Legacy of the Frozen North: The Eye of the Yeti

[Therin]

According to Ryltaran legend, which now survives only in the nearly empty libraries of that country, there is a point north of which none may go. None, that is, who was not born there. The barbaric customs of the tribes of the deep north are still remembered; the most torturous and violent that our world had to offer. No one now remembers when they dissappeared, or why, or how. It is said that one day, they simply vanished, and have not been seen since. Like any people, however, they have their stories. The Eye of the Yeti represents but one.

While the artifact itself was passed down from one tribal ruler to the next for many years, the story of the Eye was only told on very rare occasions, and never in the presence of softlanders. We may never come to know it in its entirety. The object, however, represents a piece of a fast dissappearing history, which, with your help, we intend to retrieve. So to that end...To Ryltar, young Zzyxx of the Frozenblade, to save history from the ravages of time.

-------

Tylan. The three major cities of this half of the world each possess their own unique feel and personality. Norwind is a center of learning, and academic achievement, while Miniopia is the gem of the free world, the mixing pot where race and species collide and interweave. Tylan, capital of Ryltar, represents trading, and wealth. By far the most opulent and ostentatious of the three cities, the richly decorated dachas of the munificent half of Tylan’s populace seem to jockey for positions closer to the Grand Palace in the center of the city. The poorer sections of the city seem to have been piled atop one another, laddered tiers separating one layer of intermixed buildings from the next.

Where Norwind’s thaumaturgical academy is the premier school of magic, and Miniopia Tower is hands down the most impressive feat of engineering in the world to date, neither rivals the Grand Palace in Tylan for looks. The sprawl of courts and towers radiates like rays of sunlight from the massive central complex of the tower. Out of the center of this rises the tower of the royal suite, gleaming in the cold morning sun like a golden beacon to be seen from miles around.

Tylan’s harbor is the southernmost point in all of Ryltar, the only port in the entire country that doesn’t freeze over in the cold season. It is here that the lower slabs of the social pyramid go about their daily business. Like huge, grinding gears deep in the belly of a machine, the merchants and traders that call the city their home hawk their wares and make their products in peace, completely oblivious to the scandals that descend in waves from the center of the city. The harbor is the heart and soul of the city, and if there is any information to be gleaned about ancient Ryltaran legends, it will be heard here, from the mouths of the commonfolk.

[Zzyxx]

Zzyxx, of course, knew none of the history behind the Yeti's Eye. He knew only that a group of people made it and they lived int he far north country. Country like that was home to Zzyxx, a Frost Elf. His seedier past gave him instincts that woul prove very useful of missions like this. So far north, his sneaking abilities were multiplied. He moved to Tylan over the course of next few days by sea. His ship the Ice Breacker was barely sea worthy, and he had to land in the more run down section of the harbor. When he reached the city of Tylan he could tell right a away that a city full of merchants and traders would undoubtedly have a guild or guilds of thevies and assassins. Thevies didn't only steal money, Zzyxx knew this. He was very well experianced in the underworld maneuvering that took place in cities like this.

The first thing Zzyxx did was make a place for his base of operations. He was never accustom to exorborence so a simple abandom shack near the slums worked wonderfully. Next, he found the biggest tough he could find. He stalked him for a few days, learned his route, who his contacts were, his favorite food, everything. Zzyxx eventually killed him and left his clan emblem of the corpse. He posted it a few other areas so the local criminal agencies could seek him out. The last thing he did was blend in. He moved with the crowds, gaining familiarity with the people. He gleened what information he could off evesdroping, but he asked no direct questions, not yet.

[Azurel]

In a back alley in the slums, Zzyxx had just slain another man. He had done well in targeting these people; they were people that the city guards would ignore, being poor, but they were important people to those that lived in the slums. He killed butchers, merchants, tanners, weavers; that would certainly grab the Assassin's Guild's attention.

The Assassin's Guild had ties in every section of the city, unlike the city guard. Such deaths would not be allowed, clients were dying and even more showed up to put a price on the head of this rogue assassin. There were two ways the Guild would go about an assassin. The first was a payment from a single person for a direct assassination, that was how they did the brunt of their business. The second came from what was known in the Assassin's Guild as a "wanted pot." People, people that knew how to find the Assassin's Guild that is, would donate money to the wanted price of a person, or group of people if that's what was needed. The more money that was thrown into the wanted pot--the more bounty that these people had on their heads--the more effort they put into the killings. There was now enough money, donated by the people in the slums, to warrant Zzyxx's assassination. The Guild had, however, decided that this assassin was good and wanted to try and sign him up, if not, they would carry out the kill.

Zzyxx had thrown a small bit of cloth that bore his clan's emblem towards the fallen body and he watched it as it disappeared in mid-air.

"No need for that."

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once, the voice of a true assassin. Zzyxx looked around, not readily able to sense someone with his own profession. Zzyxx caught something out of the corner of his eye, and odd shape on the top of a roof, he could have sworn he had already looked there. The man wore cloth dyed in almost darkness itself. The pants and shirt were long and form-fitting, tucking under the ankles of his shoes, at his waist, and under the wrappings on his wrists. His gloves were thin and almost non-existant to allow for dexterity without leaving fingerprints. There was another cloth under his shirt, it ran up his neck and covered his face as a tight mask. There was a brief line of skin, the only skin visible on his entire body, where his cold, blue eyes stared down at Zzyxx in the moonlight. Above it was a black headband, waving in the night breeze.

"We need to talk.

[Zzyxx]

Zzyxx was truely shocked at the skill of this assassin. Zzyxx inwardly cursed his lapsed skills and he wondered if reject the shadow had been a good idea in this kinda of sneaking job.

"Took you long enough. Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed with your skill, but it seems to me that the guild would have moved more quickly."

Zzyxx looked up at the assassin. Zzyxx jumped back, landing on a roof across the street from the assassin so that he could be on equal footing. If it came to a fight, Zzyxx didn't want the disadvantage of being on the downhill side. Variah was lurking in the street, wait for a whistle or signal. Again, she was under the guise of a stray wolf-dog, but he was much more, and much more deadly.

"What have you to say, assassin?"

The breeze of the night from the harbor caused Zzyxx duster to billow back. Perfect thought Zzyxx That'l make a quick draw easier

[Azurel]

"Your price wasn't high enough to warrant an assassination. And my reason for coming was to take you in. The higher-ups wish to speak with you if they could."

The assassin didn't ever have to take his eyes off of Zzyxx; he had been born and raised in this part of town and he excelled in his training, he knew everything that had, was, and was going to go on during this assignment.

[Zzyxx]

Zzyxx let a slight smirk cross his face.
Perfect, just as planned
"Alright, assassin, I'm in, take me to your leaders."

Zzyxx assumed a relaxed stance. His hand gestures seemed inocent enough, but he was signaling his wolf to follow him and the assassin.

[Azurel]

ooc: -looks around- sorry, Therin was going to take over for a bit -glares at Therin-

bic:

They travelled across rooftops of the slums the way assassins always did: without anybody noticing. The sock-covered feet of the black assassin were barely visible as he ran quickly across the straw and tiled roofs; for as visible as they were, they were even less audible.

Zzyxx followed this man, given the codename WhiteWind upon his acceptance into the Assassin's Guild, through the slums and inward towards the palace. Straw roofs became rare and clay tiled roofs became more common. The buildings were larger and no longer piled upon eachother. Guards actually walked these streets, though brave men they were for they were spread out thin in this middle class section of Tylan and they would not be able to properly call for backup. Guards. A guard of Tylan hadn't caugt a Guild assassin for centuries in this town; no need to worry about them.

A building was noticable, raised above the generally level rooftops, one of the Guild Halls. There were 8 Guild Halls in total in the city, 5 in the richer parts of the city, 3 in the middle class, none in the slums. The building got closer as they changed directions, running towards it. A gap between the roofs of the houses and the wall of the Guild Hall was getting more and more noticable as they got closer. There were two ways to get into the Hall: the front door for...normal people; guards, business associates, tax collectors, those sort. The other entrance was the very top of the rectangular-pillar-shaped Guild Hall. It had four sides and at the top floor was a single window, almost as big as a door, on each side, the only windows on the entire building.

Inside on the top floor, a single room lay with the four open windows, there were two guards; not city-paid guards, but assassin guards posted to prevent unwanted entry from those four windows. The south wall of that room silently flashed green and the men rose and drew their swords. A spell was placed on those walls that was connected to a set of spell triggers placed on the roofs of the surrounding buildings.

WhiteWind jumped at the last second, feet curving over the edge of the roof that overlooked the gap between itself and the Guild Hall. An assassin's jump, perfected from training, sent WhiteWind at the southern window. Two clangs of metal were heard before his feet landed on the inner floor of the top room in the Guild Hall. WhiteWind stood, head facing forward, with a dagger in each hand. One was raised blocking a sword from coming down on his neck and the other was blocking a sword from his left thigh.

"W-WhiteWind? But, you weren't told of the new prevention method, how did you know where we were going to attack?" One of the guards muttered.

"You're too slow," He said coldly, putting a push on his daggers, sending the now loosely held swords back towards their owners.

He sheathed his daggers and walked forward to allow for another to enter.

"He's with me."

ooc: ^_^ I'm really pleased with this post.

[Therin]

ooc: *grin* See? Now, think what I would have done, and stop glaring at me. ^_^

bic:

"His arrogance will get him killed one of these days."
"Yet he is useful, is he not?"
"He is, indeed. This other, though..."
"Indeed, the outsider. We shall see."
"We shall."

[Azurel]

ooc: but if I glare, I can almost see through your clothes -glares harder-

[Zzyxx]

Zzyxx followed Whitewind, moving silently despite his heavy equipment and steel toed boots. Something you never forget how to do. Variah had followed them as well, but she was waiting outside the guild hall. SHe too moved unseen. Zzyxx was impressed with Whitewind's speed. There were very few who could move that fast and Zzyxx was not amoung them. He had always been more of a tactician. He leanred everything about his prey before the kill. "Know your enemy and know yourself" that had been his creed. He gave up that kind of work a several years ago, but he developed alot of clout in those days. The "Frozen Shadow," as he was known then, was one of the best.

Upon entrance into the guild hall, his first instict was to look around and take note of every piece of furniture, every window, every grain of dirt on the floor, everything. Again, his logistcal analysis preceded his action. It didn't matter, his analysis didn't take longer than a second.

"Who am i to meet with?"

Zzyxx pulled his duster back (he had serval nasty things hidden all over that thing) and put his hands in the pockets of his pants.