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Chorus	It has been roughly a week since a very strange, exciting trio reached Stygia by ship: Two deathknights - one of them well known in the city, the other arriving here for the first time - and an actual ~living~ man, whose presence sparked a wave of rumors, rippling through several districts over the following days. Not everyone greeted the living visitor with excitement or curiosity: Some view him as a possible interloper, one who might bring trouble to the immortal city. Others hunger for his attention, his offerings, his blood. And a particularly dangerous minority watches him from the shadows, wondering how much he might be worth as a pawn in their games... Nevertheless, Tycoon remains a welcome guest in the penthouse of the ghostly merchant only known as Shepherd of Loss, who makes his home in the commerce-rich district of Golden Tears, and proves to be a valuable guide during the Infernal's explorations of the Midnight Jewel's markets. Chorus' subordinate, the black-toothed, imposing Sister-to-Maggots, has proven a reliable bodyguard and chaperone so far, steering Tycoon away from potentially troublesome corners of the city, where the shadows grow long and specters lurk. Twice, the Moonshadow visited Shepherd's estate to see how Tycoon was doing, but her own affairs have kept her quite busy so far. And the Grave Saint? She, too, might have received a visit or two from Chorus - perhaps the two are making plans for an expedition into the Labyrinth. Or are they up to something else? As the days and nights flow by, both Grave and Tycoon often feel like they're being watched, but they rarely catch a glimpse of those hidden observers: Strangely moving shadows, whispering in the darkness; the minute blink of glowing red eyes; a haggard, pale shade staring at them from a balustrade before vanishing at the blink of an eye.
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon doesn't hunt trouble, and he doesn't make his bodyguard's job more difficult. When she suggests that an area should be visited later--or perhaps not at all--he agrees rather than becoming insistent. He tries not to be paranoid, since it's hard to do business while glaring suspiciously at someone, but he tries not to be blind either. In his head, and in his notebook, he piles a wealth of information about the goods for sale, everything from thosts themselves to drugs and liquor to mundane toys. Oddly, musical instruments and noisemakers--everything from wind-chimes to music-boxes to children's toys--garner a great deal of attention.
Grave Saint	A while ago, Grave was at a Stygian post office as she sent a letter to one of her followers through a grave messenger. The Midnight is followed by a renak servant under her control and as she exits the post office, she has an umbrella whose handle is ivory while the top's fabric is as black as the skies of the Underworld. "Thank neverborn they are alright, I am concerned my absence will greatly affect them" She says to herself while appreciating the bleak streets of Stygia. Seeing as she has no other things to do, the Abyssal hopes to check in on her circlemate and their hellish ally, although she buys cookies from a vendor whose sugar is made from last thoughts of joy while dying
Silver Stream's Whisper	The first day of Silver's arrival had been the most eventful. After all, the arrival of one who breathed for some other purpose than amusement, and ate to survive rather than merely for pleasure, was something that many in Stygia viewed as curious. Those whose caution was greater than their eagerness surmised that this was most certainly not a mortal who had managed to blunder his way into the very heart of the Underworld, as Silver claimed, and hung back. Others reasoned that a morsel as interesting as this would fetch the highest of prices from those in the highest spires of Stygia, and that no matter what he was, he had delivered himself into their very home. No matter what, such audacity could not simply be allowed. Of course, once the first couple dozen unsavory elements had trickled into the alleyway Silver had made his new home....And had not come out, the others decided that he was most likely not an actual living person after all, but merely something wearing the mask of one. Either because the thing lurking underneath was suicidal, acting as a distraction on behest of one of the greater powers within Stygia, or as a piece in some elaborate game of influence and betrayal, as most interesting events were. Few bothered to consider that he was somehow independent, and fewer still considered that perhaps, he had come of his own free will as a genuine living man. Those who even tried to raise the thought were laughed out of every social function they did so in, usually with a derisive splash from the dregs of pickled soul-mead. By now, most had settled into a state of wary anticipation whenever Silver could be seen walking the streets, waiting for his backer or scheme to show themselves. Or for him to be dispatched by the servants of whomever would be opposed to his theoretical patron. On Silver's part, his behavior hadn't deviated much from that in life. He toured the streets of Stygia, saw the sights, pretended to buy things and generally made a small nuisance of himself, as he was wont to do. The common residents had written him off in their minds as something too dangerous to be close to when the inevitable fallout came, and so usually tolerated him as much as politeness dictated before beating a hasty retreat. This time, however, he was loitering by the estate of the Shepherd, for reasons known only to Silver, and perhaps not even himself. The guards of the estate had noticed when one pair of the hidden eyes had gone dark, replaced shortly by the green, smiling ones of Silver Stream's Whisper, but they had politely ignored him as one might a rabid cat, in the hopes that said feline might decide to slink away. Unfortunately, he appeared to have seen fit to slink steadily closer hour after hour, until he was leaning up against the fence itself, listening to the hollow complaints of the twisted souls within the steel bars and eyeing the top as if calculating how long it might take to scale. The guards were clearly reticient to engage with them, but two of them had clearly lost a bet, and so were slowly approaching him with drastically more caution than they would have a normal mortal.
Chorus	A slender, olive-skinned hand suddenly enter's the Grave Saint's field of view, reaches up from the side, in an attempt to snatch one of those cookies from the Midnight. To whom that hand might belong isn't difficult to guess: It's wrapped in a web of delicate golden chains, connected to pearl-studded rings, matching bangles and bracelets jingling on her wrist. "Higanbana! That's so sweet of you. How did you know those cookies were my favorite?", Chorus' melodic voice pipes up, sounding cheerful, as she usually does. A glance towards the source of that voice would reveal her familiar petite, attention-catching figure, smiling up at the taller woman before her. Unsurprisingly, she's dressed in splendor - having chosen to wear a multi-layered skirt this time, paired with a crop top and short, wide-sleeved silken jacket, which leave her belly bare for all of Stygia to admire. Both match the shimmering teal and black and gold trim and cinnamon accents of her skirt, of course. A truly staggering amount of golden tassels and chain-linked jewelry covers most of her costume. Bells have been woven in her hair, her earrings are curtains of tiny ornaments, dangling almost down to her shoulders. Naturally, flower ornaments cover her sleeves, and everything is glittering. On her left shoulder perches her undead monkey, also looking extremely interested in the cookies. A small entourage politely waits several steps away: Shredded Promises and half a dozen other armed ghosts, a grave messenger, and a few gold-draped zombies. "How nice to meet you here", Chorus continues, already taking a bite out of her prize (assuming she managed to nab a cookie). "I was just about to pay Tycoon a visit. Shepherd's place is just around the corner, you know? Wanna come with?"
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Currently he's simply taking notes, looking out over the market--and occasionally the shadows where he had seen those peering eyes in the last few days--before writing more. Soon, it will be time for... well, he hasn't decided yet. Perhaps more research, for the simple reason that he enjoyed it. Or perhaps a bite to eat, or to simply set outside with his pipe and relax, looking out at the weirdly unfamiliar night sky.
Grave Saint	Of course, Higanbana gives her circlemate a few cookies. "Yes, I expect that you might like them. Hmm I wonder what the Underworld version of Far Eastern treats taste like, I have yet to see a market or stall from afterlifes adjacent to that land yet" She says while walking and guarded by her personal renak guard. "Sure, we can visit Tycoon. I wonder how the ghosts are reacting to seeing hell's champion here"
Chorus	Meanwhile, just around the corner... The guards in service to Shepherd of Loss are becoming increasingly nervous. They know they're housing a living guest; they also have a creeping suspicion of whom they will to answer to, in addition to their lord, should something unfortunate befall that guest. That third guard - the one who won the bed - was tasked to slip inside the estate, and deliver a warning about potential trouble. One of the other two shouts out to Silver: "You! State your business, or get lost. This is no place for a sorry lot like you." Next to Tycoon looms Sister-to-Maggots, large in every possible dimension, clad in fine funeral robes and a weeping crimson mask deliberately limited to hide the upper half of her face, leaving her massive chin and large, blue lips visible. Her head rotates this way and that, until she catches note of that strange figure leaning against the fence. She pauses, clearly assessing the sorry figure. He didn't look like much, but she, too, had heard rumors... With a displeased "harumpf", she ceases leaning on her massive tetsubo and hefts the weapon up instead, leaning it against her shoulder. "Ya madda new friend, looks lika. Or mabbe Shepherd did", Sister-to-Maggot's tells Tycoon in that grating, strangely sing-songing voice and terrible accent of hers. "Eva seena guy like dat?"
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"He doesn't look like the last one, I think. The last one seems to have been paying more attention to me, although they may do that for all of Shepherd's guests." He stands. "It looks like the guards are speaking to him. He's either coming or going, and I suppose we'll find out which soon enough." He too adjusts his weapon, letting the devil-caster ride easily on his hip, thinking.*
Silver Stream's Whisper	"Sorry lot? I'm just me, myself and I. It should be a sorry individual. And I'm not sorry at all, in fact I'm terribly unrepentant and illiterate to boot. In fact, not only am I unrepentant and therefore not sorry, I'm deaf and dumb. So I cannot hear you nor respond! Therefore, you should be calling me a remarkably un-sorry individual, who cannot understand your speech and has not given you a response. If you think I'm talking, then you must be hallucinating things. Strange things the Underworld can do to a body." Grinning, Silver tried looking as innocent as he could, which was about two ruffians short of a murder weapon. "Besides, doesn't this here handy fence demarcate the edge of your patron's property? By definition, I'm helping it do its job by leaning against it, which is to keep things, assorted and dangerous or otherwise, from crossing over onto the estate proper. I don't know what kind of laws you have in this kooky city, but as a citizen of....Uh, something, I demand my rights! Provided there are rights. Actually, wouldn't it be remarkably like the Underworld to have no rights for the common man? In fact, since I am a living man, I probably enjoy an outside status from what would be considered the garden-variety wraith or zombie of the Underworld. I'd like to claim whatever particular rights I have, regardless! And if I have no rights, then that's fine, I'd expect nothing less from the Underworld." Looking around hopefully, Silver shrugged. "But last I checked, there's at least four more things peering at this estate than me. Why are you letting those off the hook? I'm the only one nice enough to be obvious about it."
Chorus	As it turns out, Chorus' hunger for cookies isn't easily sated, but she generously leaves a fair share for the person who bought them, happily munching away at her treat and making small sounds of pleasure and delight as the passions baked into the dough well up in her heart. "Far Eastern, you say? What's so special about their sweets?" The Moonshadow looks around, standing on her tiptoes, and yet still not tall enough to get a full view of her surroundings. It's a busy night - or day, the difference can be hard to tell sometimes - with market stalls and street food vendors drawing thousands of ghosts into Golden Tears. She sighs and helps herself to another bite, just as she begins to walk towards the estate. "Let's see if he's still at Shepherd's place, instead of touring the city to observe the markets. He's taking this stuff extremely seriously." She smirks. "Good for him." As the two Abyssals round the corner with their entourage in tow, they catch sight of a ~living~ stranger - yes, another one, although not blessed with Tycoon's taste in style, nor his wealth - leaning against the fence. The two guards exchange a look. No, a LOOK, to be more specific. One of them slowly raises a hand towards his temple, one finger making a circular motion. Just as slowly, the other shakes her head, then proceeds to tilt it... and tilt it... and tilt it even further, at an angle that would be both unhealthy and very painful for a living person. Both stare at Silver, trapped between bewilderment, amusement, and outrage. "You are far more exciting than the others", the male guard judges, grinning widely. "Do you know any good lies? Tell us lies!" Sister-to-Maggots moves closer to the window, in an attempt to get a better look at what's happening outside. It's difficult to make out what they're saying. So far, she doesn't look all too interested in the stranger. Chorus blinks at the unexpected sight and looks Silver over as she and the Grave Saint approach. Whatever she sees in him, it doesn't cause her to slow down, let alone stop. Calmly (but not silently, with all that jewelry jingling about her), she walks past Silver, towards the gate, greeting the guards in passing. On her shoulder, a silver-furred monkey glares at the Lunar, cackling and baring his teeth at him.
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"This may get interesting. There is Chrous, unless I mistake her. Perhaps we should see what this... issue... is about."
Grave Saint	"Some of their sweets have a hint of spicyness sometimes like hot chocolate with chipotle and of course, it's where I was from. They also have churros and caramelized milk used for toppings or pastry fillings" She mentions to Chorus although as they walk, she notices the debacle between Silver and the ghosts. But then she realizes that this stranger is living. How can this mortal man be even in the Underworld in the first place much less Stygia? He might be a necromancer for she knows a spell of the first circle that allows entry to this realm
Silver Stream's Whisper	"I'm not insane." Silver commented mildly at the guards' reactions, before pausing. "Well, I did bribe, sneak, and threaten my way into the Underworld, which is arguably the action of an insane man, and in theory, any insane man would not consider themselves insane, since their own thoughts make perfect sense to them and them alone. But I haven't quit drinking, which is the only confirmation of sanity that I need." Suiting his action to the words, Silver sipped from his gourd. It was unknown whether he'd been rationing his alcohol(he hadn't), or had found some way to supplement his alcohol stocks while in Stygia. One likely didn't want to know what he was drinking. "Good lies? Practically everything that came out of my mouth was a lie, but a good lie....." Scratching his head, Silver shrugged. "There's such a thing as an honest merchant. That's the best one I know." When Chorus and Grave Saint approached, for a moment Silver's expression of happy-go-lucky affectation slid off instantly, replaced by a sharp, narrow look at Chorus, and then Grave Saint. A second later, though, his lazy smile slid back on and his eyes widened again in a friendly, silent greeting. When Chorus' monkey cackled at him, he peeled his lips back in precisely the same way, because Silver was a sane and mature individual who would always stoop down to a monkey's level. "That's a rude thing to say. You can't compare it to a burnt-out candle wick when you haven't even seen it. If I knew your mother I'd ask her to wash out your mouth with ash and motherwort. Just because it's the Underworld, doesn't mean that monkeys can insult other monkeys like that." Ignoring the fact that he'd just called himself a primate, Silver inclined his head towards Chorus and Grave Saint, smiling amiably...Although his eyes still seemed to be scanning them for something, which he didn't seem to be finding. "Good day, ladies. I do have to warn you, you will soon enter into an estate of a merchant, all of whom cannot be trusted as a rule....But this is Stygia, so I'm assuming that you can eat him if he tries anything funny, or something terribly macabre and fitting for the scenery. Silver Stream's Whisper, at your service."
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon was already making his way to the doors, although he took his time to ensure the bodyguard could keep up. Making her job difficult would be rude, after all. He can be seen first coming out the front door, and once outside he stops to light his pipe. He puffs lazily as he saunters along the short path towards the gate.*
Chorus	Under different circumstances, it would have been the guard's turn to respond to Silver's antics. Instead, the two of them suddenly look sharp, and smile in an almost comically fervent manner at the two women who just emerged from the crowd - one fairly tall, one fairly short. Both extraordinary in their own, completely different way. As if by unspoken command or agreement, the guards ~bow~ before them. Quite low, even. Muttering hasty greetings. Still eying Silver from the corner of their eyes, though. The smaller woman with the pet monkey trails to a halt, having only just passed Silver by. Along with her, several ghostly guards, three zombies, and one very intimidated-looking grave messenger stop dead in their tracks. All of those eyes turn to regard the stranger. Including the woman's, who now reaches up to snub the monkey's nose, causing him to stop his posturing with an indignant shriek. She flashes an amiable smile at Silver, slightly cocking her head. Looking up to regard him with a keen gaze full of cheerful curiosity. "Oh? Why, good day to you, too! I'm known as the Hallowed Voice around these parts. Please, don't mind my little friend's terrible manners. I'm sure it was nothing personal. He's just as rude to everyone else, myself included." Her smile brightens further. "Nice to meet you, Silver Stream's Whisper. My friend and I will be fine, I assure you. But I truly appreciate the warning. What brings you to this estate, then?" She briefly glances up at the Grave Saint, leaving it to her to introduce herself. When she spots Tycoon approaching, she waves at him.
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	He smiles, breaking the small tendril of smoke with a wave, and puts a hand on the gate as he looks over the scene. "Good evening. I see one of our admirers has shown himself. Perhaps the others will in time as well."
Grave Saint	"Good evening to you as well, Mr. Whisper. I am Bleeding Higanbana and I appreciate the warning, but what seems to be the problem regarding the estate?" She says curiously, wondering this living man is involved in Underworld affairs. The Midnight is wary in case there is something more about this mortal man for no normal person in Creation would even think going to the land of the dead
Silver Stream's Whisper	"I don't think you'd accept a streak of freak luck and peculiar coincidence?" He asked Chorus, trying again to look innocent, this attempt even more half-hearted than the last. After scratching his hair idly, he shrugged in the end. "A little bird told me that answers might await me in the Underworld, and so here I am. There's only a few reasons why any mortal man would want to leave his comfortable life in, well, being alive, and head down here. He intends to cheat death, or he intends to uncheat death for some who would like to cheat death. Alternatively, he wants information only the dead can provide. I'll leave it up to your discerning estimate which reason it is for me, and what this estate has to play in it. Besides, it's not a bad estate to be interested in. It has luxury, and an interesting guest. I could be forgiven for slaking my boredom by investigating such an interesting place." Eyeing her monkey with tacit distrust, which the monkey probably returned in spades, Silver chuckled. "As for your monkey, my lady, allow a poor humble fisherman his advice. Monkeys are universally more trouble than they're worth." Turning over to Grave Saint, he looked nonplussed. "Well, beyond the atrocious landscaping and plummeting property values of Stygia, there's not much wrong with it." Silver remarked, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps that guest of yours knows about any potential problems. The watcher I ahem, replaced, I forgot to ask why he was watching this place. But if others see fit to watch it, I might as well too. Who knows, perhaps something interesting will happen to it that I'd like to spectate. Precious little else to do in the Underworld. I suppose I could die, but I'm strangely partial to life, so I'm leaving that for when I'm really bored."
Chorus	Hallowed Voice chuckles, and offers the monkey a piece of cookie in an attempt to distract him from that staring contest with Silver. It's a smashing success. At this point, Silver might already have taken note of the paper bag in her hand, from which she produces another cookie, still enticingly whole, sporting a deliciously caramellized crust. She holds it out to the Lunar. "Have a cookie, then. There's nothing less boring than Stygian cookies." There's a strange mirth in her dark, kohl-lined eyes now, paired with a hint of mischief. As if the two of them were sharing far more than a sweet lump of baked dough. An understanding. A secret. The two guards shuffle awkwardly back to their posts. They still look uncertain about Silver - what to make of him, what to do with him. Unlike Sister-to-Maggots, who relegates herself to silently looming behind and over Tycoon. Her body language conveys a promise of quick and uncompromising violence, should anyone dare to even look at her ward wrong. Whether Silver accepts the cookie or not, the woman continues to speak after a few moments, addressing the smoking man who just walked up to them. "If this is one of your admirers, I'm ~dying~ to see what the others are like." She winks at him, shifting her attention back to Silver. "Monkeys are excellent judges of character", she explains, matter-of-factly, but still smiling, not appearing offended at his lecturing at all. "More than worth the trouble. Something about you caught his attention, just as your attention has been caught and entangled by this fine estate. But I get the feeling you haven't found what you're looking for... yet. Just something close to it. So close, you could almost touch it, smell it... feel it." A slow, lazy blink, cat-like. "The Immortal City is vast. Good reliable information can be hard to come by, and it always has a price..."
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"Somebody might be, at least. They seem to be shy, although perhaps you can charm them out." He shrugs with a nod to the fellow. "I don't know if this the best place to answer your questions, but it's certainly a good place for it. You could spend a lifetime here--or several, depending on your budget, I suppose--and not see it all." He could speak about prices, but there's no sense in interrupting someone's negotiations.
Silver Stream's Whisper	After inspecting the cookie, Silver raised an eyebrow at it, accepting it politely. "I generally don't go for Underworld fare. Too much death and misery in it, which is par for the course, but to spite that monkey and because a beautiful young lady offered it..." Silver said, biting into the cookie and chewing thoughtfully. His gaze sharpened when she mentioned something he hadn't yet found, the smile slipping briefly. His green eyes turned cool, hard as marbles. Then he laughed with a faint frisson of effort, tossing the last of the cookie into his mouth and swallowing, sticking out his tongue at the monkey for good measure, because Silver was a mature and fair-minded erudite scholar who was not above taunting monkeys in his free time. "I'll stick to unreliable, bad information for now. After all, that's free if you can swing it, and as you might expect, someone who looks like me doesn't have much in the way of wealth. If I did, whether it be in a conventional or esoteric form, I'd be wary about giving it up, especially to a sharp young lady like you who's seen more than she should have, it seems." Pausing, he shrugged. "Of course, it also means that I could just be terrible at poker, which I also am. Mostly because I cheat and get drunk, but that's no indication of my true poker-playing ability, I'm sure." Smiling over at the guards, he stepped back slightly to allow Tycoon and the others to acquaint themselves properly. "Even though I am a boorish, unread man, I still have enough etiquette to avoid breaking into the estate when a happy reunion is going on. I might sneak in later though, since I make no promises otherwise. I'll see if my fellow watchers in the shadows drop any useful information while they're being stripped apart. They shouldn't, if they're any good, but some might."
Chorus	The "sharp young lady" widens her smile just a tad, and gives Silver a level look. "Here is a man acting as his own worst critic, judging by his choice of words alone. One without a single obol to his name, it seems." She gives the Grave Saint and Tycoon meaningful glances, without dropping her jolly demeanor. "Why would you want to break into this cozy estate anyway, Silver Stream's Whisper?" A wide gesture towards the building. "If you have business with its master, know that he would be ~dying~ to welcome such a colorful guest in his house, if only you asked him nicely." At this point, her smile begins to fade, replaced by a grave, almost sorrowful expression. "However, he doesn't take kindly to trespassers, or so I've heard. It sure is nice of you to inform the guards of your intentions before you go in!"
Grave Saint	"Of course breaking and entering is mostly illegal....in both the Underworld or Creation" Higanbana comments while being curious and at the same time wary of this living stranger that entered Stygia. "And what methods did you use to enter this bleak realm?"
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon nods, puffing gently at his pipe. "It's not an easy place to enter. Quite welcoming to visitors, in some ways... less so in others. And I doubt any of the entrances are close to here, so the trip here must be a tale of great interest."
Silver Stream's Whisper	"An obol? Such great and bountiful wealtth, a man like me might strive for in a hundred lifetimes and come not close to earning even a tenth of such a princely sum!" Silver gasped in theatrical wonder, his eyes widening dramatically at the mention of so much money. "Mostly because I'd have drunk myself into debt in ninety-nine of those hundred, and spent the last paying back all my sins of my previous existences." Tilting his head from side to side, he inspected the estate with a renewed critical glance, frowning thoughtfully at it. "You're right, my lady, it doesn't seem like the best place to try and break into, does it now? I mean, as far as buildings go in Stygia, it's almost innocuous. Blends in well with the landscape, founded on generational wealth. If I wanted to kill myself, there'd surely be better ways to go about it, and if I was after money, I'd go rob a Guildsman. But perhaps I'm after someone who's after the estate, or someone who enters the estate albeit infrequently, or perhaps a friend of someone of either categories. Life is so much more interesting when choices abound, is it not?" Scratching his head, he waved over at the guards in a friendly manner. "I've got nothing against the guards for the time being, of course. They do their job, and I do mine, although my boss is myself, and I'm paid a salary of precisely nothing, with no benefits to speak of. I see no reason to not tip them off on what my boss is up to, since I'm just here to do my own job." Higanbana's observation was met with surprised silence for several long seconds, before he broke into a long laugh, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye after the chuckles had subsided. "Well, very astute, my lady. It's true that breaking and entering an abode without permission is illegal, but that's never stopped anyone who wanted to, in any regard. Besides, I don't quite know if I have to break into this estate just yet. As for entering Stygia, it's harder than trying to get to Heaven, in the literal sense, but easier than trying to get inside of a barrel before the barrel exists. People mostly try to keep those inside in, rather than keeping foreigners out. Customs get more lenient, and of course, being dead or otherwise doesn't make you immune to a variety of mortal sins, such as greed...Or fear. Truth be told, it wasn't that interesting of a voyage. Clean out your teeth after a couple bad meals, throw those meals up overboard, slink back to the cargo hold, make a mental note of yourself that dried spider legs aren't edible, and repeat."
Chorus	Throughout Silver's antics, the monkey climbs on the young lady's other shoulder and remains there, staring at the fisherman the whole time with those accusing orange eyes. A vicious snarl seems to be lurking somewhere in the depths of its throat, itching to be released at a moment's notice, if the twitching lips and quivering whiskers are any indication. One might also notice, upon closer examination, that the monkey isn't breathing, unlike Hallowed Voice. It also smells like embalming fluid and decay - also unlike Hallowed Voice, whose perfume is flowery and sweet. As for the monkey's owner: She looks thoughtful for a bit, then clucks her tongue in a decidedly inconclusive way, and walks over to Tycoon, to... offer him a cookie. "I believe you haven't tried these yet. Go ahead, they're really good", she encourages him, before turning halfway back to Higanbana and Silver. "Oh! You smuggled yourself all the way to Stygia inside a ~barrel~?" Delight seeps into her voice, and she claps her hands together - which causes her bracelets to jingle, and the monkey to jump in surprise, followed by angry grumbling. "That, right there, is a true sailor's story, my friend. Although let me point out..." She bites into a fresh cookie. "...if you don't like dried spider legs, you simply haven't tried the really ~good~ ones yet." Meanwhile, the guards are still observing them - Silver in particular. Their increasing exasperation is almost palpable. Finally, one of them steps in and asks: "Forgive me, esteemed ladies, mylord, but... did you want to come inside? His Lordship is not home at the moment, but he will gladly welcome you as his guests." Immediately after saying that, he points at Silver. "Except for this ~stranger~. I'd rather jump down the Veinous Stair than let him take even a single step inside the grounds."
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"I don't know who in Creation would dry spider's legs. Although I did find a delightful shop once, run by... well, perhaps we'll try it someday soon." He takes the cookie, and takes a slow, thoughtful bite. "That ~is~ quite impressive. That's an excellent cookie." He nods to the guard, then shrugs to Silver. "The fellow does have a point. You are something of a stranger, and not exactly a direct one. The trip here was a long one, and by the sound arduous. What brought you to take it?"
Grave Saint	"You ended up in Stygia thanks to you being stuck in a barrel?" Higanbana pretends to go along with this clearly unlikely explanation but goes along with it mostly out of amusement. "Well I guess your barrel drifted into shadowland waters,to the Sea Of Shadows and into the coasts of Stygia....how believable!" She says with sarcasm
Silver Stream's Whisper	Noticing the monkey's pre-emptive snarl, Silver decided to strike first and engage in a remarkably childish raspberry blown in the monkey's direction. Having scored a mental point over the monkey, and being far more proud of it than he should have, Silver turned his attention smugly back to the others. "To be fair, the barrel smuggled me in, I had no say in the matter. Barrels tend to be rather obstinate in what they hold in and what they let out. Wouldn't be a very good barrel if it wasn't good at holding things, now would it?" He said whimsically, before raising a finger. "Although, my lady, I am definitively not a sailor." Silver shuddered theatrically. "Bound to a giant wooden carcass for the rest of my days, sailing over the waves because I was too prissy to slip into them...No thank you. Sailors aren't fishermen either, although some fish are sailors. No fish fish fish, however, because if fish fished fish, they'd be fishing us, and we wouldn't like that, so it's good that fish can't fish fish." After veering into his tangent about fishermen fish fishing fish, he nodded over at the guards approvingly. "Good, I'd toss you down the Veinous Stair myself if I caught you letting me waltz in without even token resistance, but if that happened, I'd be the owner of this estate, and likely have a dozen mental disorders, so it's good for you that I'm not your boss. Although, it'd be a shame if I had to break in. You'd be surprised how many times I've had to break into places for a good glass of wine." Looking as innocent as he could, which by now only made him seem more suspicious, Silver shrugged eloquently at Tycoon. "You see, Sir, since you and the ladies have been courteous to me, I'll spell out my purpose." He tapped his bamboo fishing rod with his thumb. "I'm fishing!" Several long seconds stretched onwards....And on...As Silver simply stood there, fluttering his eyes innocently. It seemed like that was all the explanation he would give.
Chorus	Given that the Infernal dared try the cookie, and even liked it, he receives a thumbs-up from Chorus for his bravery. But her attention rests on Silver. In particular, his body language, which somehow manages to be even more verbose than his lengthy, half-mad ramblings about downright fishy fishing fish. Contrary to popular belief, deathknights aren't just very good at killing, they're also excellent at smelling out other killers... or some of them, at least. And this Silver person strongly smells - well, not that his bodily odor is particularly offensive, but rather, he smells of the desire to kill something that is already dead, or perhaps not entirely so. The Grave Saint feels a familiar tingling in her skull, right before Chorus' voice intrudes and speaks inside her mind: <In case you haven't noticed, the guy is here to murder someone. He just doesn't know ~who~ he's looking for. Fun, huh?> Out loud, still pretending to be nothing more than a pleasant young lady with entirely too much wealth, she remarks to Silver, after examining him while he's standing there, refusing to elaborate: "You can fish for many things that aren't fish, although I doubt a fishing rod will be useful or even required for all of those." The guard raises a finger. "Excuse me..." But alas, he finds himself being ignored entirely. Hallowed Voice draws a little closer to Silver, and grins up at his face. "Although to know for certain, you would need to find out what exactly you're fishing for. It might be useful to know what your prey looks like first - or how you managed to find its tracks in the first place." The monkey chooses this moment to leap for Silver's fishing rod, with a very obvious intent: To grab it with its leathery black hands, and hold on to it. Maybe to steal it, or to eat it, even!
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"And whether or not it's someone else's fish." Tycoon takes another puff on his pipe, chuckling as the monkey grabs. He didn't read the man, but there aren't many things you do with 'prey,' after all, especially when you're fishing for something that isn't a fish. "Are your fish, perhaps, among our admirers, the poor fellows relegated to the outskirts?"
Grave Saint	Higanbana gives Chorus a slight glance to confirm the message she received from her. She then turns to Silver "Yeah, what is it you are looking for anyway? Any detail may help us"
Silver Stream's Whisper	For another few seconds, the smile slid off of Silver's face, leaving cold eyes that might have been carved out of emerald, lifeless and calculating. He studied her in appraisal for a few seconds before the smile came back on, now twisted in wry humor. "You are a dangerous young lady, aren't you? I wonder which patron you caught. I think I pity them, whomever they are." He was interrupted by her monkey, however, who was now dangling from the line like a fat trout, trying to gather more of the silvery line by climbing up it. Studying the monkey with mingled amusement and exasperation, Silver swung the line experimentally like a pendulum, watching the monkey rock back and forth, before patting his lean abdomen. "You know, I'm not above eating what I catch, even if they have fur and not scales. You don't survive as a fisherman by being picky." He told the monkey in a mild tone, swinging the fishing rod over so that the monkey dangled above Chorus. "Would you like to try and pry your pet off of the line, my lady, before the misbegotten little devil becomes my dinner?" Looking over at Tycoon and Grave Saint, he chuckled softly. "Well, the target of my affections could be anyone, anything. Perhaps it might even lead me to esteemed people who have an obol or two to their name. Would you still seek to figure out what I'm finding, if it could lead to people like that?"
Chorus	"Dangerous? Not really", Hallowed Voice muses, pursing her lips. "Do I look like I could be a danger to a determined man armed with a fishing rod? Unless the target of your affection is so damn pretty that I'd want to give it a shot myself. In that case, I'd be fierce competition indeed." Such a beautiful shiny line! Must... grope... line! By the looks of it, these are the only thoughts going through the monkey's head. There's no mistaking the nature of his excitement - he holds on with two feet, one hand, and his tail, reaching out to touch that shimmering line with the remaining limb, even as the rod moves down... ...only to be grabbed by his owner at the next moment. He shrieks in protest, clearly not willing to part with his prize so soon, and the young lady rolls her eyes, tugging harder. "Tabi! That isn't for you. Let go of the nice fisherman's rod. Bad boy!", she tells him sternly. And yet, the monkey holds on with surprising strength, chittering wordless curses, five limbs against two of hers. She might have better leverage, but her thin arms lack the strength to pull the creature away. Realizing this, she changes her approach and tries to pry off his fingers, turning pleading eyes towards Tycoon and Higanbana. "A little help here?" But she's also laughing. The situation is just too funny!
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon chuckles. "But I'm locked away. If they open the gates, someone might race in." He does reach a hand out, although he's not likely to be able to pull the monkey away. And if he's strong enough to do that, he's strong enough to break the rod, which wouldn't exactly be a win. "Easy, little fella. Come on up, and I'll give you a puff."
Grave Saint	"Same for me. I am just a delicate singer after all" She says while helping Chorus get Tabi before the monkey creates more trouble for them. "Out of all the shiny coins, a fisherman's rod?"
Silver Stream's Whisper	Now that Chorus and Co. were busy trying to extricate the monkey from the rod he was clinging to with all his might, they would likely notice what the monkey's keener eyes had so noticed. The string, upon close inspection, was actually a chain, made up of tiny, miniscule silver links of breath-taking detail and worksmanship to be so small. It glittered faint silver in the light, and minute metallic clinks could be heard as it swayed in the wind. Silver watched the three tugging on the monkey with mild amusement, holding the fishing rod tucked against his shoulder with the ease of long practice. The bamboo bent under their collective weight, but it must have been made from a sturdy specimen, for it only creaked and did not splinter. "I had only expected to catch a monkey at most, but I wouldn't turn down three more catches in one day. Certainly, that'll break a record for what I catch with this old thing on an average day."
Chorus	With so many hands now tearing and pulling at his undead body, the monkey's resolve is put to the test. As it turns out, he doesn't have much of it to begin with, and relents, hissing and spitting at the offenders - including Silver, and also the guard, who has really just been standing there, not being involved at all. While this is going on, the huge woman behind Tycoon calmly shifts her tetsubo, lights a pipe of her own, with no obvious source of fire, just snapping her fingers to conjure ghostly blue flame. All the force stored in the bamboo rod releases with a ~twang~, putting Silver's reactions to the test, as the monkey lets go rather suddenly. He slams against the young lady's chest, interrupting her laughter and pushing her back just enough to collide with the much taller Higanbana. "Whoops. Sorry!", Hallowed Voice says, to no one in particular. Once she's reasserted herself, clutching her pet in both arms, she wags a finger in front of his face. "Tabi, you little shit! Spawn of a bone spider!" Grinning from ear to ear, sounding affectionate, rather than scolding. Tabi grins at her and makes cooing noises. Slowly, she raises her head and straightens, still holding the monkey like a very hairy (and very nasty) baby. "My sincerest apologies, Silver Stream's Whisper", the small woman chuckles courtly, wiping a tear from her eye. "He loves shiny things so much, especially those he hasn't encountered before. Very few such things escape his notice." Without losing their mirth, her dark eyes settle on the fishing rod. "Your line truly is beautiful. I can see that now. Look at that!" Dutifully, she points the silver chain links out to Higanban and Tycoon, just in case they haven't noticed yet. Her gaze flicks over to meet Silver's. "I wonder how you came in possession of such a treasure... And what you're hoping to catch with it? Fish with obols to their name?"
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	"That's some excellent craftsmanship, for certain. I don't suppose it was meant to be a line? I'd hate to see the fish that could break it." He chuckles, looking over the monkey. "It's certainly shiny, but there are other such treasures."
Grave Saint	Seeing the line, Higanbana looks at it but it seems unnotable for her so she shrugs it off. "Too bad there aren't any treats that are both tasty and shiny for Tabi to be distracted by"
Silver Stream's Whisper	In the split second when the bamboo rod was cracking backwards at Silver, his eyes seemed to flicker with prenatural speed, noticing the incoming hit before accepting it with a serene blink. Or it could have simply been a hallucination, as the rod smacked him neatly between the eyes, causing him to stagger back slightly with a reddening mark across his forehead. "I've had worse, but it's the first time my fishing rod's betrayed me like that." Silver laughed, shaking it ruefully. "But that's what a fisherman gets for losing his catch. He looked on to see Chorus babying her monkey with something approaching amusement, and another emotion, hidden deeper within his expression. "You know, young lady, you would have more fun breathing the air of the living, being within the endless cycle of karma." His remark was soft, abrupt, and almost felt like he had not said anything at all, changing the subject immediately to address his silver line. Eyeing his fishing rod, he slipped it back onto his shoulder, adjusting the weight absently. "Haven't you heard the saying, my lady? If you are of some competence and will, and are willing to give up everything else, you can have one thing in the world for certain. Well, this was my wish. A fishing line that is unbreakable, needs no care, and is capable of fishing up anything a fisherman's heart might desire. As for what I fish...Well, I just fished a monkey, so as you can see, I'm not picky about it." "But being caught isn't a good thing, of course. A fish's fate with regard to a fisherman is to be gutted, cleaned out, and roasted over an open fire." He smiled, but it was faintly more feral than reassuring.
Chorus	That odd remark about the endless cycle of karma, and breathing living air... It earns Silver a long, appraising look from the young lady, who continues to stroke the monkey's fur, gradually managing to placate the creature into docility. At the end of that appraisal, which coincides with the end of Silver's remarks about his fishing line, all the fisherman receives in answer is an innocent grin (which, in her case, really ~does~ look genuine, if only because she wants it to), and the following words: "Why, I've never seen a silvery fishing line myself. It shimmers like the moon, even." She looks the rod up and down critically, as if sizing it up. "Yes, this looks suitable for catching the largest fish you could possibly hope to find... but not for gutting it." She hmms thoughtfully, and nudges Higanbana gently with an elbow. "Isn't that strange? Mr. Silver traveled all the way to Stygia in a barrel, with nothing to eat but crunchy spider legs, and yet, I get the feeling he doesn't even ~like~ it here." Pouting, she turns to Tycoon. "As one who came in a proper boat, and is very much used to breathing living air, I now must wonder: Do you agree with him, or has your stay here given you a more favorable impression of the Midnight Jewel?" Even as she casually speaks to the Infernal, she continues to watch Silver from the corner of her eye.
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon chuckles. "With such a line, and on a ship, I cannot understand why he would not eat fish throughout the voyage. Certainly, even a barrel would allow for such a break, if it allows for the spiders." He shakes his head. "But I must admit, I'm rather enjoying my stay, and looking forward to returning the favor. Or perhaps I am simply biased because of the company I'm graced with?"
Grave Saint	When Chorus mentioned the string's light shimmers like the moon, she becomes wary but decides to fake a smile to Silver to play along "I wonder if you survived off the fish that swim in the Sea Of Shadows as well....I hope you listen to the songs of the whales there!" She smiles
Silver Stream's Whisper	"If a fisherman manages to catch a fish, but doesn't have a paring knife on hand to gut and clean the thing, then he's a terrible fisherman to begin with." Silver riposted to Chorus, before blinking in faint surprise and looking around. "My lady, This is the capital of the city of the dead, and I've only had dead things to eat since I arrived. Not dead things like a nice beef skewer or some fire-baked rainbow trout, but the various unsavory elements that have tried to eat me. Have you ever tried ectoplasm as a diet? It's not very...Well, anything, to be honest. Leaves me with constipation too, but that's an impolite subject for discussion in polite company." When he was asked why he didn't simply fish for his food, Silver suddenly became remarkably shifty-looking, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead as he chuckled nervously. "Ah, yes, why indeed. Fishing for my supper. Yes. Well, erm, you see, there were various reasons why that wasn't wise...." In a remarkably transparent bid to change the subject, Silver gestured to the estate. "But I'm sure you're all tired standing around here. Why don't we proceed into the estate?" Glancing over at the guards, Silver raised an eyebrow amusedly. "I can promise to behave if I'm a guest, but I can't promise to behave if I have to say, sneak in under false pretenses, for then I would be a cowardly and dastardly criminal. Did I mention dastardly?"
Chorus	Both guards immediately open their mouths in an attempt to protest, while the tetsubo-wearing hulk of a woman, still looming behind Tycoon, puffs her pipe in utter serenity. All it takes to stifle any possible objection is a delicate bejeweled hand, raised by "Hallowed Voice", in the general direction of the ghostly guards, and they clamp their mouths shout. "As it happens, the estate's owner is a good friend of mine", she mentions in a casual manner, smiling down at the monkey in her arms, who has gone utterly still, so that he can keep enjoying her gentle caress with his eyes closed. "What do you think, Tabi?" The orange eyes open just a bit. "Should we let Mr. Silver have a chance at trying some decent food, suitable even for his delicate stomach, on the promise that he will behave?" With her head slowly tilting sideways, she peers at Silver's face, pressing a canine into her lower lip. "I vote in favor of Mr. Silver. But I'm just one voice among three." Apparently, the guards don't count. They look offended, and yet hold their tongue. Chorus nods at her Circlemate, and at the Infernal, who is, after all, a guest at this estate and should have a say in the manner. "What do you think? Should we invite him in? A young lady like me might not be the best judge of character, compared to experienced adults such as you." She manages to deliver that last line with a completely straight face, and innocent eyes.
Grave Saint	"Not sure if we should invite strangers much less living ones but sure" Seeing as Chorus seems to be alright with this, she allows him to come with them even if the moonsilver rod signifies his nature
Tycoon of the Endless Brass Arsenal	Tycoon shrugs. "I doubt he'll find any fish in here... but why not? At least it'll be a chance for a good meal, yes?"
Silver Stream's Whisper	"Delicate stomach!" Silver huffed indignantly. "I'll have you know that I managed to digest the ectoplasm...Mostly, which is quite a feat for someone who usually eats regular living food." Pausing, Silver frowned. "Food for the living, not living food exactly, although when I haven't had time to cook, I've also had that." When she called herself a young lady, however, he immediately let out a soft chuckle, holding it in after composing himself for a few more seconds. "If you're an inexperienced non-adult, my lady, then I'm a trout. And you know what I said about fish not being fishermen." With the confirmation of the other two, Silver followed them into the estate, rubbing his palms in a very non-suspicious way, until he finally stopped teasing the guards to nod at them. "Oh come on, I'm too skinny to be a thief and too fat to be an assassin. Worst I'll do is steal some wine, and I have otherwise a grand history as a house-guest. It'll be lovely!"