RP:Cenrili Alliance

Summary: Zahrani meets up with Joan to catch up, and discovers a new ally, and admirer, in Jaxson.

The Goth Garden, Cenril

Joan had made herself comfortable at one of the wrought iron tables near the fountain, piles of paper spread about the surface as the vampire necromancer set to writing on a fresh piece of paper, her nose slightly bunched as she seemed deep in concentration.

Zahrani wanders the gothic garden, the panther feline dressed for the location. A black form-fitting t-shirt shows off her svelte torso and velvety black fur, black cargo pants and boots on her legs and feet. A leather belt and black leather chest harness, designed to hold various weapons and pouches, completes her look. Her braids are lazily tied back in a ponytail. Cyan eyes rest upon the familiar vampire, and the cat-woman allows a grin to form on her muzzle. "Been a while since I saw you," she says, approaching Joan.

Jaxson Ravencroft is late to the party it seems, as upon his arrival through the bakery and into the goth garden that is nestled beside it, he finds the woman he is looking for. Joan is spotted easily enough, that pixie-cut and purple hair standing out amongst all the black, but it seems they are not alone as another has arrived just before him which catches his attention. The man himself is dressed to the nines in a custom -tailored ensemble made by Cenril's own Iintahquohae Kerrigan. Storm grey is the color scheme, pinstriped with black. The fitted dress slacks match the waistcoat while a nice white dress shirt make up the rest, even though his sleeves are rolled up to just below the elbow. Handmade wingtips fashioned from cenrillian leather as the shoe of choice, the same storm grey and black color pattern used to ensure a matching theme. Gone is the overcoat he frequented earlier in the season, as winter's chill has been swept away by spring, which is ever so closer to becoming summer with each passing day. In its place a new item, a new piece made by the master seamstress, which blends the concept of a weapon belt with other ideas to bring into existence a weapon holster that he wears on his shoulders, revealing a sheathed knife of fine make resting comfortably upon his side. Yes, the man looks the perfect blend of aristocratic nobleman and criminal underboss, and he can easily switch between the roles as needed. But for right now, he is just Jaxson, acquaintance of Joan as the pair have had business together previously that he had led him to wonder if she'd be able to help him with a current situation. He doesn't seem disturbed by the other person present, as he'd make his way to join Joan at her table as if they had a prearranged meeting or the like. He does though, use that charm and a flash of a nice smile to ensure he isn't being too rude in case he did just interrupt something. Taking out one of those clove cigarettes as he goes to take a chair, the man says. "Ah, good I caught you Joan, though I hope not at a bad time?" Before he'd light the end of his cigarette and inhale of the sweet scented herb as he looks to the panther feline with true admiration for the beauty such a person brings to the world. Plus, panthers are his favorite of the big cats, so he is almost fan boying over meeting a feline of such variety in person. "Sorry to you as well, if I butted in, I heard Joan was here and I had a bit of urgent business." He'd extend his hand out to the exotic looking woman, and say. "Jaxson Ravencroft." In greeting.

Joan looked up with a warm smile fixed on her lips as Zahrani approached, the vampiric healer setting down her ink pen to lift and offer her hand towards the panther woman in way of greeting, now in the moment she also noticed the approach of the mage nobleman Jaxson. A nod in greeting is given as he to also comes up towards where she had sat herself earlier in afternoon, having taken her break from the chapel and funeral parlor, all of her stacks of notes were for her book she needed to complete before advancing in rank in the necromancer guild. Her fingers on her writing hand stain with ink, but dried so she had no worry of ink transfer should the panther take her her hand. “It’s been a good while, good to see you darling!” She glances back towards Jaxson addressing him, “Hey there! This here is my friend Zahrani, she lives here in Cenril also.”

Zahrani encloses Joan's hand in her own; she didn't mind ink on her hands, even if it hadn't dried. The paladin admires the vampire's work, having encountered her both casually and on Guild business many times. Her eyes travel over to the sharply-dressed man, her circular pupils dilating momentarily to take in the detail. She takes in the scent of expensive fabric and smoked sweet spices, returning the greeting to Jaxson. If the man is attuned to magic, he would undoubtedly sense the divine aura coming from Zahrani's androgynous form, manifesting as a soft amber glow, like light reflecting through a rippling pool. She returns the greeting, her hand warm and strong. Her voice is a mid-tenor, with a slight feline accent to it, "A pleasure to make your acquaintence, Jaxson Ravencroft. As Joan says, I am Zahrani. Of the Isran Collective." If the man is also a denizen of Cenril, he may or may not have heard the name.

Jaxson does indeed feel the touch of the Gods upon the feline as they shake hands, for he is very preceptive in many ways, but particularly when it comes to matters of a magical nature. If the feline is likewise capable, when she shakes the man’s hand, she’d feel something -old-. Hard to discern as far as good or evil, but the magic about him has an eldritch edge to it, and again just feels primordial in nature. As she mentions her collective, the man recalls notes on the feline population within the city with notes on how he could try to help them. Philanthropy is what the Ravencroft heir is known for, as since the family is one of the founding families of the city, he feels a level of shame for not properly being aware of such without the need to explanation. Such is the cost for having been out of the country for the past few years, a situation he has been planning on rectifying. Every day in his efforts to aid the Red Witch Valrae in her political aspirations to not only win the Mayoral position to lead the port city, but also her desire to truly aid all who call Cenril home, the man seems to become educated more and more on key matters. “A true pleasure.” He says in earnest, before to Joan he’d say. “You keep impressive company, I must say.” An observation as well as a compliment to both the ladies present. “He flicks the growing ash of his cigarette before taking another puff from it, making sure when he exhales to blow away the smoke from them all before, he says. “Well, seeing as we’re all adults, and you’re from the city.” He nods to Zahrani as he says that. “Then I’ll speak plainly. In an effort to aid Valrae Baines in her aspirations to help the city, I’ve started my own bit of…” He looks for the word, but just settles on. “Community service. And in this, I’ve encountered a group called The Third-Eyed Thugs.” Again, Zahrani is the focus of his next bit. “Ironically they seem to have shifted focus to targeting non-human citizens, their businesses and the like, so I’ve made it my own business to see that gets settled.” He is being blunt, but honest, hinting at more things they may or may not catch on too. The gangs of Cenril are many, with this one being just one that often target certain crowds. They may have encountered them, or others like them. To Joan his attention focuses, as he says. “So, I thought I’d ask a friend, given we’ve worked together before, if you’d heard anything about these type. They seem very closed lipped about things, and people seem afraid to talk about them at all.” He’d let that all hang, taking yet another puff of that cigarette, filling the area once more with the sweet aroma of burning clove.

Joan makes a gesture for her friend Zahrani to take a seat next to her as the undead woman moves to gather up all her different piles of notes from the table top to make room, all these notes held her neat scribble and drawing diagrams on her ‘Nerco Goo’ concoction she had made by combining starfish and lizard gene cells with abit of magic. This she hoped to put to practical use with the dead/undead and perhaps the living in a regrowth serum. Stacking everything into a decent size pile she would then reach down beside her chair to a leather satchel nearby, opening it she carefully laid her papers inside as she listened a look of concern was given. “Hm, yes well, I move in many different circles. I find that it helps to be friendly and helpful when I can. Catching friends with honey instead of vinegar, or however the saying goes.” She said to the mage before offering a glance towards the panther female, Joan could count Cenril as one of her places of work and she didn’t much like bully groups, even if she was slightly dark hearted and might be considered evil in a sense because of her undead vampiric nature. “Umm, sorry I stay pretty much to myself and the Chapel/funeral parlor. No one has been in to threaten us…but that might because I’m there almost daily as a known undead.” Her smile flashed enough to show off her fangs as she gives both her friends a good full glance of her lilac orbs.

Zahrani listens intently to the man talk, her feline ears pointed in his direction. His choice of words is truly interesting. She rests a hand on her hip, her tail swishing as he regales them of his work in the city. Glancing to Joan while she puts away her things, the paladin offering a wry smile at her statement that most gangs would steer clear from the undead woman, she looks back to Jaxson, noticing new details in his weapon harness and the way he carries himself. "The Collective has seen more of an uptick in attacks from gangs. Usually things are quiet in the winter, when it's too cold for those without fur, and they pick back up in the spring..." She pauses, before nodding as if in agreement, "but it ~does~ seem particularly bad this season." Felines were used to occasional mistreatment in and out of Cenril, but this particular season has had them stepping up their operational security. "What can you tell me about this particular gang, aside from their name and their targets? Do they leave any particular signs?" There was an incident from the previous night in the back of the woman's mind, but she keeps the details to herself until she hears knowledge that corroborates what had happened.

Jaxson listens to Joan’s statement of being unaware, to which he knows that’s a right crock simply due to the fact he isn’t a fool. But her answer does inform him that she may be the kind who keeps things close to chest, and he’d respect that and not press her any further. Its as the feline turns her attention to him, a series of statements and questions also filling in blanks he had as well. With those eyes, which are a brilliant shade of blue, does he study the feline warrior woman. She is a panther so he can’t help but admire that primal beauty, in a polite manner of course for his affections are owned by the Red Witch. But, ya know, being a walking and talking version of one of the most breath taking predators on the planet does make him possibly stare a bit more than he means too. What? You wouldn’t stare in awe? Liar. Anyways, after carefully chewing on Zahrani’s words for a few more moments between drags on his cigarette that’s nearly out, Jax tries his best to answer her inquires by first reaching into his pocket and bringing out a piece of paper that has a symbol. A sketch he did based off witness testimony of an event not too long passed, which shows a man with a shaved head bearing a gilded third eye painted on his forehead. He’d slide this over to Zahrani but make sure Joan could get a good look too, he knows she’s absorbing information regardless of her façade of aloofness. C’mon man, Jax wasn’t born yesterday. “You’re not wrong on the increase of activity. Some say its due to a power vacuum forming with the shifting of controlling territories throughout the city in the wake of the upcoming election.” Yes, the election is a heavily invested affair many seem very keen about, especially with whom will win. “Certain elements, like this group and others, are using the unrest of the political climate as well as the plague to try to nab themselves bigger pieces of the pie.” He’d pauses here, a craving for another cigarette growing with every moment as he stamps out the butt of the one, he just finished in the ashtray. “Certain views are being spread that the plague is caused by the presence of non-humans, though it is also the belief of some that this is just an excuse to cover not only the attempts t establishing a bigger area of operations during the political upheaval the city is going through, but also an attempt to to drive out what…” He pauses, just tossing etiquette and proper speaking out the window as he says. “To drive out what some idiotic’, smooth brained “purists” view as “undesirables”.” He’d allow that bit to settle a moment, before adding. “Which is utter nonsense as this city was built by many hands of many races, so as stated I’m going to sort such a nasty business out as soon as possible.” The matter-of-fact manner in which he speaks sounds almost definitive in nature, like there was no other option. And with him there wasn’t. “These men… aye…” He looks Zahrani right in the eyes as he says. “These men will realize with that Cenril will not tolerate such views, of that you can be certain.”

Joan tugs at her earlobe as she thinks…perhaps a few unkind words were thrown her way by some passing crowds not to recently, but Joan mostly ignored what had been said as she mostly passes by everyday people to and from the bridge in and out of town and the street to make into the chapel/funeral parlor. Her nose crinkles up as the more she thinks about it the more she finally noticed the few times rough looking men having tried to bump into her person, being supernatural in speed, agility and grace she has dodged any such interaction with the ‘normal humans’. Her pale icy lips purse together as she glances at the sketch, taking in the details and the third eye mark. “Now that you mention it, perhaps I have almost been accosted, tho I tend to walk around folks when I can, I could offer some assistance if you like…tho I think outright murder or use of undead might be frowned upon.”

Zahrani 's tail idly swishes while she waits for the man to finish, before turning to Joan and saying, "I like where his head is at. He's got an eye for power.." She offers a grin at Jaxson; she had surely caught him staring, and his willingness to work for a powerful witch was not lost on her either. Ravencroft has a type, it would seem. "I think you and Matriarch Roahin will get along. The Collective share this goal you have stated. We keep our streets, our homes, our businesses, and our children safe." She glances up at one of the neighboring rooftops; a hooded feline silhouette leans against the chimney, surveying the conversation from a distance, their retinas reflecting the faint glow of the moonlight. A friendly chuffing sound issues from Zahrani's feline muzzle, before she turns back to Jaxson and Joan, "If you ever need hunters or seekers, with eyes and ears on the street day and night, or just a safe place to lay your heads, look to the Isran Collective. We take care of those who take care of us."

Jaxson listens fully to Joan’s newfound recollection of possible events with a smirk, knowing well that if she was ever truly accosted they’d have had bodies to clean up. Thank goodness they hadn’t. “Just keep an eye out, and if they do try anything foolish, try not to cause too much chaos, aye?” With that settled, he listens to Zahrani and her appraisal of him. He’d watch her guide their eyes to the feline atop the roof, and listen as she offers the Collective’s aid, a matter he takes most serious and may very well be in need of soon. “I am truly humbled by this great honor, Lady Zahrani. And will indeed make sure to pay a visit and have a chat with this Matriarch Roahin, to see what services and support l may offer your people, as fellow citizens.” Seeing as his part in this random gathering seems wrapped up, the man takes out a new cigarette as he rises from his seat, offering a bow to the ladies present before he’d light it, saying more so to them both. “If you need me, I’ll not be hard to find.” A simple statement to be sure, but one that hides a bit more meaning. A brief pause, he does toss in a quick. “And remember to vote.” Not saying for who, as they all can easily find out who his allegiance is bound too. As with this done, the man has much more business to attend to. Though Zahranin will find that an arrival into her people’s territory will come within the hour of his departure. A small caravan of wagons, with food supplies, medical supplies, clothes, and blankets, as well as a stash of weapons hidden expertly where only those who needed to see them would find them. Joan likes to make friends using honey, Jax makes allies with his words too, just backed up by his actions more often than not. And with that, Jaxson Ravencroft had to see a man about a ship.

Joan offers a smile in way of parting for Jaxson, offering a departing wave before asking Zahrani if she stay to take tea with her or if she wanted to meet up again later in the week.

Zahrani watches the man depart, taking in the small caravan of supplies. Enough to equip a militia. Turning back to Joan at the offer of tea, the paladin smiles, "I think later in the week would be best. I need to head home." The panther offers the vampire a warm embrace, before heading back to prepare the rest of the Collective for the arrival of a well-dressed guest.