Open For Business

[MobiusFlip]

Deep in the Pits, there was a certain unmarked, windowless building. It looked just as run-down and poorly maintained as everywhere else at a glance, but closer inspection would reveal that its exterior, while possessing many superficial flaws, was notably lacking in any actual holes or other structural instabilities - and that the single unmarked door in a nearby alleyway that was the only entrance or exit to this building had a fully functional keycard reader attached to it. Anyone who managed to enter would find a reception area with Varaen Kolthaur, a black-scaled dragonkin and the owner of the building, sitting behind a desk, waiting for any new arrivals. The interior was much better-maintained than the exterior, and was almost reminiscent of some of the more upscale Red Vice establishments. Behind Varaen, there was a thick steel door with a retina and handprint reader.

On the other side of the door was Draconian, the establishment owned and maintained by Varaen that was notorious in certain circles for its complete and utter lawlessness - anything that happened in Draconian stayed there, from petty thievery to torture and murder. No crimes committed within would ever be reported by Varaen or, she made sure, any of her customers. Of course, the keycard requirement meant even entering the lobby wasn't something just anyone could do, let alone actually enter Draconian proper. Then again, Varaen did hand out quite a lot of keycards with the location of the building printed on them, and some of those found their way into other people's hands. It wasn't exactly uncommon for new arrivals to show up every so often, and Varaen was always ready to greet a potential new customer.

[thefishqueen]

So. Turns out that trying to enter the pits while wearing fancy clothing is, in fact, not a very good idea if you're trying to get anywhere. It is a fantastic way to get cornered by petty thieves however, if that's what you're going for. Ah well, Markato mused, it did end up providing her with something worthwhile - a strange kind of card, a keycard in fact, found in the pocket of one of her attempted assailants. Certainty something more valuable than any average member of the pits would have on hand. And conveniently with an address!

She'd been on the fence about actually entering the building on the card, but seeing as the card reader seemed to be legitimate and the building less run down than it could have been, Markato deemed it a risk worth taking. At the very least, she'd modified her clothing to something less conspicuous, baggy clothes and a cloak to hide her parasol under. She opened the door slowly, looking around to see what she'd gotten herself into.

[MobiusFlip]

Varaen looked up and smiled as she saw the door opening. She looked at Markato, her Local Surveillance/Targeting Overlay HUD already attempting to determine the newcomer's threat level and primary weapon. ((WPP effect, so just say if Varaen can get this info or not.)) While it processed, she began greeting the new arrival. "Welcome to Draconian. I'm Varaen, the owner. Were you looking to get inside right away, or do you need some more information about the services provided before you pay the entry fee?"

[thefishqueen]

So this place was called the Draconian? Markato took a good few seconds considering what kind of act she should put on for the stranger, or Varaen apparently, before going for a rough, thug-like attitude, befitting a criminal. She could keep the parasol hidden probably. ((Varaen can totally see the parasol as the primary weapon)).

"Yeah, uh" her typical talking voice knocked down a few octaves seemed good, as did a nervous scowl "What's this place about?"

[MobiusFlip]

A parasol. Well, that was an interesting choice of weapon. Then again, when you thought about it, just about anything could be an effective weapon, especially with the magical and technological modifications so common in Rune. Varaen decided the voice was probably an act, though. Markato seemed a little too nervous, and had paused for just a little too long before responding. Not that it mattered much to her, as long as she ended up becoming a paying customer. And since Varaen didn't remember giving her a keycard, either she had taken it from someone or she had been given it. Either one meant she was likely associated with Varaen's regular clientele somehow, which was an encouraging sign.

"Put simply, Draconian offers everything a trip to Vice can't get you. Murder, torture, severely restricted drugs... anything you can think of is allowed inside. The one rule is that you're not allowed to report any offenses that occur within to the city guard." Varaen gestured to a seat in front of her desk. "If you're interested, take a seat and we can talk about payment. If not... well, just lying about the services I offer isn't nearly enough to incriminate me. And trust me, I've had potential customers report me before. Nothing ever comes of it."