"Let's go find John first and then go from there."
Aasimar-Desseer shrugs at Iris, "Hard to say what exactly. It really depends. Is there an adventuring guild? With patrols it seems less likely. But, who knows? What kind of underworld exists?"
To the Sly, "You are welcome to tag along if you'd like. But I will be lying up a storm. If you ruin a lie, I will be displeased."
"Familiar mode activated!" He zooms to Desseer's shoulder and rubs into his cheek.
It takes a few hours to get into Drother proper.
Desseer will enter Drother in his aasimar visage. He will take an intentional tour around town trying to stand out a little. Desseer hopes that he'll attract enough attention for John to find him.
As they approached the city Myriana mused, "I wonder if they will let in non-humans nya. You can easily pass for it Deseer-kun, and I Iris-chan is, or was, one nya..." She was thoughtful as she considered the issue then decided, "We should find out nya, it will be a good test of how they treat non-humans nya. At worse I'll runyaway and come back later after taking my human form nya."
"Actually," Desseer says matter-of-factly as they are walking toward Drother, "I can not. The magic is the effect of Disguise Self, which only disguises within one's type. My half-feind template makes my creature type as a native outsider. Therefore, I can only disguise as anything else that is an outsider..," Desseer trails off for a few moments. "Actually," he says curiously, "Suli are native outsiders and look very human. That will be useful to have in my back pocket."
"Anyway, you are probably right the less we have to disguise, the better. Also, learning which disguises are useful for what effect."
The crowds don't seem to take much notice of the aasimar.
At the gates to enter Drother proper they let the catfolk in and the woman with black wings. They take your papers and check them like most folks.
The catfolk gets the most notice but it's more adiration and curiosity rather than the bad stuff. Drother is a diverse town with about 30% human, 90% mostly human. Myrianna and Iris fit into the 10% of other.
John approaches the group attacks about the half hour mark of the tour.
Desseer waves back and approaches. "My good friend, how goes it? I'm sorry it took so long to find my way back." he asks boisterously. His whole body language belays a gregarious demeanor, but his eyes look serious.
Are there any dangers? Sorry I haven't been back sooner.
Myriana was quite pleased with how they were received by the people in the city. She had worried the place would have extreme bigotry towards non-humans, but it seemed, at least here, it either didn't happen or was more hidden. She didn't worry about revealing her appearance after that and flounced down the street behind Desseer with her arm linked in Iris' arm.
"Oh, look at him nya, isn't he handsome, " she said about a tall, strapping, human man in pricey clothing with a sword at his up, and adventurer of some kind, and then she pointed at a woman in rather skimpy robes with a staff, "Oh my nya, look at her Iris-chan, wouldn't she be fun to induct into our fun nya?"
She nods and agrees with Myrianna. Looking at the sights and enjoying the protection of her lover.
"Good to hear," Desseer days with clear relief. He gestures at Myriana and Iris, "I'm sure you remember these lovely ladies. I don't suppose that you have a place in the city? I'd love to catch up." He pauses for a moment, raising an index finger, "Wait. If I remember right, I left when we were introduced to a new friend. How is that friend doing?"
|
He happily elaborates, "Oh that friend has been very helpful. He got us the warehouse like you wanted and a few other properties for a cheap price. They are rundown and old buildings but I am sure you have the resources to make them into what you want. We can also tear them down if you want. Shall I take you to the warehouse, the town house, or the estate?"
"Estate? Wow," Desseer pauses in disbelief. He shakes his head a little to focus, "Umm..let's start with the warehouse. As we go, can you explain how?"
Myriana's ears twitched as she heard Deseer and John speaking about the progress John and his contact had made while they were gone. The whole time she kept watching the crowds with interest and commented on this or that person that caught her eye, encouraging Iris to do the same. Myriana, despite not having vampiric hungers that required a large number of devotees and lovers, still desired more.
Myriana would always care for Iris the most, the witch was like her soulmate having accepted her despite being a vampire at first, and even more was able to bring her back from unlife! Variety was the spice of life, and Myriana wanted more of it! Myriana looked at Iris as they followed along with Deseer and John when they began to head towards their destination and said, "Iris-chan nya? Do you see any you would like to have join a harem for us nya?"
|
|
He leads the group and asks, "Explain how... what? Our mutual friend was able to condemn the house and estate, no living relatives for at least a year or something like that, I didn't see the contract or legal work. Paperwork may have been fudged, I don't know."
Desseer being more aware of his surroundings than most, would notice that there are people or children that stop and watch the four of you. Some point, some whisper to their neighbor, some quickly shut their door or window. Then there are the thieves, cutpurses, and urchins. They all stay away from your group with a note of fear. They watch your group from afar.
Black-Winged Iris strode gracefully down the cobblestone street, her dark feathers ruffling slightly in the breeze.
The air between them hummed with unspoken understanding. Iris folded her midnight wings a little tighter against her back.
She is startled by Myrianna's words and she repeats them, "...harem?... us?..." Her wings pull in and form a cloak around her showing her insecurity.
Desseer rubs his chin a couple times thoughtfully, "I probably need to chat with the said friend for specifics, but this is a delightful surprise. Hey...John..," he adds, talking a bit quieter. "Why are people reacting to us that way? And why are the criminal types afraid of us?"
Seemingly out of nowhere, Desseer turns a bit farther, "Myriana, you might want to assure Iris that your not looking to replace her."
He casually states, explaining the situation, "Well two winged ladies, a catfolk, and an assimar... You are part of a small group of special races. Now the criminal element, they either had a run in with me or understand I am in charge. I am one of the main agents running them for the guild. Which you should take over. My brute strength only gets me so far."
Myriana noticed how Iris shifted, how her wings pulled in, and realized something was off. Because of that she didn't notice any of the gawkers and their reactions to their odd group. Her tail twitched, her ears poited at Iris, and it was then that Deseer said what he did about Iris' likely fear of being replaced.
Myriana's eyes widened in surprise and she glomphed onto Iris and said, "Nooo Iris-chan, nya, you are always first! I meant that we, together, should do that nya, not me alone nya: She rubbed her cheek against Iris' face and purred as she continued, her voice much softer, "Nyao one can replace you Iris-chan," there was a great deal of vulnerability in Myriana's voice as she continued to speak softly, "You gave me life again nya, and I will nyaver let you go nya."
It's just easier to not respond. Overly sensitized she ends up with a smile and hugs her back.
"Ha. Connections with the underworld already. Jeeze John, this is far beyond any of my hopes. Yeah, I can take over. When you say one of the main agents, what do you mean?" Desseer asks. His expression seems somehow both present and distant, which also seems to match his words. His sentences don't exactly follow a clear line, like he's vocalizing half or fewer of what he's thinking.
He takes a moment when Myriana can see to give her a smile and nod before focusing back on his conversation with John.
With Iris feeling more secure Myriana decided to let the talk of building a harem with her slide for now. They could come back to it later on after she sounded Iris out on it more...considerately. She noticed Desseer's smiled and nod and grinned back at him impishly.
|
|
"I just work with what I have been given. There are the bosses three of them. Then there is the guild which has its mini bosses. Then there are agents of the guild I am one of seven said agents. We are given a district to facilitate. I got the one with the warehouse in it. Mostly warehouses, docks, and such. I kinda walked into it, killed the agent of the district and was approached by a guild associate."
She pulls Myrianna away for a few moments ducking into an alley way. She pins Myrianna to the wall and kisses her...
"Got it. You killed the guy, you qualify to become the guy. Three bosses, how many mini bosses? What's the difference between a mini and an agent? Are the lackeys at the bottom assigned to a district? Overseeing the warehouse district is ideal. Are the townhouse and estate in the same district? Do we know the identity of any bosses or minis? Damn John, this is great!"
Desseer's mind is clearly alight. After asking a question he doesn't wait for an answer but just moves on to his next thought.
|
|
"Yes. Yes three main crime lords which are the three bosses. You should likely take over one of them. The mini bosses are just high ranking individuals in the Guild, such as the Guild master, vice-guild master, and their top assassins. The Agents report to the Guild. Yes Agents are assigned a district. My 'lackeys' are not reliable except to gather information. The estate is in the noble quarter. The townhouse is in the common quarter. I have been able to talk my way through the guild. I have met most of them, just working folks with a thirst for power and wealth. A fine group to mold. We need to focus on the crime lords. I have names for them all but its all at the warehouse. I could tell you pieces but lets get to the warehouse."
Once he gets to the warehouse he nods to two thugs who open the door, letting them all into the warehouse. There are lots of crates, some furniture, a functioning kitchen, table and lots of chairs. Off to the side you see a wooden wall with daggers and such throwing weapons pinning papers to it.
He walks up to one of them and offers, "Yes here Stag Rellington. A noble by birth, he inherited his seat from his father. A real man's man, he likes to hunt and watch the fights. He has multiple lovers and runs the noble quarter's shadier parts. He also is in charge of all the brothels."
"Over here is Lady Vale of Bloodwatch. She is a scary one. She runs the apothecaries and alchemist drug and poison. There is more information here on her... "
"Last but most for surabely least, Duke Middlewell. A large man who runs the black-market and most other illicit activities including gambling."
Myriana was a little surprised when Iris pulled her into the nearby alley and pinned her against the wall. This was rather unlike Iris, at least from Myriana's experience with her so far, but the fae catgirl was not going to argue. Myriana didn't resist as she was pinned , her arms trapped behind her, and her lips parted to allow Iris to invade her mouth, if she had the courage.
After a passionate kiss with a bit of tongue. She pulls back smiling and panting, in a sultry whisper, she says, "Thanks, I needed that." Her hands trail down Myriana's body teasingly.
|
|
He relays what he knows about Lady Vale:
She is a minor noble, a widower of nearly a year. Rumor has it, offed her husband. She is a practical, intelligent, precise, meticulous, and greedy individual. She has had suitors none of them have been long term ones, some have disappeared.
Bloodwatch is the name of her manor house. Her late husband had a dungeon built beneath manor. Lady Vale is rumored to experiment on blood with alchemy.
Points of weakness: Greed, Hubris, Boy crazy.
Desseer leans in close to the papers one at a time and then sits at the table and steeples his fingers. He rests his head on the thumbs of his steepled fingers and remains silently staring off for a few minutes. As he sits staring, he mouth switches between a smile and a flat expression occasionally.
"Alright," he says finally. "I have some ideas already, but there is no need to finalize a plan before knowing all the information available at this time. That said," Desseer looks over to Myriana. "How would you feel about a plan of ingratiating yourself to Stag?" he pauses after saying the name with an amused smile on his face. "Stag? Really? Stag? The man's man? Is it just me or is that overly stereotypical?"
"Either way, thoughts?"
She blurts out to the group holding onto Myrianna, "I sense a lot of intrigue in our near future and I feel inadequate again."
Myriana was a bit stunned from the sudden snogging but she certainly wasn't complaining. If she had any complaint it was that it stopped but they were in public so it was probably for the best. Needless to say Myriana was a bit dazed when Iris led her out of the ally so when Desseer asked her about focusing on Stag she hesitated a moment as she clung to Iris and finally asked, "Nya?"
Desseer shakes his head, "No, no. As I said, no definite plans yet. I was merely inquiring to Myriana's comfort with the idea, so as to account for her preferences with my planning. That is all. Do not worry John, if I need you to do something, I'll let you know...Actually," he starts with a devious smile, "how much do those in the guild know about the warehouse, townhouse, and estate respectively?"
Myriana's ears twitched as she tried to figure out what Desseer was even talking about. "Comfortable with what nya?" The only way her confusion would be more evident was if a few question marks started floating over her head.
"My apologies Myriana," Desseer says sincerely with a minor head bow. "I'll give the context." He points to the board with the information on the three members of the crime lord council, "One of those three is a man named Stag Rellington. He oversees the brothels as well as has a penchant for having multiple lovers. I was wondering if you would be opposed to sweetening up to him or if you'd rather not." He seems to be speaking softly so that his voice doesn't carry far in the warehouse.
With the explanation of what he was asking of her Myriana's eyes lit up in understanding, "Oh, that's all you want nya? Sure, I can do that nya. It's basically how I lived before, well, being here nya." She looked to Iris nervously and then added, "Is that alright with you Iris-chan nya?"
"Again," Desseer interjects before Iris responds, "this is looking at options, not committing to a specific plan."
The confidence shot out of her as she is confused, "I don't know what you mean but I trust Myrianna and you. Even John."
"Yeah, see if you can get an idea of what they know. Anywho," he says standing, "lets head to the other spots."
"Townhouse."
Desseer looks around the outside of the townhouse to see how close other residences are before entering the townhouse.
Myriana smiled happily at Iris' expression of trust in her and pressed in close to the witch again as they walked, a rumbling purr going through her body and easily felt by Iris as Myriana rubbed her cheek against Iris' shoulder like a big cat.
Eventually they reached the townhouse, and Myriana took the place in as she looked at it curiously. "What will we do with this nya?"
The town house has space for a lawn or garden around it, then it has a wall. So the next house is about 40 feet away or more. It is a two story house with two bedrooms. There is a small attic with a small porch. Also there is a basement.