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 Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:27 am
A MISSION ROLEPLAY IN WHICH
X Purple--Platypus X's Caedos Claudia and Saint-Cinq's Artemis Kalends
join forces to peddle fake putescos to a populace not quite as unsuspecting as they thought.
__________________________________
$ setting :: Imisus: Edgecrest : Market District backalley
$ time :: morning
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:46 am
Artemis Kalends was not a man to feel regret. He was, however, beginning to doubt whether his decision to side with the House had been the right one. His head jerked at the slight sound of a rat rummaging through the garbage in the alley, muscles in his back and neck tensing up. Kalends sighed to himself. This was getting ridiculous.
He had agreed to the House of Obscuvos' offer to join their ranks as a protective measure. Kalends believed less in gods and more in covering his own back. Ever since he'd gotten back from that damned meeting in Helios that had deposited him way out across the Imisese countryside, Edgecrest had hardly been a calm place for him. There wasn't a night when he went out to thieve when he wasn't constantly aware of watchers, and he'd gotten into more scuffles than he'd care to count. Thus far he'd come out alright, but the Thieves' Guild had more than made it clear that it wouldn't give up on him so easily. And Edgecrest's Guild had a way of getting the thieves it wanted or getting rid of those it didn't want other guilds to acquire...
Kalends had been caught, verging on desperate. The letter had come as a bolt out of the blue, though the House had been on his mind since running in with one of its members in Prybridge. He was running out of options, pure and simple.
And Artemis Kalends never intended to let himself get caught, not by anyone.
So, he waited in the alley, their agreed-upon waiting spot, for the Plague that he would be working with as they attempted to sell fake items. Kalends leaned against the wall, going over their plan. He'd been told that the House had fakes of the highest quality-- perhaps they would acquire them and then meet the potential buyers that Harkeet had set up for them? The thief cracked a small smile. Harkeet Maldeve, Kalends' marketplace contact, had been more than a little worried when Kalends had tacitly requested his assistance, but the man was easily swayed by the promise of riches. As far as his loyalty was concerned, Kalends wasn't too worried: Harkeet was already well-aware of the danger of making an enemy of his business partner.
A drop of water flicked down from a nearby building, and Kalends' eyes flashed over to it. Nothing, again. He was getting too jumpy. "Just hurry up." He muttered to himself.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 12:36 pm
The cultist's black boots splashed noisily through puddles of what could have been rain water, however judging by the squelching sound and the stagnant aroma of urine, sick and general distasteful scents, Claudia highly doubted that it was just rainwater alone that was splattering up the sides of her courier's shoes.
Luckily she was perched far away from the offending liquids, on the man's shoulder. The man had picked her up from a church not far away after a House mage had been so kind as to save her weeks of hitch-hiking with a teleportation spell to get her from Blackmere to Edgecrest. She had no idea what her current carrier's name was, he had volunteered himself on her arrival, and she doubted that he really knew who she was either. Not that it bothered her - all he knew was that she was from The House's headquarters on important business. That alone warranted her all the respect she desired. He hadn't even complained when she had ordered him to take her on a detour to show her the best portions of Edgecrest - a task that would have almost certainly prompted some form of whine from her whimpering, needy Grimm. However, after seeing the 'highlights' that city had to offer she was beginning to wish that she had not bothered... It was a dingy place. The sky was overcast and there was a threat of rain that mimicked the populace's dismal mood as they trundled about. The little sightseeing diversion had been a complete and utter waste of her time and now she just wanted to meet this 'Kalends' character and get on with helping him.
Initially when she had been asked to help some obscure man in a far away city palm off dodgy goods she had scoffed at the idea. She was meant for greater things than aiding idiots scam even more idiots! It was almost insulting to be reduced to nothing more than a side kick to a scam artist. Yet before she had openly rebuked the request the gears in her brain had started turning... Only a few days previously she had been asked to prove her leadership qualities to The House. Becoming a leader meant spreading her influence and gaining supporters in all areas, even in social circles she did not necessarily move in herself. Although it was demeaning work, getting down and dirty could add to her image as a good potential leader. Thus she had agreed to the task, even forcing a smile as she had signed herself up for it...
Now as she was carried down the filthy alleyway she felt a strong sense of resentment towards her task.. She squinted at the figure up ahead. Was that him? This was the agreed meeting spot...
"Hello? Kalends?" She called out to him, standing up and using the man's ear to support herself. The cultist carrying her remained silent.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:19 pm
Watching warily as the man in the black boots came closer, Kalends was curious. The man didn't look like the kind of person to patronize this section of Edgecrest-- most people here were of a seedier sort-- and while the thief wasn't totally relaxed, he wasn't completely off his guard.
When a small figure on the man's shoulder called his name, Kalends looked over at her. She was definitely a lot shorter than he'd suspected a Plague would be, despite only having seen them once at the event in Helios. And it appeared that she came from some variety of flower. Kalends tried hard to roll his eyes. Were they serious? Was he really going to try and sell fake Plagues with a little flower? He, the infamous thief, the big scary burglar of Edgecrest, was going to try and convince people that his Plague was-- not a blade or lockpicks, or something more suitable for a thief, but-- a very nice-looking piece of greenery?
His expectations for this endeavor were already starting to fade. But he couldn't back out now.
Already disenchanted, he nodded, trying to shake the weird feeling that came from speaking effectively to a man's ear. "I am. I presume you are my contact?" His voice was cool, even. Kalends took enough care in preserving his facade of calm that it would be difficult to tell that this was a man pursued by a ruthless guild. Reputation, after all, was everything.
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 4:35 pm
Claudia liked to think of herself as a good judge of character... After all, in order to manipulate people effectively one had to be able to know how they worked as a person - it was all about pushing the right buttons and pulling the right levers in order to get the right effect. Thus the second that she spied the man waiting for her in the alleyway her little green eyes were straining to read him. Surprisingly he was better than she had expected. When told that she was meant to be helping someone peddle faked plagued items she had instantly envisaged some grimy old man, keen to win the favour of The House and earn a few gold pieces whilst he was act it. Finding a young, clean and presentable individual was a pleasant surprise. As was his professional front - he seemed at ease and didn't bat an eyelid at her, replying in a cool collected manner. In fact she quite liked his terminology; his 'contact'... It made what they were doing seem less seedy. More businesslike. Vastly more suitable for a lady of her calibre.
"Yes," she straightened out her petals slightly, a wide cool smile crossing her face. "My name is Claudia. We'll be working together today..." She needed to appear equally at ease with the situation. Assured and professional.
Feeling a flush of confidence that diminished the resentment that had been gnawing at her, Claudia tapped her escort on the neck. "This will do. Pass me over to Kalends now-" The man oblidged with a nod, lifting a hand to his shoulder. Stepping onto his palm with ladylike grace Claudia rested a hand gently upon her hip. It was difficult to look poised and elegant whilst being handed around but she had learnt to master the art. However, feeling that she was settled in his palm the oaf began to curl his fingers around her - seemingly aiming to grip her in a fist - in a most insensitive and inappropriate fashion; as though she were nothing more than an inanimate doll. "Gently now!" Claudia quipped, slapping the approaching fingers away.
Slightly ruffled she waited patiently for Kalends to take her from the man. Hopefully he would treat her in the correct manner. It was infuriating that so many could easily make the mistake of forgetting she was a respectable being that needed careful handling. She was precious! Any good Obscuvian should treat all plagues with the greatest of respect and such thoughtless behaviour resulted in her displeasure and contempt. She truly was like the rose she had come from - delicate and beautiful, needing a delicate touch otherwise becoming thorny and malicious, eager to draw blood..
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Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:03 pm
Inclining his head in a slight bow, Kalends accepted the acquaintance. He was still wary, since this was his first time working with a Plague in person (in disease? Kalends wasn't even sure how to refer to the delicate flower Plague yet.), but, having started out on the bottom rung of a thieves' organization before, he knew that observation and the ability to quickly and efficiently carry out the menial tasks he was assigned at first were his best shots at moving up. He was hoping that an association with the House (in addition to its obvious protection) would throw him in the way of greater opportunities to make his name as a rising thief, and so he wanted to make a good impression.
Kalends watched the interchange between Claudia and her carrier with a detached interest. The proud thief would not be a doormat for anyone, but he understood from the Plague's remarks to the man who carried her that she expected a certain respect, despite her small size. It seemed fairly standard to Kalends, actually not unlike the way that he had been expected to show respect to his superiors in the Guild. There was an order to be upheld, and he was alright with that. As long as he got to do what he wanted, he was fine playing by their rules of rank and title.
He held his gloved hand out carefully, his thief's training keeping it as steady as possible for the Plague to climb on. He was careful not to make the same mistake as the man had before him: while Kalends' fingers were not rigidly flat, they were comfortably open, nowhere curved enough to suggest that he meant to grab Claudia.
Still...Kalends was not exactly sure where to go from here. He didn't know what to do with a Plague, so rather than look like an idiot or risk offending anyone, he asked. "Is there a place you'd prefer to stand?" His cloak draped over his shoulders and the hood had many folds around his neck, but his satchel was fairly flat as well. He didn't exactly relish the thought of a new acquaintance getting so close to his most prized belonging, but he understood that in forming an allegiance, some sacrifices had to be made.
Kalends glanced at the man who had brought Claudia to the alleyway, and then at the Flower Plague. There seemed to be a startling difference. "You must have traveled far. Is this man your Grimm?" He asked, unfamiliar with the proper terms, having picked up snatches at the meeting in Helios, but nowhere near well-versed in how everything between Plagues and their keepers worked. Kalends was aware that most everything at a first meeting between two sides was often some form of test. He'd also seen how unwilling Grimms were to part from their Plagues, too. If this man were connected to Claudia in such a way, then Kalends reasoned that he might be being tested to see how he treated him. It would be a capital error to offend anyone this early.
It was all a very careful dance, showing respect to those who required it but no one else.
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 3:05 am
So far the rogue was climbing steadily upward in Claudia's opinion. The fact that she was actually offered a choice where to stand was most pleasing. Usually strangers to plagues simply dumped her on their shoulder or expect her to crane out of a pocket without consulting her - only really Felicity, who was well versed in the flower's high expectations, really made sure that she was so fully appeased. Needless to say Kalend's attention t detail here bode well for their time together.
"For now your hand will do - we will need to be able to talk." His hand was incredibly steady, she felt more than secure, and it meant that she could easily address him face to face. It was hard to be taken seriously when you were only just over half a foot tall... Making sure that he could see that she meant business would be vital - she couldn't just be a voice that chirped easily ignorable suggestions in his ear. The House wanted to see her potential as a leader. She had mastery over her household of stunted back in Blackmere; Felicity was well and truly wrapped around her little finger; getting some level of leadership over a stranger was the next step and she was wholly confident that she could do it, she just had to be level headed and tactical.
The man who had brought her was standing rather awkwardly now, unsure whether he could leave or not. When Kalends asked a question about him that level of awkwardness was increased - Kalends hadn't addressed him, but had instead asked the plague... He was completely shut out of the conversation yet it seemed they were about to start talking about him right in front of him.
"Him?" A tone of disdain slipped into her voice. "Oh no! He's just an escort..." She looked at the man who was shuffling foot to foot, clearly very uncomfortable. "You may go now - you performed your role adequately," she waved her black fingers at him, shooing him away quite rudely. "My Grimm is still in Blackmere, I made the journey on my own. Her name is Felicity Wickes... Have you heard of her? The Holy Wife herself found us. She believes Obscuvos has a special purpose for us." It was a long shot hoping that Kalends would recognise Felicity's name. If they had been in Sherygoed there might have been a chance that he would have heard her name passed around Obscuvian lips... But in the rest of Panymium there wasn't much interest in the woman who may or may not have had a few prophetic visions. However, even if Kalends had never heard of The Holy Wife, it all sounded impressive and allowed Claudia to fluff her petals proudly.
"I take it you are not a Grimm yourself, otherwise you would not require my presence to increase your credibility..?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 5:55 am
He continued to hold Claudia, keeping his hand an appropriate distance for conversation. It was very strange talking to something in his palm, and Kalends had to remind himself that while his first instinct might be to not take her very seriously, that she would ultimately be the final judge of his adequacy. If he wanted the House's protection, having the Thieves' Guild off his back, he would need to remember that her opinion was as important in this business as his, perhaps even more so. If that meant a little cooperation to achieve a greater goal, then Kalends would be a fool not to.
The thief did raise a curious eyebrow at the man, who seemed very uncomfortable being around now that his duty was over. Kalends afforded him no greeting or politeness; now that he had been assured that the man was not as important as the Plague that he had carried with him, Kalends was unconcerned. The time to be respectful was waning and now it was falling to the thief to show that he too was someone worthy of his reputation. Kalends was fairly good at this part: it was really just watching his steps to make sure that his occasional cockiness didn't offend those he was trying to impress. It was all a game of give and take.
As he listened, Kalends couldn't say that he recognized any of those names. "I have not heard of her, but as it's rare that I leave this city news sometimes passes me by. Nonetheless," he added, detecting a note of the grand sound that Claudia's connections had to them, "I am flattered to be visited by a Plague of such stature."
He hoped that was right. Kalends was fairly bad at being politeness without being condescending sometimes, and he was making an effort. Still, her mention of the Holy Wife had unnerved him. Kalends wasn't even sure of the structure of the House, but just those two words reminded him that the group that he was attempting to get into was ultimately religious. He knew that he would have to tread lightly, as his profession and self tended not to be acceptable to most of the devout. However, the fact that Claudia seemed not to mind that he was a thief did do something to make him feel less uncomfortable. Perhaps if this continued he would be glad of joining the Obscuvians after all...
Kalends smiled, at Claudia's question, a glimpse of something feral surfacing in his eyes not unlike the anticipation before telling a joke. This was his chance. "Not that I am aware of." He said, more honestly than he knew. "I was taken to a meeting of Grimms a few weeks ago, though it's my belief that the organizers mistook a tainted item that I had stolen as an actual Plague."
He said this nonchalantly, both because it would sound more like he got mistaken for a Grimm regularly and was used to it and also because he wasn't sure how much being at that meeting really counted. If it was not all that important, then Kalends would hardly have staked all his hopes on its significance. He also had his skills as a thief to rely on as well.
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 1:07 pm
A girlish giggle escaped Claudia as Kalends complemented her. Somehow it managed to sound rather odd in the drab alleyway air, too high pitched, a little sinister even. "It is I who am flattered," she replied, moving her hands to her face to cover an invisible blush. She truly was flattered by the man's words... He seemed to be projecting all of her inwards desires onto her: treating her with the highest level of respect, lavishing attention on her that was suitable to someone of her position. It made a nice change to the way ignorant people usually skimmed over her due to her small stature. This was how she expected everyone to act when she finally shed her minute form and became an infitalis. The thought filled her with sickly sweet anticipation.
She did not bask in the light of his complements for too long however, they had work to do. However his statement about being a Grimm had caught her interest, preventing her from being able to begin discussing business for a moment or two longer.
"A meeting of Grimms you say? Tell me more..." A few weeks ago Felicity and she had been called to a meeting by the emperor and his cronies. Grimms and plagues alike had attended and there had been many putescos and their Grimms there too. If it was that fiasco that Kalends was referencing then it was highly possibly that he was a Grimm and he simply did not realise that by being possession of a tainted item it could cling to him and make him its Grimm. "Do you have the item in question on you now?" Usually the intoxicating aroma of the plague stuck out like a sore thumb... But what with the overwhelming distasteful scents that clogged up the air here she couldn't catch a whiff of anything that wasn't a form of human excretion.
"Regardless, as far as anyone we meet from now on is concerned I am your plague..." She smiled sweetly. "How much do you know about Plagues? If you are going to be convincing you need to be as well informed as the best Plagueologist in Panymium. Nobody is going to buy from you if you don't know what you are selling." Smirking she laid a hand on her chest. Perhaps it was a little cruel to spring a test on him so suddenly but she was keen to test the water - he might not need to learn anything at all off of her. "Can you tell me what type of plague I am?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:19 pm
Kalends tried not to show that he was unnerved. He was more accustomed to dealing with things that he could see, dangers that could be understood. Though he lived in a city of mages, he'd been careful not to cross them except when he knew for sure (which was rare) that he could get away with it. Hearing Claudia laugh reminded him that he was dealing with a whole other sort of potentially deadly force.
Though how something so disconcerting could come from something so small seemed a mystery...
Kalends was not very fond of admitting that he'd walked into a trap, nor of bringing up his satchel, but seeing as he'd brought them up he knew that he'd look bad trying to squirm out of talking about them. "It was an event coordinated by the Council, I believe." At least, that was what he could remember, the strangeness of the Council mages. "I was given an invitation and then teleported to a place which I surmised to be Helios, or somewhere close, as the Emperor was there." Kalends was starting to realize that this was sounding more like a fairy story rather than truth, so he went for specifics. "A silver man spoke to us and Plagues were lined up or gathered on a stage."
He nodded, slowly. Maybe if he presented proof to her then she wouldn't think he was making it up. "Of course. I would hardly leave it alone. It's in my satchel."
Nevermind that he couldn't get whatever item that was causing this commotion out of his satchel; Kalends still carried with him out of habit or stubbornness to accept that it had lost its use.
As soon as Claudia asked Kalends how much he knew about plagues, Kalends knew things would go downhill. He was a thief, not a socialite, and he did not spend hours gathering information about the latest fascination of the richer and nobler castes. Though his experiences in Helios had confirmed that plagues could think and act on their own (therefore his respect for Claudia), Kalends was not very familiar with their lore.
"Little." He responded coolly, neither ashamed nor proud, just stating the facts. Deceit now would do neither of them any good. "Those in my position rarely come into contact with plagues. Most I've seen around this city are in the hands of the upper classes or those hungry for power, either as symbols of their status or their bargaining chips. I'm aware that there are at least three stages of growth," this much he had gleaned from Helios, "an item, a small form, and then a more human-ish body. It's fairly obvious that you are at this middle stage and that you hail from a flower. I know also that liquids can be plagued. Other than that, I have not seen enough to know more. Most street gossip about plagues is fairly unreliable, so I prefer to deal with facts when I find them as opposed to whispers of immortality and cheating death."
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Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:22 pm
"Mmm~" A knowing smile oozed across the rose's face. Now that her attention was drawn to the satchel it seemed ridiculous that she had not noticed it far earlier. Even as they spoke a tendril of taint slipped out of the interior and caressed the buckle of the satchel... Perhaps it was the fact that the rogue was so convinced that plagues belonged in the upper echelons of society that he seemed blissfully content with denying his status as a Grimm? If the gathering hadn't convinced him she doubted that he would truly believe her word either. It would be far better to leave him to it, in the cutthroat world he seemed to inhabit anonymity and keeping his possession of a Plague low key would keep him safer. He would eventually get a pleasant surprise when a young excito sprung into his life.
"My Grimm and I were there too - it was a terrible affair. Attempting to force Grimms to give up their Plagues... I was praying to Obscuvos that the mob torn the foolish child emperor limb from limb." Fists clenched and her smile curving downwards into a grimace she tutted before waving a hand as though waving away the unpleasant experience. "Enough of that... The basics of understanding Plagues is quite simple and I think you would be surprised at how many peasants find themselves in possession of a tainted item. The rich are no more deserving than the poor. Obscuvos cares not for the disposable wealth of humans. That is the wonder of The House, no blood right makes you superior or inferior." There was a touch of hypocrisy in what the caedos was saying and she was hoping to play to her audience's character. She definitely revelled in material pleasures and made sure that she had the highest quality life available to her now that she could... But simultaneously she felt she had earned that. She had fought right from the start to get where she was - Felicity was no aristocrat! Her pleasurable lifestyle was Obscuvos' gift to her...
"I believe the term you are looking for instead of 'little' is excitos. Plagues develop from tainted items - Putesco - into an animate form like myself - excitos - and finally into a human sized form known as Anhelos." She felt rather like a teacher lecturing a child. It seemed pointless - this was the kind of thing everybody knew... But she supposed all of her life she had been around people who near enough worshiped plagues. It made sense that they would have a higher than average understanding of them. "Anhelo Plagues can be classified into three types. For whatever reason Obscuvos created 'locos', These individuals work against the spread of the plague and can even cure it... 'Quietus' have no relation to the plague but can be useful to His will as they can use magic. However they tend to be most unpleasant to look at: abominations without arms or legs..." She sneered... Her prejudices clear to see. "The most pure amongst the Plagues are those destined to become 'Infitialis'." Proudly and with a slightly pompous air she put a hand on her chest. "We are destined to continue our God's work and when fully developed we can spread the plague." She stroked the tip of one of his fingers, tracing a spiralling circle upon it. "Don't fret... It is only when we become anhelos that our spreading abilities flourish... And besides, any true follower of Obscuvos is an ally of mine." Smirking she playfully flicked his finger.
"It is time to begin our work in earnest, don't you think? I may be more intelligible when it comes to Plagues but I believe you should take the reigns in this more... underhand business we have to do."
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Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2012 5:26 pm
Kalends raised an eyebrow as the flower appraised his satchel, wondering . He caught her smile, but as she said nothing more about it he figured that she agreed with his assessment. It would be useful, though, having the information network that those Grimms has seemed to enjoy. Kalends caught himself being a little disappointed at not actually being a Grimm-- despite the anxiety he'd felt in Helios, he'd kinda liked feeling like he was famous. Hell, they'd even mentioned that a thief was there...
He pushed those thoughts aside. It didn't matter anymore. Right now, he had to know as much about Plagues as possible so that he could put on a good act and convince some sucker to buy the fake putescos (he tried saying the word in his mind the way Claudia had, trying to get it to sink in) they had and make his mission a success. Protection was most important. But, he smirked a little to himself, if even he could fall victim to wanting to be a Grimm, he knew he could play on the feelings of others the same way.
Kalends was shocked to learn that Plagues were discovered by all classes. It didn't seem like that to him; at least in Edgecrest, the only Plagues that he knew were those in the hands of the nobility. "How very strange." A smile played about his lips as Claudia touted the merits of the House with regards to class. "In my experience, organizations where respect is based on talent rather than social class tend to be more formidable." He was still suspicious of the House's religious front, but he was slightly more hopeful about fitting in if the Obscuvians saw talent the way that Claudia seemed to indicate. "Useful people can often be found in the most unlikely places."
He listened as she explained the basics of Plagues. Kalends nodded thoughtfully. He had never been close enough to a real Plague (or at least one beyond its putesco state) to know that they had three further types. He was somewhat relieved that Claudia hadn't gotten angry at him for not knowing this, though he tried to keep his face as impassive as possible.
When she traced a circle on his finger, Kalends had to exercise quite a bit of mental control to keep his hand still. His mentor had died of the Black Death, or at least that was what it had looked like to the thief, and Kalends was not very anxious to shuffle off his mortal coil yet, not before he'd stolen quite a few more things. He remained calm, though it was with a lot of work. Personally, Kalends did not adhere to a particular faith. He was cold to most people he met, unless he suspected that he could use them somehow. As a child, he had seen too many others like him dying in the streets from being too kind and suffering for it to believe in anything more than a quick end when his time ran out. If there was a god in this world, then Kalends reasoned that whatever it was had abandoned him long ago. But still... that was not the sort of thing one said to a member of a religious group.
Especially not one with power.
"If Lord Obscuvos values those who serve Him well as you say, then our devotion seems a small price to thank Him for His favor." If the House gave him the opportunity to showcase his talents and reward him for his skill, Kalends had a feeling that he would be quite happy there. He agreed with Claudia, though: they needed to get ready for their first client. "Then let's prepare. Did your carrier also drop off the putescos, or shall we pick them up?"
Kalends hadn't seen the man come in with a bag, but the items could have easily been hidden in the alleyway previously to avoid attracting attention on the street. He hadn't made a thorough search yet, though.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:01 am
So far Kalends was doing extraordinarily well in terms of Claudia's perception of the thief. Not only did he seem to display all the right forms of respect towards her but was also perceptive, intelligent and had exactly the right kind of attitude. His little commentary on finding useful people in unexpected places and Obscuvos' favour were near perfect reflections of the teachings promoted within the church. He seemed perfectly suited to The House and she was sure that his skills would be of much use... It seemed to be a match made in heaven and Claudia was glad that she could put her name on part of his initiation into The House, presuming the job they were about to do went successfully. She would have to keep an eye on him for future possibilities. Connections were power and if he was a Grimm it would beneficial to get his Plague on her side.
"Ah, yes..." The question of the goods they were going to sell... She had been told that they were going to be at the meeting spot. She had presumed he would have been given them in advance. Now it seemed they would have to pick them up. But as she looked around it was clear that despite the fact nobody else was likely to be lurking in such a dingy smelly location there couldn't just be a neat pile left for them to collect. It was probable that they were subtly hidden. "They are here somewhere..." She peered down the alleyway, a slightly uncomfortable sneer twisting up her face. "Move me to your shoulder and you can have a closer look at those bags." She pointed to what seemed to be woven sacks thrown out into the street towards the other end of the alley. They looked like they could've been stuffed full of food waste, but the sacks were slightly too clean.
A rat scurried underfoot. She seriously hoped the bags were planted there by a House associate otherwise she would have to politely decline returning to his hands for fear of sullying her pure white petals with alleyway grime.
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Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2012 10:23 am
Kalends gently shifted Claudia to his shoulder, his eyes flicking over to check that she had situated herself before he started to move. His steps were fluid, with the practiced ease of someone accustomed to stepping over trash and filth regularly. He was fairly impressed that she had noticed the state of the bags. They weren't clean enough to stick out too much, but Kalends, perhaps out of his worry about the Guild and this meeting, hadn't noticed them before.
"Let's see what we have then. Hold on." He warned her as he crouched low without bending over too much (to avoid making the excito lose her balance), slowly pulling one of them over and open. The alleyway stank even more this close to the ground, and though Kalends was fairly used the dirt of the city, he had a feeling the plague would not appreciate lingering by it. He pulled out what appeared to be a set of antlers at first, but on closer inspection was actually a candlestick coated with smudges of black soot and smelling vaguely like death. The bag contained several other items, each coated with the same soot and emitting the same decaying smell: a woman's slipper, a quill pen, and a child's doll, among several others.
Kalends had to hand it to the House. "If I hadn't known better, this would be enough to convince me that they bore the plague. Though," he raised an eyebrow in deference to his companion, "I imagine you are less easily fooled."
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:51 am
The items drawn out of the bag by Kalends were pretty good replicas of legitimate putesco. Clearly a mixture of enchantment and clever disguise had been used to make them look right - Claudia was especially impressed by the way that the soot-like mixture seemed to have a will of its own, exactly how taint clung to real Plagued items. She half wished that she was in possession of such a haul of putesco... Having a household of stunted was useful right now, but the miniature followers would be useless when she eventually developed into an anhelo. She needed to get more actually excitos on her side. It was the only way to become a proper leader like The House desired. However, like the thief suggested they were not quite good enough to deceive her. They did indeed have a very distinct scent of decay about them, but the sharp senses of the Plague guessed that rather than the black death's unique rot, the items had instead been rubbed in off-meat and maybe a touch of sulphur.
"They are good," she remarked casually. "I don't think we will be having any difficulty convincing the uninformed public of the legitimacy of them." During the journey she had been thinking about how to convince people to spend their money - she wanted to make the most out of the idiots that they deceived and thought it only right to be charging a premium rate. Humans, especially non-Obscuvians, were so delightfully concerned with their own mortality that she had a good sales pitch prepared to get people hooked on the idea of owning their very own Plague.
"You probably do not know this considering how ill informed you are about Plagues, but it has been established as an almost certain fact that in becoming a Grimm you are blessed with immunity to the plague. It's a gift from Obscuvos - I believe that he needs us to be protected as best possible until we reach our full potential as anhelos. It's a shame that so many Grimms do not see the light of Obscuvos, but they will receive their punishment when the catalyst day arrives and they burn in Our Lord's mouth." She sighed wistfully, the violent menace of her statement somehow amplified by her casual air. She sat down to be more comfortable and stable on Kalends shoulder so that when he repacked the fakes and set off to start selling them she wouldn't be in danger of falling off. "We can use people's greed for immunity to our advantage.. And with any luck they will be foolish enough to get lazy with their precautions against the plague and die. I think that would be pleasing to Obscuvos. To see remnants meet their end in such a way."
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