Lynx looked down at the note that C'kayah had written on the job board, reading it quietly to herself.
...We're working with Osric and Kiht to draw Taeros out and attack him.
To do this, we need the location of the Black Pit, a Monetarist prison in Western Thanalan...
Must be another opportunity to make some gil to pay for her funds, right? Being an informer does not bring steady pay. Some days you can make a few hundred thousand gil and other days a paltry sum of less than a hundred. She would need to get gil whenever she could, and this job... this was an opportunity to do what she was good at.
Her real performance in the grand scheme of fate and destiny--if she were willing to call it that--soon developed with a woman named Stormchild. Red hair, a pair of pince-nez, and red clothing adorned her figure, as well as a feisty appetite for alcoholic beverages--specifically of the rum and brandy variety. Lynx had considered her a quaint little bird that has found its way into a cage. The best way to meet with someone such as herself? Why, bring her guest down to a bar and have a few drinks, of course! Be a gracious host and perhaps receive a gracious guest in turn, she thought.
Their pleasant exchange mutually benefited one another. She got the location of the Black Cells, an underground network of tunnels and cells a small distance north of the Hammers in Western Thanalan and a description of what type of guards would be there, while Stormchild got her fair share of free drinks.
A few suns later she made an attempt to convene L'kenthi, C'kayah, Osric, and Kiht all back to the estate. The first two were unable to make the meeting, which left Lynx alone with Osric and Kiht to deliver the information and allow them to formulate their plan. For Osric, a small glass of pineapple juice mixed with rum sated his thirst. For Kiht, no drink was required. She gave the information, with a little bit of embellishment and pizzazz much to Osric's frustration, and talked with her two guests. She told them about the Brass Blades and mercenaries that were expected to be guarding the cells down there, as well as a warning that the guard information may not be accurate due to some developments in Ul'dah. Osric and Kiht were free to do as they pleased now knowing where their friend was held.
What she didn't know, however, was why these two were so keen on reaching this place. Some extrapolation on Lynx's side would assume it's someone of high value who's being purposefully kept alive... yet she did not have a name for a face. She pressed Osric and Kiht for this information, yet received no quarter or even the slightest hint of an answer to her questions. One last look through her options on how to know that which she must know were slim, and she decided on something a villain would not normally consider.
Helping out the heroes of the tale for no extra cost.
If anything were to get the attention of Kiht and Osric, it would be that. Osric, though reluctant in his decision, allowed her the chance to help save whoever was inside of these cells and more openly talked about their plan to save the captive. It was agreed upon to be a group of four to five people in the rescue party: Lynx, Osric, Kiht, and one--possibly two--others of Ala Mhigan descent. She was to directly assist Kiht, while Osric and the others provided the proper distractions.
After Osric and Kiht left the estate, Lynx was stopped by Lani, a white-haired female Miqo'te; a woman she would consider her direct boss. She gave a few warnings about Osric and his past, to which Lynx had dismissed given the current situation.
"Osric? It isn't him that I'm afraid of... it's the Miqo'te woman that was with him. I know nothing about her, yet she was able to peel away a layer of my personality within two bells." She pauses for a moment before speaking again to consider her implications. "...Thank you for the warning though. I'll be more careful around him." With this, she headed up the stairs and back to her room, to her books, and to her maps.
It was true, afterall, that Lynx knew nothing about Kiht. A fear of that which you know nothing about passed through her mind when she pondered about the Miqo'te, but it was nothing to be concerned about now. There were more pressing matters at hand.
Many suns later in the present, outside the Gate of the Sultana where the group was meeting, she found Warren covered in armor from head to toe standing next to Osric, his face and body covered by the black robe he wore. She paused a moment, looking at the robed man with a raised eyebrow.
Wait a minute, who was this again? She thought to herself briefly, before hearing his voice as confirmation. Nevermind, that is Osric. She chuckles a bit to herself as the group of three wait in the rain for their next companion Kiht, who arrived soon after Lynx with a spear, leather armour, and a mask covering most of her face.
Â
Right, right… a quick, tactical analysis. She tried to ponder through the rest of her thoughts without bringing too much attention to herself. As she pondered, the fireteam made their way towards the North Hammer, where the Black Cell is located.
Her thoughts coincided with whom she looked at, assessing each person’s skills at a glance. She looked first at the front of the group.
Mhm… Warren. Plate armour, brandishing a sword and shield. He’ll be useful for any encounters against arrows, so long as he doesn’t receive a hit in the cracks of his armour. At the very least, he will provide a counter towards any heavily armoured personnel.
A glance to her left followed after Warren’s quick assessment.
Kiht. An elusive Miqo’te to be sure, yet her combat capabilities are likely with that spear of hers. I’ll expect her to break through the line while Warren attempts to keep the more dangerous enemies on him.
From Kiht, she turned her head over towards Osric. A slight smirk showed on her face as she looked his way.
And Osric! Equipped with two dagger-sized blades, he’s going to be the person—besides myself—the most capable of slipping past the enemy vanguard. His sergeant status will likely set him as the ad hoc leader of this group. If he has knives he can throw, he can improve his function within the unit.
She looked down at herself, patting down her coat and touching the hilts of both of her blades.
Let’s see here… lockpicks, a few bandages, throwing knives, and a small logbook. Doubt our enemies will sit for a story this time though. And both of my blades look to be in good condition... Hm. It seems like I’ll have to act the part of an archer for a time, though with knives instead of arrows.
She looked across the other three in the group once more before taking out a pair of goggles and putting them over her eyes.
Warren in front, Kiht and Osric behind him, and myself as the rear guard... I’d imagine they’ll consider the same kind of formation as well.
The group set foot at the entrance to the Black Cell. Osric removed his robe to show a person quite unlike the man she remembered seeing at the Tylwyth Narah estate. She stayed quiet about this, trusting the man to have a plan behind the appearance similar to a very certain pirate her organization has been investigating. One could even say he perfectly resembled Lazarov in height, stature, skin color, and hair color! Though… his eyes. If someone took a second glance, they may see through his carefully made disguise.
Within moments after they made their way inside, shouting is heard at the other end of the tunnel. Thuds and crashes, chainmail bashing against the stone, and the splashing of water echoed down the path.
“They’ll hire anyone these days, won’t they…?†Warren said.
“Recruitment standards are lacking, that’s for certain. You think I boasted and poised and postured and called out his name enough times? I’d like to drop this atrocious accent as soon as possible.†A bit of disgust marked his words as Osric spoke.
More footsteps were approaching from the other end of the tunnels. Three? Four? Lynx questioned the number, but didn’t assume that a large number could quickly traverse the tunnels with ease. The light touch of their steps on the ground could assume they were trying to be sneaky, and then—silence.
“Kiht, Lynx, from here on out, eyes ‘n’ ears open. Expect anythin’.†Osric says, likely anticipating an encounter. The silence is broken as Warren clangs his sword on his shield, the wardrum of battle echoing throughout the halls.
Lynx sighs to herself as she speaks in a soft, yet annoyed voice. “Well, now we can expect anything.†The others either didn’t respond or dismissed her attempt at a joke.
“They’ll be in touch on pearl at the very least. They knew we were here before we did.†says Warren.
Osric grins, his red shirt and black vest making him an easy target to spot. “Blades, paladins, archers, musketmen… anythin’ ‘n’ everythin’.â€
“Indeed, I think we have even awakened ancient spirits by now…†Kiht states, before readying her spear.
“Front and center, Arbiter?†Osric chimed in.
“Makes the most sense.†Warren says, as he steps to the forefront, keeping his shield raised and his eyes open. Lynx almost made a comment about how the enemy knew they were coming, but she stayed her tongue. Pointless questions won’t do much good here.
“Line it up.†Osric states; the group putting themselves in order. Like Lynx predicted, they set themselves into a formation much like the one played out in her mind. “Know what folks use t’bring down gates, Ser Castille?â€
Warren smirks before replying. “I’m familiar. Hold tight, watch your corners.†The team interpreted his sentence as a final piece of advice. Osric tightened the grip on his blades, Warren kept his shield tight to maximize his defense, Kiht prepares her stance, and Lynx puts a blade in her right hand and a throwing knife in her left hand.
Osric laughed. “Battering ram.â€
...We're working with Osric and Kiht to draw Taeros out and attack him.
To do this, we need the location of the Black Pit, a Monetarist prison in Western Thanalan...
Must be another opportunity to make some gil to pay for her funds, right? Being an informer does not bring steady pay. Some days you can make a few hundred thousand gil and other days a paltry sum of less than a hundred. She would need to get gil whenever she could, and this job... this was an opportunity to do what she was good at.
Her real performance in the grand scheme of fate and destiny--if she were willing to call it that--soon developed with a woman named Stormchild. Red hair, a pair of pince-nez, and red clothing adorned her figure, as well as a feisty appetite for alcoholic beverages--specifically of the rum and brandy variety. Lynx had considered her a quaint little bird that has found its way into a cage. The best way to meet with someone such as herself? Why, bring her guest down to a bar and have a few drinks, of course! Be a gracious host and perhaps receive a gracious guest in turn, she thought.
Their pleasant exchange mutually benefited one another. She got the location of the Black Cells, an underground network of tunnels and cells a small distance north of the Hammers in Western Thanalan and a description of what type of guards would be there, while Stormchild got her fair share of free drinks.
A few suns later she made an attempt to convene L'kenthi, C'kayah, Osric, and Kiht all back to the estate. The first two were unable to make the meeting, which left Lynx alone with Osric and Kiht to deliver the information and allow them to formulate their plan. For Osric, a small glass of pineapple juice mixed with rum sated his thirst. For Kiht, no drink was required. She gave the information, with a little bit of embellishment and pizzazz much to Osric's frustration, and talked with her two guests. She told them about the Brass Blades and mercenaries that were expected to be guarding the cells down there, as well as a warning that the guard information may not be accurate due to some developments in Ul'dah. Osric and Kiht were free to do as they pleased now knowing where their friend was held.
What she didn't know, however, was why these two were so keen on reaching this place. Some extrapolation on Lynx's side would assume it's someone of high value who's being purposefully kept alive... yet she did not have a name for a face. She pressed Osric and Kiht for this information, yet received no quarter or even the slightest hint of an answer to her questions. One last look through her options on how to know that which she must know were slim, and she decided on something a villain would not normally consider.
Helping out the heroes of the tale for no extra cost.
If anything were to get the attention of Kiht and Osric, it would be that. Osric, though reluctant in his decision, allowed her the chance to help save whoever was inside of these cells and more openly talked about their plan to save the captive. It was agreed upon to be a group of four to five people in the rescue party: Lynx, Osric, Kiht, and one--possibly two--others of Ala Mhigan descent. She was to directly assist Kiht, while Osric and the others provided the proper distractions.
After Osric and Kiht left the estate, Lynx was stopped by Lani, a white-haired female Miqo'te; a woman she would consider her direct boss. She gave a few warnings about Osric and his past, to which Lynx had dismissed given the current situation.
"Osric? It isn't him that I'm afraid of... it's the Miqo'te woman that was with him. I know nothing about her, yet she was able to peel away a layer of my personality within two bells." She pauses for a moment before speaking again to consider her implications. "...Thank you for the warning though. I'll be more careful around him." With this, she headed up the stairs and back to her room, to her books, and to her maps.
It was true, afterall, that Lynx knew nothing about Kiht. A fear of that which you know nothing about passed through her mind when she pondered about the Miqo'te, but it was nothing to be concerned about now. There were more pressing matters at hand.
Many suns later in the present, outside the Gate of the Sultana where the group was meeting, she found Warren covered in armor from head to toe standing next to Osric, his face and body covered by the black robe he wore. She paused a moment, looking at the robed man with a raised eyebrow.
Wait a minute, who was this again? She thought to herself briefly, before hearing his voice as confirmation. Nevermind, that is Osric. She chuckles a bit to herself as the group of three wait in the rain for their next companion Kiht, who arrived soon after Lynx with a spear, leather armour, and a mask covering most of her face.
Â
Right, right… a quick, tactical analysis. She tried to ponder through the rest of her thoughts without bringing too much attention to herself. As she pondered, the fireteam made their way towards the North Hammer, where the Black Cell is located.
Her thoughts coincided with whom she looked at, assessing each person’s skills at a glance. She looked first at the front of the group.
Mhm… Warren. Plate armour, brandishing a sword and shield. He’ll be useful for any encounters against arrows, so long as he doesn’t receive a hit in the cracks of his armour. At the very least, he will provide a counter towards any heavily armoured personnel.
A glance to her left followed after Warren’s quick assessment.
Kiht. An elusive Miqo’te to be sure, yet her combat capabilities are likely with that spear of hers. I’ll expect her to break through the line while Warren attempts to keep the more dangerous enemies on him.
From Kiht, she turned her head over towards Osric. A slight smirk showed on her face as she looked his way.
And Osric! Equipped with two dagger-sized blades, he’s going to be the person—besides myself—the most capable of slipping past the enemy vanguard. His sergeant status will likely set him as the ad hoc leader of this group. If he has knives he can throw, he can improve his function within the unit.
She looked down at herself, patting down her coat and touching the hilts of both of her blades.
Let’s see here… lockpicks, a few bandages, throwing knives, and a small logbook. Doubt our enemies will sit for a story this time though. And both of my blades look to be in good condition... Hm. It seems like I’ll have to act the part of an archer for a time, though with knives instead of arrows.
She looked across the other three in the group once more before taking out a pair of goggles and putting them over her eyes.
Warren in front, Kiht and Osric behind him, and myself as the rear guard... I’d imagine they’ll consider the same kind of formation as well.
The group set foot at the entrance to the Black Cell. Osric removed his robe to show a person quite unlike the man she remembered seeing at the Tylwyth Narah estate. She stayed quiet about this, trusting the man to have a plan behind the appearance similar to a very certain pirate her organization has been investigating. One could even say he perfectly resembled Lazarov in height, stature, skin color, and hair color! Though… his eyes. If someone took a second glance, they may see through his carefully made disguise.
Within moments after they made their way inside, shouting is heard at the other end of the tunnel. Thuds and crashes, chainmail bashing against the stone, and the splashing of water echoed down the path.
“They’ll hire anyone these days, won’t they…?†Warren said.
“Recruitment standards are lacking, that’s for certain. You think I boasted and poised and postured and called out his name enough times? I’d like to drop this atrocious accent as soon as possible.†A bit of disgust marked his words as Osric spoke.
More footsteps were approaching from the other end of the tunnels. Three? Four? Lynx questioned the number, but didn’t assume that a large number could quickly traverse the tunnels with ease. The light touch of their steps on the ground could assume they were trying to be sneaky, and then—silence.
“Kiht, Lynx, from here on out, eyes ‘n’ ears open. Expect anythin’.†Osric says, likely anticipating an encounter. The silence is broken as Warren clangs his sword on his shield, the wardrum of battle echoing throughout the halls.
Lynx sighs to herself as she speaks in a soft, yet annoyed voice. “Well, now we can expect anything.†The others either didn’t respond or dismissed her attempt at a joke.
“They’ll be in touch on pearl at the very least. They knew we were here before we did.†says Warren.
Osric grins, his red shirt and black vest making him an easy target to spot. “Blades, paladins, archers, musketmen… anythin’ ‘n’ everythin’.â€
“Indeed, I think we have even awakened ancient spirits by now…†Kiht states, before readying her spear.
“Front and center, Arbiter?†Osric chimed in.
“Makes the most sense.†Warren says, as he steps to the forefront, keeping his shield raised and his eyes open. Lynx almost made a comment about how the enemy knew they were coming, but she stayed her tongue. Pointless questions won’t do much good here.
“Line it up.†Osric states; the group putting themselves in order. Like Lynx predicted, they set themselves into a formation much like the one played out in her mind. “Know what folks use t’bring down gates, Ser Castille?â€
Warren smirks before replying. “I’m familiar. Hold tight, watch your corners.†The team interpreted his sentence as a final piece of advice. Osric tightened the grip on his blades, Warren kept his shield tight to maximize his defense, Kiht prepares her stance, and Lynx puts a blade in her right hand and a throwing knife in her left hand.
Osric laughed. “Battering ram.â€
