“The Dragon’s Roost, why does the Delver’s Guild always name their crap after dragons?” Vellora grumbled before slinking through the oversized doorway of the old moss-coated stone building, years of brawls scaring the outside. Her nose scrunched at the scent of decades-old booze mixed with the coppery smell of recently spilled blood.
Once inside, she glanced over the eclectic crowd: dwarfs arguing with elves, a half-giant drinking from a keg like a mug, and a pack of kobolds cheating at cards in a back corner; the low hum of chatter echoed throughout the massive dining hall, filling the area with a casual but tense aura as though a fight may break out at any moment.
Vellora slunk towards the well-worn bar as she looked over an old crammed leger.
“Oh a new face, welcome! The name’s Torna, ya’ lookin’ for work?” A rather enthusiastic and rotund older woman asked, seeming to apparate behind the bar, causing the hellkin to jump.
Huh— so this is what that’s like– I hate it, she monologued in thought as she took a breath to steady her nerves. “I am Belladonna, a cutpurse looking to do cleaner work,” the cutthroat lied, a warm but plastic smile spreading across her lips.
Torna looked Vellora over momentarily, appraising her before tapping the leger next to them. “Well miss Belladonna, put your information down here, along with any nexta kin you might have, then look at that board to see if anyone's lookin’ for a sneak,” she said in a motherly tone before pointing to a beaten-up notice board at the far end of the bar.
After a few moments, Vellora filled out the leger with half-truths and chicken scratch before heading over the board. “Let’s see, walls, blood, blade, power, ah sneaks. Only one request–” Are cutthroats and ally rats in that low demand? she thought as she took the help wanted ad and read over the offer letter.
Looking for a Sneak, we offer for compensation of time, One-fourth the split of any pay, first dibs on any items found for the first five months, and no questions asked on where you go as long as it doesn’t lead back to the group. You can find us on the upper balcony of the Dragon’s Roost.
–Sincerely Zerren
“Not a bad offer.” Vellora purred as she went to find Torna and ask about Zerren’s group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Why do we need a sneak again? The last one was already a bit of a head case, then the crazy knife-ear ups and ditches us without warning,” Slika complained as her gauntlet-like hand made of chiton ran through her silky black hair that drew focus to her ivory skin and sold red eyes.
She sat above a table more out of convenience than out of station, as her lower body couldn’t squeeze under it. She used one of her eight spider-like legs to secure the last bread roll and brought it to her mouth. The holly symbol of the Fate Weaver glinted against her red-dyed silk dress.
“Trap locating, disarming, lock picking, vouching for us with fences and other criminals, and you know— sneaking around,” Doll chimed in a monotone voice as she looked up at the Vefr.
Doll’s porcelain face was lined with small mended cracks and was stuck in a never-changing soft expression, not quite a smile and not entirely blank, but their emerald green eyes managed to convey annoyance at Slika’s complaining.
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They then turned their attention back to the scroll they were copying down, their jointed fingers running along the rolled paper as she copied it into her spellbook. In the brief silence, one could faintly hear a soft ticking and whir from the living doll.
“Also, the proper term is ‘elf,’ not ‘knife-ear,’ Silka,” Doll stated as she returned to work.
Zerren yanked his cobalt-colored hand away from the roll Silka snatched, his scaled head lifted to glare at the silk spinner. His jagged maw tensed into a snarl for half a moment. His hand moved to rub the prominent forward-facing shard-like nasal horn, and his sapphire eyes glinted with lightning before he shook his lizard-like head.
“Ya’ know, Slika, other people need to eat too, right,” Zerren sighed as he moved the bread basket to the table’s edge. Pointedly ignoring the glare Silka was undoubtedly fixing on him, only for his sapphire eyes to lock onto a slender Takvin that pulled a chair up to the end of their table and quietly watched the party.
“We also tend to be gossip’s,” Vellora stated as she leaned on the table and rested her chin on steepled fingers. “I’m Belladonna, it’s a pleasure to meet you all,” she purred as the Vefr and Anathema’s attention turned to her. “Rumor has it you’re looking for a new sneak, and I’m looking to get into more legal work. I have 90 years of experience as a cutpurse, training in minor alchemy, and can hold my own in a fight.”
“Well, I’m Zerren, party’s wall, this is Slika, the blood, and that’s Doll, power of the group. I hope ya’ don’t mind, but we have a little test for ya’, before we even think a letting ya’ join up,” he said warmly before nodding at Doll.
Doll jerked their head in mockery of a nod before setting a wooden box on the table and sliding it toward Vellora: the box, it was wooden, with gold inlay, but lacked a keyhole on the outside, unlike most lock boxes which have some kind of external latch.
A puzzle lock, how seductive, Vellora swooned as she carefully turned the box over in her hands, her fingers softly pressed against any slight imperfections.
Over the next few minutes, she skillfully worked the complicated mechanisms hidden beneath several wooden tiles before, with one last click the lid popped loose.
Vellora then pulled out a small hook from her lockpicking set, slowly running it along the lip of the box as she checked for any other surprises, only to feel a slight give as if touching a solid spider web.
It wasn’t fully taught so Vellora lifted the lid slightly; looking into the box and spotting a vial trap, which she easily disarmed. Then with one last check to make sure she didn’t miss anything Vellor lifted the lid and turned the box to the other three at the table, a smug grin on her lips.
“Doll— how long did it take you to open that box again?” Slika asked in awe as she looked at the porcelain mage.
“Ten minutes thirty-two seconds—” Doll said flatly as they closed the box, looking at Zerren and then Slika. “I am content with having Belladonna join us.”
“That makes two of us,” Zerren stated as he looked up at the priestess, his head tilting slightly. “ Slika?”
“Fine, but I still reserve the right to complain if she ditches us like the last did,” Slika sighed as she tapped her claw-like fingers against her arm.
“Looks like you’re in. Welcome to the group,” Zerren chirped as he held out his hand.
“Thank you all, I hope to get rich with all of you,” Vellora replied as she shook Zerren’s hand, a forgery of a smile on her lips. That was easier than I thought it’d be, why can’t everyone be this easy to manipulate?