Body Guard

The request on the Adventurer's Guild request board had been very clear, if not long-winded or terribly good on offering an explanation. The request was for a 'subtle' suite of body-guards for a local nobleman by the name of Augustus Alexandros. A well known individual of some wealth and fame. So the request for a body guard (or two, or three) isn't that surprising. Though most lords don't usually mind if their bodyguards are noticed or not.

Either way, you have your orders, so off you're sent to the theater district where the lord in question is watching the latest rendition of The Royal Changeling a show which offers some musical inspiration by a local celebrity - one Cor'lana Lupecyll-Atlon.

Money is good. Harshad's very fond of eating and having a roof over his head. But a bodyguarding job? He mulled it over, before deciding that having any nobleman with a good opinion of him might be useful. And if nothing else, a noble's coin spends just as well as any other.

Which is why he's now in the theater district, a long coat wrapped around him and his hood up to fend off the rain and chill. Slightly worn boots clock on the cobbles, as he pauses to peer at a poster extolling the show. "With music by... Corana Lupercal?" He reaches up to scratch his chin. "Great. Poncy bastard'll probably faint if he sees -any- blood..."

Tlanexhuani is a simple Makari; softskin notions of nobility and royalty are not so easily parsed. The need for bodyguards makes some sense with a bit more context, though he is not so familiar with those, either. In simplest terms, though, help was asked for and help will be rendered. These are the terms he does understand. Also, watching over one while he watches a performance? This may not make full sense to the bluescale, but it doesn't seem difficult.

Just a bit cold, for now. "This one hopes is not blood with singing. Is better to listen, not bleed."

Alfrik wanders out his black cloak with deep green and orange accents pulled tight around him, his long black hair with emerald green highlights braided down his back. His leather boots thud upon the ground when he comes to theater district his eyes scanning the area.

The play is quite good, and it's not hard to spot their 'protectee' who has his own little reserved space in the front row to watch the show from. There's quite a crowd, so no one really seems to notice that the group of you.

The play itself is entertaining enough, with the music quite a lot better than the actual plot of the play itself. Still, it's not bad, and it well deserves the applause offered as it wraps up. Though the nobleman who they're meant to be guarding can be heard loudly grousing about the premise. The idea that someone could be switched at birth and then accidentally find themselves a noble? Ludicrous.

So far there is no sign of anyone intending the noble any harm, and what is more notable as he moves out onto the street... is that he actually has two rather blatant guards on him already. Following his every move like tall, muscular shadows.

GAME: Harshad rolls stealth: (12)+10: 22

As the play wraps up -- as interesting as it might be, there's just not enough women or violence for Harshad's tastes -- the half-orc begins to shadow their client. So it's quite the surprise to see two -other- fellows -- and not the guild-assigned ones -- shadowing Augustus as well. Cautiously, he begins taking his steps with more care, trying to get close before they realize they've been rumbled. Under his coat, his hands move to rest on the hilts of his blades…

GAME: Alfrik rolls stealth: (4)+10: 14
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

Tlanexhuani starts to move after his guild-fellows, though not on their heels. If they want to be unnoticed, his company is would not very helpful in that. Instead, he is just a bluescale on a stroll, getting to know the unfamiliar city and looking around. He might be somewhat lost. All of which is more true than not.

Alfrik slides a hand under his cloak resting it on the hilt of his dagger moving forward slowly, and methodically trying to blend in with the crowd as he moves closer to the non guild body guards.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21

While Harshad is not noticed - Alfrik certainly is, and one of the guards notices the man slip forward and frowns at him, reaching out to grab him. The bodyguard's fingers curl into Alfrik's shirt and he is roughly pulled off of his feet by his collar. "Hey! What do you think you're doing aye?!?"

Suddenly Harshad is -behind- the bodyguard holding Alfrik, and clears his throat pointedly. "Alright, that's enough. Put him down."

"Now, who are you two, and why're you tailing our client?" He casually jerks a thumb at the noble. "'Cause, y'know, we got the retainer from the guild for bodyguard work, and it called for -three- people, not five."

Tlanexhuani has an easier time keeping with, and catching up to them, now that they are stopped. Though the nature of the stopping is not so good. He slows to a halt near enough to converse but not, he hopes, near enough to threaten. "Peace," he offers. "One tail iss better than no tail." His own thumps the cobblestones lightly in affirmation. "More tails better than less, ssa? Maybe asked for more to be more guarded?"

Alfrik smirks at the guy holding him. "You may want to release me arsewipe. We have a contract from the guild for body guard work, so who the hell are you all hmm?" He asks with a wicked grin. "Because you know threatening people you don't know is a generally bad idea usually bad for ones health. Now put me the hell down."

"I don't think so." The bodyguard growls at Alfrik. "I was hired as a bodyguard by the lord himself."

The lord in question frowns at the gathering of individuals and sniffs loudly. "I hired these two as my bodyguards. As for the _rest_ of you... I did nothing of the sort." His eyes are unpitying blue orbs. "Considering the rudeness of the one that you're holding, maybe you should rough him up a bit before sending him on his way. One should know better than to speak in such a way in the presence of a Lord."

The bodyguard's grin turns rather wicked.

Harshad flicks his coat open, the hilts of his rapier and dagger suddenly free. "I really wouldn't," he advises. "So far, all we have is a paperwork error. You do anything other than put him down, I'm going to have to hurt you. Guild rules about protecting teammates, you know?"

His muscles are twitching, ready to -move-, as he continues, "Don't do something your husband over there will regret."

Alfrik smirks an opens his mouth with a hiss viper fangs dropping in his mouth dripping with venom. "Again I recommend putting me down." He glances to the Lord. "A mistake in paperwork a clerical error if you didn't put out to the guild for help thats all that had to be said..." He looks back to the guy holding him. "Or you ask me to stop and what my business is rather than being dumb enough to attack."

Tlanexhuani looks from the 'client' to guard to Alfrik to other guard to Harshad and then back to the client. "Peace," he repeats. "No need fight. Iss..." one set of claws clasp at the air a moment for the word, " ...mistake? Is mistake best for you," he gestures lightly to the lord, "not against you."

The comment from Harshad gets a fair bit of ire from the second guard who until this moment had been staying out of stuff. "Hey!" He glares at Harshand. "I'm not married to _him_." He sounds quite insulted.

The bodyguard that is holding Alfrik narrows his eyes at the man considerably. "The way you were thumbing your dagger, no one would question why I thought you were a danger you _ass_. You might still be, it would be pretty 'dumb' of me to just let you go."

The Lord has a rather superior look on his face. "Seems mighty suspicious to me. I think that the mongrel brat you're holding deserves a lesson in humility. You can... Let him go Braxius."

The bodyguard smiles at this, throwing the smaller man in his hand roughly at Harshad.

GAME: Harshad rolls reflex: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Alfrik rolls reflex: (19)+4: 23
GAME: Harshad rolls sense motive: (19)+1: 20
GAME: Alfrik rolls Sense Motive: (4)+1: 5

Harshad catches Alfrik roughly, but without causing either of them injury. He turns a little, and sets the smaller man on his feet. "Figures, fuckin' Guild can't even reserve a bodyguard job without screwing it up," he mutters.

He fixes the other guards with a hard stare. "You done? Don't think I'm above getting a little bloody if you wanna play." He rubs one of his tusks. "Now run along, before someone cuts your client's purse while you're busy."

Tlanexhuani blinks as Alfrik is 'let go' with force... and right into Harshad. If things were not heated already, and not in a cozy sunny rock way. "Are done," he answers; for himself, possibly for his guild-mates and maybe even tries to for the lord's guards, too. "Mistake is from Guild. Not from any here. Anger for Guild, not any here." He shows open claws and motions them wide to his sides and not forward, dipping his head as well. A polite and even submissive gesture. For Makari, at least.

Alfrik smirks at the guard. "Perhaps my hand was on my dagger beforehand because I wasn't sure if you were a threat to the client we'd taken a contract to protect." He says and the mention of him being a mongrel gets him hissing, he opens his mouth to speak before he's hurling to through the air rotating his body to try and land on his feet but he's caught and set down. "Did he call me a Mongrel?" He asks Harshad as he's set down. "Thanks for the catch."

The Lord laughs a bit rudely, but motions for his guards to follow him, and they do so dutifully, leaving the group of you behind.

Harshad makes a rude gesture in return as the trio leaves. "Yeah," he grunts at Alfrik. "Like me, I guess. I'm gonna go -talk- to that Guild rep though. What the hell, I don't need my time wasted like this." He glares at Alfrik and Tlan, though it's not really directed at them personally. "Hells, ship us out to the country, at least there's food and the occasional farmgirl."

Tlanexhuani watches the lord and other pair walk off before making a vague, uncertain gesture with claws to Alfrik and Harshad. "Lord, guards, not ... nice," he finally decides on the adjective at the end. "Maybe is mistake? Maybe is why Guild want guards not known?" His tail flicks uneasily before settling. "Not in city is nice." he agrees with Harshad.

Alfrik grumbles and shakes his head and tosses his own rude gesture to the departing noble and guards. "Waste of time, waste of energy, and no coin to be made, perhaps a tavern is good place to get over this idiocy."

Harshad snorts. "Yeah, but let's stop by the Guild first. I wanna get this sorted out -before- I get drunk. The last thing we need is having the Guild think we walked on the job. No, I want to know what was going on." He eyes the others, then exhales. "Name's Harshad, by the way. I'd say I'm pleased but right now I'm kind of pissed off."

"This one is Tlanexhuani, Crafter caste," the Makari returns the introductions not made before. "This one agrees, best learn why Guild ask. That one," his tail flicks towards where the other three departed, "has guard already. Maybe is mistake. Maybe not know is more danger."

Alfrik nods his head a bit and grins. "Aye alright let's hit the guild now and figure it out than the tavern for a good time. I'm Alfrik by the way."

With introductions made, the group gathers and makes haste in return to the guild. The place is as busy as it always is, and so it takes a bit of time to gather the attention of one of the people responsible for informing groups who take on jobs of their duties in regards to said jobs. The man looks somewhat less than pleased to be deterred from other duties, but folds his arms over his chest and looks at them. "Aren't you three the ones I sent to guard that lord? What are you doing back here already? Did you get him killed?"

Harshad glares at the man. "No, he already -had- guards. And was very specific that -they- were the ones he hired, not -us-. Now I am pretty damn certain that contract called for -three- guards, not -two-, and not -five-. So what the hells are you playing at?"

Tlanexhuani looks to Harshad and gestures with open claws. "Peace. Have curious, not anger. Seek answer, not fight." To the Guildman, he dips his head. "Client have guards. Guards mistake other guards for threat. Wanted to fight, but did not."

Alfrik glares at the man as well. "Aye and he seems to have problems with half breed races which put us at odds as well. So yea I want to know as well what the Hells happened here and why were sent on a job that was already fulfilled."

The man frowns a bit at the antagonism, but he's well used to dealing with adventurers. "Most of the lords have permanent guards, but sometimes they send requests for supplemental guards. When there's a real threat."

He pulls out the actual request and reads it carefully. "Looks like this request was put in by... Aelwyn?" The man shrugs a bit uncertainly. "The name isn't familiar. Perhaps one of the lord's household? All I know is that we didn't hire anyone else for the job so! If you want to get paid - I suggest that you talk to this Aelwyn person."

The name clearly means nothing to Harshad, judging from his blank expression. "Sounds elfish," he says dryly. "Wonderful. Was this supposed to be a surprise or something? Nothing in the contract said we had to follow him around whether he liked it or not. I'm not exactly interested in getting arrested for stalking a noble." He hmphs, looking at the others. "Where do we find this Aelwyn?"

Tlanexhuani listens. Blinks. Pauses. Blinks again. "This one shared words with Aelwyn, before. Not know where find, but maybe will come to this one's forge." Despite this knowledge, there is much more lacking and he blinks again, still looking confused.

Alfrik shrugs his shoulders a bit. "Hmmm...I think I met him once in passing...but I don't know where to find him either."

Harshad grits his teeth. "How many people named Aelwyn can there be in this city?" He looks at the Guild representative. "Doesn't he have some way to contact him? Magic pigeon, mailing address, hangs out at a tavern?" He sighs heavily. "This feels like we're spending our time running in circles."

Alfrik nods his head a bit. "Aye, I mean when people put jobs up in a guild don't they leave contact info in case the job goes tits up?" He asks with a roll of his eyes. "How would you not know how to contact him?"

"Will find. Share words," Tlanexhuani assures the softskins. "Learn answer. Task not bad. See more of city. Meet new...." claws snip at the air for a word again ".. interesting? Peoples."

The man from the guild looks a little uncomfortable. "Well... if he's registered with the guild... yes we have his information. If you like, we can forward a message to him. That being said though... we can't really give it out. Privacy and all that." He offers a faint smile. "You wouldn't much like it if we gave that kind of information out on _you_ would you?"

"Depends on what I'm being sent," Harshad replies with a smirk. "Guys with knives, yeah, probably wouldn't like it. Bag of gold? Eh, different story." He bangs his knuckles absently on the desktop. "Alright, alright. Send him a message. We need to get this worked out, we're not walking on this job but it just got weird and I hate that."

Tlanexhuani's confusion returns and is directed to Harshad as he addresses him. "Did job... and walked. Is bad?" He then blinks it away and dips his head to the guildman. "Ssa, send message. Many thanks."

Alfrik nods his head. "Yes alright send him a message for us this needs to get situated and addressed."

The man nods politely. "As you say, I will send a message along." He glances at them then, realizing that they're lingering a bit. "I'll make sure that you are all informed of whatever reply that he has to your inquiry. Goodday."

Which is a rather pointed dismissal. The whole situation is curious with certainty. Why were they hired? - by an adventurer nonetheless? But it seems like today, they will not be getting an answer to these questions.

-End