Along Came a Doctor

The regions surrounding Nivenhain, ruled by the great ducal families.

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Haldir
Posts: 230
Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2020 12:52 am
Location: Lorien
Character Sheet: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=774
Plot Notes: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=778
Character Secrets: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=823

Sun Nov 15, 2020 5:52 pm

☠ 51st of Ash, Year 120, Earth's Rest ☠
Company: Bar of guest| Theme: Si Deus Me Relinquit| Thoughts: If I must| Mood: Indifferent

☠ Among the many patrons within the confines of the bar among the many in Essen, one would find drunks, common folk, and interesting characters of all origins. But among them, all one would not believe the type of person could be lurking among them. It was the traitor, schemer, and usurper. In one such bar, a little hole in the wall, the sounds of drunken cheer, merriment, and liquid courage radiated the walls and ears of all around.

At the bar, I sat, clearly drunk off my ass, was making quite the display, bogarting my way into conversations, putting my hands where they didn't belong, and making a mockery of myself.

To some of the patrons, however, it was a rather amusing spectacle. The bartenders and bouncers were laughing, though it was not because of my inebriated behavior, but because everyone who witnessed it bought it though they too were too drunk to tell how bad my acting truly was. Though I would say that those in charge of this establishment and every other one in the area of Ravencrest knew my face very well.

My father and his syndicate made it very clear to them I would be seen in many of the various bars & dens of vice and desires in search of someone. I myself, even as an amateur in acting, found playing a drunk came naturally to me. It was awkward but amusing all the same, and as it was evident of those pointing and making jokes, it was a believable ploy.

Who would suspect a drunkard to be the elusive shadow of Die Schnitter after all, not to mention I was a physician at the hospital too? No one that's who, and I liked it that way, keeping my true intentions hidden under the facade of a drunk doctor relieving his stress with ale.

It was a skin everyone had noticed, one of two that is. If I wasn't making a complete and utter fool of myself, he was just a barfly minding my own business. And if anyone asked, that's all they would learn of me, just a simple physician who happens to be drowning his stress with booze. Nothing more, nothing less.

At the bar however, there was an individual who seemed out of place, he seemed nervous. He was at least 5' 9", brown medium length hair with what could be hazel eyes, maybe brown. He didn't seem suspicious in any way but I noticed he had been with the bar for quite some time without ordering so much as a beer, and that seemed rather off to me.

Normally when people come to the bar but didn't drink or eat, it meant they were waiting for something. But the one thing that tipped my suspicions of the man was the bandages on his arm. It seemed that they had sustained an injury and it was recent, as the way it was bandaged suggested that these were freshly rewrapped. That had to be the harlequin from that night, the one Cullen managed to wound.

"Hey....*hiccup* hey you...." I stammered, clumsily flopping on to the gentlemen, placing an arm around his shoulder. When he looked at me, I could see the fires of realization in his eyes as he clearly knew me. He was smart about it though, not showing more than that as it wasn't like I had seen his face, so I wouldn't know it was him. If it wasn't for that realization of his and the wounded arm, I wouldn't have deduced him as the creepy harlequin.

"Why....*hiccup* why are you not.....drink...drinking? huh? Why....*hiccup* is that?" I slurred, looking to him, and was met with a chuckling and if anything a fake smile. Yes, it was a fake like the charade I was putting on myself. I was eager and intrigued to see how he would handle the situation.

"I am waiting for a friend to arrive lightweight....it would be rude to start without him ya know?" he politely answered, his eyes looking to the barkeep for help. Noticing there was no help coming from the man, he continued the defense of his nondrinking. "Yeah... I don't want to get hammered before they get here, ya know? How about I buy a round booze for ya? Would you like that?"

Free booze was free booze and I wasn't going to pass that up, rouse or not. Nodding I smiled and the man called for the barkeep and ordered several drinks for me. With a slurred cheer, I sat a few seats away from him at the bar and downed the first shot of bourbon that was brought over. With a flamboyant sigh and yawn, the faux drunk I was pretending to be laid my head on the counter, eyes away from the man I had interrupted, and slept.

Content he had averted an annoyance he looked around, keeping it as casual as possible. Every now and again his gaze would shift to the entrance of the bar, looking out for whoever it was he was supposed to meet. I could hear the drumming of the man's fingers on the bartop as he waited, it indicated to me he was becoming impatient, but I didn't want to risk him getting spooked and leaving.

"I hope he shows." he whispered, a look of worry and wavering nerves evident on his plain facial features. An hour went by and nothing happened, the man never leaving the bar in that timespan, and I was still pretending to sleep a few seats down. It was killing me, not being able to reign in the man and ask all kinds of questions, but luckily for him, I didn't have to.

The ting of the door opening as a figure entered the bar alerted the man on his arrival. He perked up, in a way an employee would if their boss happens to be coming, feigning to look busy as to not be scolded. The figure approached, and the man stood and held a hand out to the man, who simply looked at it and then back to the man. "I take it you are the one from the letter?" a deep and commanding voice inquired, quiet enough for the one in front of him to hear, but just loud enough I caught it over the normal moans and groans, grunts, and roars of the bar.

"Yeah I....." but he couldn't finish, the new figure waving him off as to not speak, causing the man to give a look of annoyance, but compliance as well. "Not out in the open, let's find somewhere more........private." he suggested, though to me it was more so a command then cautious advice. The nervous man shrugged and followed behind the other, finding one of the more private areas in the upper lounge, above all the noise and distractions of the bar below.

Several moments later, a tap came on the counter I had been fake sleeping on, and I rose, a smile fervently pinned on my features as I looked to the barkeep. "How curious that was, I wonder what they are discussing?" I inquired, the barkeep nodding in the general direction they had gone. With a nod of my own, my smirk getting wider, I made my way from the ground floor and was on the hunt as I made my way to the second floor.

The two men, now in a secluded corner of the upper lounge, were in deep discussion, and as I approached I could hear their muffled words. It was discernable chatter but I could hear the emotions in one of the voices. Fear? Maybe concern? no that was definitely fear, but what had them so fearful? I had to get closer and listen in, keeping my presence a secret.

Positioning myself right where one could see individuals coming up the stairs, I did my best to perch myself at the mid-level step in a crouching position, my eyes looking to a throwing knife I retrieved from off a table on my way up here, using the reflection to see where their line of sight was. It was a useful trick I learned from my cautious father, but in situations like this, it was something I was thankful for learning.

Luckily their eyes weren't fixed on where I had been given the way they were sitting, so I took my chance. Taking a deep breath, I dashed from the steps and slid my way into the shadows of a wall, just a few feet from the duo. Oh, how the shadows were my greatest ally right now, even if I was still getting familiar with using them in this capacity. My heart was beating faster than I imagined it would, and I needed to calm my exhilaration, using the knife to see if they had noticed him.

"Are you sure it cant be traced back to me? If.... I give you the map? I swear the blonde downstairs was the guy from the party. Thank the gods he didn't see my face that night otherwise I would be dead right now." the one voice asked and stated, which alerted me that my cover was secure, the heavy breathing of my lungs and heart rate now under my control. Now all that was left was to hear what was so important they had to separate themselves from everyone else.
"You have nothing to worry about. All you have to do is make sure the map makes it to the drop off point on time." the commanding voice assured
"And once I do this, I'll get the money right?" the harlequin chimed, concern laced on his words.
"Don't you trust me? I've paid you well up till now haven't I?" the figure asked, a sound of legs crossing over one another.
"Yeah you have", the calmer voice admitted, clasping his hands into his lap.
"Good, now let's talk about your next task after securing the map." the robust voice began, uncrossing his legs, leaning in. "We need you to gather as much information on a group known as Die Schnitter. They are a dangerous element to our plans and will hinder us in our climb to glory and true enlightenment." he continued, his tone more serious now.
"Of course, but why?" the harlequin asked, to which I mentally agreed.
"You don't need to know that, just know its part of the plan, to ensure nothing gets in our way," he said with a chuckle
"Ok I'll get it done" accepted the harlequin
"Good, you are truly a brave man helping bring a better world to our people. The blatant disparity between the power and knowledge of the wealthy and the poor has only caused our people to fall into depravity. With the plan we have in place, we will bring stability and purpose back to the people of Lorien." he professed, and now the curiosity that spurred me turned into venom for these two men.


It was obvious something that could bring even more upheaval to the city was on the horizon, and in good conscience, I wouldn't stand for it. I'd hold on to this information, but I knew I didn't have all of the story and needed more, and I was determined to get it. The two men rose from their chairs and began to move, and I knew if they walked past me, I'd be in a world of trouble.

So I played the part I had already been playing. As the two came to the wall I was eavesdropping from, the bar's resident drunk came stumbling out of the darkness and falling onto the intimidating man, by accident of course. "Careful there good sir, you shouldn't be moving around while drunk" he suggested, helping my inebriated self to my feet.

In that brief moment, I took a whiff of the man and made the mental note of that scent. he smelled of lilac and berries, a rather interesting and particular fragrance. It would be one I would commit to memory well. "Sorry.....*hiccup* sorry about that my guy. I guess..... I *hiccup* I guess I'm not as sobe........." I began, holding up a hand as if I pretended as if I was going to release the content of my stomach all over them.

"*hiccup* as sober as I thought. I think I'm just going to prop myself up on the chair" a wide exaggerated smile on my face as I slurred, watching the men make their way down the steps.

After some time past, trailing at a safe distance, I watched as they shook hands, the man from the break-in returning the bar, and the "friend" making his way to the door. Crystal blue eyes narrowing at the injured fellow at the bar, I would come to the banister of the upper lounge leaning on it for support, keeping an eye on him. All I could do was wait, wait for him to leave and follow him home.

When the time comes I would strike and get the information I need. ☠

"Common Tongue"
"Silvain Tongue"
"Self-Thoughts"
word count: 2349
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Fortuna
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:04 pm

Thu Nov 26, 2020 6:42 pm

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YOUR REVIEW❊


"Cyrus"/Haldir

Lores
Stealth: Crouching helps to stay out of the line of sight
Stealth: Shadows are important allies
Acting: Playing a role to avert suspicion
Deception: No one ever suspects the Drunk
Investigation: Eavesdropping is the best way to learn the juicy bits
Investigation: Looking into strange behavior

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Points 5 not for magic use

Comments: Ohhh this is getting better and better. I can't wait to see what Cyrus finds. Why do I think this has something to do with holding a baby over a pot of boiling water?

word count: 125
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