RP:A Profitable Agreement

From HollowWiki

LOCATION: Rynvale Harbor

This harbor is bustling with activity as it has recently been opened to merchant traders from the great trading port of Cenril. There are many ships docked around here all of various sizes and shapes. From great three masted warships and mighty ocean going trade corvettes to tiny fishing boats, there are representatives from all parts of society here. Stepping off from the boat you traveled on; onto a large stone pier you can see the beauty of this port town of Rynvale. The whole town is built on and around a great set of milky white chalk cliffs beyond which you cannot see. There is plenty of noise and activity here as various crew members unpack their cargo onto the pier and you can smell the strong salty sea air as the wind blows the ocean breeze into the white stone port. The only way forward is northwards into the town. A new figure now stands, monitoring the situation. A purser watches those who enter the city, checking to ensure that they paid their fees and that they have the proper travel documentation into an Imperial city. Now would be a good time to pull your documents out as behind the purser stands a rather large gathering of troops on heightened alert.


Finn was finishing up a long day of work, his legal work. The rising moons caused the highlights of the auburn hair of the apparent merchant to gleam in the darkness as he stood in idle chatter with a covey of port authority officers on the boardwalk, the Stormchaser in her official capacity, being unloaded of goods that would be sold in any number of the shops the rogue had contracted with. Three quarter length greatcoat clung neatly to broad shoulders that shook with good natured laughter before, with a final quick wave he turned on booted heel to stride along the docks. His back to them, they would not see the smile wiped from his face and replaced with the calculating and observant expression that almost always hovered on the thief. Gold flecked gaze swept out into the harbor, coming to reset on the Chaser. Their last run had been successful and uneventful. It would seem that this time, word had not leaked of his intended actions. Tonight he would not be donning the gear of a runner. He stood at water’s edge, the wind teasing the tendrils that fell over his eyes which drifted along the bulkheads of the other ships in port. All things considered, life was good. Now, he needed to get to work on sourcing the prize Lita wanted-and discovering the truth about what had happened that night.

Trey had just finished lighting the last lamp on Mutiny's deck. The ship didn't need many since not much happened onboard when at port, still, the captain liked to remind the shadows that they were being watched. Most of the lighting at night was centered around a makeshift table where whatever crewmen were on watch played their card games, gambling away whatever earnings they had from the last venture to sea. With their keen eyes heavily fixed to their cards, Trey had no qualms leaving them for the night. After all, it was still early, and the ship wasn't all that interesting tonight. The captain was alone, and seeing such, Raxoth--the albino ferret that had been with Trey for more years than the woman could remember-- leapt to her shoulder to join her. A quick turn of her head and a smile of acknowledgement, then the woman was on the docks. "Quite the activity on the docks tonight, it seems," she said more to herself than to anyone else. Either way, the fact that port authority were about hardly bothered her. After all, the woman -did- have her papers.

Leaning his weight upon elbows that were at rest on the rails put up to keep the unwary out of the water, Finn inhaled; a slow and purposeful act that flushed the blood in his veins with the sting of sea salt and..sewage. He almost grinned. Though he was not himself a captain- Kirikae captained the Chaser for him- the rogue had spent enough time on the water that it was in his blood. When life got crazy, it was to the dockside, or when possible, some quieter stretch of sands that the smuggler would retreat to let the waves talk to his soul. A glimmer of light, from a lantern it would seem, aboard the ship tied up to the dock just to the east of his position drew idle attention and his hazel gaze followed the fluid descent of a shadow to the docks. The form, a darker silhouette in the already dark night seemed rather more slender than the bulk of a deck hand and he awaited for the indivdual to emerge into the ring of gaslight cast onto the docks before calling a quiet “Evenin’..” to whomever it was that stepped into hearing range.

Trey hadn't been looking at anything in particular, just watching the various going-ons, but when the man leaning against the railing spoke, she all but stopped, eyes falling onto him. "And a good one it is, is it not?" Had she seen him before, the captain didn't know. Still, the woman was all for meeting new people, which was probably why she cycled through regular crew members so quickly. Rubbing her chin and cheek, the sailor didn't manage what she planned; instead her hand merely smeared dirt on her face. "Just get back from sea?"

Finn’s gold flecked gaze swept over the..female? He looked closer. Yes. A woman, though it seemed she made considerable effort to hide it. Still, it was not his place to judge or query and so he satisfied himself merely with responding to the polite inquiry. “ Aye..or at least the Chaser has..” His head would nudge in the direction of the ship still anchored offshore, goods being hoisted over the port side by lantern light into the waiting rowboats below. “ She’s brought in a resupply shipment for the city shops.” He shifted his weight to his feet proper. “ The name’s Finn.. own a couple shops on the southern shores, and The Stormchaser there.” Hazel gaze ran over her, his curiosity difficult to contain. “ You a crewman abroad that one then?” He could not help but wonder how she fared in this world..very much a man’s world-most of the women working the docks were in a trade he was pretty sure she would disdain to even think of. Eyes fell on the creature upon her shoulder and auburn brow arched in silent question.

Trey couldn't say anything about his straight-edge choice of living. After all, the shops needed to be restocked, and someone had to do it. Still, it all seemed rather boring to the woman. Who was she to judge, since it was a much better life style than many. A tad boring, but not a bad one. "I am. Been with Mutiny since the beginning, and so have several others, mostly." Raxoth shifted from one shoulder to the other, and the woman corrected her weight almost without noticing. "Wouldn't want it any other way, either. She's taken us through quite a bit." That was all that would be said about her line of work, to be sure. To the scoundrels and scallywags who share in it, it was no secret, but the woman wasn't stupid enough to go blabbing away to a legal dealing man. "So you own the Chaser as well, then? Didn't list in in your assets, but you seem to be working with her."

Finn’s eyes narrowed slightly before he allowed himself a slight smile. No fool this one. “The Chaser..Stormchaser, aye, she’s mine. Well I own the ship, she’s captained by my partner.” His gaze flickered over her shoulder to where the mutiny loomed against the skyline. “The Mutiny you said.. I hadn’t realized she was in port.” Thoughtful expression crossed his face. He had not been in business long here, but long enough to know the names of the captains you went to when you needed work done of an.. underhand nature. H was still trying to find Leoxander, but another had been mentioned and in tandem with The Mutiny. “ Your captain would be the one they call Trey then? I’ve been meanin’ to find time to have a word with him.. business.. you understand.” His tone had become the mildly patronizing one of someone who believes himself speaking about things which were above the other’s paygrade. “ I have an interest in passin’ some business his way, if you’d pass the message along that I’m lookin’ for him.” His words were a lazy drawl and he smiled that smile that had broken a thousand hearts- wasted perhaps, on this woman who was not..but old habits died hard.

Shale gets off of the boat from Centril, hood pulled over her head and gloves on her hand. She glances around quickly and then moves slowly forward through the crowd. Any watching her would notice a slightly slouched posture, and the fact that she seemed to cringe away in anyone approached her. She seemed to be a very skittish character, oodly hidden beneath a cloak.

Trey rubs the back of her neck, the hairs having stood up on end.

The arrival of the boat from Cenril and its bustle of arriving passengers drew the rogue’s idle gaze away from the woman at his side. Gold flecked irises skipped from one face and form to another, pausing briefly on one in particular which seemed to be behaving most peculiarly. Like his companion, though he would not know her to be experiencing thus, his instinct tingled to life. Something was not quite right about that hastily moving form.

Trey crossed arms in front of herself. Since she hadn't introduced herself as the captain, or as Trey, it was only natural for someone not to know the ship was hers. Still, it always irked her when people assumed. That octopus ass of a boy had done it once, and though she had caught his name, Luken, Loucen, or something of the like, it had bugged her back then as well. "You're lookin' -at- him, you mean. Her, I guess, while I'm correcting you. If you've got business with Mutiny and me, feel free to speak it now, or if you're tired from your excursions, we can always meet again later. We aren't planning on leaving port for a while." While it was true, Trey had no idea when Satoshi, the icy feline, would come calling the captain for a meeting they had in Frostmaw.

Shale didn't have as tuned instincts as the other two, so, in her seemingly aimless wanderings through the crowd, she makes her way towards them. An intimidating looking centaur passes by her, right as she approaches the two, and her gaze seems to follow the creature as it walks by. In doing so, it would seem, she looses her balance and trips, falling directly into Finn. A skilled pickpocket, she uses her crash as a distraction to lift a few coins from his pocket. Her hands were quick and her skill fairly high, and most common folk wouldn't have realized what had happened unless they kept good track of their coin. Another thief on the other hand, might be able to detect what had happened. After righting herself and backing up a few steps, her face now in view and wearing a rather terrified expression, she says, "I'm s-s-so, so, s-sorry!" with a slight stutter, before turning to walk away, looking embarrassed. The coin she had taken had almost immediately been hidden in a pocket she stitched into her cloak sleeve, and a slight smirk crossed her lips.

Finn had the self awareness to be decently embarrassed for his error for all of about thirty seconds before he shrugged, a rueful smile tugging at tanned lips. “ A natural mistake per’aps Captain, beggin’ your pardon.” One broad shoulder lifted beneath the greatcoat in a shrug. But if you are indeed the captain of that noble vessel, we’ll need to be havin’ a discussion sooner rather than later lass.” Hazel gaze made one sweeping arc of their immediate environs, and confident that he would not be overhead, his voice dropped to a murmur. “ Not all of the cargo I ship comes in on the Chaser..an’ not all of it ends up in stores, if you catch my drift..” A subtle change had occurred in the man while he was speaking; the air of gentlemanly propriety replaced with a colder, harder edge, his gaze sharper and more purposeful. It was at the precise moment of the dropping of his façade, perhaps unfortunately for the young thief, that she made her ungraceful fall into his arms. Lightning reflex had him moving initially in an attempt to stop her fall, but experienced mind and body sensed that subtle pressure of fingers dipping into his purse, and he smiled grimly allowing her her escape. She was really quite good. One less attuned to the art would have missed it. “ He called out to her rapidly retreating back, his voice a lazy drawl underlaid with laughter. “ The coin won’t get you as far as a decently payin’ job lass.. no apology necessary. Plenty more where that came from. For me, anyways..” He’d leave the lure of an income dangling just within her reach should she turn to acknowledge him.

Trey really couldn't hold much of a grudge, and his apology was more than enough for her. "I get it often, being a woman and all. I suppose this isn't the first line of work my gender lines up for. Still, it's the one for me." Mutiny's captain hadn't had much interest in Finn until that moment, when his whole persona changed. Unfortunately she had no time to reply before the centaur walked by and the newly dock-bound woman fell into this now intriguing man. Stepping to the side for the horse-man to pass--who nodded his appreciation to Trey, the marauder caught only the tail end of the encounter with the supposed thief. Pickpocketing was certainly not Trey's favored method, but she supposed it worked for those who did it. If it didn't, well she supposed those one's would be dead by now. "So you're looking for a means of transportation, one that can't necessarily be linked back to you?" Business was business after all, and the captain tried to steer them back to it.

Shale stops in her tracks, her expression quickly changing from a smirk to a wide eyed surprised look, back to a smirk. She turns, hiding the expression as she does so, and tilts her head, "What ever do you mean, sir?" she asks, her stutter apparently gone, and the skittish personality replaced by a visage of innocence and confusion. If she hadn't just switched characters so abruptly, either would have been fairly believable.

Finn addressed the young thief first, his tone sharp and slightly chilly. Despite his appreciation for her skill, he was not particularly fond of the role of victim. “The coin you lifted off me lass..and you’d be better off not wastin’ my time with pretendin.’ I do enough of it every day to see right through it. If you’ll be wantin’ work that can use your..skills, and pays more than you could ever make in a day. Seek me out. Ask for Finn at the Barrel, they’ll know which way to point you.” And with those words he was done with her..his focus on a larger fish this eve. Turning to Trey he would remark. “ Not a means of transportation, as much as another source of..cargo. Word is you and your fleet might have the means to deliver me some of what might sell best inland. We’d share the profits of course..” He was basically inviting her to a partnership..goods for profit.. though she’d likely have to up the ante of her work on the high seas to do it. “ There are a lot of merchant vessels carrying cargo that could be..intercepted..aye?”

Shale , whose hands had been moving subtly inside her cloak the entire encounter, nods, "I see." She then turns around abruptly, and disappears into the crowd. Before she left, though, she'd dropped a makeshift bag, made out of a rough square of fabric tied over on itself. When opened, a few coins would fall out, and a note, scribbled on the fabric itself could be read, "You caught me, you deserve this back." Then, on the bottom, written smaller, "I'm interested. Mesthak in Kelay knows how to contact me, Shale" Funny thing, though, if Finn had kept track of his coin, she only gave back some of what she took.

Trey gave a casual shrug. There were always merchants taking wares from one place to another, it was all just a matter of finding them. "Way I see it, they're traveling somewhere to get rid of their goods. I'm just shortening their trip so they can get home to their families faster. As long as they cooperate, that is." It was an interesting proposal, still. Mutiny would often have lifted goods in her hull for quite some time before finding someone willing to assume the goods were legitimately earned. In addition to that, the crew really wouldn't mind getting out to sea more often, and not just because it meant they got a percentage of a higher amount. "Well sir, it does sound like a decent proposal. Some of the men who come to lift my wares from me aren't exactly ones the port authority look kindly to. They're ruining my good reputation, you see. But a respectable man like yourself, well I can't see these good folk running the port to look poorly on a likable businessman such as yourself."

Finn smiled, moving to pick up the discarded bundle before leaning back against the rail to watch the girl disappear into the crowd. He hefted its weight in hand. “ The minx..she didn’t return it all..” The murmur was to himself. She had an entrepreneurial spirit that would serve well if she intended to join his crew. Glancing the way of the captain, he nodded slowly. “ Aye.. that’s the idea. If ever we are caught in transaction, my businesses will lend presentable cover for our dealin’s together. Most of what you deliver me will be run inland though. Too risky to resell here.” He canted his head her way offering lazy grin. That’d be my night shift..the runnin.’ That mean you’re game then? Do we have a deal?”


Trey was intrigued by the proposal. It would certainly add more interest to her life. "Oh most certainly. I'm quite looking forward to our next business transaction. Just a few things though." By this time, Raxoth had grown quite bored. He had joined his captain with the thought of them heading to the Barrel for a night of drunken debacles. Instead she had stopped yards from her ship and was holding conversation. The ferret dug a claw or two into Trey 'by accident' before traveling down her, leaping to the dock, and returning to his home on board the ship. The rodent drew blood, but the woman refused to acknowledge it. She'd deal with the vermin later. "How often are you away from port? I know you said your partner captains your ship, but do you sail with her? Can I be sure that when I return from a voyage I'll be able to reach you or an associate? If not," really, most of the questions she had were irrelevant depending on answers for the first few, "am I expected to await your return?"

Finn nodded his understanding of her reasoning. “ Kirikae handles things out on the water.. very rarely will I sail with him on an outbound journey. He’s..more or less, in your line of work.” If Trey was a pirate as he suspected, that was. “ He’s my primary source of contraband, even though the Chaser is registered as a merchant vessel.” He grinned. “Demand has rather outstripped supply at the moment, tis why I need to expand.” He redirected to her question once more. “ So to answer your question, I or one of my associates will always be land based if you need to make contact.” He paused, “ Even when we run to Cenril or Gualon, I usually go overland and meet Kirkae at the landin’ sites. Co-ordinate pick up landside. It’s a comfortable enough arrangement..and more than profitable.” He nodded in the direction the pickpocket had disappeared. “ It’d be my land based crew I’m lookin’ to expand at the moment, The Chaser is manned well enough.”

Trey smiled a broad, cheerful smile, "Well it sounds like we've got ourselves an arrangement, Finn was it?" Resting a hand on her baldric and rubbing a secretly bleeding shoulder with the other, the woman motioned inland. "I was off for drinks before we met, and, if I'm not mistaken, our business is concluded for the night. You're welcome to join me, if you've no objections." It was likely that if the two headed to the Barrel together, Trey'd wander off on her own and mingle anyways. Many of the men there she knew from sharing a ship or a bed, and it was always nice to catch up.

Finn nodded his agreement, pushing off from his position against the rail. “ Sounds about right cap’n. An’ I’m sure it’ll be a pleasure doin’ business with ya. I reckon a drink would go astray right now.” Falling into step beside her, the pair would disappear into the shadows of the dockside, wandering north to that haven of brigands, where Finn would likewise, also spend the night reuniting with former ‘acquaintances.”