The Blood Knives (Inactive)

Game Master Monkeygod

is it a long distance romance taken to new heights?

Madam, you wound me! I'll have you know that not all of the Darkstalker's weapons are finessable. Some of them are at least two-handed!

For Tabby:

Walking up to the balcony, keeping Tabby's hand in his, the shrouded man looks over the black city. "I've always felt more at home under the cover of darkness. This might be pushing it a bit though. Still, I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Do you have a residence set up for me already, or do I have to go apartment hunting. Is there a Shadow Planes realtor I can speak with? Because I want a place with a view, damnit. I want to be able to open my window and see the breathtaking black abyss clearly. No dark shadow skyscrapers getting in the way, see?"

And by that, he means large, unwieldy, indelicate, and not particularly appealing visually.

GM, I think it's your ball at this point. It would appear that there's not really a whole lot for us to do; we're just "being patient" now.

Indeed, patient!

You all head back inside and are taken down a long corridor which holds your rooms. Each room is decently furnished, but nothing that would be considered overly comfortable. Each room has a sizable window, a bed, desk, small chest and a closet.

After showing you your rooms, you all continue down the hallway, and enter in a large room, which is clearly an audience hall of some sort. There seems to be about thirty people in there, standing almost at attention and obviously waiting for something. You are lead down the center aisle and the three leaders ascend to an equal number of ornate chairs, each sitting just as they had when you first got here. The man in center introduces himself and the others "I am Yasushi, leader of the Blood Knives, and assassin extraordinaire. To my left is Cassandra, mistress of the shadows, and a cunning master thief. The third of our group is Veldrin, mighty necromancer and owner of the Shadowed Dragon."

He looks then to each of you in turn, almost sizing you up. "To be accepted as a Blood Knife, one must swear to uphold our Laws, above and beyond all else. Failure to do so once and you will be beaten by those who stand with you. Break our rules a second time, and they will be ordered to hunt you down and slay you. Do you accept these terms?"

Normally she wouldn't have a problem with guidelines in a new organization, but these were not guidlines. these were laws, and Natalia was uncomfortable with something so constraining. She of course, kept her face placid and uncaring.

The five laws almost made the blood knives less like an organized mob that she knew, and more like an honarble guild of theives and assassins. She wouls play this game until she had assertained the power that she need.

Natalia nods her head to the three, "I accept. I will not lie, a few of the laws are in opposition to myself. But your organization is powerful and I respect it's wishes and laws as if they were my own."

The Darkstalker bows. "But of course, Master Yasushi. I have no intention of breaking your laws. My sole interest lies in the destruction of the despicable hierarchy in Westcrown, and removing the Council of Thieves would accomplish just that. So I'm quite willing to aid and abet you and accept your aid in return, even for a lifetime after that task is complete."

Castieen keeps his cool and nods solemnly" I shall uphold your tenants. I'm sure our relationship will be mutually beneficial friends."

I like these guys. There seems to be alot of room for bending in these laws of theirs. I guess I should be thinking of them as OURS, now! I wonder how long it will be until they have me tracking down and beating lawbreakers within the organization?

Ragar steps forward,

I accept and will abide by these laws.

Rupert looks down at his hand again, and the half-grin returns to his face as he looks back up at the three. "The blood has been spilled. I am sworn to you and your Laws." It appears there's some honor among thieves after all...

Tabby mulls over the laws presented to her I am not after supreme power, nor leadership of some supurb guild of assassins. I only want a few small things and this lot seems to provide me what I need

I accept your laws and hope to live up to expectations you have of me.

Once you've all accepted, Yasushi says "Place your Knives on the diagram on the floor in front of you."

When you do so, Veldrin enacts a small mystic ritual, speaking in a language none of you recognize. Each dagger begins to glow individually then with one glow as their auras merge together. The lich then levitates each of them back to you. He speaks to you once again in that dead, hollow voice "You are now bound together in blood. When one of you fails, you weaken the whole. However, when any of you succeed, you will all grow more powerful."

Natalia watches the ritual intrigued...Not sure I like the idea of being bounded to these individuals, looks like I will need to help them to succeed in order to get the power I need!

The Darkstalker nods. "Alright then. I don't mind being bound to these guys. I'll just sit back and let Ragar handle all the dirty work while I make off with the loot we need."

The Darkstalker takes his knife and pockets it, thinking aloud to it "Do you have a name?"

Hmmmm...never really been bound to others...could be good, could be bad.

Tabby tucks the dagger away no need to advertise my sffiliations she thinks to herself.

So... is there some sort of training or preliminary assignemnts we will need to accomplish? I am kind of anxious to expolre this Shadow Absolom a bit to see the different ways in and out.

Natalia looks to Tabby and also tucks away her dagger. "I can certainly agree with my new associate that we are all anxious to get started"

Rupert glances at each of his new comrades in turn. I knew the blood meant more than they made it out to. No matter; for the price of a few drops, we've each gained powerful allies. And I'm beginning to suspect that each of us has a personal interest in seeing particular organizations removed from power...

Taking the blade again, he tosses it up and down, flipping it, testing the balance, the sharpness, etc. Once satisfied, he stows it and awaits further instructions.

Ragar picks up his dagger, smiles at the others and pockets the same.

Well, what an interesting and multi-talented group of friends we will turn out to be.

Once the ritual is complete, Veldrin and Cassandra depart, as do all of the other Knives who were clearly witnesses and nothing more. You are alone with Yasushi who reveals your first mission "I am aware you are all eager to work together but that will need to wait. I am splitting you up for your first mission. Ragar, Lady Natalia and Darkstalker have a bit of a diplomatic meeting to attend to. There's a small assassins guild in Nidal that is interested in expanding into Absalom. Convince them that's a bad idea. Or get them to join us, either is good."

"Kyrani, Rupert and Castieen, you're going to investigate some ugly rumors about an oprhanage. Handle it as you see fit, if they prove to be true."

Natalia chuckles and looks to Ragar with a raised eyebrow and then slaps him playfully on the stomach. "You don't look much like the diplomatic type, guess you can let me and Darkie do the talking. You can slap them around if they don't listen" She smiles with a grin at that last comment

Castieen pockets the dagger within the folds of his outfit and gives Kyrani and Rupert a nod"Seems like we'll have to put our ears to the ground for this first bit of work. What's the name of this Orphanage?"

The Darkstalker raises an eyebrow in confusion and looks at Tabby. "Oh! I guess that 'Kyrani' is you, huh? Well, then that earlier comment makes a lot more sense. Oh well. Personally, I think Tabby suits you better."

He turns to Natalia with a deadly glare. "I do not have a name. If you must refer to me, my title is 'The Darkstalker', it is not 'Darkie'. And as for diplomacy, well, that's really not my department. But I'll pitch in and see what I can do to help."

Ragar smiles at Natalia, then addresses both her and Darkstalker.

Relax half-man...I mean Darkstalker, no offense. We DO need to, and are required to work together on this mission. If I have to keep reminding you of that, this could get very dull. As the Lady so eloquently pointed out, I am not so much of Diplomat either, but intimidation and stealth would certainly prove necessary, if honeyed words do not.

Natalia laughs, "Then you should both let me do the talking, and if things don't turn our way... well I'm sure we can get them to see our point..."

By all means, please do. How should we approach the guild then?

He turns to Yasushi,

So, when do we leave for Nidal?

I've dealt with orphanages in the past of course nothing like this

Tabby looks to her new companions Once we identify the orphanage I am guessing some recon would be in order try and see what is going on

Once we are properly briefed on the mission Tabby will gather those assigned to formulate a plan.

The Darkstalker raises an eyebrow in confusion and looks at Tabby. "Oh! I guess that 'Kyrani' is you, huh? Well, then that earlier comment makes a lot more sense. Oh well. Personally, I think Tabby suits you better."

Tabby is a short version of her last name "Tabadore"

Yasushi smiles at Ragar's bluntness "Right now, if you so desire. As the country with the strongest ties to the Plane of Shadow in the Inner Sea, it is but a simple matter to transport you all from here to there"

"Right then. You heard the boss. Let's get going, lady and gent." The Darkstalker turns his hood towards Tabby. "Stay alive, Tabby. I'd like to talk to you some more, after I get back." He waves to the rest of the group and walks up next to Ragar, looking rather silly as a small stout child standing next to a tall, thick brute.

Natalia goes and stands between Darkstalker and Ragar, "Alright boys, time for some fun. Let's go." Natalia waits to be transported away.

Ragar nods,

Indeed...

Rupert nods and waits silently as the first group receives their briefing.

Not really a whole lot to do or say yet; I'll just wait until the others get through, if that's alright.

Yasushi reaches into an inner pocket and pulls out a dark globe about the size of a plum, which he throws at the feet of the diplomats. The globe explodes upon impact, egulfing the three of you in inky blackness. It soon dissipates and you find yourselves in a small cave in what must be Nidal.

Will there be separate threads, or will each adventure be run simultaneously within the same thread?

As the smoke clears and the Darkstalker realizes that he has been teleported away, he arches an eyebrow. "Five gold says that he could have done that with a wave of his hand, and he just made the globe for dramatic effect. Ah well, if I was all-powerful, I'd like to show it off a lot too. Well, then, shall we get started?"

Well, that was a bit abrupt! How in the hell are we supposed to get back?

If there is a clear exit, Ragar draws his double-bladed axe and peers outside.

Natalia looks to Ragar, "I'm sure our illustrious guildmasters know a way of getting us back. Come along, lets find the assassin's guild"

good luck guys Tbby bids her farewells as they disappear.

Now about this Orphanage.. What sort of happenings are we looking at. also where might we find this place

Tabby looks to her guildmasters waiting for the iformation she needs to begin her mission.

As soon as they've gone, Rupert's stoic expression breaks up into barely-contained sniggering, before devolving into crippling belly laughs. Gasping for air, he says, "'I have no name,' he says! 'Address me by my title,' he says!" Another bout of laughs, and then a deep breath. In a voice as low as he can, he says, "I am 'The Darkstalker'!" Gasping for breaths, he begins to calm down. Finally settling, he wipes a tear from the his eye and looks around at the assembled company. Clearing his throat sheepishly, he mumbles out, "I apologize. Back to the matter at hand."

Tabby watches Rupert in his mocking of the darkstalker and can't help but smile trying so hard not to laugh herself.

Yasushi replies to Kyrani "Supposedly the orphanage trains and sells children for slave labor. While that isn't too terrible, word presists that the methods they use abhorrent, including drugs and enchantment magicks. Normally this isn't something we concern ourselves with, but its being run by a member of one of local councils in Absalom who also is using it a front for other activities. Take the portal back to the Shadowed Dragon and see what you can find out."

Rupert's eyes narrow and his brow furrows. "Is this an intelligence-gathering mission, or something of an altogether...different nature?"

"As of right now, intelligence-gathering. We have ways to communicate with you, should you find the rumors and speculation to be true. At which point, further instruction shall be given."

"a-gatherin' we go then."Castieen remarks gleefully, spinning on his heel and heading away from the balcony." Rupert? Tabby, was it?" The slim elf craned his head slightly over his shoulder as he questioned after his partners. "Yasushi, is there a dark orb in your other pocket for us or is there a door in here somewhere to get back to the dragon?" He turns his inquiry towards their leader as he glanced about the shadowy landscape, a spindly long-nailed finger tapping at the point of his chin.

First we will need to determine who has the information and where they frequent. what thier personalities are, what do they like and <pause for dramatic effect. what do they fear.

looking to the team I would suggest we not appear to be together this way we can persue differnt avenues of intel gathering. where one may fail another may succeed and the mark will never know how the information was betrayed

I can go in first and try to get the lay of the place each of you follow in turn each entering at different times. we can each identify a potential mark and re-convine when time permits to "compare notes"

"When you all are ready, there is a portal from one of the other rooms here that will take back to the Shadowed Dragon."

Well, let's head for the capital, then.

Rupert nods absentmindedly, already working the angles in his head. At the mention of a portal back, his attention returns. "Let's get going then. The sooner, the better."

Could you all do me a favor from now on? Please post which group you belong to at the start of each post. Spoilers not required, just Team Nidal or Team Absalom. This will pevent any confusion on my part, hopefully. Thanks!

Team Nidal

Lady Natalia nods to Ragar, "Agree, let us see what we can find"