The Harlequin (Incubus)

Tassadar · #1 12th May 2011

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The Harlequin crouched atop the ancient ruined tower, its structural integrity questionable at best, and looked down upon her target. The demon lords had been fighting one another for two years now, seeing who would fill the power vacuum left after their dearly departed queen had left them. Of course, it had been a fruitful time for her since then, all those lords vying for power, and all willing to trade any number of things to get it. Artifacts, souls, slaves, coin and even favors had all been hers for the choosing, and all she'd had to do was kill a few of their rivals favorite pawns. It wouldn't do for the demon lords to start killing each other, of course, else who would be able to hand out her rewards?

The one she was to kill was a sorcerer, a stalker by the name of Phledjith, or something like that, whom her current employer had tasked the Harlequin with taking out of the picture, so that they might take control of some tiny district or another in the massive, ancient, half-ruined city. The demon lord who'd hired her had decided to remain anonymous, but the lackey she was about to remove from the eternal equation belonged to a Nightmare Lord who went by the name of Ikxsis, and who had laid claim to a handful of blocks in this portion of the city. This was in one of the oldest districts, where the buildings were all massive constructions of pure white marble, stained red near the tops and bases after eons of bloodshed and sandstorms, but that also meant that many of the buildings were barely standing, and ready to collapse at any moment. The tower she'd perched upon was a particularly bad example of this, but it was small enough that the benefits of being able to see her target outweighed the risks of the whole thing collapsing. She'd climbed to the top through the center, using parts of the ancient stairway as well as some of the many handholds to help get her up. Upon examining the exterior from here, she found that she could easily climb her way down the side if need be, and with little risk to herself, beyond the greater risk of being seen.

The tower was part of a massive palatial estate, its purpose long lost to time, and down below her she watched as her target exited another part of the building. The stalker mage walked with an air of unheard of confidence among his meager kind, the elaborate and colorful headdress the creatures only garment, an artifact taken centuries ago from the mortal world, yet it still managed to disable his kinds only real advantage, as his skin remained its usual dull gray, unable to cope with having to blend in against so many colors at once. The aurora shone above, providing enough light to see by but leaving her barely visible as she watched the creature. He came here regularly, receiving information from his various spies on the goings on of his lords rivals, in what he probably called his role as 'spymaster,' though it could be argued that all the blightmage was was a glorified courier. Whatever the case, he was down there now, standing on a terrace that overlooked the streets below, alone and with his back to her. All that separated them was a hundred feet of open air, most of which was vertical.

Incubus · #2 12th May 2011

Standing up slowly and carefully from her crouched position, the Harlequin muttered an incantation and quickly made the gestures to activate a spell that she found particularly useful in these situations; Gliding Wings. Honestly, it really was too easy for her, it almost didn't seem fair.

Judging how far she'd need to leap out from the tower in order to land upon her target, she silently pushed off, arms extended in a flying leap, the magic wrapping around her limbs, the air cushioning and slowing her fall, preventing her from reaching dangerous speeds. Flicking Amadeus to her hand, she smiled cruelly as she drew ever near her target; no performance was required on this contract, so the intended simply to plunge her blade deeply into the back of his neck as he overlooked the streets below. If he was as frail as most mages tend to be, it would be over before he even knew what hit him...

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Tassadar · #3 16th May 2011

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Rolls

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The Harlequin fell on silent winds toward her target, the stalker wizard looking out over the ruinous city. He never even glanced in her direction as she descended upon him, and after a few tense seconds she came within striking range. With a thought and a whisper her spell released, and she dropped down onto the unsuspecting demons back, her dagger burying itself to the hilt into the back of his neck with pinpoint accuracy. With a sickening crunch, the blade slid through the stalkers vertebrae, and he died without another sound, collapsing beneath her and softening her landing with his corpse. She withdrew her weapon from his corpse, but as she was rising, a mans voice spoke out from behind her; "So. You are the assassin. Yes, you will do nicely." Turning, the voice came from a man-shaped within the doorway from which the stalker had originally arrived on the terrace, the light of the aurora barely letting her view the figure who stood in the shadows. Though, the pitch black metal armor covering the figure, assuredly a man, might have had something to do with that. The armor of a knight, with the face of a dragon carved into the bone helm, lacked any insignia. Every demon lord preferred that their more powerful servants carry some form of marking, it had become a trend of late so that allies.... Or enemies... Might identify one another in the often chaotic battles that broke out among the squabbling demons.

The absence of it on this knight was peculiar, to say the least, as were the words that followed his greeting; "Yes..... Nicely indeed." He paused, his arms folded across his armored chest, apparently waiting for the Harlequin to respond in some way. This presented her with a moment to execute an escape, if she so desired, but he blocked the closest exit. There was a small passage on the far right, leading into the tower she'd climbed to execute her assassination. The stairs down had crumbled away, and it was a sheer drop three hundred feet to the street level, but there was no reason her spell wouldn't work a second time. Alternatively, the ledge was right there, mere feet away, with the street below it plainly empty, at least for the moment.

Incubus · #4 16th May 2011

The moment she heard a voice nearby, before she even whirled to face them she quickly fired off an incantation, flicking some magically created flash powder from her hand towards the voice even as she whirled to face them. In an attempt to hedge her bet, she also lashed out with her mind, trying to overwhelm his, nothing surprising or original here in hell, but often effective nonetheless. She took in as much detail as she could manage even as she pushed off the ground, her body sailing in a graceful arc as she strove to dive behind him; a knight's armour was always weaker from behind and ideally he'd be too stunned from her sudden attack to react.

Assuming she was able to slip behind him whilst he was struck blind, she would slip her blade to his throat, finding some small gap between metal and skin she could exploit. "Who are you and what purpose do you serve?" she would whisper hoarsely at the figure. Of course, if he was not at all taken off guard by her, this would end up being a very different chain of events and one not entirely in her control.

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Tassadar · #5 25th May 2011

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The black armored figure seemed unimpressed by the cone of light her spell had unleashed on it, remaining motionless, and the voice that had spoken sighed and said; "You know, it's very bad manner-fluodohmdohjkenh......." While her blinding light had likely not worked - it was hard to tell through the visor, the Harlequins mental magic seemed to have been more effective. The brief flash had also mostly assured her that the knight hadn't brought an entourage of allies, as the passage behind him had been empty. So, when he recovered from the mental magic, and found her no longer in front of him, the black armored man tilted his head slightly, so that some of the visor was visible to her where she stood behind him. He moved slowly and cautiously, but began to laugh melodically before saying; "You're even better than I was told! It isn't often that a commoner can catch one of my rank off guard like that. Yes, you'll do perfectly for my mistress cause."

Of course, he worked for someone, but he hadn't yet let slip who. He continued before she could respond; "I serve the cause of the reunification of all Hell under its rightful ruler." She'd heard this line before. Everyone with a bit of power thought of themselves as the 'rightful ruler' of Hell. He kept going; "My mistress would seek your service. She is not yet ready to return to power until all those who would oppose her have been dealt with. Well, all of the worthy ones, at least. She would like to issue her the offer in person, of course. I am just the one sent to fetch you."

Incubus · #6 25th May 2011

"So far I'm not seeing much reason to not spill your guts over the floor and walk away," the Harlequin answered bluntly, her blade slowly wandering back and forth in her hand. "I get plenty of offers every day from would be lords, each one the rightful ruler of this lovely neighbourhood."

In a quick motion, she cartwheeled backwards, her advantageous position relinquished for the comfort of a small amount of distance; she'd made her point already. "I work by contract, not by position. Too many are willing to offer power and prestige in the long-term, only to find it more convenient to eliminate their servants than to follow through. I don't blame them, parasites like that deserve everything they get; but I have no intention of being anyone's parasite, or their faithful hound. I get paid, upfront, in an agreed amount. Wealth, power, whatever, it's open to negotiation, my fees vary based on the situation and method of execution. Let me reiterate, I get paid upfront. Don't trust me, don't hire me, simple as that, but I haven't got my reputation by screwing people over."

By the time the knight would have been able to turn to face her, she was already juggling knives in her hands as she spoke, seemingly without paying any attention to them. "Your mistress must be very brave, though. Wanting to meet me in person? She must have a lot of faith that no one's paid me to kill her yet, or that she can adequately defend herself from me. Of course, if she is able to defend herself that well... why would she need someone like me?" The harlequin gave a dark grin, tossing her knives higher this pass and doing another cartwheel backwards, catching them as they came down at her new location and resuming the juggling effortlessly. "Well, that about covers everything. Oh, and speaking of bad manners, it's terribly bad manners, not to mention bad for one's health, to sneak up on an assassin, especially one in the middle of their work."

Tassadar · #7 29th May 2011

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The black armored figure slowly turns toward her as the Harlequin speaks, the face behind the visor invisible to her, but whoever this knight was or whoever he represented, he at least had the manners to not interrupt her. Once he was sure she was done, he spoke, his voice holding a hint of amusement; "I doubt anyone has thought to have her killed, if only because many already assume her dead. And twas not my intention to sneak, I only stood in such a way that I could not be seen. It is a good policy to take an opportunity to watch an artist at work, and you are nothing if not that. Besides, had you seen me it might have affected your performance, though I'm sure you would have done just as well, if not better."

He clears his throat before continuing, his tone reverting to its previous even and professional; "Risking my life is a matter of course. And do not concern yourself, you will be paid up front if you choose to accept what we'd like you to do. You will, however, have to return some of the trust we'd offer you in exchange. Meet with my mistress, and you will be presented with the full offer, as well as shown the rewards. I can assure you that we will not be wasting your time, and that we intend no foul play. Neither would be worth our time any more than yours. Suffice it to say, my mistress would much rather remain unseen and unheard." He stands stock still, his arms casually at his sides despite the Harlequins display of gleefully juggling her knives.

Incubus · #8 29th May 2011

"Hum. Very well, I accept your invitation," the Harlequin says after a moment's consideration. She she began the process of catching her knives, grabbing the first fore between fingers as they came down, the last she catches between her teeth, point down. Grinning, she gives a sweeping bow, the blade still viced firmly in her mouth, although as she comes up from the bow, the blades in her hands have disappeared, one by one through the course of it. Standard misdirection and sleight of hand, it wasn't hard to direct where one's gaze would wander and steer around it.

The winks at the guard and brings her head up to rest against the final one, and in one motion appears to swallow it whole. More misdirection, plus some well trained throat muscles she can manipulate creatively to make it seem more real and she grins at the knight some more, a cold and malicious grin with all the warmth of the iceberg. "Lead the way or give direction, however your mistress would prefer to play this little game..."

Tassadar · #9 2nd June 2011

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The knight nods as she agrees, but waits and watches her display. She couldn't see his expression though the helmet, so the Harlequin had no way of gauging his reaction, though she suspected that he was impressed, a sentiment reinforced by his gauntlet covered hands clapping together as she finished, seemingly swallowing one of her throwing knives whole. "Excellent! We will be traveling via shadow to meet with my mistress, so it will only take a moment, and afterwords I have been instructed to take you wherever you wish. Provided you have not fallen out of Her favor, of course." Shadow-travel meant that she would be transported to wherever he intended her to go almost instantly, without having to risk hiking through the streets, but it also meant that she would have no idea where she was going, and given the sheer size of the city, it meant she might have to fight her way out of a stronghold without any idea of where she'd be dumped out into if things went sour. It was also silent ad untraceable, meaning that she at least had no reason to fear reprimand from the lord of the peon she'd just assassinated.

The knight reached out a hand, waiting for her to take it so that they could get moving.

(Gain 4 experience, by the way. Editz

Upon grasping the nights hand, the Harlequin immediately felt herself grow weightless as her vision blacked out and her hearing ceased entirely, the void lasting for only about three seconds before she found herself staring at the knight once more. She was in a dark, empty, stone walled room, and the air around her was oppressive and dank, giving her the feeling that she might be underground. The room was teen feet in any direction, a perfect cube, but it had the same aged, ruinous look as the rest of the structures in Hell. A single doorway was the only distinguishing feature of the cell, and the knight quickly and wordlessly ushered her through it. She emerged into a narrow hallway lit by tiny orbs of fire that lined it on both sides, each about ten feet apart and on either side of a door. There were dozens of doorways, some open like the one she'd come through and some with closed doors formed of stone or metal or an unfamiliar organic material, while yet more had doors that were open, the rooms beyond empty. He led her down the hallway, which turned sharply to the right up ahead into another hallway with only a single door at the end. He approached it and opened it, leading her into a very poorly lit, crumbling throne room.

Blue crystals emitted very dim light by which she could only just barely make out the details of the room, but her suspicions that she was underground seemed to be confirmed as there were numerous pieces of the ceiling crumbled inwards, allowing Hells loose, brown dirt to pour inwards. It seemed to flow down without end, but somehow did not fill the room, though how this was accomplished was a mystery to her. The room was huge, the ceilings easily fifty feet high and the room was so expansive that she couldn't even guess at its other dimensions. On the opposite wall from her sat a throne, and in it sat a feminine figure, her hand resting on her chin as glowing blue eyes beheld the Harlequin, visible even from this great distance. "Go on then, I'll be waiting here when you're done;" The knight said evenly, but the Harlequin detected a hint of fear in his voice.

Approaching the figure, once she got within about twenty feet an oddly familiar voice said; "Halt." The word was spoken like a command, and it was possible that the demoness before her had put a bit of magic into it as well, as she found herself standing stock still before she'd fully processed the words. There was no hold on her body after that, however, the demoness apparently confident enough in her own abilities to leave the Harlequin able to move freely. "You are the assassin?" She said, the womans tone demanding an immediate answer. From where she stood, the Harlequin could only make out the seated individuals features in the abstract. She was nude, a not altogether unheard of status among the lords and ladies of Hell, though many thought of it was in bad taste, and certainly feminine judging by the curve of her breasts and her clearly defined hourglass figure, but her body was also covered in freshly healed scars that looked as though they might have been caused by burns. Her face was hidden in shadow, despite the bright blue light emitted from her eyes, another feature that was familiar to the Harlequin, but again she couldn't quite determine where she'd seen it before.

Incubus · #10 3rd June 2011

"Ah, your majesty the rightful ruler of hell," the Harlequin spoke in a whimsical voice, her right hand twirling into the air for the beginning of an elaborate bow. "I am but a simple performer." She bent at the waist as she brought her hand down across in front of her in a flourish, by the time it came to a stop at her left hip, the previously empty hand held within it a fan of throwing knives.

Looking up from the fairly shallow bow she gave, the Harlequin gave a cruel smile as she stared at the demon lord. "Although I must say, you look different from last we spoke. Have you perhaps done something with your hair?" her smile broadened, revealing her pointed teeth as she amused herself with her somewhat insulting joke. "And what can a lowly worm like myself do for her royal omnipotence this fine day?"

Tassadar · #11 3rd June 2011

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The woman did not respond at the Harlequins bow, nor at her display of skill, not even at her joke at the demon lords expense. Her face, or at least what she could see of it, was stony and expressionless for almost a full minute. Then, she twisted her lips up into what might have been called a smile, and said; "You'll do. Yes..... I think you'll do just fine." The woman stood, and the light of the room suddenly doubled, allowing the Harlequin to see the demoness fully. It was, indeed, the former queen of hell, though she expected that Natalie had seen much better days. Her skin was badly scarred, as though she'd been immolated, but seemed to be healing, if slowly. She still wasn't particularly pleasant to look at, however, the only part that was even close to healing fully being the womans face. She had no hair to speak of, which was perhaps why she'd found the Harlequins joke amusing.

"The attitude could use some breaking I guess, but I suppose I'll get used to it." She said, jumping to her feet; "So.... As you've guessed who I am, perhaps you can go one step further and guess what I'd like you to do? Or would you prefer to jest at my appearance all day? I do believe I called for an assassin, not a jester. I have no need for a jester, so I'd have to find some other use for you." The scarred demoness tilted her head, waiting for a reply.

Incubus · #12 3rd June 2011

The Harlequin did indeed remain in place for the full minute of silence, neither or muscles nor her expression shifting even slightly. Given how full of motion she usually was, it was perhaps one of her more impressive traits, certainly one of the ones that elicited the most surprise; short of those certain arts that capitalise upon surprise in fatal methods.

"With all due respect Queenie," the Harlequin began, contradicting herself with such an impudent name, "I have many talents, but mind reading is not one of them. Most give me a name, a description or a location before they expect results and then there's the matter of negotiation for the contract. Worry not, however, the stabs at them are pricey, but the stabs at you are free. Just a part of the package." she declares as she pirouettes on the spot, referring, most likely, to her tendency towards jesting.

"I do parties, balls and private functions. So tell me, just who do you want entertained, and how extravagant to you want it? I cater to a wide variety of tastes that will leave your guests..." she paused for dramatic effect, and a chance for another cruel grin, "...rolling on the floor."

Tassadar · #13 6th June 2011

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"I believe that merely leaving them on the floor should be sufficient. And I do mean dead, in case you were thinking of taking my words at face value. Nothing flashy is required. As for who, there are ten who must die, all demons of power far beyond your own, but I'm sure you can be.... Creative. Particularly with what I'm going to give you to do it with.

"I'm fairly sure that you've guessed that you can't leave here without agreeing. I can't have anyone spoiling my coming back party by letting on about it, after all, and even if you won't kill for me, I can always use another body to feed off of." The burnt womans gaze flicked over the Harlequins body, in such a way as to make her somewhat uncomfortable despite how used to such glances she must be, being female. "If you agree to work for me, you'll be given power and wealth such that you need not pursue your career other than as a source of entertainment, if you succeed. I cannot offer what I do not have, of course, but.... I can give you an artifact, one that will give you a fighting chance in a confrontation with a demon lord. It is in my possession now, and if you will do as I ask, it is yours, from now until you lose or abandon it."

Without waiting for an answer, Natalie stretched out her hand toward the Harlequin, and a dagger appeared in it. It was a dark purple in color, the blade itself being about ten inches long, with the handle and guard being about eight inches altogether. The guard was simple, only a crosspiece that protected the wielders fingers from harm at the front of the blade, but a milky white gem lay on the side that faced upwards as the demon queen held it out in the palm of her hand. The handle was bound in what looked like leather that had somehow been dyed the same color as the rest of the weapon, and was curved outwards. The blade was fairly thick, and curved sharply inwards, looking as though it were meant more for slashing than for stabbing. "There are ten demon lords whom I would have you slay, the ten most powerful beings in Hell, besides myself. It is this weapon that will allow you to do it. If you take this weapon, and succeed in your task, I will give you a domain of your choosing, besides the Heart of the Abyss, or any other boon that I find agreeable. What say you?"

Incubus · #14 10th June 2011

The Harlequin tiled her head to one side and let out a melodramatic sigh, rolling her head from one side to the other. "While it's not like I don't appreciate your generous 'join me or die' offer, there are two parts of your agreement I have some fundamental problems with; problems which I endevous to have widely known and even ran through your messenger before coming here," the Harlequin explained in a flat, clearly unimpressed voice.

"First and foremost, I don't buy into this whole "Help me now and I'll give you titles and land when I am the unopposed ruler of hell" schemes. I only accept payment up front, in the form of personal power or wealth. True political power comes from such things, not from handouts, that only makes you a lapdog. If you should choose to appoint me a prestigeous position should you once again conquer hell, that is your business but I won't accept one as payment for services.

Problem number two, is of course, this dagger of yours. While it would certainly be a fitting payment for the death of at least one demon lord, we'll negotiate the specifics in a moment, I have no real guarentee it actually works. For all I know, you're hiring up any decent assassin you can find, giving them a shiny looking weapon with no real power and hoping one of them gets lucky. Afterall, even simply wounding a demon lord would almost certainly result in their death from one of their rivals unless they were very good at going into hiding very quickly.

As you can see, we've got some fairly important details to work out before I can sign on with you. And certainly, you could simply kill me and find some other assassin, but I have a feeling you want the best, and besides..."

She glances up at the queen and grins cruelly. "Corner your enemy and you will find out how someone with nothing to lose fights. Who knows what might happen when I'm willing to risk everything for survival."

Tassadar · #15 16th June 2011

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The burnt demoness listened to the Harlequins words, a grin slowly widening across her face. By the time she'd finished, and issued her own grin, Natalies smile was positively rictus, white teeth showing between her blackened lips. "I respect your position....." The Harlequin waited as Natalie paused, wondering what was next. Then, suddenly, the woman blurred, and disappeared just as her air was suddenly cut off and her feet left the ground. The room began to recede, and she felt the vertigo of extremely fast movement, and it took her almost a second before she realized what was happening, at which point she found herself lifted off the ground, one of Natalies hands in an iron grip around her throat. This type of reaction was not altogether surprising, as shows of force were all too common in hell, particularly among the lords and ladies that supposedly ruled it. She'd been on the receiving end of a few such treatments before, of course, but the Harlequin had generally been prepared for such, as she thought she'd been now. What she had certainly not been prepared for, however, was the womans speed. Nothing she'd ever seen had moved nearly that fast.

Her air was choked off, but her arms and legs were still free to move for a moment, before a sudden lethargy fell over her. Her unconscious flailing quickly halted, her limbs becoming slack, but as they did, the demoness loosened the hold around the Harlequins neck, allowing her to breath, albeit barely. Natalie stared up at her, her eyes blank behind her brilliant smile, and quietly said; "Let me make one thing clear. You may be skilled, and powerful, and any number of other things that would make you dangerous. Of course you are. That's why I had you hired to kill that imbecile, so that this meeting could be arranged. But, you are still an insect. The fact that you might save me the effort of killing some of my enemies is the only reason you can still think."

She took a breath before continuing, once more holding out the dagger; "I would not call you here to waste your time, given that I have much better things to do with my own. So, when I say that this is sufficient reward for what I ask you to do." Some of her strength came back to her, but only a little, just enough for her to move her arms. "I can appreciate your mercenary attitude, so I'll even explain why: This is no ordinary piece of sharpened metal. Within this weapon is a spirit. A very... Hungry, spirit. The soul of whatever you kill with this will be absorbed by it, making the weapon itself more deadly. And, it imparts the life essence of your foes to you. So, not only will the blade become more powerful, but you yourself will strengthen with it. One touch will be all of the proof that you need. If it makes you feel any better, you can think of it like this: You stand to lose nothing by taking the dagger. You stand to lose a lot by continuing your belligerence." At this point, the Harlequin expected some sort of mental intrusion, as many demon lords used such powers to coerce their minions into loyalty, but strangely, she felt nothing. No compulsion to lift her arm and take the weapon entered her mind, leaving the Harlequin with her choice of how to respond.

Incubus · #16 16th June 2011

As soon as she had the strength to, she went for the dagger; to retrieve one of hers in this position would be far too difficult for her and she needed a defence, any defence, from this assault.

(Not really much more I can write, is there? :| See you next week)

Tassadar · #17 23rd June 2011

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Natalie smiled savagely as the Harlequin went for the dagger, and as her fingers wrapped around the hilt of the weapon, she felt something very unusual. It was akin to a mental intrusion, perhaps mixed with the effects of what a succubus draining her spirit felt like, but also dissimilar to both. It was as though her mind had been filled with oil, and she could feel her strength suddenly returning in a rush, her limbs no longer feeling like they were made of lead. In a blink, Natalie had set her back down onto her feet, her hands behind her back, and she stood several feet away.

The blade was perfectly balanced for slashing, as light as a feather in her hand but she could tell that anything caught in it's hook-like blade would be cut through like butter. And yet, something about it was off, somehow. As she held it, the Harlequin felt as though her mind was filled with a dull fuzz, and she could hear occasional whispers in the back of her thoughts that didn't seem like they were hers. She also felt a compulsion to keep the weapon, and to use it to strike out at the demon queen, and plunge it into her heart, though the desire was incredibly weak, far too insubstantial to be one of her own minds making. Still, it was clear that the weapon had an enchantment on it, and Natalie stared at her calmly, and said; "The dagger is yours now. It even seems to like you, at least better than it liked me." She clapped her hands, smiling warmly, and continued; "So, now that you've agreed to help me, I can offer you the first of your targets. You've not heard of him, I'll wager, as he tends to be more subtle than many of us. He is, physically, the weakest of those I would have you slay, but he is also one of the smartest. I can only point you in a general direction, and you'd have to work from what little information that I have, but I'm sure you can get the job done. For his death, I will pay you 500 in coin, half up front, half when you return with the work completed."

An image formed of animate flames appeared in front of her suddenly, between the Harlequin and the demon queen, that of a man with short hair in light armor that looked like it had been made of fine leather. He was handsome, at least compared to what was normal in hell, with all of the dark spikes and such covering heavy armor accompanying long hair that was so common among male demon lords. The flames obscured any natural colors, so she couldn't quite tell what his hair or skin might look like, but he was at least fairly distinct, the flame somehow rendering his form flawlessly. "He has a number of loyal retainers, though most of them are spies of one sort or another. He has very few around him at any one time." The image disappeared, and then a series of lines formed in the air of pure, white light. At first, they were incomprehensible, but gradually, the Harlequin realized that they were a map of a portion of the city. "He has no known stronghold, and instead prefers to move about, usually staying underground. You must find him and kill him within a week. Drive Soul Drinker into his heart, and return here within that time, or the dagger will kill you. My agents will keep in contact with you, and you will given your payment as well as a means of communication." Natalie turned away from her and started walking back toward her throne, and her tone was dismissive.

(Get Soul-Drinker. For now, it's only a One Handed Sword that gets +1 to attack and damage rolls.)

Incubus · #18 23rd June 2011

The Harlequin raised an eyebrow at the last part. "Naturally, you forgot to mention the dagger was cursed and would kill me earlier. There's an additional fee for those kinds of... forgetful errors," she added whimsically as she did a single-limbed handstand backwards, away from the queen. Interally, however, she was getting to knwo her new 'friend'.

'Let's get one thing straight, I am the master, you are a weapon. Chances are you won't have any suggestions I haven't thought of already, so you can keep them to yourself. Behave yourself, and you'll be given plenty of opportunity to feast. And you can forget about killing me if I fail to meet her timelines or you might accidentally wind up... lost... it'd be a shame for you if you didn't have anyone around to keep you fed, wouldn't it?" she told it.

"As soon as I receieve the 275 coins you owe me; half upfront, afterall, I can give you my word that he will not live much longer," the Harlequin informed the Queen with another bow. "Although I can't guarentee I'll return here, there are certain undesirable qualities about having you as an employer. I suppose we'll see how I feel at the time..." She grinned coldly once more.

Tassadar · #19 29th June 2011

Spoiler

Natalie didn't turn around as the Harlequin spoke, continuing her walk toward her throne, her burnt hips rolling in what might have been pleasant had the demoness body not been so badly scarred. When she'd finished making her case, the demon queen very curtly replied; "I told you, even before you knew who I was, that you only had two choices. Do as I say, and be rewarded, or do as you will, and die. If you would not return and finish what I would have you do, then you will die, whether by the dagger, or by my own hands. I will take the dagger from your corpse, and simply find another, as there will never be a shortage of assassins. Take your 275 from my retainer. He will see you to where your hunt will begin." The demoness seated herself on the stone chair, and rested her head on her hand as she stared at the Harlequin, her legs crossed and her upper body once more concealed in shadows.

Incubus · #20 29th June 2011

The Harlequin rolled her head and her eyes once more, she'd heard it all before and as much as she tried not to play politics, she had a distinct dislike for this particular employer. As if any other assassin operating on the free market even came close to her in abilities, prowess, reputation or reliability; most professional backstabers were as trustworthy as their namesake.

She moved back across the room away from the would-be Queen, giving a noticeably unimpressed stare at the one who had brought her here. "As much as I try not to do such things unpaid, I may yet end up killing you for bringing me here," she announced unceremoniously to him in a fairly flat voice which perhaps made it all the more threatening considering her usual whimsical and singsong mannerisms. "You are to provide me with an advance of 275 gold, which is not my full payment despite my terms, then you are to see that I am transported to where I am to pick up the trail. I suggest you do not stay there long, for your sake."

Tassadar · #21 6th July 2011

Spoiler

The Harlequin opened the door out of the large, ruined throne room, and found the black knight leaning against a wall about twenty paces outside of the door. It was, presumably the same one who had brought her here, as he moved away from the wall when she came toward him. He didn't respond, or even acknowledge her threat, but instead said; "Of course. Right this way." His voice even seemed relieved, and he quickly turned to move around and head back down the hallway. He only went about fifty feet, however, before he stopped, and pulled a piece of the wall off. A quiet clinking sound emitted from the seemingly solid stone, and a section of wall silently glided aside, revealing a small chamber that was half filled with loose golden coins. As he walked in, he quietly said; "Don't touch the coins."

A section of them silently rose up, without being touched at all, but instead of putting those into a bag, the knight had some from well underneath the surface flow up and into a bag he'd pulled from his waist. Once the bag was mostly filled, he simply handed it to her and silently walked past her back out into the corridor. As he went back into the hallway, he waited for the Harlequin to exit the chamber, before pulling on the same piece of wall again, causing the chamber to close just as silently as it had opened. "We have to return to the room you came from in order to leave." He turned and led her there, the scenery having changed not at all from last time, and then he held out his hand, muttering; "Whenever you're ready."

Once she took his hand, the same weightless sensation as last time came before she found herself in a small stone room. The air here was less stale, and she figured that she was no longer underground. The night let his hand fall back to his side, and he said; "This is the safe house you'll be using. From here on out, you'll be collecting your earnings and receiving your assignments from here." He sounded exhausted, and as he spoke, she had ample opportunity to examine the room. It was small, but not uncomfortably so, twelve feet by twelve feet and with nine feet from floor to ceiling, and a single closed door made of iron led out of it. There was also a single window, carved out of the stone wall, revealing the skies of Hell, where the aurora waved its colors into the sky.

After a moment, the door opened, and a woman in a long, red dress, slitted down the sides up to her hips, stood in the doorway. She was of average (for a female demon, meaning alluringly curvy) build, fairly dark skin, with a light tinge of red perhaps, had long curly black hair, and she smiled a crooked smile as she looked upon the Harlequin. When she spoke, her voice was low and harsh and cracked, the sound irritating by its very nature and only compounded by her absurd accent; "Ahhhh.... Gotcha sum new blood then, Cringer? Is this the one our queenie picked out of alla backstabbers in hell?" She looked the Harlequin up and down, the motion comically overdone, and continues; "She don look like much....... Maybe I'll try 'er out tonight, see how she handles!" The woman winked, the motion also overly exaggerated, and the one who'd originally picked her up sighed.

Forced patience evident in his voice, he said; "Roxanne, you know we aren't supposed to mention anything about Her while we're here. We don't know who could be listening." He sighed again, and shook his armored head; "Yes, she's the one who's supposed to be going after Merael." The man then walked out of the room, bodily pushing the female aside without another word, and entered another room. The next room had a wide doorway leading outside, and the corner of another window visible from where she stood. There was a table and six chairs around it, all built of metal and bone, and the knight pushed one aside and slumped down into it. Roxanne stared daggers at his back until he sat down, but then turned back to her, a hand on her hip, and as she stood aside, she said; "Well, come on out of that little closet, deary. You want somtin to eat while you're 'ere? How 'bout a bit to drink? I got me some fine wine coolin about if you don't want water."

Incubus · #22 6th July 2011

As the pair of them made their way through the money collecting process, the Harlequin observed silently. It looked as though the top coins were somehow trapped, a feature she noted for later use should she decide to violently break away from this employer afterwards as she catalogued information.

Returning to the transportation room, she once again allowed the knight to take her elsewhere, but wasn't really expecting what was on the other end. Usually she was left in a dark alley and told to get to work and no one before had dared put her in a situation with a demon such as the one who confronted her now. She was far too much in a bad mood to deal with this.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she launched a throwing knife across the room, aiming to pass by the demon's face and embed itself in the wall behind, a name delicately engraved upon the silver blade, 'Othello'. "Consider me tested," she said flatly, clearly unimpressed. "I am called The Harlequin and out of 'alla backstabber in hell', I know beyond I doubt I am the most powerful and most capable on the 'free market'. Although if your employer has her way, I'm no longer on the free market, but we'll see how long that lasts. The working conditions are certainly below my standards."

She balanced another of her set of throwing knives on her finger as she spoke, seemingly talking to it rather than the demon by the name of Roxanne. "I know this will probably be a big disappointment for you, but keep your refreshments, I've got work to do," she added as she strode towards her, intent on retrieving the dagger and making her way out of this building. If nothing else, she wanted to spend some of her deposit before she began her hunt; her brightly coloured outfit was due for another magical upgrade.

Tassadar · #23 8th July 2011

Spoiler

The womans head ducks to the side as the Harlequins blade sails past her face and embeds itself in the wall, her eyes tracking the blade throughout its path. Roxanne turned toward the assassin as the blade landed, grinning broadly, and said; "Well, ain't you a cross one? You'll take to the rewards, hun. Trust me. It gets a lot better after the first day." She allowed the Harlequin to pass by without replying to her denial of her offer. The knights armored head turned and followed the Harlequin as she moved across the room to retrieve her knife, where it hung stuck in the wall next to the doorway.

As she looked through, the Harlequin realized that she had little idea of where she was, and where she might be definitely had some bearing on what she might have done to her garments. However, as she pulled the dagger from the wall, Roxanne suddenly shrieked, and a low, masculine voice cackled from a few feet behind her. The sound of a chair screeching against the stone floor and crashing against the wall sounded as the Harlequin turned around, and found the knight that had brought her standing, drawing a longsword from his waist, as well as Roxanne staring at a man who had suddenly appeared from out of thin air. Or at least, she supposed that that was what had happened, since he was standing easily, and was nowhere near any windows. He was roughly five and a half feet tall, and had no skin showing save for an extremely pale swath around his eyes. The rest of him was covered by heavy brown boots, a full body black cloak and hood, and a pair of dark gloves.

He laughed again, and suddenly pulled open his cloak, revealing a staggering amount of goods packed into sleeves and pockets within his garments, as well as the gray clothing underneath, and said; "What're ya buyin? Or is it enchanting you'll have done? Come come, haven't got all day!" (You may now shop.) The other two demons clearly didn't know this man, but he easily ignored both of them as he stared at the Harlequin, his eyes completely white and totally blank.

Incubus · #24 8th July 2011

The harlequin raised an eyebrow slowly. "My, that is an impressive trick, however did you manage it?" she remarks calmly, slowly striding towards him. "Some kind of greed demon perhaps, who can sense an opportunity for money nearby, perhaps? No matter... enchanting is what I require, assuming the price is right."

After some bartering over prices, the pair of them agreed on what is conveniently the listed prices in the info thread; perhaps a testament to both their abilities at negotiation that their attempts to screw each other balanced out perfectly. "Very well then," she said, coming to an agreement and pulling forth the entire set of Shakespearian Tragedy from various places, the matching blades giving off their polished shine, their only difference the names engraved on each knife. "You know what I want done with them," she said, handing them over.

Blades that obscure senses with delusions, flashy sights and sounds of the Harlequin's own dark circus, a valuable tool as an opening strike or to help prevent someone from escaping. Satisfied with the final product, she nodded to the merchant. "That will be all, for now," she says dismissively, turning back to the other two. "Now then, with that business taken care of, I suppose it's time for me to get to work. Do you have any direction for me, or should I simply take to the streets and listen for information?"

Tassadar · #25 11th July 2011

Spoiler

After completing their negotiation, the stranger took her throwing knives, and simply stared at them for several moments. The knight simply sat down after a few moments, and Roxanne quickly lost interest in the merchant as well, other than to keep a wary eye upon him. After about five minutes, the merchant let out another low, barking laugh, and handed the Harlequin her weapons back. "Pleasure doin business with ya, stranger!" And after her quiet dismissal, he simply vanished, drawing a surprised gasp from Roxanne, she looked about for him, but upon finding no trace of the strange merchant anywhere, save for the now enchanted throwing knives in the Harlequins hands, she settled for turning upon the Harlequin and answering her question.

"We've got information for ya, all right. We don't know where Merael is, exactly.... Errr...... Merael is the demon you're after, by the by. Anyway..... We don't have his precise whereabouts, but... We know who does. He likes to move about, ya see, and only a couple 'ah demons ever know where he's at at any given time..... And only one always knows. That'd be his favored lieutenant, a Nightmare Lord by the name 'ah Jachyra. He's controlling about the only plot of land Merael's ever laid claim to, an old ruined fort about half an hours walk from here, South-East as the nightmare flies. You'll know it when ya see it, and you'll definitely see it. We hear he's got his boys digging in there, but we don-know what they're lookin for." Roxanne sighed, and stood up to start pacing around the room as she continued; "He's got about twenty five goblins in the mines, six girls in his harem, and fifteen stalkers workin for him as security. He's usually got 'em standing on the walls, telling anyone what gets too close ta buzz off. We know at least three of em are mages, but we can't tell how advanced they are. There's also the matter of the four hellhounds he's got patrolin around the edge of the perimeter. I think you might just wanna try and avoid those, but there's a good fifty foot gap between the edge of the wall and the nearest cover, so it'll be tough to get up the wall an' inside without getting spotted. Jachyra's inside, either overseein' the diggin, playin with his harem girls, or sleepin on the throne in the center 'ah the place.

Roxanne turned toward the Harlequin and stared at her evenly for a moment, before finishing; "There are a'lotta ways this can go bad for ya. We ain't got a map of the place, and the patrols inside are pretty irregular. He might have a few more guys than we know about, and even if he don't, he's still a Nightmare Lord. If I see ya again, I'mma gonna kiss you, just to make sure it's really you." With that, she sat down, and the knight spoke up for the first time in a while; "Good luck."

Assuming she didn't have any questions, the Harlequin set off. The streets around her were unfamiliar, which was not altogether unsurprising given the sheer size of the ruinous city, but oddly, none of the buildings were more than a story high, save for one off in the distance in the direction she was headed. It took her about twenty minutes, shorter than Roxanne had said, before the Harlequin found herself at the edge of a large clearing. A crumbling fortress built of black marble stood in the center, easily the largest structure in viewing distance. A hellhound slowly circuited the fortress in front of her, the massive canine moving slowly, and stopping to sniff the air every couple of paces. At least three stalkers were on the walls, the humanoid, gray skinned demons making no attempt to make use of their natural camouflage to blend in with their surroundings. Each of the walls had a gate, made of rusting iron, which remained closed and barred. Each also had a gatehouse, which a stalker would occasionally walk into, to be replaced by another of its kind not long after. The distance from the wall of the black fort to the nearest cover was, roughly, fifty feet, no matter what direction she wanted to approach from. The walls, while clearly old, were fairly smooth, and looked difficult to climb.

(At this point, I need to know roughly how long the Harlequin is going to wait to plan her entrance and observe the fort.)

Incubus · #26 11th July 2011

Internally, the Harlequin grumbles. Having to go through all this trouble just to get her target's location, this was two jobs in one. Were it any other employer, she would contact them to inform it as much and return to the bargaining table, but considering she wasn't even able to give a quote on this assignment, she somehow doubted it would go well. Still, dear sweet queenie had given her the inspiration for her quickly formed plan.

Ducking back a ways out of line of sight of the guards, she began casting an illusionary spell upon herself, giving a false appearance to project; this job called for a delicate touch and she preferred to keep her armour on, and her real appearance hidden. Giving herself long, flowing blonde hair and a larger bust than she naturally had on her athletic body, as well as a pair of silver feathered wings, the Harlequin assumed an eye-catching form. Apparently clothed in but three thick belts (one across her bust, the remaining two criss-crossing around her waist, unsurprisingly covering little) and a pair of knee-high boots, she admired her illusionary reflection and gently ran her hands down it, getting a feel for where her curves supposedly were rather than the reality to better facilitate her ability to pull it off. For an added touch, she cast a quick eavesdrop spell to enhance her senses, it rarely hurt to be aware what the enemy muttered about you under their breath.

Satisfied she was ready, she stepped out into the open and began a slow, deliberate and bouncy walk towards the main gate, a cocky and knowing smirk upon her lips. When challenged, or when she felt she was close enough, she exclaimed "Yoohoo~ Mr Guards~ I've got some juicy information and thought your lord might be interested~"

Tassadar · #27 17th July 2011

Spoiler

After suitably altering her appearance through a series of minor illusions, the Harlequin stepped out into the clearing surrounding the ruined fort. Before she'd gone six steps, she'd been spotted by one of the stalkers on the wall, who promptly turned and presumably said something to someone within the fortresses courtyard. She was too far off to hear whatever it said, even with augmented hearing, but as she approached, two Hellhounds came around the corners of the wall, staring at her as she came within earshot of the wall. When she was thirty feet from the wall, a harsh, masculine voice shouted; "Halt! Turn around and go back the way you came!"

After she'd issued her response, the voice, apparently the stalker she'd seen on the wall earlier, didn't even hesitate to sharply respond; "Ya, I'll bet you've got something juicy for our lord. No one comes in, and our lord's to busy to come out to talk to every two bit whore that comes a' callin. You've got information that you think is valuable, you tell it to me, and then buzz off." The two Hellhounds had slowly been creeping toward her, sniffing the air as they got closer. Both of them were growling by the time they got within 30 feet of her, their beady red eyes focused solely on her. They stopped there, however, and waited.

Incubus · #28 17th July 2011

The figure that was the harlequin shook her head. "That's not how it works, if I were to do that, whatever would I get out of it? she replies, putting her hands on her hips and pushing out her chest. "But believe me, it's very good, I assure you, you won't regret letting me in. Plus, I may be able to offer... other incentives," she added, striking an alluring pose.

Tassadar · #29 23rd July 2011

Spoiler

From his perch up on the wall, the stalker stared down at the Harlequin with a ricktus grin as she struck her pose, and he said; "The only way you're getting in here is naked, handcuffed and collared." The gray demon then holds up a collar and a set of manacles, and shakes them noisily. The hellhounds glare at her, and begin moving in parallel, not getting any closer to the Harlequin, but also encircling her, and cutting off her escape if she tried to make a run for it. The iron collar was almost certainly a negation collar, a device that would prohibit her from casting any spells while wearing it. "You really think what you've got to say is worth our lords while, you take these and put them on. Arms behind your back. Otherwise...." He grinned, and tossed them down at the Harlequins feet. The hellhounds growled low, still a good twenty feet away from her current position, but for beasts of their size and speed, that much distance was hardly relevant.

Incubus · #30 23rd July 2011

The harlequin gave a sigh and a stretch, bending over and picking up the collar and manacles with one hand. Behind the act, she watched the hellhounds circle, using bending over as a way of twisting her head, waiting until one was almost where she wanted it. "No, I've changed my mind, your terms stink. I think I'll find someone a little more accommodating to sell my information to, perhaps one of your boy's rivals," she declares loudly and whirls, suddenly darting towards the Hellhound blocking her way out. In those moments as she closes the distance with alarming speed, she focuses her mind upon her victim and slams it with her mind, trying to stun and overwhelm its senses to aid in her swift execution of it.

Drawing Souldrinker, she had a brief moment of thought to it. "You better be as good as they say," she warned it, before thrusting her arm forwards, twisting as she tries to drive the blade into the beast, aiming as best she can for the heart.

Being a master of deception, her personal illusion remains in place, treating onlookers with the sight of her quite suddenly darting over to the hellhound and striking at it with her bare hand, the now stolen manacles and collar held in her other hand.

Spoiler

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