RP:Eyes On The Prize
Synopsis: Lanara and Tiber have a plan to scope out to find the rumor of the precious jewel location for Leoxander. The couple take a glamor potion in order to scope out the jewelry shop. Eventually, they find their eyes on the future prize. Tiber takes in the interior and Lanara plays up the acting ante. Lanlan, stalks the couple, however, and finds himself helping the two rogues on the outside of things--they all hit the jackpot. Leo would be proud.
This is a Rogue's Guild RP.
Part of the Waxing Crescent, Wayward Course Arc
Merchant Street
Tiber (1 of 2):: The couple meanders into an alleyway a couple buildings away from the luxurious jewelers shop on Merchant’s Street. It is midday as Tiber and Lanara want to focus on all their surroundings in different time frames. The young Tiber holds a cane for a prop for future use. There were plenty of jewelers competing against the others, but this one was larger than the rest with the finest marbled structure. Tiber stands there as he is handed a vial with a peculiar liquid. “This better not turn me into a rat or something…” he mumbles to his wife. The plan was set, as Tiberius heard word of a pricey, potential jewel up for auction. The goal was to get the scope of the jewelry store to get the exact details and see if this rumor actually existed. Anyway, the couple are linked arms at this point as they hold the daring potion near their lips. “Bottoms up, Mrs. Lowell,” Tiber wiggles his thick brows with that sly smile he always carried around his wife. The potion is thrown back and it kicks in automatically. Eventually, with the glamor potion, Tiber’s frame becomes a little hunched over. His skin begins to wrinkle with slight liver spots. His hair begins to grey and his face shifts into a completely different complexion. Elderly. Tiber then lifts a hand to place spectacles on his face and begins to portray an old shaky man. “Worked pretty good, eh?” Even the voice the Catalian has is old and soft-spoken.
Tiber (2 of 2):: Eventually the disguised, potioned couple come from the shadows and shuffle about the street. Lanara is more elegant than him as she struts the street in her prissy demeanor. He trails behind the ‘duchess’ in his crooked, slow way. He uses his cane for support and the two come in front of the jewelry store. Already, there are two guards blocking the entrance. Tiber takes mental note of that. The man also takes note of any other front surroundings. The ‘duchess’ could handle the rest with her saucy attitude as they waltz into the jewelry store. Lanara takes the lead while the glamored Tiber slowly observes through his short shuffles. This elderly man -really- takes his time which gives Tiber the benefit to scope every nook around the main part of the shop. Lanlan ooc: I'll probably have Lanlan just be stalking them after overhearing them, I guess. I think being able to talk to them would be too important
Lanara had drunk the glamour potion in the back alley, at the same moment that Tiber had taken the one she had concocted for him. The effects are nearly instantaneous and the couple takes a brief moment to look at each other, to familiarize themselves with their new appearances. “I know I said we’d grow old together, but I didn’t realize it would be so soon.” She laughs as he lifts the cane and puts on a pair of antique spectacles, “Ready, Darling?” Any traces of Lanara are long gone, as she twirls in place, and mock curtsies to the elderly man that has taken the place of her husband. “Fiona Montenaro, at your service!” Fiona is tall, slender, and very attractive, with piercing blue eyes, a button nose, and a dusting of freckles across her cheekbones. Her sleek, chin length, platinum blonde locks frame her heart shaped face, and her lips have been painted in a vivid shade of pink. She’s clad in a pair of black slacks, an overpriced blue blouse that brings out her eyes, and a pair of black high heels. A large leather tote bag, with a genuine Kreekitaka label, is draped over her left shoulder. The couple makes their way down the alley and over a few blocks, before they enter the magnificent jewelry store, and Fiona immediately approaches the first man she sees behind the counter, “You! Over there! Do you know who -I- am?!” Without waiting for an answer, she drumbs her fingers impatiently on the glass counter, “I am Fiona Montenaro, the Duchess of Bonteval, and I -demand- to speak to the proprietor of this establishment right away! Go. Fetch him for me!” The man scurries away, ashamed of himself for not knowing who this uptight woman is, and eager to pass her onto his manager. Fiona glances at the items in the showcase, most of them bearing a five figure price tag, “What a quaint shop, don’t you think Uncle Percival?” She glances at Tiber’s glamoured form, “Such paltry trinkets on display!”
Lanlan went all out with his disguises, designing them from the ground up. As any accomplished illusionist (that is, one who intends their tricks to last) would tell you: the devil is in the details. That’s why even beneath the illusion of a handsome, newly poor feline, was a prosthetic pair of cat ears and fuzzy gloves. With claws even! His smell he disguised magically, and layered on himself the subtle essence of dirt, hints of rain, and just a touch of heartbreak. But most people’s senses aren’t keen enough to pick up on that. By design, it was easily ignored. Everything about Freckles the vagrant housecat was easily ignored–that was the angle! Awkwardly, he followed (stalked) his new teammates. Because Freckles was too shy to call out and interrupt them. He creeps close to them as they imbibe their magical potions. “Hey…” he whispers if they don’t notice him yet. And then, “I’ll scout around the outside and see who’s on the roof.” After that, he separates from them. Without apparent effort, he gives himself the ability to walk up walls, as easily as the floor. But for the sake of his character, he clambers up the side of a building using all four limbs. It’s dark. Too dark for most humans, but just in case, he maneuvered in short bursts, and if anybody did happen to notice him, he’d look more like a small animal than a man in a cat costume. At least from a distance. He trails the disguised couple from above and behind, checking for guards, and also to see if they were paying any attention to him. If they weren’t, he could cease hindering himself by playing his character, and use more of his actual abilities.
Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber looks over his shoulder as he notices a feline following the trail. Who was this illusioned disguised? A talking feline? Was this person a homeless makeshift cat? There were plenty of weird people in Cenril. “Uh,” the elderly Tiber sort of frowns. Was this ‘cat’ helping them…? Clearly Tiber is unsure who is a part of the rogue’s team still as he is looking to get initiated into the Guild. Tiber shifts his elderly, glamored pale blue eyes towards Lanara the Duchess. “I mean, no matter how wigged that feline is, more eyes the better?” It was hard to trust, but Tiber knew he had to proceed before the glamor potion wore. Eventually, he enters the shop and shuffles around the interior before looking towards the “Duchess of Bonteval”. Uncle Percival really takes his time when Fiona asks for his opinion. He adjusts his spectacles in a shaky manner, he squints up close to multiple showcases that seem to be sitting on pretty mini pedestals that almost looked like they had a peculiar edging. Like they were all sitting on some… makeshift button. Shiny rings. Clunky bedazzled earrings. They had it all, and the prices were high, but in the most snobby way, it would not be enough for these two showboats. “Ghastly, my dear. Ghastly. Do they really expect you to keep your trinkets in such unshined display cases? Certainly this won’t do.” Eventually, a ‘manager’ comes into play. A man with a potbelly, but dressed in the finest of garbs. Very extravagant. “Your grace,” the man with the potbelly bows cordially towards the Fiona Montenaro. “We are very honored that you are willing to bless us with your presence on this fine day. How can we assist you, your grace?”
Tiber (2 of 2):: Uncle Percival, in the meantime, is scoping the area as he pretends to walk around to scope other pieces of jewelry. The man notices two hallways on either side of the jewelry shop and one single door straight back where the manager came from. Perhaps that was the employer lounge, Tiber could only guess. Other than the hallways, he does not recognize anything but the exit door and the two noticeable hallways. For each hallway, there was a guard that stood with it. Total… four guards. Two outside to guard the front and one for each hallway. Time would tell how many more guards would be beyond those hallways.
Lanara (Post 1 of 2) Lanara finds her mind racing, ever since seeing the unusual fellow that they had run into on the way here. He obviously was sick in the head and suffering from some sort of addiction, to think that they would want him joining in on this mission. Was he a friend of Leoxander’s? Did the pirate not trust them to handle a simple scout on their own? She’s mildly ticked off, but her poker face is one of perfection, as she slips back into the role of fictional royalty. Faux-Fiona affectionately pats Percival on his crippled arm, “We won’t be too long, Uncle. Just make sure to put all of your weight on your cane when you walk…We will grab a light dinner after this, before we head back to Bonteval. You know how riding in a carriage with a full belly gives me flatulence.” The impossibly snobbish tone switches from one of concern to one of scrutiny as a chubby, balding male, likely in his mid-fifties strides over to them. Fiona extends a dainty hand, hoping that the proprietor would spare a glance to the magnificent chocolate diamond that sparkles like the moonlight upon a still lake, and she’s pleased when his gaze drops and his eyes widen. Clearly, he knows that she is a woman of extreme wealth, as her husband had spent nearly his entire life savings to purchase her such a regal piece of jewelry. The man introduces himself, but after niceties he seems slightly suspicious, “ I’m the owner of this fine establishment, Todd Becker, and my associate tells me that you’ve come all the way from Bonteval? Forgive me, but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of such a place, let alone seen it on a map…” His voice trails off, as though he hopes to catch Fiona and Percival in a lie, but this couple is too smart to fall for such pitiful bait, “No, I imagine you haven’t, you poor thing! You close minded people spend far too much time indoors, admiring trinkets, when you know so little of things that lay just south of Lithrydel! I am -offended- and outraged by your ignorance, Mister Becker, and I’m wondering if perhaps I should have my twenty-five carat sunrise ruby tiara auctioned off somewhere else…” Upon hearing of the rarest rubies known to man, Mr. Becker straightens his tie, “That won’t be necessary Duchess Montenaro, I merely was implying that I -do- need to get out more and I foolishly have little to no knowledge of your kingdom. Please, forgive me…”
Lanara (Post 2 of 2) Fiona shakes her head, feigning distaste at the suggestion of forgiveness to such a slight, but it’s all an act and she’s eating up every second that Becker’s attention is focused. While he’s concerned about securing the business of a foreign Duchess, Percival is gaining insight on the main room of the establishment. Fiona hesitates a few moments longer, before she sets those big blue eyes on Becker and sighs heavily, “Oh, all right! I suppose I can at least take a tour of this quaint shop, to see if it’s worthy of showcasing my rubies.” She purses her lips, as though this thought just occurs to her, “You -do- have a safe room, don’t you? I hate to think my gems would be displayed next to all this costume jewelry.” She wrinkles her nose in disgust, “I command you to take me to the place where my rubies will be held until the auction, so that I know they will be in good hands and guarded with the utmost security.” Becker gives a slow nod and motions for one of the guards to come along with them, as he ushers the woman and her uncle down one of the hallways that has a wide bend, before they stop at a set of thick double doors. “There is a long hallway just ahead, but you shouldn’t have any trouble walking, Sir.” He reassures Percival, before he leads the way and makes small talk, “The auction is in thirteen days, just shy of two weeks, so you would have to present your rubies a week before they are to be auctioned off. We will verify their authenticity, discuss a starting bid and reserve price, and we can agree on a division of payment. Depending on the monetary value, our cut can increase from the standard thirty percent, all the way up to fifty percent. We can get more into that stuff later… Right now we have about sixteen items in this room, but we hope to have double that by the auction. Our highest bid will likely go to a particular diamond… But, of course, your rubies will be a very close second.”
Lanlan doesn’t actually know the building they’re supposed to be scouting yet, or why. The why is what he really wants to know, though. Who cares about a little jewelry store? Lots of people it turns out, or maybe a couple people who care a lot. Judging by the way it’s watched; by himself, Lanara, Tiber, and more than enough guards. Not enough to stop him (he mused), but more than is reasonable for the size. Still, cocky as he was, Freckles wasn’t, so he played the part of cautious. On a roof, two buildings away from the target, he flattened out on his belly and watched. One hand cushioning his chin while the other took notes on what he saw, blindly. A rooftop with two guards, walking the perimeter of the lumber laid flat across sturdy support beams. They stopped in each corner and peered into the alleys, studying them intently before moving on. How did they get up there? He’d have to check for a ladder later. They appeared human, but he’d have to get closer to confirm that. Anything else before he moved on? Yes. South of the building, bordering Arril street (?), a chimney billowing acrid black smoke. Must be one of the smiths. Togo or…the other one. An obstruction for the guard, a checkpoint for the robbers. Satisfied, he crawls to the lip of his perch and impossibly reaches from one building to the other, parallel to the ground, and pulls himself across the gap, oblivious to gravity.
Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber pretends to be a delusional old man as he is staring into space at every nook and cranny in the establishment. He looks lost on purpose, which would lead Tom Becker to assume that the elder may be sick. The faux Uncle Percival leaves Lanara to handle the sassiness and overbearing personality that Fiona was. When Tom Becker makes a mistake of persuaded ignorance, Tiber snaps into play, “How dare you treat the Duchess in -such- manner. The audacity. Clearly you’re too ignorant to know who you’re speaking to which is an utter disgrace,” the old man shakes his cane with a clear, very opinionated frown. “These rubies are of great value, despicable to anything else you sell in this wretched establishment.” Though, the couple is whisked away down the hallway where Percival is taking in the surroundings in his overly slow wobble. The man leans on his cane to take a ‘winded’ break to take in the scenery. There is one exit door in the hallway where one guard stands and when the couple makes the double door, there are another two guards lingering. The two guards are armed with a belt of vials and strict blades on their back. They stand stoic. Clearly they are more armed than the other guards and for a reason. Once in the back secured room, there are no windows. It is strictly black except for a single glow from the diamond ahead in the crystal case. The diamond is huge and appears to be almost thirty carats. Utterly peerless. A princess cut as it sits in that square shape on the mantle. The light makes reflections against the walls from the shine.
Tiber (2 of 2):: “Behold, the diamond, we’ve mentioned.” Tom Becker swarms slowly around the casing and stands stationary behind the giant diamond. “A relic we hold true. A value of bid starting at five hundred thousand gold. Really, this precious gem is worth way more–could be eight hundred–as it was found in an ancient kingdom that had fallen in peculiar sands. Witherstone. Lands far from here. Past the Yasha-Tar Sandsea and the countries of Auren, and although Ardelia, that small quaint village, that settles between the mountains, it’s beyond that.” Becker looks elegant in his geographic ways. “We can hold your rubies here and install another mantle. It is of the highest security. As we have installed spells that are located if the mantle is opened without undoing the spell first. Trust me, with our top notch security, no one is breaking in this parlor, your grace.” Tiberius assumes that in the other hallway there might be the same amount of security there. The old man even looks up and around and he sees no entrance to this secured room–through either the hallway exit or the front doors of the parlor would be where the entrance would have to be unless the peculiar man on the outside found a strange other entrance. “Why, this is fine crystal, Fiona, I’m sure if they keep up on their lack of smudge, this might be a beneficial place,” the faux Percival concludes. That was his last observation of the area. He got what he needed to know.
Lanara :: Fiona’s eyes widen as they step into the heavily secured room, inhaling as soon as her heels step over the threshold, for she’s never been in location with such extreme wealth. She can practically smell the greed filtering into this windowless room, as the guard steps aside to let her take a gander at the highest priced item. The diamond on display is exquisite and captures the lantern light at every angle, hypnotically shimmering and casting it’s sparkling reflection onto the walls and other furniture in this room. Fiona gasps, her lips parting, and she reaches out to touch the glass dome that secures the diamond atop the dais, but she finds herself tugged back and just out of reach. Todd Becker isn’t smiling as he issues a warning, “Do -not- touch even the case, Duchess Montenaro, as we don’t want you to be injured. As we’ve stated, there are wards in place that would cause devastation to anyone that tries to tamper with these high priced items.” Fiona nods in understanding and listens to the history behind the items, though her attention continuously strays back to the diamond, the real reason that they are here. She doesn’t ask any questions and feigns ignorance as they speak, but she does exchange a ‘look’ with Percival. Getting in, stealing the diamond, and getting out will be no small feat, and she hopes that Leo has the ‘best’ of the best on his team. Her inner witch is picking up on spells that have been cast by powerful mages, and she detects electrical currents emanating from the mantles. With a sigh and a small smile, Fiona pinches the bridge of her nose, “I think I’ve seen enough… I must sleep on it, as all of this excitement is giving me a headache, and we have a long journey back to Bonteval.” She pauses for dramatic effect, “I must be honest, that we have been to other places that I will consider, but I will send you a letter if we decide to use your services. You can guarantee that I will have the tiara here in time for the auction, should you be the one I choose. Thank you for the tour and all the information, but my Uncle and I must be on our way now.”
Lanlan crawls up to a stout chimney on the building adjacent to the jewelry store, and slides his hand up the side of it as he peers over the crested roof. Just then, another hand (not his!) reaches back for leverage to push the body of a heavily built dwarf into an upright position. A great force crushes Freckles’ hand against the bricks, and Lanlan wants to shout and commit atrocities against this hairy, red-faced, braid-bearded oaf. But…he can’t. He’s Freckles, and he’s silent, as the pain screams thunderbolts in his head. The man stands and dusts off his behind with black leather mitts. His wide shadow drapes over Freckles entirely, who draws back his sorry paw and cradles it, all the while wondering how such a person could’ve fit behind such a small chimney. He crawls backwards, back down to the gutter, and down to the ground of the alley. Doubtless, the guard he just encountered would be looking here in this alley soon, so Freckles blends into the patrons, becoming a forgotten member of a well-to-do family. For a moment, he walks as if he’s one of them. Until they turn into another store and forget him once again, and he finds a nearby bench to ponder his next move. Freckles’ next move. Those guards, they’re as worried about the alleys as they are the entrances! He breaks off a piece of crusty bread and softens it in his mouth, determining how he’ll get by them, while pretending to be an idiot (which is the role that was forced upon him by his own student!). A guy pushing a cart of fruit interrupts his scheming. Do cats like fruit? Who knows. Lanlan takes an orange, and begins to walk away nonchalantly. “...Hey…” says the salesman. “Hey! You gotta pay for that!” But Lanlan doesn’t. He sprints into a dash, straight into the alleyway, followed by cries of “stop him! That feline’s a thief! Stop!” He disappears into the alleys, noting a bulkhead leading under the jewelry store, finding that there are no ladders leading to the roof, and moreover, that there was even a -second- guard he’d neglected to notice before. But…now he did. And he was fairly confident he’d seen them all now.
Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber does a small bend of his knees up and down over and over as he is trying to play the ‘cooky’ old uncle. He looks between his knees and when he looks up, he twirls his white whiskers on his face and perks his lips as he is a in a daze. Fiona touches the glass, and Percival is squatting to get on an eye-to-eye level with the mantle now–staring intently at the glass. He could feel the magic even if he had non-magical senses. Although, he can feel the tingles of greed touch his back. Tiberius had never known anything that was this pricey. Everything was so dainty compared to what lingered beyond this case. With a cut, he would be able to stock and grow his finances. Support him and his wife in their estate for a long while longer. Enjoy the finer things as they usually did. Once Fiona pulls back, so does Percival. “I understand. It’s a large decision as you are giving your prized possession to an establishment that needs to guard it with their life. I just want you to know, we have the finest of security, and we look forward to hearing from you, your grace.” Tom Becker would bow to the pristine woman before nodding off. Percival nods with closed eyes as he twirls his fat mustache and adjusts his spectacles. He then leans on his cane and as Fiona departs, Percival then shakes his cane in departure. “Sir, I expect -clean- cases if we are back! No thumbprint smudges or we pay half the price for keeping,” he mutters which makes his mustache blow with his breath. He then pivots and shuffles at an incredibly slow pace across the secured room. It is almost awkward to wait for the elderly man since he’s so slow. Fiona is far ahead of him at this point. The only thing that lingers on Tiber’s mind now is that he would have to linger in the nighttime to see the different change of shifts of guards, if any. He would have to watch closely tonight–yes. This would be a whole day scouting mission. Patience. Yes.
Tiber (2 of 2):: After coming into the clear light of day, the old man can feel the pulse of magic wearing off his frame. The shuffle becomes quicker until Tiber slips into an alleyway in the shadows. The glamor wears off, but Tiber remains draped in dark shadow where the guard would be hard to see. Freckles would be in the peripheral of the Catalian’s vision. The vague recognizable scent as the lycan can sense. “Follow.” That’s all Tiber could muster in a low voice for the makeshift feline before pivoting out of the alleyway casually until slipping into another one around another random building. Hopefully Lanara is following at this point. “Kitty cat. What chu got?” The Catalian nods as if to pull the information from Freckles. “Whatever you have, we’ll piece it together.” There is a flat tone. “And if you don’t fess…? If you cross us…? Buddy, we’ll have problems.” Tiber is trying to be subtle and warn. As he is not a fan of being followed, but he knows he needs to be civil enough to work with someone if they were on their side.
Lanara :: Fiona walks out the way they had entered the maze that brought them to that lavish room, and she firmly holds onto Percival’s bony arms, as though she were afraid he’d fall down at any given moment. In truth, she’s feeling a bit antsy having this many guards breathing down her neck, and she hopes to confront that faux-feline that had oddly greeted them on their way inside. Is he one of their crew? Could they trust this man in a cat costume? Either way, it can’t hurt to take down his information, as they couldn’t scout both the interior and exterior of the jewelry store. They will use his intel and give it to Leo, and if the costumed fellow is working against them and not -with- them, they will deal with him later. It’s not as if he had gotten a good look at them before they drank the glamour potion, right? Fiona gives a parting wave as she opens the door for her uncle, and they walk in the opposite direction of how they had arrived. She doesn’t want the same guards tailing them or seeing their faces once the potions wear off, and if Lanlan is watching, she hopes he has the sense to discreetly follow them down another dark alley where they can share details about the mission. Of course, her worries of not getting the details from the stranger prove to be unfounded, as the glamour potions wear off and Tiber lures her into a darkened space in an alleyway. Lanlan is also with them, and she curses, as they’re now showing their true faces. Her beloved husband threatens the man, and Lana nods eagerly, because she has no qualms about murdering someone if they are crossed. Still, it seems that this strange fellow is on their side, and so they spend the next few minutes getting down to business.
Lanlan isn’t about to tolerate being commanded like this. Or is he? As long as the illusion disguising him as Freckles lingers (and it still does), he’ll act like a wimp without an ounce of dignity. That was his story, after all. With hardly a thought, he obeys Tiber, and blends into the shadows along with Tiber. Before Tiber can finish his threats, Lanlan as Freckles reaches one fuzz-covered arm into the light and hands over a half-crumpled scrap of paper with a sketch of the building. “Told-you-I’m-here-to-help!” He says quickly, and his arm disappears again into the dark. The hastily scribbled picture has stick people drawn in various points: guards. It has the main entrance, the bulk head, and a little hole on the roof with a question mark and a note that reads, ‘roof top entrance?’, all drawn onto the piece of paper. Of course it isn’t to scale! But it should help. Freckles smiles tentatively, cautiously, waiting to be told he did good before committing to being proud of himself. “Now we can steal it, right,” he whispers. “Whatever ‘it’ is?”
Tiber frowns and reaches for the crumpled paper from the furry arm. This was strange, was it not? Tiber’s face is all frowny that he should have wrinkles by now. The lycan is not necessarily a big fan of felines as he is biased in that opinion of being part wolf, but here he is. Did Lanara feel that itch too? Luca, Tiber’s inner wolf, seems to growl in the back of Tiber’s mind. The drawing is a sketch, but has enough detail to make Tiber think that whoever this was before him was telling the truth. That this feline was in on it. “Whatever it is?” Tiber takes a long, dramatic pause as he stares at the scribbles. Amber eyes then lift in the dark. They glow beyond the shadows. “Whatever it is…? ‘It’ is not the usage for it… We…? We all hit the jackpot. You, my friend, are in, and we will come back soon. Very, very soon.”