agentlelog | [open] at least there are no fetch quests

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[open] at least there are no fetch quests

Who: Rhus and whoever else wants in on this
When: Any time during May
Where: Around Draega
What: Various things! Influence prompts, shopping, and anything else.
Warnings: Potential tokin' in one prompt, potential violence in two others.

a : palate cleanser

[Healing is what Rhus does easily, and the healing Craft is what he takes to the quickest in Draega... And it helps that he did have some instruction in it from an expert. Weaving webs however, that's something he has to practise with. He's found he has to visualize it more, draw on his Jewel in a way that's different from what he already knows. He needs to use a slightly different technique and focus on giving the "spell" properties that heal the mind rather than the body... And he thinks what if he can add more than simply that?

One step at a time though. Learn to weave a proper web before experimenting.

Anyone watching will see Rhus putting his hands close to each other before him, as if holding an invisible ball between them, closing his eyes-- not like one can see his right eye, covered with a patch as it is-- before throwing out something. Magic that softly shimmers between the opening of an alleyway before settling and becoming invisible. Then Rhus sighs and shrugs as if dismayed, though his ears are perked in interest.]

Not unlike makin' an Asylum... Jus' needs some time to cast...

b: street rats

[Food is not what Rhus brings to the slums, but some form of security. He's laden not just with the large greatsword on his back, but also an armful of quilts, all clean and simple in design. Though anyone capable of sensing magic would be able to note traces of that within them, and anyone particularly sensitive would be able to sense that the magic is soft and unthreatening. Not unlike the healing webs the Queen asks the Strangers to create. The Miqo'te has simply woven a bit of warmth into the quilts he's handing out to people living in the slums.

Because he did weave them.]

I don' have much! [is what Rhus tells people when he arrives and starts holding them out to grasping hands.] I've only so much ability to carry things about-- Oi! Children, old folk, an' the ill first, aye? An' after this I'll be seein' to that pest problem you're askin' me to look at.

[The Miqo'te has to sigh, his tail waving to and fro in his sudden agitation.]

c: trade wars

[When mercenaries fight, they really fight-- this is one fact Rhus has realized is still the same no matter the world.

He's been dealing with them for the past few months, trading for some of their wares, but this would mark the first time he's had to deal with them for something other than... well, business deals. No, he's watching them all shrewdly from the docks with narrowed eyes-- eye, really, a patch over the right one-- and crouching atop a few stacked crates with his tail around his ankles. His greatsword is in his arms, because Rhus clearly anticipates trouble. And he's not wrong, because soon enough a rough-looking fellow from one ship has provoked another rough-looking man from another ship, the very thing he was around to deal with.

He stands and hops down onto the ground, making his way towards the squabbling men. He takes his blade from his back... And leaps right in between the men, slamming his sword down onto the ground, the entire spectacle one smooth motion from drawing to landing.]

Keep it down, or I shall make you. [His lips are pulled back in a grin that is not at all friendly, baring his sharp canines for sheer intimidation.

No, he's not actually going to hurt them.

But yes, he's going to make them think he will hurt them if it means they'll go back to minding their business.]

d: 420

[At the Bazaar, a certain Miqo'te can be seen looking over the wares with a furtive expression on his face, looking small without a certain large six-foot greatsword strapped to his back.

At first, his tail is swaying gently. However, as time goes on and he passes more merchants, speaking to them and not finding what he needs, it starts wagging faster and faster to show his agitation. He could almost be considered a study in feline body language, for all that he's no cat.]

Not this either, clearly. [He sounds grumpy.

He reaches into his pocket for his small silver pipe and tobacco pouch... But when he opens the pouch it's completely empty, not even a hint of the stringy dried weed he loves so much falls out when he turns it upside down. It's clear that Rhus needs something to smoke.]

Agh, I'd rather stand 'neath the Ame-no-Murakumo again...

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[ daylight was just heading towards a place that needed a rat issue to be addressed when he notices a small crowd, er, crowding around someone. it doesn't take him long to recognise who it is and he perks up, happy to see someone else here. ]

Hey! Rhus! Buddy!!

[ daylight's size certainly helps deter the people from pushing and shoving too much.

when he begins wading through the crowd to get towards his friend, the people are more than happy to give him space. lest they end up getting bumped to the ground. day doesn't mean to do that, but he's never been the most graceful guy when navigating through people much, much smaller than him.

thankfully, the accidents have been a minimum when he gets to rhus and the hybrid is bubbling with questions. ] Helping out here too? How long have you been here? I didn't see you when I swung by earlier.

Ah-- [Rhus snaps his mouth shut and wrinkles his brow with all the comments and questions. Sometimes speaking to Daylight is speaking with an enthusiastic youngling.

Or Zhloe Aliapoh.]

Help me out 'ere first, yeah? [He holds out the bundle of quilts in his arms. He still has a number of them, because he did sew so many. So, so many.] An' we can talk while workin'.

Sure! Always happy to help!!

[ daylight's winglets are, well, wiggling in excitement as he holds out for his share of the quilts to distribute amongst the crowd. once he's got them, he's happily passing them out to whoever he sees doesn't have one yet.

and for some reason, the folks are more willing to wait for their turn when daylight hands out his quilts. something about his towering height and the fact he's made of metal(?) seems to keep them more, well, patient with him.

and it seems they're willing to extend that towards rhus as well, now that they've seen he and day have ties of some sort. huh. ]

[Not for the first time in his life, Rhus wishes he were taller to seem as intimidating as Daylight-- but no, his father was almost as short as his mother, hence his own height.

His furriness could also be seen as a detriment... But these are things he cant change.

At least his work is much faster with Daylight here, in any case.]

What are you doin' 'ere, anyhow?

[ daylight looks down at rhus and it's obvious he's surprised by the question judging by how his winglets flick up in surprise.

he looks thoughtful as he searches for a proper answer, absentmindedly passing the quilts along to the group for a few seconds. ]

I wanted to help out. After meeting Esso and learning about her circumstances... I wanted to see if there's something we could do to make it easier for the people here. Quality of life stuff. [ he makes a gesture with a shrug of his shoulder, indicating their current surroundings. ] Thought going here, period, and asking what I can do is a start.

[ hence the rat catching. keeping the pesky rodents from eating through their clothes and food and spreading disease is a good start. ]

Ah,, aye. 'S as much as I can do, in any case. [Rhus nods at the quilts in their hands.

He has worked on something to help with the current scarcity with food, but harvesting the crops and distributing them is not within his power to do. He's just a Stranger, not a member of the Council or the First Circle.

... Not that he would want to be.]

I'll go with you after this.

( Katniss, too, has been dealing with the mercenaries. They're ruthless but she's gotten some information from them, too, and so she keeps going and trying to see if she can pick up information or cheap supplies. When she sees the scuffle break out and the guy offer to use his knife, she draws behind him; he's a Stranger, too, and she's going to protect him just like she'd protect anyone from Panem. )

I've got his back. Takes me two seconds to let an arrow fly - you don't want to try us.

[Just one Stranger bearing a weapon and a Jewel of their own would have been enough to make the mercenaries falter just a little bit in their vendetta with each other, but two?

No, that's definitely something they don't want to cross.

A hush comes over the two mercenary groups-- and on the docks around them. A few of the mercenaries have already begun to lower their weapons because they're unsure of what to do in this situation. Some stay in stance out of sheer defiance, but Rhus is sure he'll make them crumble before long if they continue to push their luck.

The Miqo'te straightens up from his crouch, his tail low and swaying only slightly, ready for a hunt if it comes down to that.]

You really wan' to listen to her. Seein' you all turn colours is amusin', but I rather not splatter you on the docks for disturbin' the peace.

( Katniss keeps her arrow nocked as she watches the mercenaries back down. There's still a tension rippling between them, the heat of a fight put on hold, but for now they're not actually at one another's throats. She looks to the Stranger next to her, the one with a knife. )

We're going to be watching. Better stay on your best behavior. This is Draega, not a warzone.

[Rhus raises his greatsword onto his shoulder, shrugging at all of them when the mercenaries look dubious at the girl's declaration. But they do shy away from Rhus himself when they see him lift his blade like that, making him twitch his tail slightly to show his amusement, and only people familiar with anything vaguely feline would be able to notice it.]

She's right, y'know. The queen's Court shan't be takin' too well to you paintin' the docks red.

[Then he sheathes his sword and spreads his arms in a shrug, mocking them.]

Aren't you glad you have us to deal with your squabblin'?

[From some of the noise, someone takes offense to his choice of words, but someone kicks him and the man quiets down. It's enough for Rhus to turn to the archer girl and give her a nod.

Should be fine, now.]

Could have gone worse. I think it went pretty good, especially since I'm not someone who negotiates.

( This guy is, though, and Katniss wonders why she keeps finding people who are better at using their words than she is. She can't be that terrible at it, can she? She can. Most definitely. )

You're not half bad, though.

[Rhus shakes his head, ears flicking all around as he does so.]

Not me-- I jus' know how to intimidate 'em into doin' what I wan'. Helps if y'know what their language is.

[And that language should be obvious, given the entire situation. These people prefer to use their weapons and fists rather than their words-- not that he blames them. Fighting is far, far easier than parley because people can be so bloody daft.

Though for emphasis, he balls his free hand into a fist, curling it so tightly his knuckles pop.]

True. I can probably speak their language better than the slick stuff politicians do. I am definitely not a politician.

( Good in a fight? Absolutely. Katniss thinks she has a better chance of surviving anything than just about anyone else in the world. Put her in a place where she has to speak her way out of it, though, and she's lost. )

We've got to figure out a way to keep them from taking over the city, though.

They'll not if they know the Queen an' her First will crush 'em easily. [Rhus says that with certainty, but...

There are always a number of idiots with more piss and vinegar than sense in every demographic.]

But makin' a line they understand would work, a patrol.

Yes, a patrol. I think if they have a little freedom to fight among themselves but not so much that they spill into the city they'll probably leave it alone. If you're too harsh, people want to fight back. You have to...it has to be a middle ground, I think.

( That's what it had been like in Panem, anyway, and that's the only thing that Katniss has to go on. )

Within Draega's walls, it's no good. [But then Rhus' smile turns into a sly, little one, a corner of his lips quirking up. It's clear that he has an idea...

And he's not shy about making it known.]

But outside? No one gives a rat's turd. Unless they've a ship-- then that's their territory. [And obviously they really should not care what happens in the sailors' and mercenaries' own ships... If they ruin what's their property, they have only themselves to blame.]

Right. Maybe we can just gently nudge them back onto their ships or outside the city for the inevitable bloodbath. At least the civilians aren't getting hurt, that way. Besides, I'm spoiling for a bit of a fight.

( There's been things she's had to use the threat of a weapon for, sure, but Katniss hasn't actually had to loose an arrow at anyone in the two months she's been here. She feels antsy and a little useless. )

[Rhus barks out a laugh.] Gently, she says...

No such thing, for these battle-roughened folk, 'specially if they're feelin' belligerent-- or too deep into their cups to care.

No, we threaten, or negotiate more. [But threats have carried him so far with them, and why deviate from what works so well?]

Gently is definitely not my style. Threats are better. Threats that have my bow behind them are even better by far. I'm willing to get violent if you are.

( Katniss doesn't want to do it without backup but it seems like Rhus is going to back up a more forceful course of action. They need to keep the city safe and these mercenaries are threatening it. )

Mmm... How well d'you shoot indoors, enclosed spaces?

[The answer Rhus is expecting is "very well", or something along those lines, because the expert archers and bards he's brought along to accompany him can shoot even in in the tightest, most linear hallways, dark or bright.

Even his own mother has done so before, a lifetime ago.]

Good enough that you want to be with me and not against me. What do you have in mind, exactly? I once shot an apple out of a pig's mouth in a dining room without hitting anyone.

( Granted, she had the advantage of being a floor lower than the Gamesmakers' at the time but it had still been a tight shot. )

Shoot their weapons righ' out their hands. If they give you shite, they've me t'deal with.

["If" is a loose interpretation of things... when he knows that the mercenaries will undoubtedly take offense at being disturbed in their fights and games.]

I can definitely do that, no problem. I've got good aim and I can do it in tight quarters. As long as I have the space to do a full draw, I can hit it.

( Some people with bows can't but Katniss isn't some people - she's both a hunter and fighter and her bow has become an extension of her arm and her eyes. She can see the shot and follow it through every time. )

Let's do it then. [Rhus finally sheathes his greatsword on the holster on his back, and he gives the girl a small grin of sharp fangs.]

Can you do it now?

( Katniss gives a quick nod of her head before nocking another arrow. They're not infinite, or anything, but she's got enough to make sure the weapons aren't an issue. She lets the first arrow fly and it takes the weapon right out of the mercenary's hands; her second is drawn quick to keep them from reacting and putting them down. Another shot, another hit. )

Better move fast - they'll start moving them out of range of me.

Don' worry 'bout that.

[Rhus inhales, winces from pain despite not being injured or ill, before he takes his blade from his back. Once more, he executes the same fluid jump from before, but this time trailing something that looks like dark smoke or smog interspersed with red sparks.

His landing is much heavier as well, cracking and breaking wooden crates under his body and blade as he makes contact with them.

And when he looks up at the mercenaries, it's with a grin, blood trailing from a cut on his lips-- a self-inflicted bite where the dark magic comes from.]

( Katniss has never seen anything like this before and she's stunned for a moment while she watches it. It almost seems like Enobaria and how she'd filed her teeth into spiky points or one of the other Career tributes - she's just glad this guy is on her side. )

Where do you need me? Call it and I'll shoot it!

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[open] at least there are no fetch quests

( prompt: street rats. )

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c: trade wars

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