Lucan Ashfield
Posts: 7
12/16/2015
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You almost overlooked it, this unassuming door in the wall of one of the many narrow alleyways of Spite, but you're sure this is the place. You knock thrice and kick the bottom of the door, just like the Shifty-Eyed Urchin showed you, and wait as the three bolts are drawn and the door opens before you. Once inside, you are surprised to see how much it looks like Caligula's, albeit far less crowded and more dimly lit. As the Shifty-Eyed Urchin had described it to you this is a place for people from the more Shadowy walks of life to gather and share tales of their heists and burglaries, be they profitable or ill fated, all while enjoying fine spirits at a low cost and avoiding Mr. Wines' taxes.
Lucan Ashfield sits in a corner booth with a bottle of smuggled brandy and a tale from his time in New Newgate to share with anyone willing to listen.
"They had just put me in a cell with a scarred-up Rubbery Man when the word was passed that there was going to be a riot. My new cell-mate made a nervous fluting noise and I turned to see what it was on about. Several of its scars seemed fresher than the others, no doubt from the last riot, and it had pleading look in its eyes. I wondered if this was the one that I had heard about, the one that had killed one of the Governor's boys the week before."
"What's wrong?" I asked it "A lot of people out there want you dead or something?" It twitched its facial tentacles in confirmation.
"Tell you what," I said, "I'll look after you out there, when it all goes up, if you can help me get a weapon." It perked up then, contorting its tentacles and making an off-putting noise like someone sucking loudly on a peppermint humbug. I was about to ask what it was doing when it spit out a chunk of amber shaped like an ice sickle or a stalactite, warm and sticky but deadly sharp. "Well that was faster than I expected." I laughed. "Just keep your back to the wall and stay behind me." It nodded and we waited for the guards to come take us into the mess hall. Now, I'm sure I don't have to tell you how bad riots can get up there, and when it started it seemed like half of the prison was out to get my new friend. The shiv it had made me worked wonders, though and I had sent five sorry louts to meet the Boatman when I heard a triumphant fluting noise from behind me. I turned just in time to look it in the eye as it sunk a second amber shiv into my belly. The last thing I saw before joining those five on the Boatman's ferry was it clapping hands with the prisoners I had been "protecting" it from as they congratulated it on its fine deception. The moral of the story is this: A Rubbery Man can make you a fine rib-sticker, but trust in New Newgate will get you killed."
Lucan refills your glass and looks at you expectantly, waiting for a story in turn.
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Lisbella Peridot
Posts: 138
12/16/2015
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"Sharp amber. That is a first - but I never quite trusted them rubbers."
Anatasia looks down on her glass, swirling with a clear liquid. Gin? It was an unsettling story. Possibly it might be poison.
She drains it. No point worrying about it now. She might lose face if she hesitate on a drink.
"There was a box of First City Coin. It was a classic - lift it for some gamblers, and you get diamonds for your trouble." She tries to drain her glass again, but it is empty.
"I am not the one doing the liftin', of course. This one is a bait, the old constable said. Suspect there is a bad egg with his contacts. So I set the coins up at the house next door. Sat in a closet for half a day with some insect biting me the entire time. Sure enough, someone came calling - one of these oh-so-depraved belle that happens to be good at pinching things from other." She spits. "I was told to get them if the constables didn't show, so I did. Tried to jump her from behind when I heard a click. Both of us get pricked by poison needles and had our things nicked while we choke." She shrugs. "Turns out the old man also plays Knife-and-Candle. I now know not to mix work and play, at least."
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Anatasia Swansong - fencing prodigy, extraordinary beauty, and very stubborn
Welcoming friends of all sorts! All independent now.
Kelly Siniature - grinning, deranged, elegant child of indistinct gender
Kelly is taking a long break on isolation.
I also play Town of Salem and a few other games - still Lisbella Peridot!
I finally regained stable internet access, so I should be around more often...
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Lucan Ashfield
Posts: 7
12/16/2015
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From your story I can certainly understand the suspicion of poison, but I assure you that isn't the case. I'm a career criminal, not a savage.
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Lisbella Peridot
Posts: 138
12/20/2015
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Anatasia licks her lips.
Gin. Yet in the man's hand is a bottle of brandy. Is the man from Mahogany Hall? She is not sure. But if someone wanted to take her down there are faster poisons.
She relaxes and slumps into her seat. "A career criminal. So, who do you usually steals from?"
--
Anatasia Swansong - fencing prodigy, extraordinary beauty, and very stubborn
Welcoming friends of all sorts! All independent now.
Kelly Siniature - grinning, deranged, elegant child of indistinct gender
Kelly is taking a long break on isolation.
I also play Town of Salem and a few other games - still Lisbella Peridot!
I finally regained stable internet access, so I should be around more often...
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Guest
12/21/2015
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Lisbella Peridot wrote:
Anatasia licks her lips.
Gin. Yet in the man's hand is a bottle of brandy. Is the man from Mahogany Hall? She is not sure. But if someone wanted to take her down there are faster poisons.
She relaxes and slumps into her seat. "A career criminal. So, who do you usually steals from?"
Another voice answers before the last.
"Wot? Ya' g'ta ask?"
What is seen is a lanky "man" looking more like a tall boy. His (for those in the know, often different lengths depending on the Play) currently long wavy blonde hair is tossed to one side with a practiced flip as he re-doffs his Apple cap.
It's not immediately clear if the Cockney accent is authentic or part of...
"Doin ' da 'ong 'ame 'ady"
He continues.
"Right. Let's 'splain da 'ong 'ame....
I gots t' 'ake m' 'ame in 'ot 'akin me 'ame bein' seen bein' bad 'n all wid da "Rash o' Burglaries!" So I gits as 'Neaky as I kin, and I goes to m' Outcast Crew I does! Most o' da' time, I gets da stuff needed for da Score, but s'times da Coppers been tipped, no rats, but Stupid 'Oppers can see at times too ya git? So we keepin' da Suspicion 'own 'n We set up da Heist. We been plannin' da Dutches, she bein' yelling at cat takers an' wot'not....so we go da risk. 'Ot da Study but wot we seen Gleams in the darkness once we did! We takes da time, but I call him Chubby 'ere 'ince is not 'is name on da streets, he gots da go on dat night, so dere's a risk we since 'we ain't set up 'ool-proof' as da Yanks say."
The "Yanks" using full lettering and syllabic pronunciation and (besides ain't) "murder" even the Americanized English language much less, but Nobby continues,
"So we goes wid da casing we gots, and it bein' 'igh but as 'aid, nots perfect an' such. So we's goes in, sneaks past da guards, cut da' Alarm wire, find da Dummy trap, disarm da real trap an' git near da room wid a lil' open window, but da 'ats left dere too many t' go in wid them not MEOWin' an' such! So I's git da idea, lower a hook on a line, and snag da box we gots it hooked! It catches an' I lift, all nice an slowlike! Jus as I pull it up through da window open, we 'ear 'er comin' back wid her 'entourage' of da rest o' da four pawed 'ats. We pull it out and beat t' da Streets, and we git it!"
Nobby the "Alleged Trickster" Pulls out a necklace. On it is a single Moon Pearl, a single piece of Jade and a single Rat on the string.
"Kept a bit o' it, all's fer da thoughts an' such! But wait, der's more to tell!
I gets t' tellin' dat wid we gotta say fer out Name an Such, and the group da [CENSORED} says I n't Good enough da Master Thief t' be of da renown an' Such!
So Wot I do? Da Next Night, I rob 'her. Da same Duchess place. I goes back to dem, dey sets it straight I am da one, it is!
But t' answa y' Question, I takes from da' 'pires of da Bazaar, not caught yet....
Wot? Ya askin 'bout Concord Square? Well...dat's another time luv!"
edited by the truthseeker on 12/21/2015
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Lucan Ashfield
Posts: 7
12/21/2015
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"Glad you could join us, Nobby," Lucan said, "pull up a seat and I'll get us another bottle." He returns a moment later with a dusty bottle and a few clean shot glasses. "By the way, I'm a big fan of that "fishing trick" you lot use. I'm not very good at it myself. Better at catching ears and noses than a hat or a wallet." He pours a round of shots for the group and lights a bone pipe, scrimshawed with a scene of an immense eel rising up from the zee before an unfortunate vessel.
"To answer your question, Anatasia, I typically tend to leave the poorer folk alone when looking for a place to burgle. This isn't out of any sense of nobility, though. After all, what can one honestly expect to lift from a household that doesn't have two pennies to rub together. That being said, burglaries for me have become more of a hobby than actual work. Extortion and smuggling make up most of my operation nowadays."
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Guest
12/21/2015
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Lucan Ashfield wrote:
"Glad you could join us, Nobby," Lucan said, "pull up a seat and I'll get us another bottle." He returns a moment later with a dusty bottle and a few clean shot glasses. "By the way, I'm a big fan of that "fishing trick" you lot use. I'm not very good at it myself. Better at catching ears and noses than a hat or a wallet." He pours a round of shots for the group and lights a bone pipe, scrimshawed with a scene of an immense eel rising up from the zee before an unfortunate vessel.
"To answer your question, Anatasia, I typically tend to leave the poorer folk alone when looking for a place to burgle. This isn't out of any sense of nobility, though. After all, what can one honestly expect to lift from a household that doesn't have two pennies to rub together. That being said, burglaries for me have become more of a hobby than actual work. Extortion and smuggling make up most of my operation nowadays."
Right O' Guv! But d' fergit dat Drunken rat 'n Spite! If ye kin pick 'er pockets, sumtimes rare, a watch is found! But th' coin is okay. She i'n't poor thou', jest drunk off 'er arse!
But I ne'er touched da poor n' Spite neither. Profess'n'l Orphan courtes'y 'n all.
(Is aware of tact for once)
Bu' I b' int'r'ptin' wid Anatasia, sorry mum!
(tips hat) I be letting yer all talk yer piece not breakin' in word-wise.
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Lisbella Peridot
Posts: 138
12/21/2015
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Anatasia snatch the bottle and take a deep swig. She needed that. Extortion? Here is a well-mannered, pleasant man, but his words mark him as the kind of heartless criminal she so despises. Extortion? Burglary as a hobby?
And the boy has the most incomprehensible accent, and the skill to present a tale of heist into the yammering of a salesman. Cockney.
Then she catches herself. She is judging people on a few words, again. She has met enough people in the Neath that proves otherwise. The boy, despite Cockney, is courteous. And does not prey on the poor.
"It is fine, Nobby." She hesitates as she realize the long delay of her reply. "So Lucan, you mentioned smuggling. Are you an underling for the Widow, or the landlord at Medusa's Head? Extorting for them?"
--
Anatasia Swansong - fencing prodigy, extraordinary beauty, and very stubborn
Welcoming friends of all sorts! All independent now.
Kelly Siniature - grinning, deranged, elegant child of indistinct gender
Kelly is taking a long break on isolation.
I also play Town of Salem and a few other games - still Lisbella Peridot!
I finally regained stable internet access, so I should be around more often...
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Lucan Ashfield
Posts: 7
12/23/2015
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Well Anatasia, that's a bit of a tricky question. I make my toasts to the Cheery Man. When I first arrived in London and found myself homeless without an echo to my name he offered me work, and I will remember that debt till the day the Boatman takes me away for good. That being said, i suppose you could say i freelance. I do regular work for both, you see, and run a small gang of hoodlums on the side for my own personal interests. What about you? To whom do you make your toasts?
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