[Hallasholm] closed except for those characters w/

[ivory]

Gorrik "Shark" Ramels was a giant of a man, standing at six foot five and thickened with muscled strength. An axe leaned easily over his shoulder and his green eyes were fierce and always in a glare. He'd made a reputation of himself too, using his relation to one of the Uberjarl's council and his brute strength which he found reason to use more often than not.

He had no friends, only accomplices from the trades of thievery, convicts, and hired help. And even among them, he knew he was slightly feared and highly respected, especially his axe, which he'd used on a number of occasions to lope the head off of whoever dared to argue with him, even if he knew he was wrong.

But as strong and mean as he was, he was afraid of the shadow before him. The shadow that spoke in a rasp and ordered him about like a slave. But though he didn't like the idea, he knew it to be true. He was a slave to the man, had the scars to prove it.

Fourteen years ago, he'd decided he didn’t like the orders of which he’d been given. He’d agreed to work for the man and after a year, he decided he wanted a raise. When the shadow refused, he attacked with his axe Vladmir, and within seconds he lay bleeding from six slices across his neck, three on either side. And instead of the raise, he’d gotten the exact opposite.

He knelt on one knee, gritting his teeth as he did so. He had his pride above all else and hated bowing to a shadow he’d never seen. “You summoned me?” He hated with equal passion the question he was forced to ask.

Silence met his question for thirty minutes, testing his ability to keep his rigid position. He wisely ignored the pain in his knee, the growing stiffness of his muscles.

“Gregory Wood.”

It was always like that, just a single name. But he knew what was wanted of him. He inclined his head before standing and making his exit. His rage exploded as soon as he stepped outside and he swung his axe into the nearest object, which just so happened to be the guard standing watch. He grinned sardonically as he watched him slump to his knees, head hanging backwards from a thin layer of skin.

Whistling, he made his way to the Hallashom where he’d gather his crew before heading for the docks. He’d head for Gallica first and ask around for this Gregory Wood, a dead man. He just didn’t know it yet.

[ivory]

The Shadow took pleasure in Shark's barely concealed anger. Gorrik never did like taking orders and had the scars to prove it. Neither did he like calling anyone else 'Master' and enforcing his own self-worthlessness.

He was a fool, angering easily and looking only to be ugly to those weaker than he. He had not the brains of Master's own intelligence. Had no thought to what his actions would bring. He was crazed on the power he held because of his relation to one of the Uberjarl's council and in that way, he was weak.

The Shadow grinned wickedly at that thought, knowing that it'd anger Shark to no end if he knew his master's thoughts. Not that he could do anything about it. He was far too inferior a fighter, which he'd learned all too well. But that was years before and he probably had forgotten all about it despite the scars he'd been given as a reminder.

Yes, the Shadow had thought yesterday, it was time to teach him another lesson.

So he'd been assigned someone of which little knowledge was known. There were the rumors of course, exagerated and expanded to fit their wild stories, but little actual fact. The Shadow wanted those facts before moving in for the revenged kill. Master had found secrets that Gregory himself didn't know and wanted to move quickly to bait him into serving the group of mercenaries as Shark was currently doing.

Gregory would be the new right-hand man, killing Shark to take his position. Yes, the Shadow thought, easing back further into the shadows known as home, everything was falling into place nicely. Yes, indeed.

[ivory]

Shark glared out to sea as he steered the ship into its waters. His anger hung over him like a black cloud and his men knew well to keep away. One had already made the mistake of talking to him and he’d been promptly thrown overboard. Fortunately for him though, they weren’t that far from shore.

"Captain?"

He turned to glare at his second in command, Gorman, and had the satisfaction of seeing him hesitate before carrying on. "Where are we headed?"

Shark hadn't told them anything about why they were setting sail outside of the season. He always kept them on a need to know basis and he didn't think they needed to know that there was a man that needed killing. No doubt, the traitors would flock to do it first, thinking there was a reward. It wouldn't deter them if he denied such a thing either, even it it was the truth. They'd no doubt just think he was lying to keep all the wealth to himself. And while they were at it, someone would probably spread the seed that it was a lot of money at that. So he decided to keep his goal a secret.

"You're to drop me off in Teutlandt." Where I'll make my way to Gallica. At the look in his accomplice's eye, he added, "I have some business to attend to there," he grinned just right for his second-in-command to get the hint about his mistress. "I'll meet up with you in Gallica in a month. During that time, do whatever you want, just make sure we still have a ship left to get back home."

Gorman nodded his head once in exceptance before turning to tell the rest of the crew.

Shark turned his attention back out to sea, his anger still brimming beneath the waters.

[ivory]

Shark noticed the roughened waves as a storm approached, but he ignored it, letting his crew handle the problem. He was captain afterall and the better fighter. He wasn't even worried about a mutiny since he was related ot one of a higher power.

He grinned at the thought. Power had always excited him and he used it whenever he could. He used it now as he stood on the swaying deck, looking out to the dark sea as if daring it to test his power. He did this for two reasons: one just for the taste of adrenaline, and two, to increase his feared reputation. By the time they settled, it would have doubled into him having some mythical power or another. He'd chosen his crew with great care, picking not only those with brawn, but those with greatly excercized tongues.

[♥★Evanm7♥]

Evan stood behind the man on the front of the boat. He had killed one of the boats crew, took his uniform, and snuck on the boat. He decided to follow the captain, who, as far as he could could tell, was heading to Gallica.

Maybe if he found out what this "Shark" was doing, he could either kill him or find a job from him. Evan smiled grimly.

It had been a while that he had a job that was worth his time.
Everyone was getting soft and relaxed. Guards fell asleep on their watch. Maybe, just maybe, this giant would be able to give him a job worth of his skills.

[ivory]

Shark tensed slightly as he felt eyes upon his back. He sneered at the thought of one of his crew trying to challenge him and thinking to show them that they were nowhere near his level, he grunted and spun around, swinging his axe widely with him. He spun it at his shoulder width, thinking to sink it hard into a crewmate's shoulder. A missing arm would do just nicely as a lesson learned.

[♥★Evanm7♥]

Evan saw Shark tense before he swung the axe. Out came his saber, meeting the axe in midair. Evan reached for his Yabree with his free hand. He managed to worm the small knife out of its scabbard."And who would you be?" Evan asked coldly to the man in front of him, the while cutting his disguise so that his gray-green cloak and clothes were revealed. On it was the mark of the assassin's guilds Game master, or leader. The stylized icon set in gold bore the resemblance to a Yabree. Hopefully Evan could convince the man to give him a good job.

[ivory]

Shark grunted as his axe connected with the sword from the stranger. There was no way he would have hired someone like him. His next words confirmed it.

"And who would you be?"

With a roar he jerked his axe back and readied for another swing when the stranger showed his cloak. His roar melded into a half-satisfied grunt as he lowered his axe to the ground and leaned on the handle. This man would be a little lower than his equal despite his height(OOC: even if he's not, Shark's just full of himself, so yeah), but a welcome advirsary where he was going.

Yes, he thought with a smirk, he'd use his services and then he'd get rid of him.

"What do you want?" he grunted, eyes menacing as the wind whipped around them.

[♥★Evanm7♥]

"I'm a assassain. I'm looking for a job." Evan said as he lowered the saber and [shadow=red,left,300]Yabree.[/shadow]

"Do you have any, ah, enemies?" Evan asked slyly. Keep them guessing, that was his rule. He planned to do the job,get the money, then kill this annoying Skandian. He would pay for making Evan answer like a common thief, rather than a Gamemaster. Oh yes, he would pay.

[ivory]

A job.

Shark's sneer widened at that. His plans were working extremly well. He could almost taste the victory at the end, could almost feel the adrenaline rushing through his system when he decided to end this pathetic assassin's life.

"Do you have any, ah, enemies?"

He glared at that before grunting an answer. "Don't we all boy?" It didn't matter that the man before him was almost a foot taller than he, he believed himself to be the better fighter. He jerked his chin toward the steps leading down into the hull. "Come inside and we'll talk."

Without waiting for an answer, he strode over there and disappeared inside.

[♥★Evanm7♥]

Evan bounded after Shark, leaping straight down the stairs taking two or three steps at a time. "Sooooo, What do you want to talk about?" Evan asked carefully. He didn't want to anger the man. As far as he gathered from the crew members, Shark was not one to anger. He had been known to, ah, explode in anger.That's was Evan considered as he sat there. He put the pro's and Con's. Finnaly he decided to listen and see for himself what this job is.

[ivory]

"Sooooo, What do you want to talk about?"

He glared at him and promptly refused to answer. He was the captain on this ship, and he would ask the questions, which he immediately did right after entering his cabin.

"Where'd you put Fresco's body?" he grunted, assuming it had been Fresco to have his uniform stolen, for only he was of such a height - or around it anyways. And he doubted that Fresco would be left lying around naked.

Not that he actually cared for his crew, he just wanted to make sure the body was disposed of, dead or alive it didn't matter to him.

[♥★Evanm7♥]

"Fresco? Who's he?"Evan asked. Then he made the connection."Oh. He's in a barrel, dead. I killed him, then threw him into the sea."Evan chuckled. Sometimes it was to easy. Killed with a saber, uniform tooken,into a barrel,and then barrel into the sea. Tooooooo easy.Evan grinned. Thoughtslike that made him.

[ivory]

Shark grunted in acceptance of that answer and immediately dismissed it. He'd never been the patient kind and he got straight to the point.

"How much?"

Assassins and mercenaries these days seem to think of nothing put money so it was best to get that out of the way first. He'd agree to any price naturally, since he wasn't going to pay it anyways. Why pay tribute to a dead person? Completely illogical if you ask him.

At the man's answer, he nodded his head with a grunt before accepting the price. Before the assassin could question his quick acceptance - since it was common knowledge that Skandivians hoarded money like a dragon - he continued.

"You may have found out that this ship is heading for Teutlandt to drop me off before going to Gallica." It wasn't a question for if he didn't know, he did now. "You may have also heard that I'm going to visit my mistress. That's not the case this time. I'm looking for someone else and I want you to find him." He grinned at that thought, pleased at his idea. And Master thought he could be controlled. What a pompois, prideful shadow, he thought in disgust, before saying, "His name's Gregory Wood."

[♥★Evanm7♥]

"Gregory Wood, huh? Sounds like a troublemaker."Evan said cheerfully. "Do you have any info at all?"

Evan knew that this contest would end with one of them killing the other. He planned to be the one coming out alive. Hopefully Shark hadn't noticed that Evan had a shifty attitude yet. Or else,Evan thought, looking at the massive batttleaxe while fingring the lethally poisened needle under the Yabree symbol.