The Auction [Closed;Private;Social]

The Central District, an area located in a city that most mages tend to avoid. Not only because it was known for it's black market deals and other unsavory activities, but also it was located in a town that left a mage to be nothing more then a normal human being. For some reason the Neutral Grounds were located in an environment where every form of magic was nullified. Flaming swords were nothing but swords, a jacket that could resist lightning was nothing but a jacket. And most importantly a mage was no longer a mage.
Because of this town's certain condition the Magic Council upheld no jurisdiction here, making it the perfect place for corruption to flourish. Criminals gained the upper hand as they exploited the possibilities they gained from a magic free zone. Creating their own dark trading hub.

It attracted all kinds of criminals from outside, low ranking dark mages in search for a weapon or a job, mercenaries who didn't mind to get their hands dirty, businessmen trying to procure or sell questionable goods and even the upper class. People who had amassed certain riches and where always looking for new and exotic things. Something that could spice up their dull life, so that they had once again something to brag about to their aristocrat community.
For these people there was only one way to find these exotic 'goods' and that was through the means of an auction. A place where items or other things where being showed to a small group of people, so that they in return got bid against each other. And those who bid the most had earned the right to call them self the new owners of what they had procured.

However, even among the auctions in the Neutral Grounds, there was one that exceeded them all. It was not known to the public eye, or even to most of the upperclass for that matter. No, this auction was being held in utter secrecy and attracted the real mighty of this world. Powerful warlords, delegates of certain royal families, even Council officials. But most of all, the dark guild masters. Mages so dark that not only wielded powerful magic, but ruled over a group of mages that had their own agenda. One that mostly meant harm and havoc for the world outside.

Harrigan Crawford, was a long time member of this society. As master of the dark guild Savage Skull, a guild that once plagued Fiore as a disease, he had always been given an invitation to the Auction. Which was a question on itself entirely. These people who held the Auction knew who to approach, and didn't had any trouble finding them. If there were rumors of an uprising in the royal court they'd made sure that the plotting nobles would gain an invitation, when kingdoms are at war they'd send out a invitation to both sides. The same counted for Guild Masters, they always made sure that these leaders would hear about the Auction one way or another.
To some extend this was a frighting thought, at least for Harrigan it was. Knowing that these people had all this power, only so that they could sell certain goods. They easily could turn the tide of a war, shaping the balance of the world as we knew it.

As Harrigan entered the victorian styled hall, he shook off that thought and took a look around. As always the Auction hall had the same setting. Around twenty chairs or so, divided in two groups of ten by a long blue carpet that formed a path all the way from the door to the stage itself.
Around the small hall were several small time facilities, nothing major but enough for people to socialize with each other. Standing tables where acquaintances met, with on it a platter of exotic appetizers. Some delicate artworks from a period long lost, and for those who tried to keep a sharp mind, chess tables. Carefully carved out of the finest woods. However mostly never played around here.

Harrigan nodded to a few familiar faces as a sign of recognition. And as expected they did the same thing, it was nothing more then a form of respect. It was basically an invitation to join them in their back room politics talk, however the moment he decided to mingle with them his eye caught someone else. A man sitting at one of the chess boards. A small grin appeared on Harrigan's face, was there finally someone here that actually liked to play that game. Without any hesitation he diverted his direction from the group and wandered over to the lone man and the chess table.
Once there he took a seat at the remaining sides color, which happened to be white. And shoved the pawn from E2 to E4.

When you had been around the world enough times and seen it go around enough a person's views of what was and was not acceptable could change a bit. When any mistake could just be buried by hunkering down and waiting a few hundred years a person became more willing to take chances. They lived now in volatile times. Dark guilds, crime lords, would be world rulers coming out of the wood work and all that. Simple needs were impossible for some people where the most insane of eccentricities were available to others. A man who wanted to stay alive would secure power where ever it presented itself. In more peaceful times morals and pure practices were affordable. Now were not such times. All of these things considered might help someone understand the perspective a certain millennium old earth guardian. Which was the cleost thing to an explanation Zuo would give to anyone who asked why a legal guild master had an invitation to something like an underground auction in the first place. Now what he wouldn't ever explain is how he got into a party of the level where warlords and men like Harrigan Crawford were regulars. That's a long story for another time. Simply put the geezer knew people and knew who those people knew and those people knew somethings that would be better off not being known. Regardless sure enough he was there. Trading his usual robes for a grave black suit he honestly looked like a corpse straight from a morgue. To draw less attention to himself his pillar of hair was flatted down his back like a normal person with long hair. The guild master was almost unrecognizable, almost at least, his old as dirt charm was unmistakable.

The air stunk to him. The smell of destroyed etherno was repulsive to him. The neutral grounds were a spot of blight and death. If the old man was the by the book guardian he had been in his youth he would have healed the damage in an instant. But from his age he knew it's value. One could call it a necessary evil. That little patch of magic-dead land would allow for access to new avenues of power for Zuo and power was everything. When bound to to a single continent while being tasked with protecting the entirety of earthland he needed influence in other spheres. From this single spot he could effect the entire world if he needed to. Using that thought as reassurance he pushed back the natural, primal, urge to heal the damage to the land to press forward. Flashing his invitation to a guard gained him access to the victorian hall. Zuo Cii was familiar with this place, he had acquired a number of useful items here at different times. But today he was looking for something big, rare and probably expensive. Upon entering Zuo gained no more then a glance from most patrons already present but at always there were the new guys. Somehow at least one person always made it into the auction without getting the memo that Lamia Scale's Guild Master was invited. Today it was some hotshot young blooded up and comer in a red suit who spotted him from across the room.  At the sight of what he assumed was a legal guild infiltrator the man in the red suit reached into his suit and approached Zuo at a brisk walk. The geezer could see where this was going. Not quite feeling up to explaining his presence to anyone or accidentally making a scene he instead chose to scare off the man by blending. His eyes scanned the room looking for the ideal dangerous person to stand next to. Ah there's two.

Walking at an angle away from red-suit Zuo navigated over to the chess tables. He tried to his best to move naturally and make his approach seem inconspicuous but his pursuer was moving too fast and made Zuo have to rush more then he wanted. His own movements were just a little too brisk and his path was just a little too direct. Reaching the table Zuo said nothing and feigned interest in the game. If they ask I answer. No need to get buddy buddy with the people I'm using as an intimidation shield. Silently just walking up and observing chess games was normal right? At the sight of Zuo's friends Mr. Red Suit quickly remember he had somewhere he really needed to be and moved away from them.

'My my, no need for such verbal hostilities mister Dante'

Harrigan responded to the entire ordeal the enveloped around him, while in the mean time he moved slowly moved his hand over the chess board till his fingers reached, and touched the familiar shape of that only the queen could have. Only so that he could lift it up, and move it from D1 to F3 through the opening he created by shoving his pawn forwards, in his first move.

His voice, even though polite, was dripping with arrogance and smugness. Revealing to the others right away that he originated from some prestige, and that because of it. He placed himself on a pedestal higher then the rest.

'After all' he continued 'We are all here for the same thing are we not? Even despite our so called...alignments'

Harrigans eyes quickly flashed over at the new old man who joined them at the table. And briefly their eyes met, showing each other that both of were fully aware of who the other person was. After all, you wouldn't walk into The Auction without at least some basic knowledge on the regular guests. As for Harrigan, he had thanks to his own intelligence at least the basic knowledge on the second person that had joined his fray.

However even though, he had a glimmer of knowledge on who this enigmatic person might be, it wasn't his place for him to share. After all, just like he said, when you came to The Auction, you came here for a reason to buy something. And despite on which side you stood on the so called light or dark spectrum, it wouldn't matter. The Auction only cared for the wealth and positions of its patrons.

'Anyway, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I myself go by the name of Harrigan Crawford.'

Even though Harrigan responded to the introduction, with the same eagerness Dante showed him. He did however ignore the hand that was reached out to him. A foul trait that hey picked up after years of being molded into the arrogant prick that he was. Not that it really mattered, the hand probably already lowered as soon as the third man had taken a seat at their table. Also now he spoke to both of the men, instead of only Dante.

It seems I've chosen the place to be. Zuo wasn't really interested in the game at all but did what he could to look the part. When asked who he was he meekly replied "I'm an old man with a stuffed wallet." He felt that explained to Dante everything he needed to know.

He wasn't in the least surprised at the accusations against him. The old man was a bit out of place after all. However having planned ahead and having set up a little defense with his introduction he said "Avoid security? Dear me I'm a bit old for those kinds of escapades. No it is in my best interest that security functions properly." He knew, Harrigan knew, he knew who he was and vise versa so it was his intention to communicate that despite being far more then a harmless rich old man he intended to act as if he was. "So I do hope you don't mind me observing your game. That is until events get under way. I know how to but haven't played. However I do have my curiosities about the game." That much was true? Probably. Zuo himself wasn't sure if he had ever played or if he really knew how the game went. He thought he was telling the truth, he wasn't trying to lie, but if it was the truth or not was a different matter nor did it matter.

But what did matter is his ability to not make a fuss. He had never been removed from one of these auctions because of confusion over his identity but he did get the feeling people tried to make it harder for him to buy what he wanted after someone "HOLY SHIT IT'S A LEGAL GUILD MASTER!" Honestly some people are heavily prejudice. "But it's quite alright if you want me to move along. There are other places to stand."