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Silk Moon Lotus	The sun is low on the horizon over Great Forks. The Golden Dragon's daytime business is slowing down when the evening entertainment has started to pick up. Silk watches from the hostess station while several of the regulars stream in. She starts to lift her head to track a sickeningly sweet smell when she spots a handsome well dressed man with a pair of bodyguards approach. He looks Silk in the eyes and demands "You will provide me with a space at the high stakes table, yes?" Silk immediately feels the compulsion wash over her and deftly brushes it away. She smiles blankly at the man "Of course sir, please head towards the back. The staff are still setting up everything but the players should arrive soon." He nods and heads towards the tables indicated. Silk needs to know who this man is and why he has made the poor choice to invade her business.
Black Pearl	A bit later, one of the water-born comes, smiling warmly. Black Pearl. Cynis Salara. She's never been here before, but there is a bit of an arrangement between the Chateau of Resplendant Delights and the Golden Dragon if one supplies a pleasure the other lacks. And she offers a smile to Silk. "Good evening," she says pleasantly. "This is my first time here, but I hope I can buy in to the games this evening." She has a couple of her own bodyguards, one of whom is carrying a plain wooden box that opens to show jade in various grades and sizes, but a small fortune there."
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk smiles warmly at her newest guest. "Welcome Black Pearl! I have several tables available for games of chance. I even have a special table for those that want to bet on the outcome of a game they are not even playing." She gestures to several different tables as she names each game being played at the tables. "In you are interesting in trying to increase the fortune you have already arrived with, there are a pair of tables in the back that play for higher stakes." As Silk finishes talking about the different games, an argument starts at one of the other tables. "Please excuse me, I have a mess to clean up. I shall check on you soon." She starts walking over to the table and stands between the parties in question. After a few minutes of Silk's calm voice, the the men shake hands and move off to other tables. Silk collects a small stack of chips from the table and heads to a counter with a large man standing behind it.
Black Pearl	"Of course! I will take a look and see, and the high stakes tables may be more fun for that," she says and moves into the establishment. She smiles, nodding to various people--some of whom she recognizes at her own patrons. And she makes her way back to the tables...and there is the target. The fae and his enchanted--or well-paid--bodyguards. But they are not right at his back, and so she makes her way next to him on his left, and smiles brilliantly. "Hello, do you mind if I join you?"
Silk Moon Lotus	Having delt with the outburst from her guests and delivered the chips to the burser, Silk starts walking the table checking on with her guests and helping out as she can. She spots Pearl back at the high stakes table and starts making her way over there. She's hoping the information broker will teach the ill mannered man a lesson or two and lighten his purse in the process.
Black Pearl	Flattery will get you everywhere, especially as she is quite attractive herself--for a human, that is. And so touches are allowed, even expected. The jade needle that is hidden within her hands is not. It's a bare prick, a slight snag against the silk of his shirt, and she smiles--perhaps at one of his witticisms. A bit of flirting, and then turning to the table where she uses some of her own money to buy in.
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk finishs making her way over to the high stakes tables. "I'm glad you have decided to join the table Black Pearl, I hope you enjoy the games. They do get intense at times." The fae man gestures to he seat next to him.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl takes the seat and moves close to him, certainly acting encahnted, or at least fascinated and desiring. As for the game itself, she plays decently, sometimes (at his request), advising the fae on a play. Sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but overall with a modest profit for the evening. She chats, an amiable person, fitting in, but...it's all rote, as though she has studied everything and has so many scripts that she can adapt to anything for it. Still, only the most perceptive could tell.
Silk Moon Lotus	After several games the man gets up stating "I thank you for your company but I must be going now. I have business to finish this night." He gesture to one of his bodyguards to collect his meager winnings. Silk bows politely "Please come again and enjoy my tables. Perhaps I will be able to play you myself next time." She winks at him playfully and watches him leave. Silk cannot be certain but the man is walking a little oddly, she doesn't remember him drinking that heavily, perhaps he has no tolerance for it.
Black Pearl	After a few more hands, Pearl stands up as ewll and makes her way up to the receptionist's desk. "May I see you a bit in private? There is something you should perhaps prepare for, and I owe you courtesy for that."
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk nods her head and leads Black Pearl into a back room. A set of glyphs glow a soft blue once the door closes. "I have been told that these runes prevent others from listening into this room by way of sorcery." Silk sits down in one of the plush chairs in the room and gestures to another. She pours town glasses of an amber liquid into two glasses.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl takes one of the glasses and smiles, "Thank you. If all goes well, that...arrogant boor of a raksha will end up mugged and due to his impairment will be killed. Otherwise, I would expect him dead by morning. But since he came here, you might have investigators. And that would be...unfriendly to have them come unexpected.'
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk tilts her head to the side "Is that why he smelled so sweet? I was trying to figure it out." She stares at Pearl for a moment then nods to herself. "You poisoned him with that needle then? I wasn't sure what you were up to." She waves her hand about investigators "I'm sure they will be by. My answer is that he was rude and left a few hours after arriving. Too many people saw him leave."
Black Pearl	Black Pearl's eyes go a bit wide. "You saw that, then?" She shakes her head. "I thought it was well enough hidden against my skin," she says, with a rueful smile, and indeed the black jade needles, like the other jade she wears, is almost invisible agianst her skin. Almost. "I thought that wherever he went, it would not do for him to be overcome here, or at once."
Silk Moon Lotus	"I do appreaciate your manners in not killing him in my place of business. Was it a justified reason that he had to go? I admit he was very rude and tried to force his will on my when I met him." Silk thinks about it for a moment "I admit, I almost missed it. How did you do that?"
Black Pearl	"When the Three give you a warrant, it's more than your life is worth to ignore it," Pearl replies. "As for how?" SHe shakes her head. "There are arts in many things. Grace. Power. Motion. Solidity. And...deception."
Silk Moon Lotus	"I see, the Three requested it. That will make the investigation easier." Silk nods her head "I am a master of the Ebon Shadow. I would be lying if I said I wasn't interesting his technique. Perhaps we could come to some arrangement for you teaching it to me?"
Black Pearl	Black Pearl hmmms. "Such knowledge is....very valuable. I can teach you, yes, but I do not know what I would want in return...what favor I would hold high enough...."
Silk Moon Lotus	Silk looks Black Pearl in the eye "I am one of the chosen of the unconquered sun. I am very talented in aquiring things that aren't mine. I know that there is a succession war coming. I would be willing to help if that would have value to you."
Black Pearl	Black Pearl's eyes widen a bit, and nods. "It....It would for me," she says. "I need more power, but if I could influence my House, that would help you. And if I could end up on the throne itself...." Her breath is a bit faster. "It would cause much upheaval, and with my relative weakness, I could not think of taking the throne myself for years..."
Silk Moon Lotus	"So, you need strong allies in order to bolster your house's position. In bolstering your house's position, you raise your own status. And in teaching me the ways of the secret assassin, you add a weapon to remove rivals." Silk smiles sweetly "I'm very good at what I do. I can work on expanding my spy network towards the Blessed Isle. Unless you want to forge your own enpire out here."
Black Pearl	Black Pearl nods. "And the question is whether they would accept you if they knew who you were," Pearl says. "The higher my status, the more likely they would, so...I simply need to gain in power myself as well, and if teaching this secures an alliance..." She tilts her head, "I saw you come with Bright Journey as well when I talked with her, and you played the part of a servant. So you already know about deception's power."
Silk Moon Lotus	"I am impressed that you saw through my disguise. I was rather proud of that one. I will have to work on that a little more." Silk smiles at the compliment. "I would be happy to help you in achieving your goals. As long as you don't ask me to betray my friends. Will we be bringing down the Immaculate Order as well?"
Black Pearl	"You of the Sun and Moon trust me. The Realm does not," Salara says. "So...break what they currently are. Reform them to make them....more suitable to our desires,"
Silk Moon Lotus	"These sounds like acceptable terms to me." Silk refills both of there glasses and takes a drink.
Black Pearl	Black Pearl nods. "I will not betray my House, unless they betray me first," she says. "I have to give them that chance. To do otherwise would make me no better than the vanished Empress." She takes the drink, and lifts it up, "So we have a deal, it seems."
Silk Moon Lotus	"I can accept that term, I would not ask you to betray your family. It seems we have ourselves a deal." Silk gets up and offers her hand to Black Pearl.