[Nexus] The Black Dragon's Den XI

[Halae]

[By the Bar]

"Inside," Trick says with a shrug, "Yellow zone, specifically. Got myself a little office I work out of."

[TechnoScrabble]

Shoyler curled his lip in disgust. The preparation that would have to go towards gathering blood rag bait would be incredibly messy. Gross. However, the strange new Hunter was right. The crew could be distracted, allowing the main team to sneak in to find the leaders. Remove the head, and the rest would collapse into mindless in-fighting. That could be dealt with easily. The... experimentation part sort of bothered him. Good plan. We could utilize the blood as a sort of baiting system... Lure the crew away then have our team move in to strike at the leaders. It'd work... What... what do you mean by experimentation? Usually we just turn or stake the monsters.

"Have to learn their weaknesses somehow," Terek says with a happy hiss, "There's at least as many types of vampire as there are ways to kill them, and each one's different. Besides, it's fun to give the sadistic blood suckers a taste of their own medicine."

[The Bushranger]

Thieves & Dipsnig

"Apart from what she says, I'll put my own sentiment simply. I'm not buying in." Cindi points out. "Rhyan can pay you your percentage and receive whatever benefits you say you provide, but I want nothing to do with any guild or org or anything that's going to make me give up my hard earned money with little to show for in return." The Cinnamon girl says before pointing her thumb at Rhyan. "She has your license but is forced to ask for jobs on The Wall of all places. My guess is you guys don't care in the least what happens to her except when she doesn't pay you your share. And when times are slow, where's her job security? She'll still have to pay then too?"

"Nothing stops our license-holders from working with... freelancers," Dipsnig says, making it clear that "freelancer" is a euphemism as far as he's concerned. "But I must still offer our full range of services to your colleague here." When Cindi finishes her rant, he sighs. Not in annoyance or offence. Just boredom. "By the Lord Below, I've never heard that one before. What we offer is plain as day for everyone to see, although it seems to me you never bothered to check. Same goes for what we ask in return, which is a cut of the profit, nothing more and nothing less. You're a ways below the kind of person I'm willing to explain myself to, even after I took the time to speak to you personally," he adds in a slightly accusatory tone.

"Generally when a union or mafia wants to send a warning, they send someone who isn't the leader." Cindi points out. "If the Leader shows up, then chances are you're going to get your knees broken, so excuse me being wary. If that's not why you're here, then take a seat and I'll buy a drink as an apology, and if that's enough, I'm willing to at least discuss the possibility of a license."

"What she said," Rhyan observes, although a sharp eye (which Dipsnig possesses) would probably have noticed her bristling a little at the suggestion that Cindi was somehow below his station. "But, I'm not leaning on her. Her choice, not mine," she added...

...as, under the table, her booted foot traced the back of Cindi's thigh. The slight glint of the holstered sai in the top of it might well be noticed by her companion.

[Morty]

Thieves & Dipsnig

Dipsnig shrugs and does take a seat.

"That's fair enough, he says in response to Rhyan. "Our expectations from the license holders don't include recruitment. Now let's hear your offer."

[Hattish Thing]

((Due to the ship's early demise at the hands of... something not made totally clear, the plans will be changed slightly. However, FireDaemon has generously provided a new plot for the group to do.))

Shoyler explains to the group what was spoken OOC, telling how apparently he was misinformed regarding the ship's fate, and how the leaders of the ship are currently missing and presumed dead. The cleric frowns for a second upon hearing the news before he speaks yet again to the group, his eyes lighting up. Well... The ship may not have worked out the way it was supposed to, however I've received word of yet another quest for us to partake in. The exorcism of a powerful demonic creature living in a large apartment complex located within Southside. We are to head there as soon as we can and go about banishing the monster and destroying it's spawn. I know this kind of demon, I believe. They're fairly uncommon where I'm from, but I've battled a few in my time... From what I hear, however, this one is particularly strong. It'll be a challenge. Are you prepared, brothers and sisters?

[Shadowcaller]

[By the Bar]

"Inside," Trick says with a shrug, "Yellow zone, specifically. Got myself a little office I work out of."

[By the Bar]

"You get a lot of jobs? I've been in the Inside office a few times. Competition is pretty tough with SHEOL and such. Ever considered expanding your business to dungeons?" Dena asks.

[UncleWolf]

Thieves and Dipsnig

Cindi takes a moment to order drinks for them all, paying for it up front before she broaches her idea. "A mercenary hired by mercenaries." She says with a small smile. "Say I don't carry a license, or even hold a spot in your membership records. That doesn't mean I can't be put on a small retainer in return for joining other free non-MERC groups and taking a large cut as a Specialist. And if I did that, there'd be no reason not to see you getting a cut. Perhaps even directly to you instead of MERC as a whole." The Cinnamon girl says before taking a sip of her drink. "As a free agent, I'd be able to get into groups you wouldn't be able to. For higher prices as well since I'd need some sort of security. Call me an investment if nothing else. The retainer wouldn't have to be much. Just enough to scrape by in the down time, and if I don't return the investment in a timely manner, then you can cut me off and I'll freely get a MERC license."

[Halae]

[By the Bar]

"You get a lot of jobs? I've been in the Inside office a few times. Competition is pretty tough with SHEOL and such. Ever considered expanding your business to dungeons?" Dena asks.

[By The Bar]

"Well, that's your problem," Trick says, smiling, "You've set yourself up as mercenaries. It's even right in the name. I've set myself up as an investigator - I've already gotten a few jobs, and if I expand my business so that I can be contacted from Riverside or Skyside, I'll probably be swamped enough that I can't operate it all on my own. It's a matter of perception here, and while I go dungeon diving, that's for my personal enjoyment rather than a job. Anything I pull out of there is icing on the cake."

[Shadowcaller]

[By The Bar]

"If you go out into dungeons for personal enjoyment you haven't done it enough sister." Dena remarks. "But hey, if business is good and you're not interested, I won't try to convince you. Mostly trying to build a network you know? The more people in MERC the less place for slavers and amateurs there are."

[Halae]

[By The Bar]

Trick nods, "I hear you. people sharing information is generally a good way to keep incidents from happening, regardless of what incident it is we're talking about," She scratches her chin, "It'll be good to see you around. Watch how our professional development proceeds. Who knows, maybe something will happen."

[Shadowcaller]

[By The Bar]

"Well, if you do like adventuring I'm also scouting potential dungeons for MERC if you like to help clear one out. Normally it's only for license holders but I love working with competent people." Dena replies. "Much higher chances of survival then if you catch my drift."

[Halae]

[By The Bar]

"Reminds me of the chasm," Trick says, "Sure, I'm down for it. Tell me when and where and we'll have a grand time."

[Morty]

Thieves and Dipsnig

Cindi takes a moment to order drinks for them all, paying for it up front before she broaches her idea. "A mercenary hired by mercenaries." She says with a small smile. "Say I don't carry a license, or even hold a spot in your membership records. That doesn't mean I can't be put on a small retainer in return for joining other free non-MERC groups and taking a large cut as a Specialist. And if I did that, there'd be no reason not to see you getting a cut. Perhaps even directly to you instead of MERC as a whole." The Cinnamon girl says before taking a sip of her drink. "As a free agent, I'd be able to get into groups you wouldn't be able to. For higher prices as well since I'd need some sort of security. Call me an investment if nothing else. The retainer wouldn't have to be much. Just enough to scrape by in the down time, and if I don't return the investment in a timely manner, then you can cut me off and I'll freely get a MERC license."

"You know I'm setting a bad precedent if I agree, right?" Dipsnig asks, seemingly casually. "It's rather against my interest to send a message that every freelancer can negotiate around getting our license."

[The Bushranger]

Thieves & Dipsnig

"But you're also establishing yourself as reasonable, which makes people more likely to consider simply getting the licenses, instead of choosing to go without as a form of protest," Rhyan points out with a smile.

[UncleWolf]

Dipsnig & Thieves

"Why would anyone else know about this? It'd be against my own interests to go blabbing about this everywhere to everyone." Cindi points out before shrugging. "That's my half of it, do you have a better idea?"

[Morty]

[Thieves & Dipsnig]

"Being reasonable has never done me any good," Dipsnig says drily in response to Rhyan. "In the Nexus politics, being reasonable makes you seem weak, nothing more." It made him the laughing stock of the Nexus, pushed around by just about anyone and treated by Vasquez as her lapdog. He only managed to earn a smattering of position when he stopped playing nice. When Cindi speaks, he rolls his eyes.

"If you're half as good as you claim, you should know that information has a very nasty habit of getting out, no matter how hard you try to keep it locked up. Even if you don't tell anyone, someone might find out, eventually. Having a mole among the groups that you so graciously call 'free' and that I plan to make very much not free is useful, but I'd still be taking a big risk. Especially since if nobody finds out, it looks as if I'm letting a freelancer run wild. I can agree to that... if you keep me informed of things people don't want me to know when I ask."

[McBish]

A woman wearing a hooded black cloak enters into the tavern. She skips past the bar finding a table by the far wall and taking a seat. She pulls the cloak down reveling a face that isn't hers magically created to disguise her identity. She then proceeds to sit quietly not ordering anything. When someone comes to take her order she just turns and gives them an icy stare till they leave. From where she is sitting and how she is watching it is quite likely that she will make eye contact with anyone coming in the front door.

After a long time sitting in silence and freaking out more then a few people coming through the door someone walks through that seems more surprised then creeped out to see the woman sitting and staring at him. He looks like a craftsman of sorts and he tries to shake off her stare heading for the bar. Her eyes follow him and eventually he gets up and goes to join her at his table. She leans in close to him and the two start to have a very quite conversation. Questions are asked by her, he seems to grow more nervous with each passing moment. After a little more then a minute he gets up leaving behind a half finished drink as he exits the tavern.

The woman smiles as she finishes off her own drink before heading back to a private room. A few minutes later she can be seen leaving, though a sharp eye might catch that the image of her leaving is an illusion. Carefully made to appear to leave the tavern and then walk the streets to a specific location before disappearing. A few minutes after the illusion leaves Jenny walks back from the private rooms and takes a seat at the bar ordering herself a whiskey. The whole process is pretty smooth and it would take a sharp eye to notice Jenny's switch from mystery woman to herself.

[The Bushranger]

Dipsnig & Thieves

Rhyan sips quietly at her drink, remaining quiet for the moment, but listening intently.

[Hattish Thing]

Walking in through the door is a figure clad in black. He's clad in black and dark grey, most of his body covered by his soft looking cloth. Most of his clothing seems tight to his body, and onlookers may notice that the man appears almost... unhealthily thin. He doesn't seem very muscular either. Behind him, a soft velvet cloak of black color swings. He looks upon the others in the seedy bar behind his shades with a vague disappointment. Humanity never failed to sadden him. It was one of the reasons he didn't ever come out in public anymore. That, and the overaggressive ones were exceedingly annoying. He didn't need some idiot rushing up to him trying to 'assert his dominance' or whatever. He never understood that sort of thing. Maybe he was simply different. And he was okay with that.

Caius Grayle, for that was who this strange new man was, then moves to the counter to order some coffee. He loved coffee. It was one of his favorite things he discovered since his introduction to the real world. Eventually, the coffee arrives and Caius will proceed to take out several packets of sugar from a pocket, dumping they all in his coffee. He'll then gently swirl a spoon provided to mix around the coffee using his mind, looking about as he does so.

Spoiler: Caius Grayle:

Show

[TechnoScrabble]

A large, red metal fist slams down onto the counter near Caius, stopping just short of shattering it. The fist's knuckles gleam in the stereotypically dim lighting of the Den, and the attached arm is thick and emblazoned with gold etchings and khaki under-mesh that flexes as the red plates above shift. Looking up the arm leads to a somewhat bulky red suit of armour with three more arms and a small bank of rockets on a swivel mount where a head should be. A massive, circular shield with a golden hammer and sickle on the front sits at the armour's side, and the shield and chest plating of the armour are covered in the sort of ablative plates you'd see on a T-90 tank. There is a quiet whir as the rocket mount 'looks' over Caius with a red laser, and a rumbling, metallic voice comes from within the armour's chest.

"Why do you pay for something you so clearly have already earned through hardship?"

[Hattish Thing]

A large, red metal fist slams down onto the counter near Caius, stopping just short of shattering it. The fist's knuckles gleam in the stereotypically dim lighting of the Den, and the attached arm is thick and emblazoned with gold etchings and khaki under-mesh that flexes as the red plates above shift. Looking up the arm leads to a somewhat bulky red suit of armour with three more arms and a small bank of rockets on a swivel mount where a head should be. A massive, circular shield with a golden hammer and sickle on the front sits at the armour's side, and the shield and chest plating of the armour are covered in the sort of ablative plates you'd see on a T-90 tank. There is a quiet whir as the rocket mount 'looks' over Caius with a red laser, and a rumbling, metallic voice comes from within the armour's chest.

"Why do you pay for something you so clearly have already earned through hardship?"

As the fist comes down, Caius jumps a little. The sudden noise startled him more than he would care to admit. His eyes stare down at the fist before moving up the robot's figure, his eyes pausing as he looks towards the machine's... rocket head? Rocket head. Well. Maybe that was a normal thing up on the surface. He looks up at the robot and speaks, twisting his hand slightly causing the coffee to float upwards. Because it wouldn't be worth the combat that would follow. You know, stealing things is generally frowned upon in this society. He manipulates the cup into moving close to his lips now, and he takes a drink without ever touching said cup! He turns his head to the side before speaking yet again, willing the cup back down to the counter. Not that people haven't done so anyway...

[TechnoScrabble]

From within his suit, Comrade L.E.S.S. observes Caius's coffee cup with a keen ocular pod and a stroke of his magnificent mustache, the likes of which Great Grandfather Stalin would be most proud. MOST PROUD. This man's powers could be useful, and the way he so shamelessly flaunted them meant he clearly had no qualms against them. Daaaaaa, daaaaaa....ANOTHER STEP IN THE GLORIOUS RISE OF COMRADE L.E.S.S.

"To me it is clear you have already paid for that coffee one hundred fold!" the conch snail says with utmost confidence, "I say equal coffee for equal labour! Equal caffeine for equal men!"

[Hattish Thing]

From within his suit, Comrade L.E.S.S. observes Caius's coffee cup with a keen ocular pod and a stroke of his magnificent mustache, the likes of which Great Grandfather Stalin would be most proud. MOST PROUD. This man's powers could be useful, and the way he so shamelessly flaunted them meant he clearly had no qualms against them. Daaaaaa, daaaaaa....ANOTHER STEP IN THE GLORIOUS RISE OF COMRADE L.E.S.S.

"To me it is clear you have already paid for that coffee one hundred fold!" the conch snail says with utmost confidence, "I say equal coffee for equal labour! Equal caffeine for equal men!"

Grayle ponders over the creature, more than a little suspicious. He knew better than to trust the... thing, whatever it was. However, the creature did have it's appeal. The robot was interesting. Probably a bit rusty inside or something, but interesting. Clear? Is it? I don't really believe something so small as a cup of coffee'd be worth stealing. The consequences outweigh the perks of success here...

Though, stealing from a place like this really wouldn't be that much of a crime. I'm sure plenty horrid things go on behind closed doors here. He sighs and continues to speak. Decisions, decisions.... Who are you? Caius was quite interested in whatever Comrade LESS had to say, it seems. After all, Grayle had nothing to lose by speaking to him, and possibly plenty to gain.

[TechnoScrabble]

"Under glorious Soviet leadership, it would not be stealing!" L.E.S.S. says with a whirr of his motors, "All men would receive the coffee they deserve! They coffee they have earned!"

L.E.S.S. stands straight up, a fist in the air, a shining, imposing image of his MIGHTY SOVIET POWER DA DA DA CRUSH THE FASCIST SURFACE SCUM!!! The light catches off a single extended finger, giving his hand the appearance of a rising red star!

"I am Comrade L.E.S.S., humble servant of a worker's paradise!"

[Hattish Thing]

Grayle raises an eyebrow in confusion! What the hell was a soviet? Were there several of these strange, loud, extremely aggressive looking machines? Were they all this... bombastic? Caius sure hoped not. The thought of several of these so called "soviet" machines together in one room was an extremely unpleasant thought. Oh the headaches! And... rockets! Rocket headaches, maybe? Was that a thing? Grayle hoped that wasn't a thing.

Erm. Nice to meet you, I think? I never knew "LESS" was a name. Does it... stand for something? Hmm. I am Caius Grayle. Nothing more, nothing less. Tell me.... Comrade LESS, what are you doing in a place like this? All... rockety and everything?

He smiles lightly as he speaks. He was a friendly and compassionate person, at times, it seems. Even humorous.

[TechnoScrabble]

"LESS stands for justice! LESS stands for equality!" Comrade L.E.S.S. says triumphantly before finally lowering his arm. He scoots in and looks around conspiratorially, if ever a rocket-launcher headed set of power armour could.

"Some people don't appreciate all that, though. That is why I am here, comrade, to find assistance in reappropriating funds for the revolution!"

[Hattish Thing]

"LESS stands for justice! LESS stands for equality!" Comrade L.E.S.S. says triumphantly before finally lowering his arm. He scoots in and looks around conspiratorially, if ever a rocket-launcher headed set of power armour could.

"Some people don't appreciate all that, though. That is why I am here, comrade, to find assistance in reappropriating funds for the revolution!"

Grayle's more than a little bit perturbed by the sudden rocket launcher stare. That was unnerving. However, he doesn't make his anxiety particularly evident. No point in showing fear to this... whatever, Soviet? Things? He still was unclear as to what a Soviet actually was, and whether there was more than one.

The power armor is certainly unique, however. Power armor wasn't something particularly rare in The Nexus, but he'd never seen one so well designed. It looked like the thing had extra limbs folded into it, even! He had no doubt that this Comrade L.E.S.S would make a wonderful ally. This robot thing could take plenty a hit. Grayle would have the chance to stay out of combat and battle from afar, while L.E.S.S could be upfront, drawing enemy fire.

It was a decent strategy, when it came to that sort of thing. Reappropriating funds? That sounds... highly illegal. Grayle didn't really mind breaking rules, or laws, or any of that. He considered himself a free spirit. And... of course, he did need funds... He needed money to help fulfill his own goals after all, for as mysterious as his hidden agenda may be, he was still lacking even ten gold to his name! He'll move to whisper towards his new ally, smiling lightly as his aqua-colored eyes flash from beneath his dark shades.

I have nothing to lose.... I'm in.

[TechnoScrabble]

"Meet me.in Skyside tomorrow!" L.E.S.S. says through the tinny speakers, "And we shall begin the first step in our glorious rise to power!"

Today, coffee, tomorrow, THE WOR-Er...Tomorrow, loot, the day after, THE WORLD!

[Hattish Thing]

"Meet me.in Skyside tomorrow!" L.E.S.S. says through the tinny speakers, "And we shall begin the first step in our glorious rise to power!"

Today, coffee, tomorrow, THE WOR-Er...Tomorrow, loot, the day after, THE WORLD!

Grayle nods, though his face continues to appear mostly unreadable, save for the slightest look of amusement. This creature was... certainly ambitious, at the least. It couldn't hurt too bad to go along with his meeting, right? It's not like the robot could pose too much of a threat to him. He was completely metal and plastic. At least, as far as Caius could tell.

I will meet you there, then.

And with that, Caius will stand up, leaving his now cold coffee on the table, barely touched, before exiting the Black Dragon's Den. It wasn't very good coffee, after all.

[Beans]

A woman in brassy armor, a dark red visor on her helmet, opens the door and steps aside for another.