Quest Bad Omen

[Jeriah Thackett]

​

Four Feather Inn, Cortosi Coast


"The plan is sound, but there's a small window of opportunity," Jeriah explained. "The prisoner is being held at Rough Shore Spire, but he'll be sent to the Black Bay on a Red Reaver ship within a few weeks. If they find out who he is, suddenly the Reavers know where all the Cortosi ships are patrolling, where all the outposts are and where to raid."

Thackett paused and looked around him. The crew were sound, had an excellent reputation. The money being put forward was enough to hire them, but he sensed that something wasn't right.

"It does sound like a good plan," the oldest of the crew replied. "But here is the problem."

"Alright," Thackett replied, eyeing him wearily.

"You're the problem. You've got a reputation. Coming up with good plans, pulling off these jobs..."

Thackett bowed his head, but knew something else was coming.

"What happened to your crew for the job with Baron Kokol and his mines?" the man asked.

Thackett narrowed his eyes. Melfa and Will had a falling out during that one. "Well, we still managed to..."

"And the Amir Vault?"

"How do you even..." Thackett started to reply.

"You go around picking on the wrong people Thackett. You're a bad omen. When you mess with the wrong people you end up dead. How many people have you worked with? Some think you keep murdering your own crews to keep the take. I just think you're a slippery fucker and just keep leading people into jobs they're not coming back from."

"Well..." went Jeriah, leaning back in his chair. "...you listen just so you can bad mouth me to my face?"

"Nah, we're desperate enough to listen. But now I know my mind on you. Messing with the Red Reavers? Fucking skin eating raiders? You're just gonna get another crew killed. You'd best see if you can find any friends you might have left, or anyone crazy or dumb fucking stupid enough to join in."

---

Melfa Emmeryn Dieder J Strietz

OOC/

Here's the pitch:

• A ranking Cortosi officer was recently captured by raiders on the coast
• He's being held in a tower on a coastal raider outpost
• If they find out who he is as they send him to slavery they'll extract all sorts of secrets (he might be more than Thackett knows...)
• Thackett is down on his luck and has no help on how to do the job
• He'll assemble a crew and track down two macguffins they need to get access to Rough Shore Tower and to extract the prisoner
• You can do a cold intro for your character, where they are and why they might take the job, Thackett will approach them all and we'll start the classic DnD party shenanigans

 

[Melfa]

Had been some time since the falling out. William had made it known under no circumstances would he trust her, share bounty with her, or watch her back. One incident lead to another, and William finally found out what happened when you pushed the komodi too far.

She hadn't been kicked out of the group so much as, kindly asked to leave. Melfa wasn't one to take it personally, but she spent no effort in trying to stay. Such was the life of the vagrant dragonfolk. Some time later she'd fallen in with an orc warband from the spine and won a challenge against the wrong orc. Found herself in their bad graces. Nearly left for dead during a raid, then discovered and freed by a motley crew that called themselves Knights of Anathaeum (don't ask her to say it, she can't).

So that was where she landed.

And what a soft landing it had been. Healed, well-fed, well-armed, and provided with plenty of missions worthy of her strengths, Melfa was for the first time in a long time quite content with her life.

Then he showed up again.

Thackett would not find it easy to convince the komodi to leave.

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

Pescera, A Cortosi fishing village
In a backroom gambling den of the Cangrejo Verde

Blackjack.

Heavy smoke swirled about the warm coastal air. Dj looked at his cards on the table. Ten of diamonds, and a six of clubs. Sixteen. Wasn't bad. The dealer showed ten, second card hidden.

The Dealer motioned to player to his right. Two knocks against the table. "Hit," The dealer revealed a card. A two of spades. Put him at fifteen. He wrapped his fingers against the table, again and again as he thought. Two knocks again. "Hit," the dealer bowed his head, slipped a card free, and revealed a seven. The man grumbled in dismay.

Twenty two. Bust.

The dealer's hand moved to DJ, palm open.

Dj looked at his cards, looked at the dealer's. Knocked two fingers down against the table. "Hit," he said, easy smile across his lips.

The dealer nod, pulled a card. A three.

Dj grinned, and waved his hand to stand.

Sure. He only had one coin left, but this was looking promising.

Jeriah Thackett Izara

 

[Izara]

“Wait so are you winning or what?” Izzy said behind DJ’s shoulder, looking over at the cards and not understanding the point of this game.

“He’s not losing right now.” Someone to the left of DJ said, grumbling and wiping their sweaty palms on their pants.

“So he’s winning?”

“I don’t have the time to explain this to you.”

“Well then.” Izzy’s ears flicked dismissively at the man. “You’re the first man I’ve met who didn’t want to talk to a pretty lady.” Everyone at the card table, except for the dealer and hopefully DJ if he knew what was good for him, groaned in exasperation. Izzy had been talking this entire time and she wasn’t about to shut up anytime soon.

Jeriah Thackett Dieder J Strietz

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Then he showed up again.

Thackett would not find it easy to convince the komodi to leave.

"Did you know..." Thackett said, stepping out onto an open practise field where Melfa had done some terrible things to a practise dummy.

"...that they're very trusting here about letting strangers in? Honestly it would worry me."

It didn't worry him. What worried him was that Melfa was armed for the start of this conversation and that he wouldn't have enough of a headstart.

---

Sure. He only had one coin left, but this was looking promising.

"Hit...hit...hit...damn," said Thackett.

"Such a shame," he bemoaned his hand. The third card had been a ludicrous risk, but it wasn't in his interest to have the young gambler on his left lose his last coin.

Fortunately the girl behind the players was flicking someone else's ears.

He thought he had scraped the bottom of the barrel before.

It turned out there was always a little more left in the corners.

 

[Melfa]

Melfa was armed all the time. That she had access to pointy, metal implements hardly made much difference when it came to the danger in keeping her company. So far as Melfa was concerned, the dummy stood little point for her own skills - she was here to test the quality of the sword for one of the smiths that supplied the Knights. They'd not had much practice in supplying weapons for someone of her strength or stature. Got the balance all wrong on the last one.

With very little effort, the dummy fell apart piece-meal slash by slash until the komodo lopped its head off via unforgiving swipe. The head landed and rolled to a stop near Thackett's boots.

This was a good sword.

Melfa's heated gaze shifted to the man, her permanent beastly glower settling over his sorry-looking self without outward judgement. It took several moments for her to comprehend the curious nature of his presence here. Following that, it took only a blink for her to drop the sword and make straight for him - and Melfa moved fast for something her size.

Jeriah Thackett owed her money, and woe to those who did not pay up when their debts came due.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

He looked down at the head, up at Melfa.

Following that, it took only a blink for her to drop the sword and make straight for him - and Melfa moved fast for something her size.

Thackett looked back down at the head.

"Oh it is grand to see you too Melfa," he said quickly as he started to backpedal.

"Now whilst I have missed you a...er..." he nearly stumbled on a tree root and had to glance over his shoulder to continue his retreat.

"...a great deal, there really is no need for a hug."

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

Just him and the dealer now.

DJ grinned. The dealer's hand moved to his card. The odds were in DJs favor. Only a twenty or a tweny one would beat-

"Ace of spades,"

No way.

"Black Jack,"

Dj stared wide eyed at the dealer's card.

The dealer reached out to collect all bets placed. Scooped up DJs last coin with a smooth sweep of a hooked rake.

"Damn," he said with a bone hollow croak that rattled out of his throat. "I lost,"

Luck had a way of turning fast.

 

[Izara]

“What do you mean you lost?! DJ,” Izzy had been yelling but upon seeing their last coin get taken from them, she brought her voice to a very audible whisper. “I thought ace was a one!”

“Or a ten— sheesh, how many times do I gotta explain it to you?” Izzy ignored the man, placing both of her hands on either side of DJ’s slim shoulders. She shook him back and forth for a moment, her grip tight.

“Dieder… J…” the hundreds, what was his middle name again? Joe? Jeffrey? Jason? Oh whatever, who cared? “Strietz, we’re gonna starve tonight! I am not selling any of my stuff.” Not that she had ever sold any of the loot she had nabbed before, but she just wanted to remind her partner that it was off the table.

“We’ll have to dine and dash again.” She paused. “Or you pretend to be a fancy painting and I sell you and that’s how we get some coin for dinner.”

Dieder J Strietz

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Damn, he said with a bone hollow croak that rattled out of his throat. I lost,

It was what Thackett had wanted to happen, but not just yet. He'd wanted the pair to continue for a few more rounds so that he could get a sense of who they were.

For so much of his life he had seen gambling as immoral. Now he thought that it was one of the best ways to get to see the real character of a person.

"Sell him as a painting?" Thackett asked the girl, turning on his seat. "Imaginitive. But why don't I..."

He held up his hand, fanning his fingers and making a few coins appear out of thing air.

"...spot you for a few rounds to see if your luck picks up?"

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

"Yeah, the painting trick!" Dieder said, eyes wide with sudden confidence. His head pulled out of the pit of despair he so quickly fell into. "Should be able to-"

And from his side came a voice.

Sell him as a painting?

Dieder's eyes narrowed, and his head turned to regard the other gambler. He offered to spot them some coin.

"Awful nice of you, mister," he said, voice tight with suspicion.

They were broke. But they weren't in a hole just yet.

"I think I'll pass though," he said and made to get up. "We'll think of somethin, Izz, no worries," he said as he stepped away. Didn't hear nothin by him. "Izz?" He checked about him.

Izara Jeriah Thackett

 

[Izara]

Free money? Izzy loved anything that was free. She’d even take free dirt if someone was selling it but offering it to her for free! Even if people liked to remind her that there was no such thing as free, Izzy liked to think otherwise. Plenty of things were free, and if they weren’t, then all one had to do was steal and that made it free!

“Yeah! I’ll take you on that offer!” Izzy said, ignoring DJ’s logical sense of reason. She shoved DJ out of the way as he got out of his chair, and sat down in it. Ears and tail flicking in anticipation. “Give me the money and let me show you how lucky I am, Mister!”

Dieder J Strietz Jeriah Thackett

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Thackett swept one hand across the table. In its wake two neat piles of coins had been placed in front of Izara. He didn't have a great deal of capital left, not after paying Melfa off half of what she was owed.

Dumb fucking stupid enough for the job, that was the advice the horrible mercenary had left him.

Thackett didn't want to take advantage of people, but he was going to need people who could take a risk to pull off this job.

Even if these two couldn't be convinced to break the officer free, they might be willing to help him raid the Tomb of Jeddon to find the Hoarfrost staff they would nee to carry out the plan.

"Wish you the best of luck then," Thackett said with a grin as another hand was dealt.

 

[Melfa]

He looked down at the head, up at Melfa.



Thackett looked back down at the head.

Oh it is grand to see you too Melfa, he said quickly as he started to backpedal.

Now whilst I have missed you a...er... he nearly stumbled on a tree root and had to glance over his shoulder to continue his retreat.

...a great deal, there really is no need for a hug.

Melfa's long-strided advance continued until she was within grabbing range, and grab she did. Her clawed digits gripped the front of the man's jacket and lifted him bodily from the ground where his feet continued to backpedal midair.

"Little man owe Melfa big debt," the komodo issued the statement of fact over a guttural snarl, her forked tongue flickering out to taste the fear of him, "mebe in pocketssss?"

Her tail then wrapped about one leg and suddenly Jeriah Thackett was suspended upside down. Melfa shook him.

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

Damn.

He squint his eyes as he looked over the stranger once more. Somethin about the guy just didn't sit right with him.

Maybe it was cuz he felt like he was lookin at a mirror. Albeit, a little further down the road.

"Iz," Dj said, hushed as he got close behind the Letai woman. "Hold on a sec, you need to-"

The dealer's eyes cut to each player in turn.

"Place your bets," the cardshark said coldly.

Dieder sighed. Looked over at the lnder and smirked. What the hell are you up to, drifter?

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Little man owe Melfa big debt, the komodo issued the statement of fact over a guttural snarl, her forked tongue flickering out to taste the fear of him, mebe in pocketssss?

"Woaa-ah!"

Thackett hadn't expected to be turned out and shaken, even if he knew that he wasn't getting a warm welcome.

He tried to stay calm, to stick to cold logical reasoning. Thackett hadn't always been a manipulator of people. The moral code he had once lived by was well and truly in his past.

"There is... No need... I came... To you... Remember..." he said.

Thackett heard several loose items fall to the floor. None of them were weapons. Just a series of strange trinkets.

He reached into his jacket and held up a coin purse before she could frisk him to find the source of the jangling.

"For you!"

It was half what she was owed.

 

[Izara]

“You worry too much, DJ,” Izzy said with a smug look and a wink. “It’s that Anirian blood. Makes you worry, worry, worry. Fret, fret, fret. Neat, neat, neat. Organize, organize, organize. Not everything gotta make sense all the time!” Ears flicking in anticipation, Izzy was certain that she would be far luckier than Dieder had been. Because the issue was, DJ was playing too low! A coin here, a coin there, when he had won a round, his earnings were small in comparison!

This betting table needed someone to raise the stakes, to get people really betting.

“And I am feeling extra lucky!” especially with the coin that had been loaned to her by the man— had she gotten his name or had he yet to tell them his name? Did it matter when she had his money in her hands? “I’m all in!” And without hesitating, she pushed all the coin forward. Some of the other players at the table scoffed or laughed, but Izzy knew that luck was on her side.

Usually.

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

"Izz, wait, hold on, just a minute darlin',"

All the gold glittered forward.

Fuck.

The dealer showed an ace, Izzy showed a jack and a queen. Dj's eyes were huge.

"Twenty, you have twenty that's really good!" he said with a laugh.

The other gamblers groaned. "Shut up ye damn blonde haired mouse,"

Dj clicked his teeth, glared at the bastard. "Run that by me again?"

The man grabbed his balls and gave them a shake. An ugly grin and an ugly sound there with the gesture.

Yeah fuck you too buddy.

Izara Jeriah Thackett

 

[Melfa]

At the offering of the coin pouch, the komodo's head and slit eyes immediately snapped to look at it. Eyelids narrowing, the tail coiled around his leg squeezed as she lifted him higher to pluck the pouch from his grasp.

"Mmmmmmm-" Melfa rumbled as she eyed the contents, "is half what owe."

That same reptilian gaze then flickered up and down his hanging form, "Can take rest from flesh, haa?"

Lips peeled back over pointed teeth, Melfa smiled a smile only a mother could love.

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

“I’m all in!” And without hesitating, she pushed all the coin forward. Some of the other players at the table scoffed or laughed, but Izzy knew that luck was on her side.

Dj clicked his teeth, glared at the bastard. Run that by me again?

In moments of desperation, it could be very easy to see the true colour of people. Thackett needed a small team for this job and they needed to be bold.

Desperate was acceptable. Desperate was almost a requirement to listen to Thackett. Desperate and bold was better.

"What excellent luck," Thackett declared. A cast a glance at the angry loser. "I'm sure you'll find some of you own."

He was deliberately adding fuel to the fire.

That same reptilian gaze then flickered up and down his hanging form, Can take rest from flesh, haa?

The smile was worse from this angle. He hasn't liked it before.

"Melfa..." he said in a friendly tone, his arms held wide.

He knew charm would not get him anywhere today.

"If you do that I can't tell you about a job. You could keep your share and half of mine. That would be much more than I owe you!"

He wasn't certain how that maths worked out, but he would find a creative way.

 

[Izara]

“Yeah, I’m lucky!” Izara cheered for herself, blue eyes darting over to the man that seemed to be giving DJ a hard time. Strangely enough, the mirth on her face turned into something far meaner as the man called her partner a particular rodent. Because she was obviously belonging to feline-looking Letais or because DJ was constantly giving off mouse energy?

The man made an obscene gesture and sound at DJ. She looked at her partner, then over at the kind man who had loaned her money. Finally, her blue eyes rested on the cards.

Whatever this was, she had twenty.

She hadn’t won just yet though, had she?

With Dieder getting into his own trouble, Izzy brought her hand to the table, tapping it with two fingers. She looked over at Thackett and grinned.

“I did the math. I need a one and I can feel this is gonna be a one because there’s four ones in that stack and like, instead of fifty cards, there’s like forty so that’s a one in ten chance! Great odds!” Izzy boasted. “I’ll even give you a tip for letting me borrow this money, old man!”

 

[Dieder J Strietz]

The angry loser scowled at the stranger's words. "Pah, the hell do you know about luck? You sod, shoulda gave me the coins, not this half-witted-"

Dj got up, with a screech of his chair, got into the man's face. "Go on, then." the smaller man dared.

He missed the tap of Izzy's fingers.

The dealer blinked. Looked at the cards on the table, and shook, hand moved to the deck of cards rested at their side.

The angry loser grinned wider. "Oh, sorry," he said as he pushed himself back and out of his seat. Got up, big as an ox. "Did I offend the little cat fucker?"

Dj's brow twitched, his hand balled tight into a fist.

The dealer revealed Izzy's card. "Six,"

The angry loser guffawed.

"Bust," The dealer assured. got their little cane ready to rake back all the gold.

Dieder J. Strietz ripped a kick right into the big man's nads, doubling him over. The smaller man grabbed up the angry loser's linen shirt with both hands and tossed him!

Only. The shirt ripped. The big man didn't budge. Hunched over as he was tending to his jewels.

"You fuckin bastard," he wheezed.

Shit.

Izara Jeriah Thackett

 

[Jeriah Thackett]

Desperate and bold was better.

Izzy brought her hand to the table, tapping it with two fingers. She looked over at Thackett and grinned.

Desperate and bold and clever would have been the best outcome, but he knew that to pull of a heist they had to share their gifts.

If Melfa joined them too this was going to be interesting if things didn't go to plan and people had to improvise.

As the six lay on the table for all to see, events kicked up a notch.

The large man howled but managed to remove his hands from between his thighs to throw a punch. It was badly aimed, heading for Thackett.

It should have connected, but luck was on his side. He happened to lean towards the dealer and felt the fist swipe the hair at the back of his head.

Thackett told everyone who cared to listen that he was a master with the light blade and his bare hands, but no one ever witnessed this. He seemed to actively avoid getting his hands dirty like a coward. He flattened himself to the gaming table to avoid getting caught by any more punches being thrown.

Desperate and bold and feisty.

He was going to have to find a specific role for the pair.

 

[Melfa]

If you do that I cant tell you about a job. You could keep your share and half of mine. That would be much more than I owe you!

"Hah!" barked the beastly komodo, "Little man promise much, give nothing. Melfa 'members."

She pocketed the coin purse, gave Thackett another rough shaking just to be sure he was relieved of all valuable items, and then unceremoniously dropped the man on his head.

"Melfa Knight now," she added, turning then to tromp back to the sparing arena and scooping up the discarded sword along the way, "price double."

 

[Izara]

“WHAT IN THE SIX—“ Izzy stopped, no longer caring about the money she had lost, and would probably owe for awhile, as DJ thought now would be a good time to get into some trouble. She had no idea why he would upset over being called a “cat-fucker” if it was the truth, but maybe it had been because he was called “little?” Izzy was constantly reminding him that size didn’t matter— except in a fight.

People could believe whatever they wanted, the smaller someone was, the more skill they needed to not get the shit beat out of them. Lucky for DJ, Izzy tended to throw a mean left hook. DJ could read and Izzy could fight better, they were a good team in that sense.

Izzy turned, cat-like reflexes allowing her to maneuver and twist so she’d miss the punch that nearly caught Thackett square in his face. Getting off her chair, Izzy went to go and throw a punch but thought better of it. Instead, she picked up the chair and swung it into the chest of the large man. A loud resounding crack followed by flying splinters wood.

Izzy was grinning.

The man wasn’t. And he was still standing.