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UBBFriend: Email this page to someone! This topic comprises 34 pages: 1 2 3 ... 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 ... 32 33 34 Author Topic: A Taxing Time - A Discworld RPG Jake Member Member # 5102
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posted July 25, 2008 09:07 AM
Nathan caught the pouch with ease and as he felt its weight land in his palm his heart beat a little quicker with suppressed excitement. It was a sign of his agitation that he did not interrogate her further. Instead he handed Verurteilen the paper money without another question.
Thank you.
Was all he said before turning and disappearing at a run. The sky was darkening and Nathan knew he was running out of time.
Out of the deepening shadows behind Verurteilen came a figure dressed all in black, a hood covering his or her face. The figure held out an envelope.
In there is the photo of your target and half the payment now, this is non-negotiable, do we have a deal? Your answer need only be yes or no.
The figure spoke in a rasping whisper as befitted someone negotiating a deal that was entirely legal.
The patrician sat quite calmly at his desk finishing off a letter, his secretary Drumknot stood hovering behind him. He took out a small black box and placed it on the table, moving the candle a little distance away from it. Opening it up he took out the black ring that nestled in the satiny interior. Affixing his seal to the letter he rolled it up and handed it to his secretary before looking up and seeing Illyah as if for the first time.
Ah Mr Kuryakin, how nice to see you and after such a successful day. You have managed to get the outstanding debts of the Merchants and Thieves Guild, no mean feet. Please, would you care to tell me how you managed such a feet.
The two copies of the times, their front pages splashed with the picture of the Tax Team, apparently breaking into the Merchants guild and appearing with large sacks of money. Vetinari steepled his fingers and waited.
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Mrs Wizzard
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posted July 25, 2008 12:03 PM
"You vere vise to vait until he vas gone," Verurteilen said, to the hooded figure, behind her, without turning around, "I could feel your heart beating vack zere ze entire time zat he vas talking"
She turned around, and snatched the envelope from his unresisting hand, with a flick of her gloved hand, the unsealed flap, opened, and she removed the icongograph
She looked at it for a few seconds, and then slid it back inside of the envelope
"No," she said, flatly, "I vill not take on zis contract"
"I am afraid that you do not have a choice, miss Verurteilen"
Verurteilen turned, and saw Mauria Barleysway standing behind her, she had a crossbow in one hand, and she was holding a wooden stake in the other, Verurteilen was backed into the corner of the alley way, where she had tried to jump up, and onto the roof above her, but Mauria was ready, with a single shot from her crossbow, she hit Verurteilen in her left foot, and brought her down to a laying position on the ground, clutching her foot
"Damn you!" Verurteilen spat, tears forming in her eyes, she wrenched the bolt out of her boot, and managed to prop herself up against the wall, where she could examine her new wound, "who are you?" she shouted to the man, he removed his hood
"Maurice Capenspire?" she gasped, and turned back to Mauria, "you"
"I did not want for it to have to come to this, believe me, miss Verurteilen," she said, "we were going to simply hold you hostage when you came to the Assassin's Guild to kill Maurice, but since you had never showed up, we were forced to take matters into our own hands" she walked over to where Verurteilen sat, and looked down upon her, "now, why was that, I wonder? Care to share with us, miss Verurteilen?"
Verurteilen growled at her, she knew that she was now trapped, so she told them
"I vas afraid of ze Assassin's Guild!" she spat, her voice breaking, "they have been after me zis entire time zat I have been in zis city, I vas afraid of vhat vould happen to me if I got caught!"
"Well, now it seems that you have a good reason to fear us, miss Verurteilen," said Maurice, coming forward
In the silence that followed, few people had passed by the alley way, but even if they had, the night had already reached a point of darkness where no one would see what was going on, and they would not have even cared, any way
"Vhy are you doing zis to me?" Verurteilen mumbled, after a while, after she had gotten her wound to stop bleeding, Maurice answered
"We have attempted and failed on several accounts to kill him, ourselves," he said
"You however," Mauria finished, "are the best in town, people have heard of you, and the watch is baffled on what to do about you," she fingered the wooden stake, "but we know exactly what to do with such a worthless vampire like you, miss Verurteilen, so you will kill him"
Verurteilen looked away, snarling, she knew that she had been defeated
[ July 25, 2008, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: Blazing Moon ]
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"Talk to the paw, mister, 'cos the whiskers don't want to know!"
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Jock
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posted July 25, 2008 12:30 PM
Kayla collapsed on the kitchen table, exhausted. She had spent the entire day cursing the broom that she had been attempting to wield through the corridors, and the sniggers from a particular old and batty resident had put and edge on her temper. Though her hand hadn't hurt in the morning the pain had gotten worse and worse through the day and the feeling of uselessness had grown and grown as each tiny touch brought shooting pains right up her arm. She stared angrily at the table as Ed rushed about to make supper for the two of them, and rebuffed any attempts on Ed's part to make conversation. After some minutes he finally lost it and began to shout.
Looke 'ere Kay, yes can' sit aroun' mopin' fer the rest of yer days, yes gotta get up an' go. I ain' gonna hold yer 'and while youse mope abou' the place, and I ain' gonna go tiptoein' round you when yes ain' exactly full of the love of human kindness. Just buck yerself up 'ere or you'll feel Mrs Burges 'and afore verra long. She dont hold wiv mopin eithers
Kayla made to say something but was cut off once again by a slightly less angry Ed
So were yous goin to eat tha ? I ve a fearful unger after cleanin the ol pantry. You do no wanna know wha the rats ve been doin down there
He gave an involuntary shudder, and the sincere look on his face made Kayla laugh. Ed was at the stove, attempting to chop... what she hoped was a piece of meat, whilst stiring the stew and stoking the fire with his foot. Kayla watched him for a moment, the effect was quite comical, before heaving herself up and grabing the piece of wood that was about to cause Ed's foot to be set alight, throwing it in the fire.
"there, yer laughin' now. so what's eatin' yes?"
Kayla smiled and was a bout to answer when they both heared the ping of a crossbow bolt and the thump of a body against the cobbles. the pair looked at each other momentarialy before racing out of the kitchen, through the courtyard and ducked under the low door into the alley beyond. Peering out from behind the boxes piled up at the entrance, Kayla heared the last of the conversation.
"Verurtelien" she breathed into Ed's ear. "she's the one that saved me" Kayla could see in the faint glow from the moon diffused through the cloud that there was some liquid on the floor, and on Verurtelien's foot. The woman with the crossbow walked away, and Verurtelien turned to face down the alley. Waiting a moment for the woman to roam completely out of sight, Kayla crept silently down the alley towards the woman, Ed trailing behind her, his face white with terror.
"Miss Verurtelien, are you Ok?" Kayla's voice shook slightly; she realised that she had nearly witnessed a murder.
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Sybil:Do you remember when we last went on holiday, Sam? Sam: That wasn't really a holiday, dear. Sybil: Well, it was very interesting, all the same. Sam: Yes, dear. Werewolves tried to eat me
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Mrs Wizzard
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posted July 25, 2008 01:09 PM
Verurteilen had pleaded with Mauria that she had no idea where the man had gone, and she would have to find him later, and that, thanks to her, she would need a night in order to recover from her wound, Mauria had left, but had ordered Maurice to keep a close watch on Verurteilen, he had agreed, and had ducked back into the shadows, where only Verurteilen could possibly sense him
Verurteilen was left, staring at her feet, knowing that she would be limping for a while, she did not look up, until she heard the sound of someone coming towards her, she turned, and took a few moments to recognise the girl standing with a boy before her
"Kayla?" she said, and noticed the look on the boy's face
"Oh, calm yourself, boy," she said, "you look like you are going to be sick," she turned back to Kayla, "do not vorry yourself, girl, a bolt through ze foot vill not be enough to kill me"
Shuddering with a new pain, the vampire picked herself up and, holding onto the wall for some support, she stood up remarkably straight for someone with an injury like hers
"So," she said, feigning a smile, and gertured towards the boy, "he your boyfriend?"
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"Talk to the paw, mister, 'cos the whiskers don't want to know!"
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Thumpy
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posted July 25, 2008 01:19 PM
"I uh, well that is...we, kind of worked out the easiest way to-
Illyah sat in the chair across from the Patrician and began to squirm like a child that had been caught doing something wrong.
Oh go ahead, tell him. You know - tell him about the golem and the door, the wall, the...
"We were very persuasive my lord. We had the authority of the city behind us and used it to our advantage."
He could see the front pages of the papers and knew they had been left out for 'effect'.
"I didn't expect to become the talk of the town though; we uh, can be a little more discreet in the future...if that...I mean, if you...would it?"
Without thinking, Illyah reached out with a hand to the box on the desk in front of him. A raised eyebrow and a muffled cough from Drumknot brought Illyah back to focus.
"I must say sir, that the team you provided are very efficient and eager to do their jobs. If we had had such people in the Watch some years ago, we might have avoided some unpleasantness. I dare say that without them I'd be...lost."
Oh, so it's not as easy as you thought it would be, is it?
"No."
Realizing that Vetinari hadn't said a word while he had been rambling on, Illyah tried to do something productive.
He started to re-tie his shoe laces.
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Go on, prove me wrong. Destroy the fabric of the universe. See if I care. -Terry Pratchett
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Jeannie
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posted July 25, 2008 02:31 PM
Sasha let out a expletive and stopped in her tracks as a shape loomed out of the gloom of the alley. The shadow held up another shiny and noticably pointy shape in it's hand and advanced, as he stepped forwrad the light caught his face revealed an already pretty homely visage made even more ugly by the sneer on his lips when he saw his target up close. The stubble that covered his chin stubble was networked with scars, and his eyes flashed with the sort of glee a cat has when it has cornered a particularly entertaining mouse as he came closer
"Gimme yer money, I ain't gonna ask twice"
Sasha backed away, she had a natural aversion to lethal weapons being pointed at her. Her hand slipped into her pocket and closed around her own knife, but her brain kicked in before she pulled it out. This guy was huge and armed and, quick as she could be with a knife, lets face it she had no chance against a brute like this.
She set her face into one of annoyance and stepped forward folding her arms
"Where's your guild card?"
The mugger laughed at her "Guild? Sweet'eart, I ain't from no Guild"
"No card? Typical! It's people like you who give us Guild thieves a bad name. Honestly, going around treating robbery as though it's illegal and that just anyone can do it. Well let me tell you, I've just come from the Guild and Boggis is not in a very good mood as it is. Do you know what he does to thieves like you?"
The mugger was beginning to wear a hunted look and was beginning to regret picking this 'easy' target "Whut? What's he do?"
Sasha shook her head sand rolled her eyes, "You don't know?No I can't... It's just too horrible to talk about"
The man relaxed his knife slightly and rolled his eyes "No go on, you gotta tell me now you mentioned it"
Sasha seemed to think for a moment then nodded and made a show of looking behind each shoulder lest someone hear this insight into Guild justice "Okay, come closer"
he took a couple of steps closer and, trying not to gag on the rank wave of body oudor that rose from the man Sasha leant in to whisper "Okay, this is so grusome you probably aren't going to believe it but the first thing he does is..."
There was a satisfying 'ooopmh' as her knee connected with the distracted thief in a place guaranteed to make a man crumple. By the time he had picked himself up again Sasha had sprinted down the street and taken a few sharp turns before finally slowing down in a vacant alley. Her heart hammering from the exertion she checked she was free from pursuers and sat gingerly on a a half rotted crate to get her breath back. Sliding free from it's clip her hair cascaded into her face and there was a muffled curse from under the mass of tresses
[ July 25, 2008, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: Jeannie ]
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"Were you proposing to shoot these people in cold blood, sergeant?"
"Nossir. Just a warning shot inna head, sir."
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Jock
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posted July 25, 2008 03:47 PM
Kayla looked sideways at Ed after Verurtelien's question.
"no, as a matter of fact, he's just my..."oh this will sound weird"room mate"
Kayla wasn't fooled by Verurtelien's insistance that she was ok. The smile she had given looked a little like a grimace, and Kayla could see how much the wall was holding her up. Offering her good arm, after the rush of adrenaline the wound had started to throb again, she indicated the courtyard door, still open at the back of the alleyway.
"you can come and clean yourself up inside if you wish, you don't want to be caught by any unsavoury types out here in the dark"
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Sybil:Do you remember when we last went on holiday, Sam? Sam: That wasn't really a holiday, dear. Sybil: Well, it was very interesting, all the same. Sam: Yes, dear. Werewolves tried to eat me
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Mrs Wizzard
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posted July 25, 2008 04:54 PM
Verurteilen shook her head when Kayla offered her arm and, gently letting go of the stone wall, and leaning her weight on to her good foot, she managed to keep herself up without support
"Thank you," she said, in reply to Kayla's offer to get cleaned up, "vut I doubt zat zere's anything zat could ve done for it, it stopped bleeding, so I should ve fine"
Hoping that this would be enough to convince the girl, Verurteilen sighed
"So how much of zat did you see?" she said solemnly, refferring to Mauria's earlier ambush on her
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"Talk to the paw, mister, 'cos the whiskers don't want to know!"
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Jock
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posted July 25, 2008 05:07 PM
"we just caught the last words...why?"
Ed was poking her in the shoulder quite hard, and when she turned around she saw him pointing into a dark corner. Kayla peered in, but saw nothing and simply dismissed it as a scare. He had reacted alarmingly badly to the sight of the injured woman.
Kayla's inner voice, the voice of reason was also trying to get her attention You know that this could have been dangerous, but you still came in, full of heroics. look where it's got you, nearly witnessing a murder and now stuck between a stupid woman who won't even admit that she can barely walk and a dillusioned boy who faints at the ight of blood. Kayla hated that voice, it sounded remarkably like her mother.
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Sybil:Do you remember when we last went on holiday, Sam? Sam: That wasn't really a holiday, dear. Sybil: Well, it was very interesting, all the same. Sam: Yes, dear. Werewolves tried to eat me
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Tooth Fairy
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posted July 25, 2008 07:09 PM
A few steps further on, Talbot glanced behind him to see the back of the retreating vampire. He shrugged. Perhaps it was just a co-incidence that he had met her there, and yet He quickened his pace nonetheless. He was sure her influence was a factor in the changes that had come over him and he was glad to put distance between them. At this speed, and with Igor lurching along beside him, he soon reached The Shades and the welcome sight of his dental practice.
The waiting room was quite full when dentist and manservant entered. A few familiar faces looked up as Talbot walked towards the surgery door and reached for his faded blue jacket hanging just outside.
I won t keep you a moment, he said to the room in general. Igor, I need to you help me for a moment before my first patient. The two of them disappeared into the surgery and Talbot shut the door behind them. No sooner was the door closed than Talbot slumped ashen-faced into a chair, feeling suddenly weak. The exertions of the evening and his rooftop acrobatics had taken their toll. I need some of your potion, Igor. Quickly!
Igor hurried out of the surgery, returning moments later with a conical flask from which he poured a green liquid into a glass and handed it to Talbot who drank the contents greedily. After a short while, colour began to return to his face and he sighed with relief. What s happening to me, Igor? he whispered. It s never been like this before. Igor rested a hand on Talbot s shoulder. It th alright, Thur. Only to be ekthpected but I m ekthperienthed in thethe thingth. You can trutht me to take care of everything, Thur.
Before Talbot had chance to ask Igor what he meant, his manservant had left the room and was ushering in the first patient of the night.
To the untrained eye, Talbot looked his usual self as he smiled at his patient, with his trademark daydreamy air. How nice to see you again so soon, Mr Maurice. What s the damage this time? The old werewolf clambered into the reclining chair and bared his teeth for inspection. Talbot leant forward and began his work. It would prove to be a very long night.
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"The banana is. I will eat the banana. There is no banana. I want another banana." - Ape Philosophy
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Mrs Wizzard
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posted July 25, 2008 08:48 PM
Verurteilen was about to answer, when she noticed the boy trying to get Kayla's attention, she moved her eyes to look over to the dark corner, where she knew the assassin known as Maurice Capenspire to be stationed
She quickly and smartly took a step to the side, impeding the boy's view of the dark corner, her foot objected, but she ignored it
"It is just zat, it is not safe to be around me, at ze current moment," she began, "I have gotten myself into some deep trouble, and I am not entirely sure how or if i can get myself out of it, just by being here, you have put yourself and your friend in danger, especially with it getting late, and some of the more undesireable people lurking about"
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"Talk to the paw, mister, 'cos the whiskers don't want to know!"
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Jock
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posted July 26, 2008 04:10 PM
Kayla knew she had lost, and with a tiny shrug she turned back to the hole in the wall.
"feel free to drop by some time" she called over her shoulder, before following Ed through the low opening and back inside.
Kayla bolted the door with a click, and turned around. She jumped as she came face to face with Mrs Burges, arms folded and foot tapping.
"Well, I said no slacking, but here you are sneaking in the back! Get back to that kitchen IMMEDIATELY! The boarders will be back soon, and it's tuesday." and with an almighty "hurrmph" she turned to go inside.
"Erm..." Kayla turned to Ed "what is the sugnificance of tuesdays?"
"Oh, Burges 's been readin'up on proper runnin' of gooood establismen's, an' they says tha' boarders shoul' be fed with stuff, you know good 'olesome grub, bu' she ain' half cheap, so we only does tha' on a tuesday. She informs the boarders tha' they shoul' be back as soon as is convenien' to have the grub that chinny an' I prepare an' serve." Kayla was about to ask who chinny was, when "oh, Mrs Everson 'as a fearful chin on 'er, but she's dead sensetive abou' it, so don' say anythin'."
Kayla was a little baffled by the whole business, but as she was earning her board here she must do exactly waht is required. Cradling her stump in her other hand, she made her way back inside.
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Sybil:Do you remember when we last went on holiday, Sam? Sam: That wasn't really a holiday, dear. Sybil: Well, it was very interesting, all the same. Sam: Yes, dear. Werewolves tried to eat me
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Mrs Wizzard
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posted July 26, 2008 04:28 PM
Verurteilen waited until she saw Kayla and the boy go back inside, before sighing, and falling back against the cold wall, relieved to take the weight off of her throbbing foot
"Hide yourself vetter, next time," she said, to the shadows, "I am going home for ze night"
Standing up, Verurteilen winced with pain, before moving out, and, with a dignified look, limped her way into the darkness of the Shades, and dragged her foot down the street, Maurice following, a few yards behind
[ July 28, 2008, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: Blazing Moon ]
-
"Talk to the paw, mister, 'cos the whiskers don't want to know!"
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Jake Member Member # 5102
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posted July 29, 2008 03:59 AM
Vetinari sat quietly, watching the ex watchman quietly re-tying his shoes.
Nevertheless he finally said, regaining Kuryakin s attention, he suspected I have received a number of complaints, of course a number were inevitable, people don t like being parted with their money and guilds even less so. I would .appreciate it however, if you would curb your employees enthusiasm.
He allowed his words to hang there for a moment before continuing.
Tomorrow, as they say is another day and I hope it will go smoothly. Please don t let me detain you.
Nathan sat on the brass bridge, it was a warm night and the mist coming off of the Ankh would have been quite enchanting if it wasn t so disgusting to smell and if it hadn t obscured everything a foot or two in front of him. He had made it back to his home and put the pouch somewhere safe, but tonight he had not felt like staying in. Sitting un-obtrusively near the railings he watched as various people of the night crossed it, leaving him quite undisturbed, always unusual in a city in like Ankh-Morpork. He licked his nose and wondered about getting a bite to eat, after all, he didn t need to be in the office until tomorrow.
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Thumpy
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posted July 29, 2008 02:24 PM
Illyah knew he was being dismissed, but something Vetinari said wasn't sitting well with him.
"I'll go, it's time for my dinner anyway, but I think you're wrong about trying to curb their enthusiasm though."
The temperature dropped considerably in the office.
"If we lose that momentum, the tax office will just become another...office. We won't have the ability to do our job."
Now he was entering dark waters.
"This isn't like any other city out there. We're not just trying collect taxes from farmers and blacksmiths - we're having to go up against some of the oldest families and most influencial guilds ever incorporated."
Illyah stood up and walked over to the door.
It's not nice to go away mad.
"I'll tell them...sir. But I think it's a mistake."
Illyah went straight home. He was hungry, a little tired, and just wanted to go watch the stars.
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Go on, prove me wrong. Destroy the fabric of the universe. See if I care. -Terry Pratchett
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