07.14a: Business as Unusual

The goings on of courts
kitsunenotsume
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07.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by kitsunenotsume »

The break of Friday morning heralds a self-supporting sign outside the Gingerfire Patisserie, advertising a variety of "Delicacies hosted at Tir-Na Nog'th" for the tasting by those who were unable or unwilling to attend*. The shop itself appears to be doing a reasonable bit of brisk business despite yesterday's interruption, and the keen-eyed may note a miniature silver equine statuette rearing triumphantly upon the register. Various employees busy themselves with work - Seth working the kitchen with occasional trips out to the display case with a new tray of steaming delights, a pair of youthful wait staff tend the counter and tables, leaving the self-proclaimed security and PR-manager to busy himself in the corner-table behind a small wall of electronics**. Peering suspiciously over his sunglasses, laptop, joystick, and a compact black and steel mesh cube, Caelund surveys the patrons and the street before loading a clear octahedral crystal into the device and tapping away.
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*: Anyone who was at the soiree would recognize replicas of various refreshments, but any chef signatures are absent out of professional courtesy.
**: In any modern coffee-shop or internet cafe, he'd be a lot less noticeable, but this is Amber, and almost everything at his table has been infused with magic permitting them to function. Also, everything on the table is plugged into the same power-strip.
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by NPC »

At one of the tables near the front, a pair of aggressively nondescript men are having a casual discussion over an order of donuts and coffee, the topic ranging from weather to recent business deals to rent.

Except, of course, if you're good enough*, at which point the quiet confidence of the two demonstrates some not-inconsiderable amount of combat training**, the way they carry themselves suggests a variety of concealed weaponry***, and their seemingly-innocent conversation hides sinister intent behind a series of code-words and euphemisms.

Piecing things together grants the following insights:
1: These are agents for some sort of foreign polity.
2: They do not like Amber.
3: They don't know much about Chaos, but like what little they've heard even less.
4: They are considering attempting to assassinate Odin to provoke hostilities that would weaken both of these places that they don't like.
5: They have a local... person, actual rank unclear (Advisor? Supervisor? Planner?) who has offered them the advice of "Nope. Don't do it. Whatever you were planning, don't. Observe. Report back. Let someone else take action."
6: They are overconfident enough to be seriously considering ignoring this advice.

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* And Caelund is.
** They've got at least chaos-rank warfare, possibly amber-rank; it's hard to tell for sure. Which is a bit odd, actually; that distinction ought to be relatively clear-cut...
*** At a guess, knives, light crossbows, and some sort of splash-damage grenade-like weapons - though that last may not actually function in Amber.
The Raven
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by The Raven »

The Raven, is, as per usual, perched in a nearby tree outside of the cafe, pretending not to pay attention to anyone.
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by kitsunenotsume »

Caelund, however, seems to be one of those people who you don't want on the synchronized-anything team, as he could only eyeball the pair harder by severing his optic nerve. Years of experience in salubrious operations and a lifetime of skepticism bleeds from his unflinching gaze at the two, all the while tapping away on the laptop. He doesn't have any quams waiting for the duo to either approach him or leave without incident though, and seems content not to bother them directly unless they cause trouble.
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*: Caelund is a 'retired' shadowrunner, and would probably have been in a similar situation before. His intention is to A) let them know he knows something is up (4th degree), B) project an air of reasonable concern for the shop (not hard, thanks to the thugs the day before, and now professionals talking in code), and C) appear as neither someone to ignore nor an imminent or active threat unless provoked.
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by NPC »

The two blithely finish up their conversation without giving any direct hint that they've even noticed Caelund's glare. Indirectly, of course, if you've broken the code (which Caelund mostly has by this point), the remaining conversation goes something like this:

Assassin 1: "Do you think he noticed we're talking in code?"
Assassin 2: "Maybe. Not worth the risk. A pity, though; best donut place we've found."

One of them goes to the counter to settle their bill and pick up a few extra pastries to go. The other paces impatiently outside, and after maybe a minute, idly picks up a cobblestone and flings it at what is clearly a perfectly normal raven...*

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* Of course, that throw is calibrated to hit a normal raven; The Raven should have no trouble evading it... or even just ignoring it and letting it bounce off if he wants. It's also fairly clear that this isn't meant as a serious attack - the guy clearly has no idea who he just targeted.
The Raven
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by The Raven »

The Raven "couldn't" possibly dodge any rock thrown by people he's not paying attention to, so it pegs him square in the back. "Ack!" exclaims the Raven as he turns around on his branch, and then he suddenly "remembers" he was incognito. "Er... Caw!?" As the men clearly aren't buying this, he stops acting innocent. "Oh fine! That wasn't very nice, picking on innocent Ravens. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by NPC »

"No such thing," grumbles the man who threw the rock. "Especially the talking ones."

The one that's still inside glances over at the developing situation, and feigns indifference.
The Raven
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by The Raven »

"Well, I guess I'm no more innocent than any of you." The Raven is working on fixing his feathers where the rock messed them up while he talks. "You aren't up to anything you're likely to regret later, are you? Well, I suppose that's not really my business is it?" The last question is directed at no one in particular.
kitsunenotsume
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by kitsunenotsume »

The grey-attired man sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose at the antics outside, before swiping the arm of his glasses with a fingertip, closing the laptop, and snags a particularly hard rock-bun from behind the counter. Exasperatedly muttering something along the lines of 'I'm sorry for the disturbance, glitching AniMen' as he passes the customers still inside, Caelund makes his way outside to look at the scene. Once outside, he eyes the bird and retorts. "Nope, it isn't, but it's disrupting mine. Now stop harassing the customers, Corvinus, or I'm definitely not going to be regretting what I'm about to do."

At roughly the same time Caelund starts to move from his seat, the Raven would probably feel the prickle of psychic contact. It is relatively weak, takes a while to build into a usable connection, and if accepted seems to originate from the man's headgear rather than Caelund himself. The message that would resolve is akin to a simple text-message, if text-messages were mental:
~msg~ Lord Raven, investigation may be more effective if a rapport were formed with these individuals, for example discovering a common ground or enmity. As such, I apologize for the following inconvenience. Please enjoy a complementary Candied-Fruit Geode , and a free drink with your next visit. Hide Well, ~Mr. Johnson ~end msg~

Said complementary pastry is served promptly, in the form of a relatively slow but amber-strength force rock-bun aimed at the Raven.
The Raven
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Re: 7.14a: Business as Unusual

Post by The Raven »

The Raven arranges his positioning such that the rock-bun deals a (very) glancing blow, ruffling a minimum of feathers, and lands safely on a larger branch of the tree. Giving a displeased look to the assembled group, he adds: "Fine then. We'll have to discuss your use of delicious-looking weaponry to assault me at a later time." After giving his "ultimatum" to Caelund, The Raven grabs the pastry in his claws and flies off.
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