The Messenger

"Braen my dear boy, when are you going to do something useful with your life?" said Jade as he walked up behind Braen who was looking out of a window in the back of The Rats Nest Inn where the Thieves Guild did most of their transactions. The room was small and hidden away by a trap door next to the owners room who claims the master bedroom on the second floor. "Braen... I remember when I found you living in the sewers, or as i should say, you found me. You bumped into me and tried to make it look like an accident, that you did and I dare say it was a mighty good attempt but you didn't realize you were trying to steal from a member of the Thieves Guild haha! You even tried to fool me with some of those cheap parlor tricks you know but you can't fool me, the great Jade!" Jade said as he smiled lifting his head up high pushing out his muscular chest. He was about 6 feet tall, brown eyes, and very dark with no hair, has a slight droup of his left eyebrow where you can tell he had been punched a few too many times, wears brown tattered clothes and usually no shoes unless going far then he wears matching tattered brown shoes. He has a tattoo of a black snake wrapping around his right arm with the head stopping at his knuckles and the tail just below the shoulder.Braen knew this man quite well he was like a guardian to him, always getting him out of trouble and giving good advice when it was needed. He knew that Jade was quick on his feet and could talk his way out of absolutely anything. Braen has other things on his mind right now, like the contact who is supposed to arrive any minute to give him his next assignment, but the Thieves Guild runs everything in the port and has their hands in on all the profits here. What could be so important to cause him to meet someone in secrecy?

Bræn looked up at Jade, and cursed his height for the thousandth time, "How about you try and remember all those times those 'Parlor Tricks' saved your bacon from the town guardsmen?" Bræn replied slyly. He was wearing a tatered brown cloak, but he wasn't actually poor, underneath the sad looking cloak was finely woven silk. Its better to go unnoticed as a thief. Bræn's patience was wearing thin he went to the corner of the room and sat. "When is this guy going to get here? I'm getting sick of this waiting." He kicked at the floor, and then pulled a knife from the folds of his clothes to start spinning it. Had someone walked in right then they would never have noticed him.

"Patience kid...." Jade put two fingers to his forhead and looked as if he were concentrating very hard "Braen ready yourself I don't think this contact is one of ours" At that moment Jade turned and faced the door with a very serious look on his face which was quite unlike him. The door knob turned and the door creaked as it opened and a mysterious man stepped into the room his body covered in some sort of robe with the hood up so you couldnt see his face. The man closed the door and said softly "I have a message for Braen."

Another knife was already in his other hand before the man said a word. He let the tension release from his shoulders and then eased back down but didn't say a word. Simply waiting for the man to notice him. This way Bræn would know if the man had seen him before or at least knew his image.

Jade held the serious look on his face and crossed his arms "well, what is it?" The man did not seem to move at all and Braen heard his soft voice as if speaking directly to him "Lord Flin Morlin has sent assassins after you and payed a good sum of money to some powerful mages to attack your hometown. Get out of town as quick as possible." Then the man looked up and said to Jade "Just let him know that there is a man running around the port with a job that he would be very useful for. He can find him by the docks at midnight." and with that the man turned and left. "that was a strange man.... so do you plan on meeting this man tonight Braen?" Jade relaxed a little and turned smiling at Braen

For some reason Bræn felt he could trust this individual. He looks to Jade, "Hey man isn't there a city we could go explore see some new things maybe even find some deeper pockets to empty?" Bræn goes to the door and looks back at Jade, "Oh , and I don't think I'd want to meet that guy in an alley its probably an ambush."

Jade looked confused and scatched the back of his head in thought as he followed Braen out "Yeah that does sound pretty fishy don't it? Well we better report to the boss then." Jade began to lead the way over to the cellar of the inn and down into the sewers through a grate from there. Down the south end of the sewer directly right of where they went down they came to a dead end where an unlit torch was in the wall and Jade simply pulled it and a loud thud was heard. "I know you have never been down here before but you can get used to this place since you were used to the sewers already, right Braen?" Jade simply pushed on the wall and it opened with ease leading into a massive guild hall. "The boss man should be just in those doors up there" Jade pointed at the only door on the 2nd floor which was actually double doors. The room was huge like something you would see in a small castle a hallway lead off to the left and right and a small room was just ahead of the main room then there were 2 sets of stairs that curved along the walls and met in the middle where a vast balcony was overlooking the entrance and the doors were behind it.

For a moment Bræn actually thought of trusting Jade, but trust got people killed. Bræn looked at Jade one final time before saying, "I'm sorry my good friend but I've got to leave town, and in a hurry so whether you wish to come with me or not is up to you but I'll be out the city before the sun goes down." Bræn turned and grabbed his pack from the floor and started for the door to the exit.

"Braen at least let me know where you're gonna be you still got about three hours before the sun goes down." Jade turned and watched Braen with some concern "Why are you trying to leave anyway? You're one of us after all."

"If you want to come with meet me at the main gate right before sundown I'm going to get supplies and get my gold from the bank." Bræn said as he left the inn.

"Braen be sure to drop by the Inn the boss left you a present!" Jade yelled to him as he walked out then Jade turned and continued into the guild

Bræn went through the stores and packed his bags with everything he'd need on a long journey: Rope, Waterskin, bedroll, crowbar, caltrops, tinder-twigs, manacles, belt pouch, grapple hook, thieves tools (master work), spellbook, and a couple days of food. He gets to the bank withdraws his gold and drops by the Inn to pick up his "present."

The Inn looks busy as ever. People are standing around having drinks and singing along to the bard. The Inn keeper is behind the bar serving customers and telling tales and rumors of the city. A few shady men enter the Inn behind you and start talking near the door

A dark brown cloak shifts slightly at the bar to view who has entered then goes back to listening to the bartender and other bar patrons.

Keeping an eye on the newcomers Bræn inquires about his present, to the Innkeeper.

The warrior sitting at a table with a group of other people notices the men at the door, but pays no attention to them.

The Inn keeper continues to talk to the other patrons not noticing someone who doesnt even come waste high on the other side of the bar. She talks of vampires and werewolves preying on small villages nearby and the dead walking the planes at night

Blue eyes can faintly be seen as Myrn looks over to the Inn keeper, "Exactly which places are under attack by these creatures?" While trying to bring up a mental map of the area.

"Well sir, I do believe that one of the villages was called Rellek and appearantly that is where everything started. The other villages are so small and isolated that not even I can recall their names." The bartender smiled at the handsome man blushing "Would you like a drink sir.... What's your name again?"

Myrn waits a moment to think, "Do you have any water? And the name is Myrn." Pausing slightly before asking he looks into the Innkeeper's eyes, "Do you know how to get to this village?"

The lady blushes as she stares back into his eyes and gets lost in them then shakes her head snappin herself back into reality "rrrr no sorry I have no clue but there is a man running around here somewhere who has been asking for mercenary help specifically for that little village. He didn't exactly look normal though there was just something odd about him..." The lady gets him some water and places it in front of him "Ere ya go it's on the house for you!"

"Excuse me Ma'am, I do believe you have a package for me?" Bræn looked up at the man in the brown cloak thoughtfully. I wonder who this guy is asking about that village? I'd help out but I'm no good at killing people. Well not yet of course. Bræn climbs up to the stool.

The lady looks over at Braen and smiles caringly "I always did wonder how you got that scar on your face Braen... who would want to hurt a sweet little thing like you? But no i have nothing for you just a man who wants to meet you in your room. Nice guy I'd say" she looks towards her room where the man must be at and looked back at Braen.

"Thanks, doll," Bræn replied giving her his winning smile only slightly marred by the scar, and then slipped away and headed to his room.

As Braen enters the room the door shuts behind him and locks. In Front of him is a man with a sweet smile on his face "Mr. Braen what an honor it is to meet you!" the man continued smiling at braen happy as could be.