For the uninitiated, the city of Luskan is naught but a haven for crimes both petty and serious, from swindling and pick-pocketing to murder and slave-trafficking. But for those armed with sharp blades, keen eyes and a willingness to take advantage of the weak and naive, it was a place brimming with opportunities.
Lyris wouldn't say she was one of these opportunists. Or at least, not out of choice or avarice. She was doing it for survivals sake. She barely had two coppers to rub together, and not a friend in the world she could rely on.
The market was the best place to operate. Civilians and scum alike frequented the place. As such it was impossible for one to tell to tell whose. Lyris pulled up her hood and stepped into the crowd. Her slender frame meant she could blend in relatively unnoticed.
At this point, it was almost like second-nature to her–getting close to the target, bumping into them on "accident", cutting the strings of the coin-purse and catching it in one fluid motion. Her target was a human man who clearly had coin to spare judging from his figure. His over-indulgence only made it fair he should share his fortune with Lyris, who could not recall the last time she had enjoyed a meal that was not water-thin, brown broth of questionable origins.
'Watch where you're going, knife-eared cunt!' he spat.
Lyris ignored the slur, quickening her pace to put as much distance between the shem and herself as she could before the inevitable occurred. Sure enough, she'd barely walked ten steps before she had the sense to check for missing belongings.
'Oi–thief! Someone grab that she-elf!'
Lyris broke out into a run, barreling through a clustered group of people. They cursed her out but Lyris didn't slow her pace to apologize. She broke free of the throng gathered in the marketplace and took a sharp left down an alleyway. She kept on taking the twists and turns, forging further ahead into the back-alleys of the city. It wasn't until she realised while she had lost the human, she herself was hopelessly lost.
Lyris tried in vain to trace back the erratic path that had brought her here but she grew even more lost in the maze of identical, narrow cobbled streets. She took a right as she tried to recall the pattern and hoped to catch a glimpse of the market beyond.
She paused when she saw three hooded individuals loitering on the street. Though she was not one to judge a book by its cover, she was in Luskan. She took a step back, deciding not to risk this path. But as she did her back collided against something, and a tail wrapped around her waist.
Lyris glanced over her shoulder and saw a tiefling towering over her. His skin was black as coal, and his eyes completely white. The corners of his lips tugged into a small smile. From the periphery of her vision, she saw the three figures walk towards them.
Her hand reached for the daggers strapped to her belt before the tiefling's hand snatched her wrist.
'I wouldn't, if I were you,' he whispered in her ear. 'No matter how confident you are in your prowess in battle, surely you know when you're outnumbered.'
The other three removed their hoods. Two drow-elves that looked near identical to one another, and a muscular half-elf. One of the drow elves stepped forward and grabbed her chin, forcing their gazes to meet.
'I like her eye. Can I take her eyes?'
'Now now, Corrina. I know it's been a while since you last saw a baz'entai but try to contain yourself.'
The other drow ran his fingers through her hair.'You know these locks could fetch a pretty penny…'
Corrina looked at her twin, amused. "Really, Corvya, you're barbaric.'
The tiefling clapped his hands together. 'Now now. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need to do a thorough investigation of the goods. You never know what kind of unsavory diseases baz'entai pick up, frolicking and fornicating amongst wildlife like the animals they are.'
Lyris shoved her head backwards. A hollow CRACK reverberated through the streets. With his grip on her loosened, Lyris broke free of his grasp and swung for him. The half-elf lunged forward and grabbed her arm
'Lovely girl you're in Luskan. You'll have to try harder.'
Hands began grasping at her clothing, pulling and tearing it off. She batted away one hand only for another to take its place. The drow elves seized both of her arms. The tiefling circled her, humming in contemplation. He ran a finger down the burned flesh of her shoulder.
'Quite the scar you have. I wonder what story it tells?'
'Well?' asked the half-elf. .
'I would say, my friends, we have quite the prize on her hands. But nobody takes anything. We won't get good coin if she's incomplete.'
'You're no fun, Athria,' groaned Corrina.
'Oh you can still have some fun with her. Just leave the face. I ant her to stay pretty.
A flurry of fists drove into her skin, striking at her back, chest, stomach, arms and legs. Lyris collapsed to the ground. They began kicking. She felt a sharp crack from her side as several ribs broke.
'Welcome to Luskan,' Athria said, before he and his companions faded from view.