(The setting is the desert city of Nhela`Khal in an unnamed world (NOT Norrath). It is a city controlled and dominated by trades and merchants of all kind, whether they be legal or not.)

(The city is governed and controlled by seven close-knit families called "Houses". Each House controls one aspect of trade in the city. Our story begins in House Ashiria, which controls the trade of brews, potions, and other alchemical substances.)

*** *** ***

Khasmir shifted uncomfortably under the thin sheets of blue silk on his plush bed. Even with the thinness of the fabric, the hot morning sun made his slumber feel like an inferno. Finally, he shot up in bed like a springboard, tossing his silken sheets aside. Squinting his blue eyes, his vision hazy from his sudden rousting and the bright morning light, he cast a scowl about the room.

A tall man, his bald head held high and his thick, stocky body knotted with muscles stood in the doorway of the young man's bedchambers. His clean shaven, dark-skinned features were currently displaying a friendly smile as he looked at the boy and gestured towards the lad with a silken robe.

"I beg your forgiveness, Master Khasmir" the bald-headed servant said with a humble incline of his head. "But your family and your breakfast awaits you downstairs."

(Feel free to add whatever. But please try to stay within the setting. Thank yew )

Seven blocks of trudging later, Lierkin made it to his other job. Palace floor cleaner at House Ashiria. Lierkin straightened his cloths and then entered the House through a back entrance. Khasmir would be waking soon...his floor was first on the cleaning list Lierkin noticed as he collected his tools.

OOC: Is this ok?

Kristopher turned his head as he noticed Lierkin walk in. He turned back and attended to his work of setting the table for the morning meal. ~Why am I stuck being a servant in this house? I need to get a new occupation, but this seems to be all I'm good at. I'm going to leave this place someday, when I find my true calling, but that day may never come~

He set down the plates and silverware, told the chef that all was ready, and walked upstairs to inform everyone that it was time to eat.

Khasmir came out of his bathchambers by the time the sun had already climbed high in the sky. His wet hair the color of midnight clung to the back of his robe like rubbery black tentacles. Tying his hair back into a loose ponytail with a leather thong, he stepped out of the bathchambers.

"You are late for your breakfast, Master Khasmir."

The young man looked up to his bald-headed manservant. He grinned sheepishly.

"Am I now?" he asked with a soft chuckle. "No matter. I'm certain father would understand. He has always stated the importance of personal appearance to those of our status."

"Indeed he has," the tall butler said with a bob of his bald head. "Common sense dictates that nourishment supercedes vanity, though. You won't look too beautiful if you're skin and bones from lack of food."

"Indeed," Khasmir said with a grin. "And what if food was the first thing on my mind every day? Perhaps I'd grow up to be thick and plump as you, Onruh?"

"Your wit is as sharp as ever, Young Master." Onruh's muscular body shook with contained mirth. He was a stoic man, not given to huge outbursts of laughter. "Your retorts would be better spent on your tutors, however. Come, we must head down for breakfast lest the Master think you've died in your sleep."

Onruh turned to lead the way to the staircase, but suddenly stepped backwards as a slight girl, a mere wisp compared the bulk of the butler, bumped into him. He nodded at her as she shuffled aside, mumbling apologies.

"Clumsy little thing," the butler muttered off-hand to himself. "Hopefully she'll be able to shape up before too long. I wouldn't like to see her replaced like our former floor cleaner."

Well, nevermind. Karnaj had places to go and people to see. Ever since he dropped the whole "scary" image, he'd found it easier to procure reagents of all sorts. That's what brought him to Nhela`Khal. Rumor had it a dragon had been slain in the region, and, as any ambitious amateur alchemist would know, there were all sorts of things one could do with any salvaged dragon parts.

After consulting with the local Chamber of Commerce, he decided against going to any stores. They would have nothing for him. Instead, he would go directly to controlling interests in the area: in this case, the House of Ahshiria. Mayhap they would have what he was looking for.

Karnaj hooded up, trying to avoid the glaring sunlight. Drow burn easily. He approached the residence of the family, walking with quiet dignity up to the gate house of this rather lavish abode.

The guard on duty looked up at him, arched an eyebrow quizzically, and greeted him with an, "Aye?"

"Just looking to purchase some less-than common reagents." Karnaj shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"Get lost," the guard grunted. "Find a Ashiria store."

"Look, I'm a friend of the family...Et`Nex is the name. They've been expecting me." A little mental inquiry on the guard's memorized guest list couldn't hurt that this point.

"Oh, you're early! My apologies." The guard swung the gate open. "The servants will show you in once you reach the main hall."

"Thanks." Karnaj flipped the guard a silver ducat. "I was never here, got it? My visit is hush-hush with some family members."

"Oh, of course, sir!" The guard returned to his watchful position, shutting the gate closed behind him.

Well, he still lied like a Drow to get what he wanted, but at least he was more kind and generous about it. Five years ago, he would've simply reduced the guard to dust. None of that now.

Anyway, Karnaj had now an even more pressing problem: how to find the parts of the dragon and offer up a decent trade for them. Oh well, he'd deal with that when the time came.

Slowly, he approached the main entrance. He entered through the door that another guard opened...

"We need some things. Go to the market and buy everything on this list, boy."

"Yes, sir," said Kris as he took the list and bag of coins. ~They overwork me here. I have got to delay while I'm gone. I'll just say that I got held up~

"Let's see," Kris said to himself, "First item on the list is a ruby. Now, what use could a ruby possibly have?" He decided not to think about it and went on to the market.

A small time later Kris came back, fumbling a few things. ~What a strange list. Why do they need these things?~ he thought. ~Why these gems and stones? No one's birthday is coming, and it is not the time of year for any festivals.~

With this next thought, Kristopher stopped. ~Could it be some kind of magic? No one around here practices any complex magic requiring such stones, or at least that I know of. Oh, There I go making assumptions again. I shouldn't worry about it. I don't even need to know anyway.

"You are to start in the left wing and scrub every floor you can, wench!" the woman screeched, throwing a bucket and rag at her. "There is fresh water and soap in the kitchen for you to fill the bucket with."

Kyria flinched at the name, but nodded and rushed off to get the water and soap for the floors.

Master Khasmir, up at last I see... may I walk with you? We have things to discuss.

Khasmir sighed as Calis approached him.

"Really, now," he said as he shook his head. "Why must we always have problems before breakfast."

He gestured for Calis to follow as he and Onruh strode down the hall towards the staircase leading downwards to the dining hall.

"Let us make haste," he said, looking back at the guard. "I'm sure my father would appreciate hearing what we have to discuss as well."

Yes well, if you'd been up on time, it would be after breakfast, wouldn't it?

He dropped the grin and cleared his throat,

Yes, I'm sure your father would like to hear of this.

Without wasting a second, she continued her walk down the staircase to the breakfast hall, her sandals muffling the sound of her steps.

"First Onruh, and now you," he said with a sigh. "It seems I just won't get an ounce of peace about my sleeping habits today, will I?"

They stopped briefly as Alystin passed before them and greeted them. Khasmir was sure to smile broadly at her as she shuffled down the stairs towards the dining hall. He had always liked the drow, even if she was his father's Chief Assassin, and who knows what else?

After a brief pause, the trio padded down the rest of the hall and climbed down the winding staircase.

As they finally came to the bottom of the long staircase, they entered a large room, brightly lit by chandeliers hanging overhead and the bright sunlight that poured in from the windows like great waterfalls of light. A long, wooden table with velvet-lined chairs surrounding it stood at the center of the great hall.

At the head of the table sat a man clad in fine silken clothes befitting that of a nobleman. He fingered his finely trimmed black moustache and glowered at Khasmir from his seat at the table.

"You're late," Shirlath Ashiria said as he steepled his thin fingers before him. "What is your excuse this time, Khasmir? Perhaps you imbibed too much wine last night? Or were you indulging in the favors of some servant girl?"

[ 06-30-2001: Message edited by: Parcelan ]

She had thought, when she payed that wizard to take her here, that she would die on the way. She didn't really care, of course; associating with a known wizard in itself was a lynchable offense, and one the guards didn't take too kindly too, either. She'd most likely be beaten and raped by the guards, and after release, be lynched by the public. That is, if it didn't work. Cosm herself had seen one or two wizards ply their trade, far away from the cities, of course, and she was amazed. One had even managed to make a grove of apricots grow in the harsh desert soil of her homeworld, in under a minute! Why the cities didn't use such wizards was beyond her; all she cared about was getting out.

She didn't care if she died. Truth was, she cared more now than then, when there's not just a whole city, but a whole world to explore. There had to be actual jungles someplace, had to be a few places where the water dared to flow aboveland, not slink in underground rivers. And she was excited. Even this, the baking plains outside the city and the heat within, was still many degrees cooler than the place where she had once been.

But she noticed something else, too. Her own kind was nowhere to be seen, well, not to her eyes. This only made her draw the cool green silk hood further up about her head, hiding the pointed ears and delicate features that would mark her as what she was. She was hated enough back at home. She didn't want people here to know that she was an Elf.

And it wasn't like she hadn't come prepared. She smiled as she slung her pack over her shoulder, enough hard coins to last her until she could set up shop here. Inside her pack must be things, artifacts, fabrics that these people had never seen, and they'd fetch a fine price indeed. She'd managed to get her hands on a few VERY rare things, scross and fine jewelry, desert gold and a few black ivory pieces, plus one ring reported to have magic inside. She grinned at the thought of that, even tried it on herself, and she had to admit, it felt... off, lighter than it should have been.

Yes, she'd live there. And with any amount of fortune, live well.

She was still wandering, looking around at the buildinds, and most importantly, people of the city, when she bumped into him. He had the look of one of the lower class about him, with a purchase on him. Courier? Didn't matter! For her hood had dislodged, letting the sun shine down briefly on the pointed tips of her ears before she could snatch up the hood and murmur her apology.

Hmm, most likely not, Master Khasmir.

As the group entered the great hall Calis took a quick look about the room, checking for possible dangers then, at Shirlath Ashiria's words he stepped forward, speaking before Khasmir had the chance,

Eh, I am very sorry, Lord Ashiria, I kept Master Khasmir this morning with my idle chatter. I must have lost track of time, again, I am sorry.

She stood still, not even her breathing hinting at her existence, against a wall near Shirkath's chair. Her piercing crimson eyes watched each person at the table carefully, then looking to the windows and the rest of the elaborate dining hall.
Alystin had eaten hours ago, when most had been asleep or going to bed. She had little time to relax, with 6 rival houses, who had everything to gain and little to lose from "freeing up market space."

"While I am disappointed that you kept my son, Calis," the elder Ashiria began, "I appreciate your honesty. Besides, he should learn to rise and fall at reasonable hours if he expects to run this business someday."

"Define 'reasonable', father," Khasmir said as he settled in his chair. "What is reasonable for one man is not so for another."

"Easily done," Shirlath said, "I mean to say you should rise when the sun peeks over the buildings and fall when the moon is halfway to the middle of the sky."

Khasmir's only response was a miserable grunt as he looked down at his breakfast. It had long gone cold and half of it seemed to be missing.

"I took the liberty of giving some of your breakfast to the dogs," Shirlath said, smirking to himself. "They at least know when to do their jobs."

"I hope they enjoyed it," Khasmir said, trying to look unfettered, though his growling stomach made his disappointment all too obvious. With a sigh, he took his fork and knife and dug into his breakfast.

"Make haste and eat," Shirlath said, glowering at his son. "We've much to do before the sun is high, and thanks to your dawdling, we've so little time to do it."

"Yes well, you can blame Calis for that," he said, winking at the young guardsman. "I believe he had something to say to you, by the way."

Oh, yes. I did have some business to discuss this morning. As you know, House Nasiir has been at odds with your esteemed House for quite some time now... well, I caught one of their agents this morning in the early hours just before sunrise attempting to scry into this building. I'm not sure what he was looking for because he wouldn't talk so naturally, I had to dispose of him. Ordinarily, this wouldn't worry me but this is the fifth time in the past eight days that this has happened.

Khasmir snarled, his mouth full of food, but did not look up. Shirlath sighed and looked to the young guardsman.

"Your concerns are not misplaced," he said, his brow furrowing in concern. "I doubt that House Nasiir would be bold enough to stage a usurpment. I'm not sure what to predict ever since that snake Murthal Nasiir took over the family's reigns."

He casually rubbed the dull copper band around his middle finger. To those who did not know Shirlath well, it was simply a nervous action. That was exactly what Shirlath depended on every time he used the ring's power.

Send word to the other assassins. He projected the words mentally to Alystin, lurking in the shadows. I want this entire house watched at all times. If someone with so much as a hair from Nasiir shows up, kill them and alert me immediately.

He scowled at Khasmir once again.

"Aren't you done yet?" He thrust an arm towards the window, pointing to the rapidly climbing sun. "It's practically highsun! We're expecting guests by then!"

She spoke up, her voice still soft, and sometimes difficult to hear, she wasn't used to speaking loudly, "Five of them, You weren't able to get anything out of them...?"
She wasn't really surprised, mages tended to easily silence themselves and build up mental barriers against most forms of interrogation."

She looked over to Shirlath, a bit of worry made it's mark on her forehead, but nobody could tell. She fiddled with with the ring on her finger, seemingly out of boredom, but she was, in actuality, transmitting her thoughts to her Master...
~Aye, sir... I'll do it personally...~
She knew Murthal Nasiir, and even if his spies and espionage were a bit sloppy and careless, he had enough force to compensate.

Such praise should not be wasted on me, Lord Ashiria, I merely do my job. I will keep my eye out for further infringements on the privacy and safety of this House. And no, I couldn't get anything out of the spys, you know how they are.

He waits to be formally excused before leaving.

[ 06-30-2001: Message edited by: ArchAngel ]

"Be off now," he said, nodding his head in gratitude. "My son and I have much to do while you patrol." He scowled at his son once again. "If he's finished stuffing his face, that is."

"Quite," Khasmir said, swallowing his final chunk of food. "I'm prepared."

"You're not," Shirlath said, shaking his head. "No heir to House Ashiria will show up to address people dressed in his nightrobe." He rose to his feet and pointed back to the stairs. "Be off and change, then meet me in the greeting chambers."

"With pleasure." Khasmir made a flourish bow of mockery and padded off to the stairs, smiling appreciatively at Calis as he did.

"One moment," Shirlath said, causing the young man to stop in his tracks. The elder Ashiria looked to the bald-headed butler still standing behind the chair.

"Onruh," he said, "accompany the young Khasmir. Make sure he goes directly to change in his chambers." He folded his arms over his chest and glowered at the younger Ashiria. "No dawdling by the harem."

"Certainly, Master Ashiria," Onruh said with a respectful bow. He slowly walked over to the staircase and trudged alongside Khasmir as they marched up the stairs.

"I don't think this is necessary," Khasmir grumbled just loud enough for Onruh to hear. "You don't think I'd be so irresponsible as to cavort in my harem now, do you?"

"I have the utmost faith in you, Master Khasmir," the servant said with a slight smile. "And, considering you to be nothing but truthful, there should be no objections from either of us if I accompany you."

"You've become more clever since you shaved your head," Khasmir growled softly as they reached the top of the staircase. "Perhaps your hair was cutting off the air to your brain before."

"Perhaps," the butler said, being unfazed by the minor insult. "I should be thankful that it also gave me the focus to perform my duties without frolicking amongst a horde of scantily-clad ladies."

"Yes indeed," Khasmir said with a tired nod. "I'm certain of it now. From this day forth, you are forbidden to keep your hair from growing."

Of course, Lord Ashiria.

He did an about-face and walked out of the hall, brushing his black hair behind his pointed ears, giving into a nervous habit of his, and again looking around for possible dangers.

[OOC note: Hey, he's actually a non-drow elf, how 'bout that. ]

A while later, Lierkin finished the floor. The guard hadn't moved but had occasionally glanced in Lierkin's direction. Something seemed odd about the gurad, and Lierkin only noticed it when he was close to the guard.
~He's wearing Ner'tok cloth!~ Lierkin screamed in his mind, trying to think of what to do.
~I can't raise an alarm, I'm only a floor cleaner! If the Ner'tok family is here acting as a guard...~ Lierkin stood up and collected his cleaning things. He left the room and ran the rest of the way to the servant's entry room. He deposited his cleaning materials then ran to the kitchen. The chef looked up and frowned.
"What are you doing here?" The chef asked.
"Where is Madam Alystin, I have to talk to her immediately?" Lierkin said, playing on a hunch.
"In the breakfast room. Master Khasmir is there as well. Do not disturb him! If it is important then collect the dishes!" The chef replied.
"Yes Master Chef, excuse me Master Chef." Lierkin said, backing away and quietly slipping into the breakfast room. Alystin was standing not too far away, so Lierkin quietly walked over to her and put a note in her closest hand that read:

I must speak with you. It is a matter of high importance to the House. Meet me in the servant's entry room.

Lierkin stepped forward and collected a few of the empty dishes from the table then exited the room. He put the dishes in the kitchen then ran back to the servant's entry room.

Having some time to himself, Karnaj mused on various happenings in the city while he had been here. The other Houses had been upset with Ashiria for one reason or another, but it wasn't too obvious right now. They seemed to be content to harass one another with their assasins right now. Far less ostentatious, if nothing else.

He pulled the hood of his robe down further to completely set his face in shadow. He tucked his hands inside their massive sleeves so his dark blue skin would not be immediately spotted. After all, he was stil Drow.

His sharp ears picked up footsteps approaching him. He quickly steeled himself for the encounter.

-I have to get those damn floors done....ugh.-

Starting with the bottom floor, she dropped to her hands and knees. Kyria scrubbed every square inch of the floor she could. Occasionally, someone would walk by, over the freshly scrubbed floor. She would scowl at them and fix the mistake. She didn't care who she scowled at; they wouldn't take offense anyway. Many of them were servants who knew what it was like to be scrubbing the floors. Her knuckles were raw before she had even finished half the hallway.

-Ugh....make it stop....how did I get into this mess?-

"What's got you so excited, friend? Something up?"

He always was friendly to the servants, which lost him the good graces of many of the 'nobler people'.

[ 06-30-2001: Message edited by: ArchAngel ]

The objects would prove most vital for the hand crossbow which he jammed into his sash opposite of them. His father had always stressed the importance of carrying a weapon and the subtle mastery of the hand crossbow. The truth was, Khasmir favored the weapon and had become an excellent shot with it over the years.

Each dart he had concealed in his sash were thoroughly coated with poisons of all kind. Amongst other kinds of alchemical dealings, the Ashirias were well-known for their fondness of poisons and venoms.

Patting his concealed weapons comfortably, he strode out of his chambers and down the hall towards the stairs with Onruh at his side. As they came to the bottom, Khasmir spied an attractive young woman busily scrubbing the floors.

His first instinct was to walk over and make idle banter with the servant girl, but Onruh's strong hand yanking on the scruff of his shirt dispelled that thought.

"There will be plenty of time for you to chase women later in the day," the butler said as they resumed their walk towards the greeting hall.

"You're no fun, you know that?" The young man grumbled and sighed simultaneously.

Neither of them spoke another word until they arrived in the large hall that was used to greet guests of House Ashiria. Shirlath sat on a large wooden chair on a raised marble dais. Sitting opposite and lower of him was a hooded fellow.

"It's about time," Shirlath snapped at his son, glowering at the young man. "Our guest has been waiting for some time."

"Surely a man of such patience could stand to wait a little longer," Khasmir mumbled as he took a seat next to his father. He cast a quick glance around the room.

It seemed a pretty room, after all, it was the first thing the guests would see. However, standing still as statues in the shadows of the overhangs in the room were the Ashiria Assassins. They all stared at the hooded guest with unwavering gazes, looking as if they weren't even alive so still they stood. Though it was hard to tell in the darkness, Khasmir could make out the hand crossbows in their grips, no doubt each one loaded with a poisoned dart.

"My apologies."

Khasmir looked to Shirlath as the elder Ashiria addressed his guest with a sidelong glare at his son.

"We're quite sorry to have kept you waiting, Sir..." Shirlath looked to the hooded man, waiting for some introduction.

-Such a beautiful room...-

Her untrained eyes did not notice the Ashiria Assassins, and she barely noticed the guest. The mumblings of both Khasmir and Shirlath interested her, although she could not catch any of the entire phrases.

".....apologies.."

"....sorry........you waiting..."

She almost drew a weapon when the servant girl had stepped into the room, before turning back to the guest.

They all sat. Karnaj declined any refreshment, and cut right to the point. "Gentlemen, I'm looking to purchase several reagents for my alchemical research. I relize that this seems like a rather strange place to ask you, but the reagents I seek are both strange in origin and compulsion. Compensation for said reagents will be more than adequate."

Shirlath spoke, "Whatever we have to sell should be available in one of our shops."

"I doubt that," Karnaj said easily. From his sleeve he produced a small, folded sheet of paper. Shaking it open, it revealed an itemized list. Karnaj glanced at it to make sure it was correct.

It read:
A hundredweight of powdered dragon bone
Seventeen fangs of dragon
Thirty underbelly scales of dragon
A twentyweight of dragon flesh
A square-yard sheet of dragonwing membrane

He handed the list across to Shirlath, and awaited their reaction.

~They're probably just for show. Maybe for the guest room.~ was the last thought of kristopher as he opened the main door and stepped in.

"Good. Now you can take a break while you wait for some additional tasks to be needed," said the taskmaster.

"Thank you, sir. May I ask what these are for?" replied Kris.

"Nothing you really need to know, Kris. Now, off with you."

Kris walked off in the direction of the servant's room. He soon noticed that Kyria was cleaning the path he was going to use. He decided not to dirty the floor with his dusty sandals and took the other route.

[ 06-30-2001: Message edited by: Cantor Trinkett ]

-AUGH!!! I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE SCRUBBING THE FLOORS!-

No need to bow to me... I'm not as important as some seem to think I am.

He picked up on the unsureness of the responce,

You don't sound too certain of that... please, if something is amiss, it's extremely important that you tell me.

"What?! But I...I didn't say anything...."

Kyria stares at him in puzzlement.

Kris started to walk again. ~I must be working too hard. I need a break.~ He thought.

Shirlath raised an eyebrow and reclined in his chair. He casually stroked his moustache and watched as the shadow-dwelling assassins pulled back the strings to their tiny weapons.

Perhaps it was his own nervousness about the current difficulties with House Nasiir, or perhaps it was instinct that set him on edge. There were two things certain about Shirlath Ashiria, however; he had a nose for magic-users, and he was never caught by surprise.

"That's quite a bit of dragon parts you're seeking," the elder Ashiria said. "I might have some, and I might not. I could have the servants check our stocks." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "However, Sir Karnaj, dragon parts are rarely used in regular alchemical studies. Might I inquire what you seek to use them for?"

The direness of his father's tone was lost on Khasmir as he slouched in his chair and yawned widely. He cast a lazy glance about the room, searching for the shadowed form of Alystin. It would be nice to at least have something pleasant to look at during all this banter.