Leaky Rabbit, one week after the last vist with the ticket in hand, to be allowed to enter to speak their peace. Standign otuside, in the rain as it drips down from high above, the city not yet turning to snow. The door, is waiting hidden inside of the arcway shown to them by Orland, all they had to do was to give the peiece of paper and say the code. Than they would be allowed to meet with the leader, of this pickpocket gang they have stumbled on.

Clarisse is not wearing any fancy gown tonight, actually more a plain cotton dark blue dress, any common lady would wear, and a dark cloak to keep the rain away, pulled up to hide some of the ringlets that she has tried to pull back beneath the hood. The bottom of her dress drenched by the rain, but as they approach the door to the leaky rabbit, her mind seems to go a little blank, looking over at Kiera, unsure of what she might say when they enter, and hoping the code given is correct too.

Kiera fidgets some as she notes Orland's absence. she has no weapon and wouldn't exactly know how to weild one if she had it. She doubts politely asking the men to stop would be much of a success on its own and she can do little more then offer a few men honest work on her own. What would drake think she should die in a beaten down shack attempting to do the right thing. She sighs "Should we call the guard or give it a shot?"

Clarisse looks up to Kiera and thinks for a moment. "Perhaps if we speak his language of pies and ales, treat him to what he has a fondness for, we can do this on our own. We do know the password, but we would have to be very careful Kiera and I do not want either of us to get hurt. We could call the guard though and tell them the truth, have them on standby that we believe the leader of the pickpockets is inside. I am honestly torn."

Kiera hms "I doubt the iron guard is going to let us go in there and negotiate first. Let's give it a try and hope that we can talk our way out of there alive

Clarisse gently squeezes her hand reassuringly. "Alright then, do you want me to knock or do you?" She smiles reassuringly at Kiera, "We can let them do most of the talking and maybe observe before we say anything?"

Kiera knocks at the door

2 Blackshore Marine arrives, following Ophira.

2 Blackshore Marine leaves, following Ophira.

The slot opens a pair of blue eyes staring at Kiera."Yessssum?"

Okay, Kiera did the brave thing, and knocked, and soon Clarisse finds her tongue, "Rich Breeches." She offers to the pair of eyes, that peaks out the slit in the door. She waits patiently for the door to open or something else to happen hoping that what they were told is accurate.

2 Blackshore Marine arrives, following Ophira.

2 Blackshore Marine leaves, following Ophira.

That peep hole is shut, the door opens slowly down into the darkness. Carved stone steps, leading downwards into the quiet dark, the sound of faint music can be heard, there is something down there that can almost be seen a flickering light at the final step.

The music is pitching up wards out of the darkness, getting louder as it is chanted upwards.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnmAsCr4Rjg)

Kiera checks composure at normal. Kiera is successful.

Rohran whistles a bit of a tune to himself as he apparently had the desire to wander off to 'heaven knows where.' This trip in particular might reveal he ha a bit of a darker thought for now. Surely the warrior poet didn't come here to pick a battle with, skeletons? Whatever the case may be he recites a few lines of a foreboding poem to no one in particular. The dead are an audience that is hard to please, but they are also hard to captivate. Now and then his eyes go from tombstone to tombstone, maybe looking for inspiration for future lyrics and odes.

Clarisse checks composure at normal. Clarisse is successful.

Rohran checks composure at normal. Rohran is successful.

Kiera pauses with her foot on the top srair as the eiree melody drifts up from below. She nearly turns on her heal. She apparently believes in signs or has learned to for some reason. She turns on her heal, but it is then she hears Rohran's voice. As the man comes into side, she meets his eyes and tilts her head, but without a word, turns back around and starts down the stair

Despite Clarisse's own better judgement and sense of self preservation, there is no way she is letting Kiera go this alone, and now that Rohran has joined them, she seems a bit more bolder as she takes each step, with a bit more confidence but still a lot of hesistation as well, as she offers a warm smile to Rohran for joining them, despite the risk of loosing life and limb if something goes horribly wrong.

Clarisse is overheard praising Kiera.

Clarisse is overheard praising Rohran.

Clarisse is overheard praising Teague.

Rohran isn't thinking of loosing life and limb if something goes wrong, but a man who is totally sane might not be wandering up into a graveyard of sorts. There's some other lost souls here it seems and when Kiera meets his eyes, it looks like he is about to say something in greeting but she turns back around before he does so. The raven haired beauty is a familiar face though and he says, "Hello again. Is this a popular hangout on certain occassions?" Unless he gets an obvious 'it's a really bad idea' vibe he begins to walk in the ladies' direction.

Kiera checks dexterity and athletics at normal. Kiera marginally fails.

Clarisse checks dexterity at hard. Botch! Clarisse fails completely.

Clarisse checks dexterity at normal. Clarisse is successful.

Rohran checks dexterity at normal. Rohran fails.

The stairs are not even, they have been carved by someone drunk or in a rush or that didn't give a damn. Steps are not where they should be at all, Kiera stumbles a bit, slipping but is only down two or three steps. Clarisse is heading down, holding the wall moving towards that light, but Rohan is rolling down over his feet and rolling down the stairs and rolling into the next room that is packed with drinking men, and a man sitting on a high throne black as night, watching the door that is laughing now and pointing at him. The figuree is dressed in a long dark black robe, his men standing now to laugh with the man.

Kiera rights herself and continues down the stairs and offers Rohran a hand and says clearly "Good evening, Messere" she offers

Clarisse tries her best to hold to that while for her own security realizing just how warped the stairs are, they could really use a true craftsman to make their stairs. She will have to keep that in the back of her mind, as she continues down behind Kiera and Rohran, bending down beside Kiera and Rohran to offer him help from the otherside as the area opens up in to the open room. She offers softly, "Are you okay?" more concerned about Rohran than the laughing men.

Rohran takes the hand up and nods to the to the fire haired beauty who assists, "Thank you." He says and mockingly dusts himself off, "Yes yes, I meant to do that, I truely did. When it comes to stairs, I wouldn't fib, though it seems to me it can cause a fall, the floors around me, was the last thing I saw." Silly him and he looks over at Clarisse, "I was wondering the same about you. Are you ok?" He asks of the healer.

That man in the robe with the men standing waves his hand all of his men sitting down, low down theives, murderous types from the looks, some of the toughs of the lowers. As his voice booms out, filling the room with a growl of power."Hello, welcome to my kingdom, I'm the Shadow Master. What can I do for you, silks so long from home and your bubbles and babbles you will be leaving behind?" After, this a wicked chuckle filled with sadsim and a glee, is coming from the figure.

Kiera blinks at Rohran They may be about to die and the man is speaking in verse ,but she is the one who has started this and she must continue "I was able to witness some of your work. Clever. I felt it a shame that clever men should be in the position of lifting baubles abd coin should they want for something better

Kiera checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Kiera is successful.

Clarisse nods to Rohran with a warm if nervous smile being in front of the Shadow Master. She lets Kiera begin, and whispers to Rohran, "I am fine, thank you very much for asking." She is for the moment standing now behind Kiera and listening to her try to appeal to the Shadow Master.

The shadow master watches for a moment, his hand is waving towards Kiera."Go on, speak your peace and maybe you will be able to keep your pretty blood." He is towering over them, as he steps off the chair moving forward he is a massive man, his eyes gleeming under the hood, as the light bounces off of them.

Kiera hms "Need a few men to protect our port, if any body her is in mind of ajob that doesn't involv dodging the guard

Kiera checks charm and diplomacy at hard. Kiera is successful.

The man thinks for a moment ,as he starts to nod moving towards her as the cloak is removed now. The man under it is a big man, dull in the face and eyes. His hand is rolls to the others, as he looks over at them."Come on, we gots a new job. No more, hanging in one spot boyos." With that he is rushing out and the others are following quickly, as the room is empty now.

Clarisse checks perception at normal. Clarisse is successful.

Rohran checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Critical Success! Rohran is spectacularly successful.

Rohran checks perception at normal. Rohran is successful.

Kiera checks perception and investigation at normal. Kiera is successful.

Rohran pauses for a moment as he thinks he hears something of note, "Ladies, do you hear something...strange?" He tries to ask of them in a bit of a quieter voice.

Clarisse is not sure why they are hiding behind the curtain but she does hold up her finger to the men, there are really no baubles that she is carrying and nods to Rohran, without saying a word, she is trying discreetly to pat her pockets wondering if there is more than the silk ribbon she has in her hair that she has brought with her this evening. She is puzzled why they are whispering behind the curtains though as she motions to the curtain.

Kiera nods in answer to the question the other but she presses forward as if she takes the man at his word "Comeon then. Decent steady pay. Security for good work. I'm an honest woman. I'll treat you as well as I can

Rohran didn't think that he would wind up like this. Damn the headstones and their verse. He doesn't have much of a plan, save for wanting to escort Clarisse an her friend. Woe me upon him if her brother found out she would ever get hurt

The curtian flutters as whoever it is seems to notice he is noticed, that figure gets small as it tries to curl up behind the curtain.

Clarisse is watching with her head tilted curious and maybe a little sympathetically at the nervous figure behind the curtain, as she watches with a comforting smile. Her voice soft as she speaks up, "We only want to help. If you would allow us to?" She is honest and sincere and hopeful that speaking the truth will have them actually willing to listen to them.

Clarisse checks charm at normal. Clarisse is successful.

Kiera checks charm and diplomacy at normal. Kiera is successful.

Kiera peeks behind the curtain curiously "Good day. What seems to be the trouble "My offer is an honest one

Clarisse is curious about them leaving them alone, "You are not trying to hurt anyone really are you? You are just trying to survive, make your way, anyway you know to? Shadow Master, just wants for the nobles to recognize you. We are here and we recognize you, and want for you to give us a chance to help you. If you let us."

That curtain is ripped down, as a young man of about 20 years of a day comes out, he is skinny gaunt, with a shake of his head."I'm the shadow Master you fools!" His voice is howls, with breaking edge, to it as he stomps his foot."That was a bloodly actor, you idiots......"His eyes going wide, as he admits it as he starts to break for the door falling on his face, knocking himself out.

Kiera blinks bemusedly "Somebody pinch me. I feel like someone slipped something in my tea

Clarisse checks intellect and medicine at normal. Clarisse is successful.

Clarisse moves closer to the poor Shadow Master, and checks him over to make sure he is alright. "We are not here to hurt any of you, but offer help to you if you will accepted it." She does smile at Kiera, "It is all an act. They are trying to be so tough, but they are just kids, that need help. Let us help find you something you can truly be proud of."

The sound of feet coming down it seems the iron guard is coming, tipped off by someone. Maybe those nice ruffins, trying to help the woman, and the tumble master. Now the call, to turn him over or not?

Clarisse looks up at the sounds of the footsteps coming down, as she is tending to the wounded young man. She looks to Kiera, and back to the others with them, "Come with us and let us help you, or find yourself in the city prisons. Give us a chance." She asks hoping they will choose them. She does not want to have to see them thrown in the prisons. "Kiera we have to help them."

Kiera hms "I'm not one to be dishonest. "If I go up there and say it's empty, it's got to be rmpty

With them all gone Clarisse has to make a decision and thinks the boy just needs to know that someone cares, "I know Kiera, we can help him up. I am not dishonest either, but I think when he wakes, we have to find a way to help him that doesn't put him in the stocks. They do not know who he is. We just have to say he was hurt as everyone fled. Which is the truth. And then it gives us a chance to talk to him once he wakes up."

Kiera nods in agreement

Clarisse checks charm at normal. Clarisse is successful.

The iron guard are coming down, Clarisse spins her tale quickly. They nod, allowing the heal to take the injured youth off into the city, will he redeem himself or will he sin again. That is a tale for another day, but for now the crime ring is over. The streets are once again, i nthe hands of those that had it before.

Appallon have been dismissed.