The man grins, "I'll make it quick." He leers openly at the gunslinger, eyes traveling up and down her. 'You look like you need it."
Even as he does it the bartender, a one-eyed dwarf barks, 'None of that." and saunters over. The dart man freezes then mutters, slouching away.
The dwarf snorts and turns to Jade, 'Morning. Aspis business then?" he says matter of factly. "You new?" Jade can see he is one of those with chains marking him as a prisoner at some point.
Jade nods at the bartender. "Morning. Yes, my first job. I had to escort the big half-orc here, now I'm waiting for him to finish his business."
"Thanks for sending that guy off. I prefer to not crush balls if I don't have to," she adds jokingly, grinning at the man.
The dwarf grins and places a pint on the table, "Ont he house, for your trouble. You got a name, lass?' he says, in friendly enough fashion.
He's more thorough than the Aspis guy.
Jade takes the pint and raises it. "My name's Jill."
'Where you from Jill? I haven't seen you around before..."
After he finishes speaking, the door opens and three large men stomp in. Quickly they walk over to a thin, wiry man covered with poorly drawn tattoos.
"Brew, you're late on your payments. Again." The biggest of the intruders says.
The wiry man looks around as if judging escape then says, "I lost my job. I don't have any money..."
"Not our problem. Boys." They bodily grab the man and drag him out of the tavern, ignoring the mans yelps and cries for help.
The bartender dwarf shakes his head sadly, 'That's a shame. Brew is a good man, actually. Just a run of bad luck. What a waste, being taken care of by a local street gang."
Jade's eyes flash from the tavern's door to the door Karz went through.
Priorities... I need the half-orc to infiltrate the Aspis...
"What kind of bad luck, what did he do?" Jade asks the bartender, not sure if she should get up and follow the men, or if that would be a bad idea.
The dwarf shurgs, "He borrowed money to hire a doctor to save his brother's life. His brother died and Brew himself got sick, lost his job couldn't pay back the moneylender. Looks like the lender hired the Tarheel boys...nasty bits of work. Shame really."
He shook his head and went on, "This can be a nasty part of town, Jill. No Watch down here. Men like the Tarheels are bad for business, but what can you do?"
Well, crap... Why can't he be a bad guy?!
"Keep an eye on that door for me," Jade says as she gets up, nodding at the door Karz went through. "If a half-orc comes out, let him know something came up and I will be back in a jiffy."
Jade then quickly heads outside and takes a look around, hoping she sees or hears the Tarheel boys and Brew.
Heading out the door she sees the knot of thugs and Brew down by the stream. There is an ugly strip of brush and small trees there, partially obscuring them, but she can hear heated talk and some blows landing.
Jade hurries over and calls out to the men. "Stop it!"
As she arrives at the brush and trees, Jade tries to get in between Brew and the men. "This isn't necessary. We can resolve this."
she turns to briefly look at Brew, but tries to keep the other men within her vision. "How much do you owe them?"
Jade finds the men at the water's edge. Brew is battered and bleeding, red drops falling into the muddy churning river. he is dropped intot he river's mud as the ment run toward Jade.
'Enough." he says, answering Jade's question about money. 'Who in Hell are you? A girlfriend? You got a girlfriend Brew?" they ask laughing.
The leader points, "You paying his debts?"
"Depends if I can. What does he owe you?" Jade responds in a matter-of-fact voice.
The man tilts his head to the side.
"One hundred gold. A bit less if you...well, you are a woman." He says suggestively and the other men laugh.
"Feel like paying?"
Brew lays int he mud, alive but unmoving. More blood seeps into the water.
Inside her pocket, Blue says, "I hear something...big"
"I will pay. One hundred gold, not less. Am I to understand clearly that by doing so Brew's debt will be fully paid, and you will no longer bother him?"
Jade looks warily at her surroundings when she hears Blue mention she hears something big.
Jade hears or sees nothing past the rushing water and occasional bird in the rough, scarred trees.
The man considers Jade, and then nods. 'Good, enough." He turns to Brew and spits. "I didn't know you had a friend in the world Brew. Let alone a rich one."
As the money changes hands, suddenly the water begins to thrash, against the current. Out of the muddy water a form appears, exploding with force.
It is a bear-sized beast with a body like a squat simian, a dog's face, and a long tail that ends in a clawed hand.
Jade quickly hands the gold over as the water begins to thrash, wanting to make a hundred percent sure the deal's finalized. "Here you go, the deal's concluded."
She grabs Brew's arm and starts dragging him away from the water as fast as she can.
The gang scatters, grabbing the bag of money as the sprint away. Jade grabs Brew, still barely moving after the pain of the beating. She makes good time, the man being rather small and light.
However, the tail of the creature has a grasping, taloned hand and it reaches out, grabbing the prone man. Digging in with claws, it seizes the man's leg, yanking hard on it.
Jade knows she has close to zero chance to win a tug of war with pretty much anything, so she rapidly draws her rapier and lunges at the tentacle.
Jade's blow slices the clawed hand clean off, spraying her and Brew with a mist of blue-black blood. The creature lets out a low bellow of rage and brings the huge mouth to bear.
Jade does have a clear route of escape however. A cluster of people are running up, waving spears, swords, clubs and axes.
Ignoring her own wound from the bite for now, Jade drags Brew to safety. Once they're a fair distance removed from the cluster of people and the creature Jade sheaths her rapier and draws her healing wand, which she uses on Brew.
She then also uses her wand on herself.
Jade patches Brew and Herself up.
The man looks up at her, trying to thank her in a rush but the crowd soon parts them, Brew to some friends and Jade to the bulky and disgruntled looking Karz. He has a heavy iron box under one arm and is staring at Jade coldly.
He jerks his head to follow and he stomps off for the bridge off the Islet. Blue shivers in her coat, obviously scared of the silent and imposing fellow.
Jade puts her wand away and hurries after Karz.
After a while, she says "He's someone I used to know. I couldn't let him be beat up."
The half-orc says nothing, merely grunts. They make their way back to the House of Bronze, silent the whole time. No more adventures dog their steps.
Arriving, they are quickly taken inside, Jade and Karz taken to a office, where the Aspis agent awaits.
'Well, how did it go?" the man asks, eyes moving from Karz's immobile face to Jade's.
"She shows considerable potential, assuming proper instruction." Karz says, his voice low and rather melodious. "She took firm decisive action without prompting, followed orders and seems quite physically capable." He pauses and flashes Jade a big, toothy grin. "She did take a moment settle an old grudge or favor, but that is too be expected in the untrained. Discipline is needed, but she has talent."
The agent grunts, 'Training we can give. Talent is impossible." He turns to Jade, 'What do you have to say about it?"
Jade smiles at Karz, then at the agent. "I don't have much to add, except that I look forward to the training!"
Guess that means I'm in.
The Aspis agent is pleased with his new recruit (and her willingness to work cheap). He assigns her to some boring paperwork, mostly tallying up cargoes. Interestingly they often include the manifests to the Pillar.
Three days past in her new cover. Soon though Karz, the hulking half-orc returns. "I have a little job for you." He says, his grin broad. "A bit of a tricky one. I need you to prevent Madam Tasteel from attending the opera tonight. It is vital." he waits to see how Jade reacts.
Jade tries to recall who Madam Tasteel is.
"I can't recall who that is. Some noble, isn't she?" Jade responds to Karz.
"You want me to just prevent she goes to the opera, or are you suggesting something else...?"
Karz laughs, "I mean, she is prevented from going to the opera. She is to remain quite alive. What kind of business do you think we are?"
"Madam Tasteel is a major taste-maker among the artistic classes. Tonight, a new play is opening, the Drum Maker. We would like it to fail. If Madam Tasteel fails to get there, it will."
'Also, she cannot know someone was stopping her. You must remain totally secret, and keep our name out of it. Clear?"
Jade suppresses a sigh of relief. "Ah, I was hoping it'd be just that. For a second you had me wondering just that, you know."
"Quite clear. I just need a little bit more info, which you might be able to provide? Where is this play opening, and where does Madam Tasteel live?"
The Aspis half-orc laughs and gives Jade the woman's address, a rich manor home in the Abalaster District, high up on the Seacleft. As for the play, it is opening at dusk at the Rose and Rake a famously political satrical opera house in the Ordeillai district, just past the lumberyards where Jade had been at previously.
Jade heads out and makes her way toward the Alabaster District. Once she's put some distance between herself and the House of Bronze she puts a finger in her pocket and pokes Blue. "Hey Blue. How are you feeling?"
The tiny fey pokes her head out, 'Is that big scary orc gone?" She ask quietly. "I don't like him." Oddly, Blue had enjoyed Jade's paperwork, well at least scattering papers, rolling them up and hiding them.
"He's gone," Jade confirms. As she continues to walk to the Alabaster District she pulls her cloak around her, then slips her sleeves of many garments off and on to change to appearance of the clothes beneath her cloak to something more classy. Something befitting the Alabaster District, which will let her blend in with the people there.
"I don't really know a lot about him, but Karz doesn't seem to be a bad one at first glance. I do wonder why those people were after him, though."
Blue, now free of fear, flits around Jade, like a rather over large insect, wings fluttering. She admires Jade's new look, although she adds, "Maybe more blue in the dress? It is the best color, after all."
Soon the pair arrive int he Alabaster District, full of fine homes, large trees and well-kept avenues. Private and public Watchmen are everywhere, keeping the streets safe and clear of the 'riff-raff' common farther below. The place even small nice, the remains of various spells cast on the richer homes.
Finally she finds Tasteel Manor, a elegant, well-kept but small estate. A low wall surrounds the garden filled ground, with a large wrought-iron gate. Stables and other out buildings are off to the side of the house, painted a tasteful green. A guard/doorman watches from the front porch, sitting in the shade.
Jade has a feeling someone else is watching her but she sees nothing for sure, in the tree filled streets, but the place is fairly busy.
"Good idea! I will add more blue to my next outfit."
Jade looks around with a wary gaze. "Blue, do you see someone watching us? I have a feeling we're being watched, but I can't pinpoint where it's coming from..."
While Blue hopefully takes a quick looksy at their surroundings, Jade takes a look at the manor. She's mainly looking for a way to get onto the manor grounds, trying to estimate how high the walls are and how hard they are to climb, but is also looking for the stable where Madam Tasteel's horses and likely also her carriage are being kept.
Blue flits around, peering. "I don't see anyone. Lots of people though and lots of hiding places. I will go look." Without warning the pixie flies off into the top of a nearby tree.
The wall would be easy for someone as fit as Jade to climb, but she might be spotted by the doorman or someone in the house.
She sees the stable, large and well-made. There are, of course, no guards, but a lady of Tastel wealth probably has a coachman who lives inside, to tend the horses and the carriage.
Jade decides to circle the manor's wall, to see if there's a spot where the chance to be spotted when climbed over is less present. The doorman won't be able to watch every part of the wall, but Jade doesn't want to be spotted by someone inside the manor or an adjacent building.
Jade takers her time, strolling around the wall, looking for climbing spots. After awhile she finds one, a large tree growing near the wall provides both cover and concealment. It will take some skill to climb it though.
Jade tries to climb over, but lacks just a bit of the required strength to do so.
She tries again, and this time succeeds in climbing over the wall.
After Jade fails the first time, she jumps to try again. As she does so she hears a voice from the street, 'Hey,who are you?"
Turning she sees a rather plump man running up. 'Why are you trying to climb that wall?" he says, voice rather high-pitched. She sees no official insgina or emblems.
Behind him Jade spots Blue walking up the small side street, inspecting leaves.
Crap!
"I... wondered if... I could...?"
Jade casts a nervous glance at her surroundings, immediately looking for ways to escape her situation.
Jade looks around. She could just scram, of course. Behind her the alley is wide and dappled with shade, and this plump man could never catch her. She supposed she could attack him, no one else was in sight. Lying would be best but her nerves had got to her....It was a bit late for hiding.
"I said, why were trying to climb that wall?" the man repeats, taking a few steps closer.
Jade decides she'll give talking one more try before she goes to plan b; running away.
"I know it's not allowed to climb on top of the wall, but I wished to take a closer look at the mansion. I really like the way it looks."
The man sniffs, 'Probably a thief, looking to steal some roses or worse." he declares hotly, 'Now run along or my man will do it for me!" He turns toward the street, calling, "Oh Garmen!" Then he spots Blue and stops. 'What...what is that?"
Blue pirouettes prettily but stays silent.
"I wasnt going to steal anything, but alright Ill leave."
Jade quickly walks over to Blue and whispers, "Quick, with me."
She then heads into the back alley.
The man tries to block Blue saying, 'What is this all about? What is that thing?" he says pointing at Blue. "I demand you tell me!" he says, his plump face getting red and following Jade.
At the street an armed guard pops around the corner, brought by the man's shouts. He looks slow but it hides a grace of movement. He strides up, hurrying a bit at spotting Jade.
The moment the plump man tries to block her path Jade tries to gracefully get past him. "You either want me to leave or you want me to stay. I can't do both."
"She's my friend. Nothing to worry about, sir."
jade easily glides around the plump man, who is still asking questions and demanding answers. His man comes up, much smoother and surer then his master. 'What is going on here, sir? Trouble?" he says, with a smooth Taldoran accent.
Jade bolts, figuring running's her best option now.
"Come on, Blue!"