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Post by Maximillion B. VonMitternacht on Mar 27, 2017 19:01:47 GMT
Maximillion B.
VonMitternacht
Izune had gotten under his skin, but not (arguably) in a negative way. When he had come here, he had been so afraid of having a negative impact upon this new world, he had been taking his time, avoiding risks[1], and had even fled the one altercation he had been faced[2], but there just came a time when a man had to step up and do something, not just spend his time moping and philosophizing.
It was simple, really. He had managed to avoid running into that sword-toting mystic again, but after two weeks of deliberately combing the streets for his 'desired element', he found it in a gambling den on the poorer side of town.
It seemed that Eokia, like the towns in Maximillion's home Plane, had its seedy underbelly, and Maximillion was able to espy it right away. How things went after that, was a little involved, but pretty easy to summarize:
Week One: walking around town, building a rapport with shopkeepers, buying and selling goods between them, while raking in a bit of a profit, with the aid of the occasional disguise, in order to appear like different vendors coming and going. Using what he knew about mercantile, he was able to make a decent profit each day just by trading between the shops, as well as occasionally introducing some of the artifacts he had brought with him from his home Plane.
Weeks 2-4: After happening upon a handful of Gambling Dens, on the poorer outskirts of some of the towns, he systematically scoped out which places were employing corrupt methods of 'winning' (such as rigging dice or manipulating cards so the House won the majority of rounds), and would make sure - without letting it trace itself back to him - that word got around to the people who had lost money at those establishments. Once enough of an outcry had resulted from it, Maximillion would arrive upon the scene, with a dozen or so highly skilled Sellswords - whom he would pay a little extra to wear his tell-tale Purple when they busted the place up - and they would skim the profits of the Gambling Den, before making rounds to the people whose names he had composed a list of, returning the bulk of the money they had lost from gambling.
Weeks 5-7: Gangs came for him, and he would give them false impressions of his lodgings, or where he was staying. When they would seize upon the room of the Inn, or the barn of the farm he was rumored to be sleeping the night at (money paid to the owners of said establishments, for their troubles), they were quickly defeated; so quickly, in fact, that when they arrived, with signed confessions to their crimes, at the gates of the presiding Lord, Duke or Baron, even heavy interrogation would only reveal that they had seen 'a streak of purple' before the 'lights' went out.
Week 8: On the outskirts of Delmarsh, changes started cropping up. A large Estate, owned by one of the area's most notorious crime lords - whose influence and wealth had kept even local Law Enforcement from being able to touch him - went from being milled about by rough-looking men with swords or polearms, to being patrolled by men and women clad in purple clothes, with their faces half-concealed, presumably - the local Nobles' information networks would indicate - Sellswords who had been permanently 'bought' by the owner of the Estate. Incidentally, all of the business arrangements, and the 'bribes' being sent to the local Nobles and corrupt Law Enforcement, all of the trade routes - save the most legitimate forms of trade - just suddenly ceased overnight. The local dens, restaurants, and shops the Crime Lord was known for frequenting, would report having not seen him since about the same time the changes had started occurring within the Estate.
 The Estate
Week 9: Izune would find herself approached, suddenly and inexplicably, by a (ninja-like) fellow clad in all dark purple, with an invitation to the Estate, signed in scrawling, yet ornate hand, with a familiar name upon it,
MAXIMILLION.
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Mar 29, 2017 14:30:45 GMT
Had Izune not been willing to be found, the bakeneko would have been impossible to track down. As it was, she didn't enjoy being tracked and followed. When approached in this stealthy manner, she glared at the messenger. "Thank you for coming when you are most unwelcome." She stated in a venomous tone of voice. An invisible line had been crossed and she was truly not pleased. She might not look like she was busy, but she considered her time and space important now violated property. The messenger did not know how close he had come to being clawed in the face simply for bringing the message at a moment for which Izune simply did not approve. Now the question was, would she blame and hold Max accountable for the messenger's error or let him off that hook. She'd let the contents of the message decide. She grabbed the note now so she could actually read what it had to say. XARXU (OOC)
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Post by Maximillion B. VonMitternacht on Apr 11, 2017 12:50:12 GMT
Maximillion B.
VonMitternacht
Not every seedy investment of the Crime Lord who had owned this Estate was done away with; after all, he needed capital if he was going to rebuild the Tepes Family's empire in Eokia. The tough part had been diverting the loyalty of the men who had followed their Boss so loyally over the years. Maximillion was not a man who had a lot of social savvy, but what he did have was the means to 'persuade' people with a little help of his telepathic abilities. Thing was, most people with Psionic abilities had a degree of willpower and stubbornness that made them psychic powerhouses when they used their power, but Maximillion was not as forceful with his Will as most others were, so he couldn't mind-control the masses to do his bidding...he would simply boost his social 'charisma' with the help of a little telepathic compulsion.
This went directly against his ethics, but he rationalized it by telling himself that these man had done wretched things, and if their illicit dealings might be able to do some good for the world - albeit indirectly - then taking these measures was not entirely unethical. Even with the added 'help', it had still taken some time to win all of the men over to his side. Fortunately, seeing one of their most badass associates throw a punch at him, and having his fist caught with two of Maximillion's fingers, then getting shot across the mansion with a flat palm to the chest, had been sufficient to remind the men that they were now in service of a man who had a different way of ensuring his men's loyalty.
It is all for the sake of restoring my Family's prestige, and amassing the wealth and power necessary to finally Unseal the barriers keeping me from my Home Plane.
This is what he told himself, but deep down, he still wasn't utterly convinced. He needed counsel, and that was why he had sent the Messengers to go and look for Izune, in the hopes that he could track her down, and get her here to give him some advice, some insight into the inner-workings of Eokia, and maybe even a little ethical advice to boot. The letter would say as much, as well as expressing Maximillion's wish to repay Izune's earlier kindness with lodgings at the sprawling Estate, "no strings attached", if she wanted to.
She was really the only person he had come to know during his time in Eokia, and he was both lonely and discouraged by the isolation that his newness to this Plane was bringing him.
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Apr 11, 2017 17:02:28 GMT
"Get out of my sight." Izune ordered the messenger baring her teeth for a moment in a threatening expression which was not a smile. She folded the note neatly into eighths, fitting the scrap of parchment into her palm, refusing to hint as to whether she would be coming or not, as the paper corroded in her hands. It wasn't something she'd show to anyone anyhow better to turn the note to ash than to carry it around.
At a time of her own choosing, some time after traditional 'visiting hours', Izune stole onto the grounds acquired by Maximilion. Hired hands would not see her come. She took great care to remain mundane, an ordinary looking, ordinary sized tabby, so that she could escape notice as anything odd even if she was seen. she did not bother using gates or paved walkways. She didn't need them after all.
Near the manor she listened closely for signs of the host. If he wasn't taking care to hide his location from one with senses as sharp as his own, she wouldn't have a problem picking him out from staff. Then all she need do was find the easiest way into the relevant room.
XARXU (OOC)
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Post by Maximillion B. VonMitternacht on Apr 13, 2017 1:54:57 GMT
Maximillion B.
VonMitternacht
One of the drawbacks of his heightened senses, and his mediocre control over them, was that every sound, even those inaudible to others, were constantly coming into his ears, often resulting in a headache. With him, it was all or nothing: he could sometimes isolate 2-3 sounds at a time, but never really hone his sense of Hearing so that he could isolate a single sound. Izune had cleverly waited to respond to his invitation, but as she had not done it formally, he had no idea when to expect her, and he was simply going about his normal routine.
He was walking through the sprawling interior of the Mansion, left hand behind his back in a fist - like a Florian Rapier-Fighter might have held their hand whilst the right hand a rapier - with his right hand in front of him, holding a thick tome, something written in an arcane-looking script of perceptible ancient origins. He was reading aloud, under his breath, and occasionally the ebony man would pause, close his eyes, take a few deep breaths as though to steady himself, then he would reopen his eyes and resume reading. His pacing, in the course of the last hour, had brought him from one end of the Estate to the other, and he was now making his way back through, his body moving on it's own, only slowing in movement when he moved his left hand from behind his back to turn a page, then it went back to its former position, and his pacing speed would pick back up again, a 'brisk walk' for most people, but a casual stroll for a tall man with long legs and the muscular strength of someone of his heritage.
Oddly, none of the men would notice Izune's approach, but that was to be expected; Izune was an entity of Nature, and her stealth abilities were exceptional. She probably could have snuck up on Maximillion largely undetected, in a single, large room, if she had wanted to.
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Apr 13, 2017 20:17:24 GMT
Izune found him easily, for the large man was making no effort to hide himself. He seemed preoccupied with the tome he was holding, not really looking at other things in the chamber. Staying out of his line of sight was easy. She shifted to her humanoid form, the one he'd know from before, in which she looked like little more than a street-smart young teenager, who had yet to gain the shapeliness of an adult.
Deciding to stand near a wall, but close, where he could possibly see her next time he turned, Izune crossed her arms and waited silently. She'd see if her sudden appearance would actually be noticed now that she wasn't trying to hide, or if he was so absorbed by the book that he'd miss her. XARXU (OOC)
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Post by Maximillion B. VonMitternacht on Apr 16, 2017 20:45:11 GMT
Maximillion B.
VonMitternacht
Something about her shifting shapes did it, although it was hard to tell what caused it to grab the ebony man's attention. He wouldn't let on that he had noticed the shift in the room, but his eyes would seem to a glow a bit more brightly, illuminating the pages he was looking at. He had visibly tensed, but after a moment, he relaxed again, and the glow from his eyes dimmed a bit, and he placed a thumb in the old tome to mark his place, and closed it around said thumb. He didn't turn to look at her yet.
"I am glad you received my Invitation. I don't usually like to send people to run errands for me, I'm more of a 'those who help themselves' kind of fellow, truly. As I had no idea where you would be, though, I was hoping to cover more ground, and waste less time in locating you."
He turned, then, to regard her quietly. The sight of his formidable stature, and those eyes - like the tell-tale eyes of some insidious villain in the Bard's Tales - were emanating a kind warmth that, having insight others didn't, Izune would be able to recognize as joy at seeing her there, a joy so pure an innocent that one might almost think it child-like, and at odds with the rest of his appearance.
"It is always a pleasure to see you, truly. Whatever your reasons, you were there for me at a time when I needed a friend, and I will never forget that. Come! I am feeling a bit peckish, and the cooks here make some rather fine meals, even for creatures who may prefer more, ah...'fresh' game."
He gestured to her to follow him, smiling warmly, and turned on his heel to stride down the corridor towards the Dining Hall. Assuming Izune followed him, the scent of rich meats, and - if one's nose was keen enough - fine cheeses and wines and vegetables could be smelled coming from the direction they were headed towards. As he turned around one corner, he was illuminated by the candlelight of the room, which was brightly illuminated. A long, finely furnished table stretched from one end of the Dining Hall to the other far end, presumably fashioned for large audiences and dinner parties. The few wait staff who were there didn't seem surprised that there was just Maximillion and one other person here, even though the Hall looked like it may have entertained large groups at one point.
"Anything you want, live or cooked, they will provide you, assuming it flies, runs, crawls or swims in this part of the continent." He said, gesturing to the wait-staff, some of whom stood by the table, and others who stood, almost at-attention against the walls, with silver platters and a livery cloth across their chests, ready to move at-once if called to.
"I hope everything is to your liking. Once you have ordered something, just pick anywhere to sit - the window sills and floors are not off-limits, by any means, if you'd prefer - or we can go for a walk while we eat. Whatever you would like."
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Administrator
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Loner, Kazetatsu, Kaze
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Post by Loner。 on Apr 19, 2017 1:24:05 GMT
Izune's expression turned pout-like fora moment as he responded without turning, clearly having recognized both her location and Identity without really looking. She was a bit disappointed that her fun had ended up spoiled in this way. Yet when he turned his expression was so childishly pure, that it was hard to remain angry or upset at him.
"Chances are our paths would cross, even without a messenger. You've attracted quite the local influence." She observed. He may have been subtle in his tactics in getting here, but with so much wealth already and the clearly shifting political climate in Delmarsh, it was hard to miss that he was a large factor in it all. Her tone could be seen as equally critical and approving. She certainly had an opinion on the things he had done so far, even if she didn't say it outright.
He was hospitable at least, and she was willing to follow, at least for the time being. There was an notable contrast here. Her clothing was designed for the rugged life, without any decorations to point to societal ranking. The lower servants were more extravagantly dressed, following Maximillion's preferred styles, yet she walked as if she owned the place. She already had no problem finding her way around. Her senses were sharp enough that she could easily locate where food was served, prepared and other facilities as well. Maximillion being guide was clearly mere token.
Once in the dining hall she smiled. Max was basically giving her the run of the place, regardless how vile mankind might find the food she might choose, or how odd the place she might elect for seating. She jumped up onto the table, delicately walking across the surface without disturbing anything on there. "Be glad I won't test your staff's resourcefulness and creativity for now." She commented. On his offer she could come up with something so specific that even if possible it could not be acquired within a day or even longer if she felt like it. She turned, grinning, "I'm fine with whatever's left over from dinner. They can bring it to..." She lightly jumped off the other side of the table. "the balcony upstairs at the back." That way it would be stuff already prepared and no extra staff would need to be called in for an outlandish order in the middle of the night, and there would be a space to talk that might not be so formal as all this.
XARXU (OOC)
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