A test of mettle was no new activity to Julius. Many a...client had wanted him to prove his skill before they would employ him properly. Fewer, but plenty still, also refused to meet him until such skill had been exhibited. Thus, when his guild master, who he had not had the pleasure to meet even when he received his guild mark, sent her servants to deliver him his first task he was not bothered in the slightest. Apparently this job tested one's aptitude for the various optional positions in the guild, and was standard to nearly every new recruit. He was not particularly overjoyed that the raiding portion was required when both his realms of expertise were informant and looter adjacent, but he was not one to shy away from a challenge or an order.
Apparently word has gotten around of some kind of upset in the settlements under the guild's authority, yet again. His Queen, reasonably, finds the repetitive attempts to seize her territory...trying. Julius, while not personally familiar with the queen....yet, was less than inclined to allow a lady's displeasure to stand. As such, he had brought his preferred death dealing set of daggers with the intent to send a clear message that such insurrection should not be repeated henceforth. He ran his fingers gently along the steel blades that lined his belt underneath his boorish peasant disguise. It had been a while since he had sent a message in blood. He simply hoped he had not become rusty in the interim.
Descending at last into the village proper, Julius made his way as nondescriptly as he could towards a small gathering of....rather green looking swordsmen. By the way they held themselves and their blades even Julius could tell they were fresh recruits. The first few seemed quizzical as they watched an unknown face approach them, but the one furthest back had a look of suspicion on his face. It appears that he would be the primary target when violence began then. Not just yet however, Julius needed information. As such he raised a hand, and gave them his best dopey grin as he greeted them.
"Hullo there sirs. Some mighty fine blades ya got yerselves there. What might ya be doin with em on such a fine day for tillin'?" Julius mustered up his least refined possible speech pattern to help add to the poor farmer disguise. Based on the friendly looks of the front most guards, and the now quizzical rather than suspicious look of the rearmost, it had done much to help him already.
One of the guards raised a hand in response and happily chimed up. "Ya haven't heard? The "New Law" is back again with their toughest guys yet. This time they're sure they can take any of them there Errings Rising upstarts that come to stop 'em! We just finished roundin up the townsfolk what don't want to comply and put em in the townhall so we's could give em some convincin." The youth narrowed his eyes at Julius. "Don't reckon I know you. But that don't matter too much as long as yer willin to work with us. Whaddya say?"
Julius cast a glance back at the large building just past a few small cottages. Surely the only building one could conceivably call a town hall in this ramshackle village. From here he could just vaguely make out what looked to be maybe three or four more men stationed outside of the town hall. Presumably they would stand guard while the leader and perhaps his first in command took care of business within. Julius let out a light chuckle. Now he understood why this was an introductory job. These "New Law" types must be complete amateurs with how they go about their troop distribution. One should never have a group of novices so completely isolated and lacking at least one experienced leader.
Reaching up to his eyes, he removed his contacts as he came to the realization and acceptance that there would be no need for particular tact or cover with this job. As he stored them in on pocket, the guardsmen spied the knives on his belt and drew their swords. Julius gave them a cocky grin, his real eyes visibly unsettling them. "Now hold on there, children. You would not want to die for a cause led by an incompetent now would you? How many times have these little...revolutions gone well for you folks down here?" He palmed a dagger and raised the point towards the swordsmen. "I offer a more than kind choice. Simply put down your weapon and return to your home or whatever village you came from or simply hide out for the next few minutes, I do not particularly care. If you do so you get to live another day, if not..."
The silence spoke his intentions enough and after several long moments of fearful contemplation four of the five tossed their swords to the ground and ran off in the direction out of the village. That left the suspicious eyed one who Julius had intended to just off from the start anyhow. Bouncing the dagger in his palm, he eyed the young man as he took an offensive stance. It was honestly rather pathetic. Had the more trained members of this "New Law" done nothing to prepare these fools for when they were attacked. Poor form considering they obviously knew Errings Rising would respond poorly to such an intrusion on their land.
With an exasperated sigh Julius lifted one hand palm upwards. A small portal blipped into existence silently above it. The novice swordsmen took a step back and swapped to a more defensive stance, clearly unsure of how to deal with whatever magic Julius was about to use. With the same hand Julius made a dismissive gesture towards the man, who flinched in preparation for an attack spell. Unfortunately for him it was nothing so flashy. Just the appearance of a second, silent portal just behind him. Without ceremony Julius stuck his dagger wielding hand through the portal and struck for the back of the young man's neck as it exited the one behind him. True to form, the blade sunk in to the hilt between the base of the young man's neck and his spine. Per usual, he was dead before he hit the ground.
Such poor sport was nothing to be particularly proud of in Julius' opinion. He withdrew his arm from his portals and dismissed them as he approached the young man. Julius slit his throat for good measure and then wiped the blood on the corpse's clothing. Turning his attention to the town hall, he bit mindlessly at his thumb nail. What kind of half assed uprising was this? Street urchins in his home town did a better job attempting to rise against the police. Putting his knife back on his belt, Julius summoned a new pair of portals and stepped through one, exiting from the paired one on the rooftop of the cottage nearest the townhall. He took a crouching stance as he eyed those guarding the hall's doors. How to proceed, how to proceed...
WC: 1,197/1,197
Apparently word has gotten around of some kind of upset in the settlements under the guild's authority, yet again. His Queen, reasonably, finds the repetitive attempts to seize her territory...trying. Julius, while not personally familiar with the queen....yet, was less than inclined to allow a lady's displeasure to stand. As such, he had brought his preferred death dealing set of daggers with the intent to send a clear message that such insurrection should not be repeated henceforth. He ran his fingers gently along the steel blades that lined his belt underneath his boorish peasant disguise. It had been a while since he had sent a message in blood. He simply hoped he had not become rusty in the interim.
Descending at last into the village proper, Julius made his way as nondescriptly as he could towards a small gathering of....rather green looking swordsmen. By the way they held themselves and their blades even Julius could tell they were fresh recruits. The first few seemed quizzical as they watched an unknown face approach them, but the one furthest back had a look of suspicion on his face. It appears that he would be the primary target when violence began then. Not just yet however, Julius needed information. As such he raised a hand, and gave them his best dopey grin as he greeted them.
"Hullo there sirs. Some mighty fine blades ya got yerselves there. What might ya be doin with em on such a fine day for tillin'?" Julius mustered up his least refined possible speech pattern to help add to the poor farmer disguise. Based on the friendly looks of the front most guards, and the now quizzical rather than suspicious look of the rearmost, it had done much to help him already.
One of the guards raised a hand in response and happily chimed up. "Ya haven't heard? The "New Law" is back again with their toughest guys yet. This time they're sure they can take any of them there Errings Rising upstarts that come to stop 'em! We just finished roundin up the townsfolk what don't want to comply and put em in the townhall so we's could give em some convincin." The youth narrowed his eyes at Julius. "Don't reckon I know you. But that don't matter too much as long as yer willin to work with us. Whaddya say?"
Julius cast a glance back at the large building just past a few small cottages. Surely the only building one could conceivably call a town hall in this ramshackle village. From here he could just vaguely make out what looked to be maybe three or four more men stationed outside of the town hall. Presumably they would stand guard while the leader and perhaps his first in command took care of business within. Julius let out a light chuckle. Now he understood why this was an introductory job. These "New Law" types must be complete amateurs with how they go about their troop distribution. One should never have a group of novices so completely isolated and lacking at least one experienced leader.
Reaching up to his eyes, he removed his contacts as he came to the realization and acceptance that there would be no need for particular tact or cover with this job. As he stored them in on pocket, the guardsmen spied the knives on his belt and drew their swords. Julius gave them a cocky grin, his real eyes visibly unsettling them. "Now hold on there, children. You would not want to die for a cause led by an incompetent now would you? How many times have these little...revolutions gone well for you folks down here?" He palmed a dagger and raised the point towards the swordsmen. "I offer a more than kind choice. Simply put down your weapon and return to your home or whatever village you came from or simply hide out for the next few minutes, I do not particularly care. If you do so you get to live another day, if not..."
The silence spoke his intentions enough and after several long moments of fearful contemplation four of the five tossed their swords to the ground and ran off in the direction out of the village. That left the suspicious eyed one who Julius had intended to just off from the start anyhow. Bouncing the dagger in his palm, he eyed the young man as he took an offensive stance. It was honestly rather pathetic. Had the more trained members of this "New Law" done nothing to prepare these fools for when they were attacked. Poor form considering they obviously knew Errings Rising would respond poorly to such an intrusion on their land.
With an exasperated sigh Julius lifted one hand palm upwards. A small portal blipped into existence silently above it. The novice swordsmen took a step back and swapped to a more defensive stance, clearly unsure of how to deal with whatever magic Julius was about to use. With the same hand Julius made a dismissive gesture towards the man, who flinched in preparation for an attack spell. Unfortunately for him it was nothing so flashy. Just the appearance of a second, silent portal just behind him. Without ceremony Julius stuck his dagger wielding hand through the portal and struck for the back of the young man's neck as it exited the one behind him. True to form, the blade sunk in to the hilt between the base of the young man's neck and his spine. Per usual, he was dead before he hit the ground.
Such poor sport was nothing to be particularly proud of in Julius' opinion. He withdrew his arm from his portals and dismissed them as he approached the young man. Julius slit his throat for good measure and then wiped the blood on the corpse's clothing. Turning his attention to the town hall, he bit mindlessly at his thumb nail. What kind of half assed uprising was this? Street urchins in his home town did a better job attempting to rise against the police. Putting his knife back on his belt, Julius summoned a new pair of portals and stepped through one, exiting from the paired one on the rooftop of the cottage nearest the townhall. He took a crouching stance as he eyed those guarding the hall's doors. How to proceed, how to proceed...
WC: 1,197/1,197
Last edited by Julius on 5th September 2020, 2:34 pm; edited 1 time in total