Thar Shaddin

The first thing Drayel woke to was the horrid stench. His eyes shot open and he spluttered as his scrambled brain tried to understand what just happened. Around him other guards were howling like wild animals, scrambling around with some in nothing but their tighty whities. Averting his eyes Drayel plugged his nose, growling deeply when he found the source of the stench. A bag no doubt filled with something rotten. Snarling he grabbed it and heaved it as far as it could go, through the broken window and somwhere into the neighbours yard.

"Damn brats!" Drayel roared as he heard the cackling of the little bastards somewhere below. Fuming he debated getting his crossbow but it being late at night and his mind not quite with it he'd probably hit the neighbours cat instead. Not a good choice seeing as he already threw the shit bomb over their fence.

"I'll rip your little -"

"Drayel, calm down!" One of the guards chidded behind him. He wheeled around and bared his teeth at the man. Cowering the man struggled against the fierce aura. "I-I'm just saying you're waking up the whole town. Look for them tommorrow."

"You have a point." Drayel growled stomping back to his bed. "Fine, I'll find the little bastards tommorrow and when I'm through with them, they'll bawl like the little maggots they are."

"Y-yes sir." The guard cowered as he scrambled away. "G-goodnight sir."

"Goodnight." With that Drayel curled back into the cooling covers, his lips curling up in a vengeful sneer.

I'll get you yet you little maggots.

Asmodius had been working late shifts here lately...most of the other guards were back at the barracks and asleep right now, but he was still out patrolling the streets of marn...it was a dark, cool night much like an autumn day and a gentle breeze rolled through the streets.

He had been heading back to the barracks, having finally tired out and ready to go to bed, when he heard thunderous yelling...that was drayels brutish voice that boomed like thunder, even though it was indistinct, he knew the bellow from the many times it had been turned on him during his early days as a guard.

He took off at a dash, his armor and boots clomping and clanking as they were jostled about by his erratic running motions, the walls and scenery blurring together on both sides: finally he came to the door out front of the barracks, it having been a good 15 minutes...even from here he could smell something rather foul in the air.

His boots crunched on broken glass...drayel must've gotten pissed and shot out the window with his crossbow again, and so asmodius stormed in and thudded up the stairs into the quarters, before loudly asking "Whats going on? I heard drayel from the business district."

The loud bang of a door and the sharp demands of a guard woke Drayel up for the second time and needless to say he was not a happy guardsman. His eyes shot open and his snarl came on full force. Slowly his head turned inch by inch while the other guards frantically tried to shush the newly entered guard. One look and Drayel felt his temper peak. It was that damn Asmodius Bloodhawk, one of the few who survived Drayel's often violent outbursts. Growling he rolled over to get a better look at them.

"Why the hell are you yelling?" Drayel snarled giving all of them his darkest glare. All but Modius seemed to cower from him. Drayel snorted but passed it off. The other guard answered his question with a shaky smile.

"He heard you yelling and came to check up on us. Isn't that nice?"

"I'll rip off your face if you smile again." Drayel growled before turning back to Modius. Giving him a half assed sneer he propped himself up with arm, his bare chest shivering as he barely contained his fury. "A bunch of ruffians decided to throw a stink bomb through the window. Don't look at me like that, I didn't shoot em. Didn't want to shoot the neighbours cat."

"Hey, why don't you two work together to find the culprits?" Drayel glared at the man before a slight smirk went across his face.

"yes... lets."

Asmodius listened silently: He was more like a rock than a volcano, he let the waves crash over him and break, before saying

"The only reason I came to check is because I expected that someone might be killed, and if one of you bastards died i'd have to pick up your slack. Sounds like someone was just sick of your shit, drayel...but in the morning i'll help you out. i'm exhausted from patrolling...buncha damn drunks down at the bar stirring up trouble."

Asmodius grumbled as he headed over to his bed, passing drayel and the other guards un-phased by any dirty looks they might be shooting him for waking them...didn't bother him:

he was still receiving his paycheck at the end of the day, and he had a place to stay. He refused to move his armor, and chose to lay on top of his bed.

He curled up, no blankets over him, his back to the rest of the guards and hands folded under his cheek like a pillow as he curled up and tucked tight so the bed would be long enough, as it creaked and sagged from his size. He called out "G'night." and closed his eyes.

Come morning Drayel was the unhappiest and probably the most violent reactive guard on patrol. Beside him walked Bloodhawk though why he couldn't quite remember. He remembered the crap bomb, the little bastards and somebody yelling and waking him up for the second time. The rest he had to get filled in from the guard who for some reason smiled then paled and stopped almost immediately after.

"It looks like they hit the wall more than once." he grumbled looking sourly at the wall. Sure enough splattered brown spots covered the bricks from about a half story up. "Aren't trained for their arm thats a given."

A loud yawn escaped his lips before he could even try to stop it. Tired he struggled to keep his brain moving despite the urge to forget whatever was happening and find a bench and sleep. Even a damn patch of grass would be good if it wasn't for the chance of being mugged or killed. He rubbed his eye as he glanced over at his companion.

"Well? What do you think Bloodhawk?"

"Like you said, probably just a bunch of damn talentless kids that decided to come out here and fuck with the guards to show how badass they were. I dont think you've got much of a chance of tracking them down Dray." Asmodius was examining the wall...the putrid odor didn't face him quite so much, rather he just ignored it. He was tired, but he'd never been one to lag...he was either asleep or awake, there was no in-between for him.

Then he added "Anyone in particular that you pissed on lately who wasn't on the guard?" Asmodius may've stood a good two inches over drayel, and talked to him like he was a peice of shit, but in reality he had a lot of respect for the man. He was part of the reason asmodius had become as hardboiled as he had after joining the guard, and it came in handy when he had to deal with strenuous situations.

Asmodius looked around for anything that peaked his interest, hoping to find some more clue's other than a bag full of rotten dragon shit and brown splotches...he knew drayel wouldn't be much help finding evidence whilst he was still in this state...tired and mad.

Fayane had heard of the ruckus from her home in the middle of the night. Between Jerial's wages her and own, they had managed to keep a small home just outside of the barracks, do the insult had slapped her as well. Jerial hadn't been pleased with the stench, and had grumbled more-so on the human's "stupid and bloody loud noise." Fay couldn't help but to agree, the familiar voice causing a headache. Drayel had never been a quiet guard by any means. So, when the morning had risen, Fay had set out to assist the guards who had gathered to find the culprits. Jerial was working that day so it wasn't as though she had much to do, and her contracts were only during the night.

She stood silently by, listening to the men have their silly testosterone-war before slipping silently forward, her mind already in her assassin mode.

"Guardsmen. It is good to see you, though I wish it under better circumstances." She never stopped to think that perhaps taking a mere shit-disturbance to be anything but serious was silly, and continued. "I wish to assist you in apprehending the young culprits responsible." Already her delicate nose was picking up scents among the shit - faint as it was. Though technically she could just follow the trail of shit-scent; and as unpleasant as the idea was, it was likely the best idea so far.

Allen, to say the least, was not in the best of moods. He'd gone out to drink, have some fun, grope some leggy human females, and generally leave Chess the house for some magic-crap. And then of course the barman kicked Allen out for pinching his daughters ass. Bloody sodding tosser.... So then Allen stumbles down some back street and falls asleep. What does he wake up to? Being naked... like the muggers didn't even have the decency to leave him his loincloth.

Hungover and naked, Allen stumbles down the back alleys, cursing the muggers ancestors.

Drayel growled as he glared at the newest addition to the group. He had seen her around before... but never too close. She must have known him though if she spoke his name. He grunted as he struggled to put a name to her face. His slow brain kicked in a little late but he jerked up as his eyes widened in realization.

"You're Fayane." He said stupidly, his bloodshot eyes widened as stared at her. "The woman who lives across.... across the street."

The woman who lives in the house where I threw the crap bag. Drayel realized blushing heavily. Dammit he screwed up. Not only did he sound like an idiot now but he threw a shit bag into another guards lawn. If that didn't spell ass hole then Drayel wasn't sure what did. Clearing his throat Drayel continued on, forcing his stoic features back into place.

"You're another guard then? What is your intrests in our mission?"

Asmodius had to keep himself from laughing as he said, stoic as ever "Hello. Yeah, everyone knows drayel because of his big-damn mouth...it preceeds him. And I'm sure he's sorry for tossing the crap bag into your yard, ma'am."

He shot drayel a 'Nana-nana boo-boo' look over his shoulder, before again making the point "We still dont have many leads, because everyone hates you drayel,,,Hell, i've thought about tossing a bag of crap through your window before."

Fayane was about to respond to Drayel when the other guard - Bloodhawk wasn't it? - interrupted her. She tilted her head before looking back towards her house, where indeed, across her yard, a bag of shit lay splattered. Vaguely she wondered how Jerial would react to this...

"Nothing to worry about..." Fay murmured before turning back to the two men. "I'm sure its an improvement." Not true, but she didn't want the men to be upset. Besides... this would give her mate something to do if he was bored.

"Moving on, shouldn't we simply follow the scent? Shit can't be hard to detect even for you two." Fay's voice held a small level of amusement before she simply turned on her heel and began following the odur, her sharp nose keeping track until- "Well hellooo tall, dark and leggy! See something ye like?" Fay looked down at the dwarf, her eyes cold.

"No. My mate is tall and light. You are short and stocky, dwarf, I have no interest in you, though I am curious as to why in the name of Theogious you're naked."

Allen was cold, tired, hung-over and wet. He was in quite the sour mood until he saw his favourite human, another human and- WOAH! Sexy leggy female! "Well hellooo tall, dark and leggy! See something ye like?" Her eyes... holy changers... and he thought the streets were cold. It was like staring into living ice.

"No. My mate is tall and light. You are short and stocky, dwarf, I have no interest in you, though I am curious as to why in the name of Theogious you're naked." Ahhhh taken... that explains how she was able to resist his dwarven charm. Though she could've been nicer about it.

"Got mugged." Allen grunted. "Was stupid enough to pass out drunk on the streets... oi leggy!" Allen barked at the one male guard he knew, "Got a shirt a dwarf can borrow? Been streaking all soddin day and my junk feels like its about to freeze clean off!"

Drayel blinked before he crouched to eye the naked dwarf. Slowly his eyes softened and he put a hand on the dwarf's shoulder. A pleasant smile crossed his face as Drayel snorted though his eye gleamed with mischief.

"That my dear Dwarfen brother, is why you shouldn't drink until you pass out." Drayel scolded kindly. "As for the shirt I will do you better. I'll even get you a pair of pants to go with it."

Standing Drayel headed back towards the barracks, guiding Allen with the gentlest of nudges as he headed for the supplies room. Surely there would be a shirt and pants the size for a dwarf. If not then he'd make due and tie a rope for a belt and cut off the legs. It wouldn't be a fashion statement but it would cover his nethers at least.

"So tell me Allen." Drayel mused as he opened the door and ushered him in despite the odd stares from the other guards. "How is it that a manly Dwarf like you could get mugged despite your manly beard?"

"So....I believe your name is fayane, right?" asmodius asked as he waited for drayel and the tiny dwarf to return...he continued, saying "I've seen you around a bit, but I don't think we've ever really interacted before."

He put his hand behind his head and asked "So...exactly what persuaded you to join the guard? I originally took the job because I had a bar-tab that needed paying, and fighting is what i'm good at. I put a couple of drunks on their ass one-day in front of drayel and another guard, and they offered me the job for performing civic duties."

Fay watched Drayel and the naked dwarf move away before snapping her attention to the human before her, her eyes like ice as her memories surfaced. "I was raised an assassin. Once my Father passed, I took to the only job that would offer me the three things I desired most: the outlet for my abilities within reason, a source of information and a method of protecting others." She eyed the man, something akin to amusement hidden deep beneath the ice.

"I have seen you within the area, however, and I am indeed Fayane. I believe you are the one known as Bloodhawk?" She inquired, turning her head to hide her ears as she shifted them subtly, she wanted to make sure the two men would be back shortly, the quiet times on the streets were nearly over and she wanted to catch the brats that did this.