voice. "What's going on, dear?!" The kid's still crying. And the shouts continue.

Scarab replies, "Heh. Sorry to disappoint you, pops. But it takes more than that to catch the "Camel Spider". I hope you counted your money tonight, because payback's a bitch."

Scarab flicks her wrist, hurling 4 throwing stars at the helpless merchant! He will be punished!

>> He lets out one more gurgled scream before collapses in a nice pool of blood. Someone screams, and the door is kicked in. Two guards can be seen. Init.

Scarab obviously does not let her emotions could her judgement as she pins his dead body to the wall with the deadly blades with the skill of the best circus knfie throwers.

Scarab readies two more shurikens, hurling them at one of her perusers with a fluid grace that is beyond human means. They become like golden bullets, seeking out their prey...

>> And down he goes, dropping his drawn weapon as he becomes another memory. A very bloody and messy memory.

Scarab yells out to the other one threateningly, while still perched on the opposite wall. "Back away if you don't want to end up like your friend!!"

>> The other guard stares for a few moments before moving forward and attack to avenge his comrade in arms!

Scarab tries to dodge the swordsman's blow by slipping to the floor... a little shocked that he is this persistant.

>> He manages to scratch you. Barely. Of course, he's wide open now.

Scarab siezes the initiative and leaps off the floor like a springing tiger, bringing her deadly knife to bear on his helplessly open defenses, aiming for his neck!

>> He tries to parry. Except he swings in the completely wrong direction.

>> He gets stabbed but good, and goes down, bleeding from the chest. He's gonna die if he doesn't get help, like, now.

>> No other guards can be seen at the moment. The woman's screaming, the kid's crying, shouting as guards do in fact make their way.

Scarab mumurs, "Too slow..." as she strikes home. The harsh wound should buy her time to escape...

Scarab runs for the child's room!

>> The kid is sitting up in his bed bawling his eyes out. He appears to be like, two. Then he sees you and screams. "Who are you?! Where's daddy and mommy?!?" Meanwhile, the woman comes out of the other room and screams at all the blood, bodies, and of course the apparent murderer going into her kid's room. Guards can be heard arriving at the hallway.

>> The window is in fact still open, too.

Scarab replies, "They are out in the hallway. I suggest you join them..."

Scarab leaps and rolls across the romm for the open window pane!

>> The kid blinks a couple of times before sliding out of bed, nodding as he continues crying. The guards are almost to the door, and the woman is screaming. And Scarab is to the window and out without so much as a sweat.

>> Hey, that sleeping guard on the wall is awake. All the guards are making their way to the building's entrance on the ground though.

Scarab slips out into the night air with skill, leaving a few parting words for the child. "And kid........ I'm really sorry."

Scarab hears the kid scream "DADDY?!" about two seconds later.

Scarab hops out onto the rooftop and gathers her Essence for another gravity defying leap to the outside walls. In another moment, she takes off, aiming right for the sleeping guard... in fact, aiming past him!

>> The guard yells and attempts to swipe at the airborne thief!

>> He misses. Close though, but he misses.

>> You hit the ground outside the estate, as the guard starts shouting.

Scarab flies right past his strike, and aims for a soft landing outside the gates.

>> The guard yells some more. He can't do a whole lot more than that from where he is. Should have packed a bow.

Scarab does not listen to the guards protests, moving on instinct alone. She heads for the shadows, climbing into every dark alley and the sides of buildings she has to to lay low for the night.

>> And you fade into the night, leaving the site of some quite overdue revenege behind. Then again, it is a dish best served cold. Whenever you /do/ head back, you've got another letter waiting for you.

Scarab stumbles into the cheap hotel room in the morning. The stench of death still haunts her a bit... but nothing a quick cold shower doesn't fix.

>> And there's the letter, waiting almost expectantly.

Scarab plops the pack with the gem on the table. She begins examining it with one hand, as she half-reads the letter in the other.

Scarab,

If you're reading this, chances are you managed to pull it off. I hope you were able to repay your dear friend for his previous actions. See you in a few days.

-Soran

Scarab says, "So, he knew... he set this up on purpose.'

Scarab redirects her full attention to the multicolored gem she's holding now. "Enabling my revenge... and seeing this beauty again."

>> Shiny. Shiny multicolor gem.

>> And now there are less than three days until the meeting...

INTRO END

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