If Shen were excited with the prospect of dry land, he most certainly didn't show it. He trod down the gangplank casually enough, then picked that first step onto the dock. He didn't so much as look back at the ship or the crew, he'd quite frankly spent enough time on the blasted vessel and had no desire to stay any longer.
Cutting off limbs and treating malnutrition at sea was a rough life. He got plenty of quiet and buried his nose in books - when he could acquire them, but the smelly crew and their tendency to be drunken louts was something he did not care for. Yes, he could drink better than most of them; but he preferred other company. Namely, none.
He was something of a menacing figure, or at least alarming to most people. Bathed in black and long, loose folds draping from his coat, his chain and sickle swaying off one hip, his book bound and secure and dangling off the other, he tapped his pipe on his shoulder as he began to trudge the length of the dock back to solid ground.
He'd packed and lit it by the time he arrived and finally, with the long (some 3 feet) pipe perched at the corner of his mouth; he took in a deep breath and looked about with dark eyes. He lowered his glasses for a moment, seemed to spot something that held his immediate interest... and left the ship and the waters behind.
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
What catches Shen's attention were the boils on the man's face. What held his gaze was the man's blatant pickpocketing, though. How the ugly man pulled it off was a mystery. The poor girl whose jewelry he snatched was walking away completely unaware. The man stuffed the glittering bracelet into his shirt and set off at a good pace down the docks.
The crowd of people flowing into and out of ships was a bit dense. If someone were to run down the network of wharfs and docks at least one person would end up in the water.
OOC: Nice looking character and great entrance!
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2012 22:27:40 GMT -5 by Orp Boon
Shen watched the thief slip into the crowd and held in his laughter. He shook his head in a dismissive manner, pulled on his pipe through his grin and began to wander the store fronts on the water here.
He had a couple of ideas what he wished to do with his time here in Wistvale but what he needed was some opportunity. He had quite the idea on just whom he should see about that too, but that would wait as he was in no hurry.
No, he needed his land legs back first and foremost, he disliked that standing stationary had him feeling like he was rocking side to side. He toked on his pipe once more and let it slip from his lungs slowly, his eyes scanning over the myriad of people and places the docks district presented.
Post by Whizzlesprocket on Jul 15, 2012 22:56:21 GMT -5
"Oi." A small voice behind him demanded his attention. "Big guy. Pipe. Coat. Lookin' booksmarts. Down here." The gnome had her hands crossed over her chest, looking up at him expectantly. "Ya look like ya're a right smart guy, Booksmarts. Surely ya're knowin' 'bout how dangerous Wistvale's docks be. I can make sure ya got no problems ya're whole time here." She grinned widely. "What you say?"
T'all ya fine dandies, so proud, so cocksure, prancin' abowt wi' yer head ful'a the pink stuff...come an' get me, says I! I'll be waitin', wiv' a whiff'a me ol' brimstone! I'm a grim, bloody fable, with an unhappy bloody end!
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The stream of people carrying crates and barrels on and off of ships flows around the man and gnomes stopped in the middle of a wharf. They are mostly ignored by the laborers of the docks.
Shen turned about and peered down his nose at her, a shine on his glasses obscuring his eyes. He didn't seem at all bothered by her presence nor proposition, but finished his pipe and lifted his foot to tap it out upon the toe of his boot.
He then pressed his glasses further up his nose and leaned forward, smiling in an unpleasant manner.
"Oh. The only problem I have presently is you. So no."
He straightened up, spun on his heel and began on his way again without another word.
Post by Whizzlesprocket on Jul 15, 2012 23:07:37 GMT -5
She stared for a long moment, eyes wide in surprise....then she set her jaw and drew back into the crowd. No guards around for now; she climbed up a ladder to the roof beside where he was walking, sprinting across it and sliding off the roof and landing in front of him, dagger drawn, grin wide and manic across her face. "Bad choice, lad. Ya don't even know what kin'na trouble you just walked yerself into. Coulda given me a bit a' dosh an' been on ya're way, Booksmarts. Got somethin' to say now?"
T'all ya fine dandies, so proud, so cocksure, prancin' abowt wi' yer head ful'a the pink stuff...come an' get me, says I! I'll be waitin', wiv' a whiff'a me ol' brimstone! I'm a grim, bloody fable, with an unhappy bloody end!
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
A man sitting on the side of a nearby ship looks up from the leather-bound log book in his hands. Ten feet separate the edge of the wharf with Abby and Shen from the man's ship.
"Hey what's goings on, ye two?! I'll be calling the Sentinels, I wills!"
A few workers load crates onto the ship via a gangplank a ways down the wharf. The man dangling his feet over the side of the boat is the only person to have seen Abby's weapon so far.
EDIT: i said vanguard and meant sentinels
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2012 23:22:10 GMT -5 by Orp Boon
Shen studied her for a second time now, though his expression seemed entirely bored with the confrontation. He slid his pipe into his belt and looked to his side at the man who's just addressed them both, a hand lifting. It waved in front of Whizzle's eyes.
"No need to bring the authorities into this. Some people are just... blinded by ambition."
A brilliant flash of light burst from his hand then, hot and intense and directly into Whizzle's face. It wasn't painful but was brilliantly intense and certainly enough to blind a foolish gnomish mugger.
Again, he did little else but adjusted his glasses and walked past her side, on his way again. He said nothing else and did not so much as look back.
Post by Whizzlesprocket on Jul 15, 2012 23:33:39 GMT -5
She tried out in shock, staggering back a few paces, instantly a ball of curses that rose into barely coherent shouting. "Bloody cheater! Stupid gormless lit'le cheatin'--" At that she whipped her dagger towards him, barely grazing him because of her temporary blindness. "--son of a cheating bi--" After the dagger obviously didn't hit flesh, she launched herself into his legs, trying to knock him over.
T'all ya fine dandies, so proud, so cocksure, prancin' abowt wi' yer head ful'a the pink stuff...come an' get me, says I! I'll be waitin', wiv' a whiff'a me ol' brimstone! I'm a grim, bloody fable, with an unhappy bloody end!
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The man on the boat grabs a bunch of burly dock workers and surrounds the two. They are pulled back and separated. Two strong men hold back both Shen and Abby.
"Now what's all dis then, eh? I hate thems Vanguard as much as anyones but dis seems likes a prefect time to call em up."
The man from the ship has grabbed a tricorn hat and is straightening it on his head.
Shen didn't struggle or curse, fight or object; but merely shrugged off the arms about him and sighed. He slid the spectacles from his nose, produced a cloth from inside his coat and began to clean them without so much as looking at the gnome.
"Oh nothing. Truly. The gnome here and I are old friends is all. A little roughhousing and nothing else. Truly, I can tell her that her mother was a rabid goat herder with no shortage of patrons or exotic diseases and really, it would be taken in jest.
In fact, I could say that her father was an unintelligent goblin of no real account and that he suffered a terrible affliction for eating his own nose droppings and that he passed away whilst trying to bugger a rather unimpressed badger and that too, would be taken in the spirit of friendship."
He slipped the glasses back onto his face, then smiled wide at Whizzle. A glaring, cold smile.
"Just a misunderstanding gentlemen. There's no quarrel between us, is there you short, pig faced, kobold fetishist?"
Post by Whizzlesprocket on Jul 16, 2012 8:39:33 GMT -5
She tore her arms free of the men holding her, entire body tensed, coiled like a tiny spring. She was in a state of constant rage and indignation, normally, but this time she wasn't. There was a placid state of pure white fury beyond it, and it was here that she was now, face calm but her eyes a blazing inferno of hatred. "Ah, no quarrel, luv. Jus' wanted to give m'condolences fer the loss a' yer man bits ta disease. Shriveled up an' fell off, did they?" She smirked, a fiery crack across the porcelain mask. "Tol' ya not to pay fer the ogre harlot, but then 'e was pretty fetchin'. Shame bout the junk in the trunk, though I don' think anyone's real s'prised." A bit of a pause, cocking her head. "What you in town fer, pasty faced skinny lit'le dickless bleedin' pillock?"
T'all ya fine dandies, so proud, so cocksure, prancin' abowt wi' yer head ful'a the pink stuff...come an' get me, says I! I'll be waitin', wiv' a whiff'a me ol' brimstone! I'm a grim, bloody fable, with an unhappy bloody end!
Shen smiled and he too disguised his distaste for Whizzle, but wasn't foolish enough to warrant them alerting the authorities and being reprimanded. Oh, should she catch him in an alley, or out of town; he'd be more than willing to try some non-elective surgery upon the half-pint but presently, it was time to be on about his business.
"Well, as a Doctor I've heard a great deal of reports about a disease known as 'little person syndrome' in this area, but I am quite afraid that there is simply no treatment for it. A terrible affliction, most certainly."
He lit his pipe again and then looked about at the dock workers which had chosen to intervene in what might have truly been a nasty incident, then pointed it at Whizzle.
"Now. It's time for me to be on my way and for you to scurry back to class you cheeky scamp. I am sure the schoolmarm is losing patience waiting on you. I have grown up business to attend to."
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The man in the tricorn looks at Shen with a very different face.
"Did ye says doctah? We gots a man in the lower levels that he don't feels so swell. Hows about you help us out and we forgets dis whole shebang, eh?"
The man in the hat gives the workers a strange sort of nod with his head and they all go back to work loading the ship. Only a few piles of cargo are left.
"Ye come too, lil' lassy. Keeps them sharp points in check and ye won't sees a Sentinel cell tonight."