RP:A Fledgling and a Job

Part of the Rest in Pieces: Vailkrin! Arc

Location: Hanging Corpse Tavern

Synopsis: Nazaria and Elioyahazer randomly meet each other for a second time. Due to there history the two divulge pieces of their secrets together and Nazaria takes on Elioyahazers target. Perhaps she can prove herself and join Eli's unfounded house?

A Fledgling and a Job

Nazaria had come across a slightly familiar scent looming in the late evening breeze a few nights prior, but this scent was only half known to the foxkin and half twisted into something different and dark. Curious to the nature of this twisted fragrance the werefox had tracked it back to this location, the Hanging Corpse Tavern. These types of establishments were not the most friendly when it came to the youth walking through their doors, so it was with presumed judgement that the fox wore another’s face prior to entering. Hunched over the figure of an elderly woman cloaked in black with wrinkled fingers clutching a twisted blackwood staff gimped through the doors. Making she slow way through the crowd the elderly woman found her way to the bar where she seated herself and slid off the dark hood to reveal a face most wrinkled and worn with years with a mop of choppy greys falling down concealing the left eye while revealing the stormy sea of blue right one. Those guised with magical trace would find this was no illusion magic and that the face and wrinkles of this lady were all the real thing. Years of wearing other’s previous faces the fox had perfected changing her appearance to match her unique masks. Dry lips parted to reveal small fangs amid what looked like empty gums otherwise. Who was twisted enough to sire themselves a grandmother. Single eyed gaze drifting around the tavern searching for the familiar twisted scent as she ordered a blood wine for herself.

Unbeknownst to this grandmother or rather, disguised foxkin, the familiar and half twisted scent belongs to a vampire who's currently grabbing bloodwine from steadman at the bar - he wordlessly picks out the seat next to Nazaria absentmindedly. When he turns to gaze over her withered appearance, she might remember something from their shared past. His eyes. Those unique, mutated eyes which carry the mark of sectoral heterochromia; the are brown with clear patches of blue within them and it is a very rare thing. In fact, they match a desert born assassin who used to wear a keffiyeh. The same man the foxkin watched defeat three members of that dissidence group. He even offered her lodging once. Is this the same man? Yes it is. Despite old appearances, his cinnamon skinned features aren't blocked by the keffiyeh or any hood. She's now able to see his features clear as day; picking up on his vampirism should be a rather easy task. Regardless, the glass of bloodwine is diluted further still with more blood. His hand swirls the glass momentarily and then raises it to meet his lips.

That delicious scent tainted with the vampire curse wafted from the man taking seat next to her. Half closed eyes as the old woman took in a long inhale of that intoxicating scent of the man from the woods so long ago, even with the change he smelled good. Would he even remember the orphan lad from many moons ago? It would not matter much as the foxkin had donned another guise of one in the extreme opposites of their last nighttime adventure together. It was with an exhaled breath that the woman's old wrinkled hand landed to almost touch his, but fell to land on the countertop. A light accent of old age twined in her words as she spoke only to him in a half whisper, "You smell as delicious as ever, Sandman." She remembered him and the name he gave himself. It was only in his name that she faltered, on purpose, her voice allowing that ever so light youthful exotic accent of hers to linger between them. That gaze of hers turning to look at him from between faintly shifted grey whisps. Unique as his, but not nearly as rare his unique trait with of dual colors competing for each eye. Molten silver and stormy blue exquisite eyes meeting his for just a moment before she looked away if only to order another drink for herself from the Steadman.

The vampiric sandman falters for a moment - visibly so; cup half raised to his lips and his mind obviously in thought. The desert borns brows furrow to show a twinge of confusion. This old lady nearly grabbed my hand. What's worse is that she knew my identity. He mulls over the people who know him by his killers name, but her weathered visage dies not come to mind. Nay for instead, something else is nagging at him. The way she said his name reminded him of a distant memory. An orphaned child in kelay with a broken carriage wheel. The glass is finally raised, and it's contents downed. When he finishes, his own hand, which is already close to hers, lightly brushes his fingertips over the backside of her fingers before withdrawing entirely. She had his attention, noted by the direct eye contact he seeks to make. "You remind me of a nefarious little orphan I met in kelay, who was napping beneath a tree." His story does match their original meeting. However, "You look nothing like that orphan. Odd."

A sparkle of mischief flashed through the eyes of the old woman, clearly neither orphan nor a lad, as he spoke of a distant memory the two shared, if only because the girl wanted him to remember. It could have been all too easy to not let him in, but this man was still as intriguing to the foxkin as he was the day she met him in the woods behind another face. To his brief touch the Sandman would find that the skin felt as wrinkly as it looked, not magic holding an illusion over him. Lifting her fresh glass up to her lips the woman leaned over so that her lips nearly touched his ear as she whispered to him with the wine blocking her mouth so not a soul could read what left those withered lips, "Oh, Mister Sandman, you do remember me, but that was another face ago. For you once hid behind a hood and I behind another face." Her lip trembled for a moment, resisting the urge to nip his ear with her fang. His scent, even poisonous as it was, ever tempting to the fox. Leaning back the old woman's hand lifted if only to reach over and pat his hand like an elderly would to a young one. He aged voice loud enough for the odd stares of another across the bar to roll before looking away, "Might of been my grandson. Haven't seen his face in many moons."

The vampire wrinkles his brows once more, ignoring the closeness this mischief making, mirage of a grandma keeps creating. Though suddenly an epiphany hits his minds eye, washing away the confusion. This troublesome fellow is able to disguise themselves and quite well, he thinks. Very well, he continues to enjoy the curiosity provided by this creature. "Your a terrible grandmother for not checking on him from time to time." Obviously he's suddenly joking with her about the situation. "Just how many grandchildren do you have?" This is more of a disguised question about her, his or it's assumed identities - he couldn't be sure what Naz is, but it certainly is a talent. Rather convincing. "And are they all troublemakers that could use employment?" Eli thought that it was time to make use of such an ability, if Naz thought she was up for it. One more drink is ordered for himself while the newcomer responds.

A grin fell on those wrinkled features as he asked the old woman about the number of grandchildren she had which was nearly impossible to answer after all these years. The old woman cleared her throat and coughed a most deep wheezing cough into her arm opposite the side he sat on before her fist pounded into her chest much like any old person her age might. As her hand reappeared it dropped gold on the counter to pay for not only her drinks but his as well and a private room. While he rose from her chair the woman spoke to Elio, “If you wish to employ my grandchildren we can talk upstairs. Less you can't handle this ol' woman.” There was a wink before she grasped her twisted staff and began to limp along toward the stairs that lead to the above floor. The elderly woman all hunched over with gums and fangs did not see the threatening, especially with the terrible gimp to her walk. Naz never looked back to see if he would follow, she knew he would. There was a thump-knock sound as she managed her way along each step. The fox even paused nearly to the top to repeat the hacking cough followed by a grunt of exhaustion before vanishing from sight. Entering the empty room the woman waited until the door would shut behind Elioyahazer before letting the cloak she wore come off and fall onto a chair by the door. Without the cloak it was clear the hunchback was simply a pack worn on her back filled with things in such a manner that it formed a perfectly false back growth. The left foot of hers that caused the gimp in her gait looked mangled and twisted like the bones were broken and never set. Her skin was smooth from elbow up with that wrinkled skin only elbow to fingertips, something about it at close look appeared more as twisted flesh shifting over itself. Her back was to him but the woman shook out her leg allowing the bones in her half shifted foot crack, snap, and shift back into place before walking over to the marble filled wash basin. The sound of flesh and muscle tearing echoed before dainty hands reached behind her to the back of her, reaching under the shirt. It was quick and effortless as the face of the elderly was literally peeled off her head and set on the stand next to her so that the mask with empty eye sockets, hair included, was staring at him. Her face was quickly washed of the stick that had held the face to hers. Turning now to look at him as long tresses of silken gold fell freely around her to reveal a youthful face of a young girl with mismatched eyes and a freckled face. It was evident the lad and the elderly woman were neither true to this apparent child. It was with a sickening snap as she yawned allowing Elio to witness her jaw break back into proper place and all those missing teeth sprout back into place, the fangs now just sharp canines. Another stretch of the arms followed by a number of pops, snaps, and joints finding their rightful setting. Her entire guise was false, but not a drop of magic used to create the look. With a evil grin of a smile the girl offered her pale hand for a shake, “Nazaria the faceless,” she offered a clearly self granted title to him, “And the number of grandchildren…sisters…brothers…aunts…uncles…cousins…parents…ghosts… I have is as endless and flowing as the number of deaths are.”

The desert born shifts in his seat after she's paid for their drinks and lodging, climbing off his stool to follow this old bag of bones upstairs. He gives a singular scrutinizing glare to the patrons, ensuring they weren't being followed before he heads up those stairs and into the room. For moments Elioyahazer is entirely intrigued, but when she begins shifting back into her true form, a devilish grin besmirches his visage. How unusual. Very interesting. Suddenly his minds eye is awash with dozens of questions. However he holds himself back. At her outstretched hand and greeting, Eli does the same - shaking her digits and offering a name. "Elioyahazer, a vampire, who has rather lofty goals." Oh he wouldn't reveal those to her yet. That would spoil all of the fun. "So Nazaria. Are you able to obtain new children? Can they be vampires?" Her useful ability would become an astronomical too in his hands if she can indeed mimic the vampiric race. "I have a couple of ideas, that you might enjoy." His grin once again returns.

Nazaria gave a firm shake before taking her hand back from his. He had the foxfin intrigued down in the bar with his alluring hints to some games. There was a shrug of her shoulders before she spoke matter-o-factly like he should have already knew what she was saying, "I have four columns full of children at least, but as long as there are children that can be killed with faces to remove then I can obtain as many children as there is bodies." She finished with a sound almost like a purr rolling into her accent. Whatever she was she was definitely not a child nor a vampire. There was a shifting of her upper jaw that faintly happened before the lass exposed a pair of elongated pearly white fangs of a vampire with a small hiss, "My dear Elioyahazer I can become whatever you race you wish. Some take a little more effort like the drow, a dragon, or a dwarf. However, the authenticity of this vampire depends on you. If it is a simple outing that is easy, but if you need one face for a length of time then I will require your venom to maintain a truly flawless vampire child." A sly grin fell across those lips as she licked over an exposed fang when she mentioned needing his venom.

Elioyahazer lofts a single brow upon his ashen features. Her showing of elongated teeth were more than enough to drive her capabilities. "You don't disappoint." His voice teetering over the chasm of joy, backed by a half grin. "Im going to be honest with you Nazaria, because we've killed together and you look like you could use some excitement." Elioyahazer steps away momentarily and checks to make sure the door is locked before continuing. And then a single hand presses against the wooden door where Eli musters the meager control he has left to carve a magical rune in the door; preventing this conversation from being heard by outsiders. "What I need isn't a child, but an adult, female vampire. I've been plotting against a vampire house here in Vailkrin, and they are about to fall. However, I need someone like you, to take out a merchant named Claudia and assume her identity for a while. Operate her business and gather any evidence you can against house Nasar for me." A single finger raises, "And then, bear false witness in favor of lady Larewen Dragana publicly as Claudia." His gaze seeks to make direct eye contact with the foxkin. "I have not only gold, but a permanent job offer for you with my own vampire house, should you succeed at this task. How does Spymaster of house Jalal sound?" Eli gives her a moment to mull it all over, but she should know that double crossing this vampire would not bode well. "If you accept, I will grant you what you need for your disguise. Do you accept?"

Adult. The foxgirl offered a minor hiss of annoyment at the thought of that, but beyond this the offer he had was one of the best she had been given in her lifetime. There was a sickening sound of bones breaking and elongating then stopping in a sight that looked most painful. Nazaria had reached the height of the average adult female from the area. She stood with gangly long arms shrinking back into the proper length slowly. A test run of the difference in comfort and being as she mulled over his proposal. Silence lingered between them as the echo of breaks faded away. Finally she spoke, "I find your offer to be both intriguing and of the greatest fun. I accept." Even after suffering a shift of height the girl walked as natural as any adult did to close the gap between them if only so that she could, if he did not move, run a fingernail down along this cheek to chin. "However, next time I do prefer the shorter ones to be and never any taller than this," the word came between a hiss, "I am not a shapeshifter and even I have limits to how many snaps I can support. I will need a pint for each 6 six days this guise must be worn. I do hope you can manage that much. I know you are a new fang."

The fledgling watches Nazaria shift. Listens to the bones snap, pop and grind within her skin. Must be rather painful. When she moves with the grace of an adult Elioyahazer gives a final grin. She really could do this. Perfect. Nazaria soon finds that Elioyahazer has no qualms over the lack of personal space. Nor is he perturbed over the nail running along his cheek. Honestly, this whole plot has him a little excited. Soon, house Nasar. Very soon. "After this mission, I'll keep your preferences in mind." He nods once to confirm that -if- she succeeds in killing Claudia, assumes her identity, looks for evidence against house Nasar and speaks out publicly, in favor of Dragana, all that he has laid out will be hers. And there will be plenty more missions as house Jalal's Spymaster. "Oh I'm sure there will be enough. Even if I can't get you enough, there are many employed beneath me." With a smile he offers her the first without further delays. "Come and see me privately tonight at house Nasars Manor. I'll inform lady Collette and the guards of your arrival. Remember--" A finger raises to his lips. "None are to know of our arrangement until after the trap is sprung." Elioyahazer pulls out a pouch of gold and offers it to her. "Since I have such faith in you, I offer you half the payment now, to help with any supplies you might need." Once she takes it she will find that there is a hefty sum within. This would indeed be lucrative. "Until tonight Nazaria." He gives his new ally a moment to respond until finally, fledgling steps out of the room, allowing the soon to be spymaster to have her privacy. Eli however is expected for a meeting with his guards and can't stay longer without raising suspicion.

"I will see you this evening," the foxkin said with a flowing accent of hers after the two had made arrangements to meet later in a more private location than this establishment. The coin was taken over to be stuffed into the pack that she had worn previously to give her the false back growth. A glimpse inside would reveal the old woman face was not the only she had brought with her this trip, atleast 3 others by the visible tuffs of hair. The fox was excited for this new adventure. It had been many moons since she was alloted this much fun and games. After the vampire left Nazaria began to shift back into the needed aspects of the guise to become the same face she entered as. The process for the fox was quick to take on a new face, but she waited a decent time before exiting the room herself. It seemed wise to not leave right behind the vampire. Perhaps her strangest pairing for trouble, but it could easily prove how dangerous a were and a fang could be when working together. Beware hollow a werefang is on the loose.