Liberation: Entry

Chapter 1: Entry:

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The Island of Floln Cay a bolstering island with a relatively stable economy mainly supported by trade, weapon crafting, and Woodworking. Its main strength is in its trade of a special crop the Star Clover. This island is where Roshu now heads aboard a merchant ship he stowed away on:

"Land Ho!" A male voice from atop a ship's crows nest yells. Clattering of footsteps can be heard as many of the men rush to take a look at the island they're headed to. Roshu, a few decks below yawns, stirring from a nap on some sacks of flower that the ship had been transporting.  He got down and slowly walked over to one of the port-holes. He looked out and saw nothing. Then he noticed the chatter of the sailors coming from the other side of the ship. " Oh, wrong side." Roshu said. He walked over to the other side of the ship, maneuvering around different cargo. He put his face up against the porthole. From what he could see it wasn't necessarily a big island, but it was pretty size-able. Roshu got a grin on his face as he thought of what adventures might wait for him on this island.

Roshu waited until they were closer to the dock so that he could make his exit from the ship and then onto the island. They pulled up to port and the sailers stood on the edge of the deck looking out at the town. "Finally in port." One said. " Cant wait to hit the town once we get paid." Another said. "Aye, Looks like a fun place." Roshu said. The other two look surprised, "Who-Who the hell are you?!" one of them asks. " No one important... yet." Roshu said before jumping off the ship and onto the dock. "Thanks for the ride!" Roshu said waving with a large grin on his face. Roshu walked into town.

After walking down the street for a little bit, Roshu came upon a large market place area with tons of delicious smelling food stands. Roshu took a large whiff of the air, his mouth started to drool as he couldn't remember eating much on the merchant ship aside of some of the fruit that they had on board. Roshu walked around the stands looking at lots of the delicious stands of food. A man was running a stand that was selling the island's main export of Star Clover Fruit. Roshu was contemplating getting one when suddenly he was bumped into by a kid wearing a hood. He then felt something he knew too well, the feeling of a hand digging into his pocket. "Oy!" Roshu said reaching down with a deft hand and snatching the kids arm. " Hey, Let me go you bastard!" the kid said making a scene. The kid's hood fell back to reveal that it was a girl. Around him he could hear mumblings from the people "Street rat." He heard one woman say. " Vandal." he heard another. "Abomination." He heard somewhere else. Roshu turned his attention to the kid. "Come with me." Roshu said

Roshu lead the girl down one of the streets and into one of the alleyways. " What're ya doin? Let go of me!" The girl said struggling. Roshu finally bent down, dusting the girl off. "Listen kid, I'm gonna let you go." Roshu said. " All you need to do is give me back what you took, and tell me why you're stealing from people." Roshu said. "Why should I do that?" The kid asked sticking her tongue out. Roshu grinned, " Cause if you give back what you took from me, I'll give back what I took from you." Roshu said holding up three coins between his fingers. "Hey! When'd you...? How?" The kid said. Roshu grinned." Takes a thief to know a thief." Roshu said. "I just got a few years a' experience on ya." Roshu said. " So we got a deal?" Roshu asked holding up the three coins in one hand and holding out his other. "Yeah, yeah." The girl said holding out her hand and putting what she'd taken into Roshu's hand. "Alright, first half of the deal is done." Roshu said releasing two of the coins from his fingers into the girl's hands. "Now second part: Who are ya, and what are ya doing this for?" Roshu asked.

The girl hesitantly but eventually introduced herself as Sacha also stating that she wasn't a kid, she was 14. Sacha began to tell Roshu how she was a leader of a small street gang of children, and that often keeping them fed meant stealing from the stands in the market. "Hmm, I see." Roshu said dropping the last coin into her hand. "Hm." He paused. " Well, since I was just about to get some food, How about we work together to increase our gain." Roshu suggested to Sacha. Sacha looked at Roshu hesitantly. "Alright, but why are you helping street rats like us." Sacha asked. " 'Cause kid, i've been the street rat before." Roshu said. "So come on, Listen up, here's how we're doing this...."

Roshu walks up to one of the fruit stands "Hello sir, what've ya got?" Roshu said in greeting. " Ah, Yes, welcome! Welcome!" The stand-owner greeted. " Come take a look, we've got a large assortment of..." As the man went on Roshu kept nodding and glanced every now and then over the mans shoulder where Sacha was putting fruit into the pouch of her shirt.  Sacha nodded after she grabbed what she could and started to move away. Roshu then obviously looked over the mans shoulder. " Hey what's that kid doing?" Roshu asked. The man looked over his shoulder, " AH DAMMIT, The street rat!" The man said ,running over to the other side of his stand. While the man was distracted by Sacha, Roshu grabbed a bunch of fruit and put it inside his coat and coat pockets. He began running away as well and disappeared into one of the alleys. The man at the stand turned back around to see no one there. " What the hell!?"

Sacha led Roshu through an alleyway and evenutaully to a small plank on the wall of one of the buildings. Sacha knocked on the plank in a small pattern. A sound of sliding wood could be heard from the other side until the plank opened up into an abandoned house. Inside a small group of children looked out at Sacha and Roshu. "Ah, an adult!" one of them said. " He must have had Sacha lead him here."  Another said. Sacha raised a hand. " Everyone relax." Sacha said, " Is this how you all treat a guest?" she asked. "He helped me get and bring back food for tonight." The children started to ease up and welcome Roshu.  

They divvied up all the fruit and food. At one point Sacha came up to Roshu as he was just finishing up a story that many of the other children were wrapped up in. She asked him to follow her. Roshu stood up and followed Sacha up to to roof of the building. The sun was now in the west of the sky. Roshu looked out from on top of the roof. It was quite a view. Sacha closed the door behind them on the roof and blocked it off. " Alright, listen, I wanted to talk to you up here cause I didn't want to worry the other children. " She said. "I know you don't exactly owe us anything, but" She took out a picture. " If you could, please keep an eye out for my brother." She asked. " His name is Chath. He used to be the original leader of our pack, but he went missing a month or so." She held out the picture to Roshu. Roshu took a look at the picture. " Sure, I can keep an eye out for him." He said giving the picture back to Sacha. She put the picture back into her pocket, " You're welcome to stay the night if you haven't got anywhere to go." She said. Roshu nodded. "Sure. Thanks." He said. He then looked up and turned his head. His mouth dropped. "Woah!" Roshu said. " How did I miss that!?" Roshu asked looking at an enormous mansion.

Roshu spent most of the rest of the evening looking at the mansion, thinking of all the expensive goodies that must be inside. He schemed of some way to get inside to get a better look at things. He turned back to Sacha "Hey, you know anything about that place?" He asked. Sacha shook herself out of thought. "What?" She asked. "Oh, the mansion." she said getting up and walking over to where Roshu was standing. " Don't know too much other than a really rich guy lives there." She said leaning on the small wall of the roof. Roshu tried to focus more on the area of the mansion. "Ever see anyone come out?" He asked. " Yeah, though mostly stewards or couriers coming out to run errands." She said. " Or guards coming out to party outside the estate." Sacha said. Roshu started to hash together a vague plan. "You know if they take new people on at all?" He asked. Sacha shrugged, "How should I know? I'm only 14." She said. " I haven't done much job searching. " She looked at Roshu with a perturbed look. " Ah, Right." Roshu said. " well..." he said jumping onto the ledge. Sacha suddenly looked panicked. "H-hey, I didn't mean anything by that!" She said. Roshu looked down at Sacha, "Oh?" He said pausing. " Oh! No, it's not like that at all!" Roshu said squatting down on the ledge to get on closer eye level with Sacha. "I'm not that down." He said. " I was just going to try and go get a better spot to stake out the main gate of the mansion over there." He said. "Well, Later!" He said standing up and getting a running start on the ledge before jumping and clearing to the other side.

Roshu had found a ledge adjacent to one of the main gates of the large fence to the estate. He camped out for the night on the roof. Thankfully the weather had remained fair throughout the night. The next morning was just as fair, good weather for keeping an eye on the gate. Luckily his wait was relatively short, after an hour of waiting, someone finally came out, however it appeared to be just guards coming out to stand post outside the gates. Roshu readjusted himself and kept waiting and watching the gate to see if anyone else would come out. As luck would have it it only took another hour passing by before someone else came out of the gate, this one seemed to be a courier. The courier greeted the guards as he passed them by. Roshu stood up as he followed the couriers path with his eyes. Roshu walked over to the edge of the building and looked down and around to make sure no one was watching him. Roshu sat down on the edge and slipped himself over the edge his body turning to ash as he landed on the ground in a puff of black ash. He reformed himself and again made sure that no one was watching him before he stepped out of the alley and started to walk towards the direction that the courier had gone. Eventually Roshu caught sight of the courier again. He would keep an eye on him until he started to head back towards the mansion.

Roshu set himself up to observe and wait for the courier to finish running his errands. It was a good two hours before the courier wrapped up his shopping. Roshu waited around the corner for the courier to come past. The courier rounded the corner his arms full of bags and groceries. Roshu approached him. "Oy, You want help with that?" Roshu asked walking up next to the courier. "Ah, no no. I'm fine thanks." He replied picking up his pace. "Hey!"Roshu said catching up. " Regardless, I got something to ask ya." he said. "Ya know if the big house up there is hiring anyone?" he asked. The courier stopped. "You want to work there?!" The courier asked. "What do you want to work for him for?" The courier asked. " Seems like a stable place for the time being. Just need somewhere to sleep for a bit. Might as well make a beli or two while I'm here right?" Roshu replied. The courier looked at Roshu suspiciously. "Boss Crieger usually hires fighting types as guards. Just hired a whole crew of misfits on as guards." He said. "Well, I'm more of the butler type." Roshu said. "Anyway could you put in a word to help me get in and get some work?" Roshu asked. The courier looked at Roshu once again. "Hmm, butler I see. I'll see what I can do. Just come with me when we get to the gate." the courier said. Roshu raised his fist up slightly "Awesome, thanks! You sure you don't want any help with carrying those?" Roshu asked. This time the courier obliged and took Roshu's offer handing him a couple bags. Roshu walked with the courier back to the gate of the estate. The guards raised an eyebrow, the courier gestured with his head. "New recruit." The guards then both nodded in understanding. From there Roshu was lead through a gargantuan estate, much bigger on the inside than it looked from the outside. The eventually reached the doors of the mansion.

Inside the mansion the courier told Roshu to come with him to drop off the things in the kitchen area. Roshu followed the courier through the lower expanse of the house to the kitchen. Walking through the foyer and down a few halls before coming to a large dining room and through some double doors into the kitchen. A large man in a chef's tote turned around "Ah, Raymond, wonderful you've got the ingredients." The man said sharpening a knife. He then took note of Roshu. "Oy oy, and who've ya brought back with ya?" The man said putting down the knife. Raymond set down the bags on the counter. " Here's fine." Raymond said. Roshu nodded and set down the bags he was carrying. "Oh hey Gill. Found someone looking for work for a little bit." Raymond said. "Mmm. I see."Gill said peeling a potato. "You, Ya interested in cook work at all? Got yerself some good hands?" Gill asked Roshu. " I've got pretty decent hands. Though I'm more in the butler line of work." Roshu said smiling a confident smile. "Butler ey?" Gill said. " Well good on ya for bein able to put up with people tellin ya what to do." Gill said with a hearty chuckle.  "Alright, let's go see if you cant impress Master Crieger and get yourself a job." Raymond said. "Follow me!" he said walking out of the kitchen.

Raymond led Roshu through more of the gigantic house and to an office space. It was now that Roshu started to notice people around the house. Something was off about them that he couldn't seem to put his finger on. Then it seemed that they'd reached their destination. Raymond told Roshu to wait there outside the door. Raymond opened the door to what looked to Roshu like an office room. Then he disappeared into the room.

Roshu waited outside the door for at least ten minutes when someone walked past him, it was a young woman. She was dressed in a tattered looking beige dress and attire.  She seemed to have a far off look in her eyes. She was carrying a tray of tea and tea supplies. She shifted the tea tray to one hand and knocked on the door before entering. The room Roshu was waiting outside of. Fifteen minutes seemed to pass, and the girl exited the door along with Raymond who motioned for Roshu to come in.  Roshu entered into a large office space with many decorations of wild beasts about the room. To one side was a fireplace, to the other a wall with stacks of books. At the end of the room in a large chair behind a large desk sat a man who looked to be mid-fifties, with streaks of grey in his sideburns and throughout his hair. Around him stood a group of tough looking men. The man in the chair lit up a cigar. "So..." The man said blowing a ring of smoke. "You wanna be a butler?"  The man said. "Aye, sir." Roshu said. " What make's you think you got the stuff to work for me, Phineas Crieger?" The man says standing up when he introduces himself. Roshu smiled. "Sir, I can tell you are a man of quality tastes." Roshu said putting his hand on his chest. Then he gestured around the room. " You decorate your space with fierce beasts. You guard yourself - And your family" Roshu gestured towards a picture on the wall. "with many strong men." He gestures towards the guards. " as well as some fine staff such as Raymond here, and Sir Gill in the kitchen." Roshu's arms then turned to a shrug. "Why not hire someone with some of the best hands to be one of your butlers?" Roshu said finishing up his pitch. "Hmm, I see what you're getting at. But I've got all sorts of servants around the house." Crieger said. "What makes you different from me just getting more servants?" Crieger asked. "Hmm, I see your point, sir. However whereas servants can be set to one or two jobs, I'm more of a Jack of all trades. All I'm asking in return for hiring me on is somewhere to stay. Pay me what you see fair, just give me somewhere to sleep." Roshu explained. "Hmm." Crieger said. "Alright, how about you help out a bit around the mansion for the rest of the day, let me see what you've got." Crieger said. " Just so I can make sure you're the real deal."   Crieger said. Roshu grinned "Alright, can do sir!" Roshu said.

Crieger told Raymond to give Roshu a general list of chores that needed to be completed. Then Crieger told Roshu and Raymond to get out and get started on the list. Roshu and Raymond walk out from the office and walk down the hall. " So what's first on the list?" Roshu asked. Raymond handed Roshu the list. The first item on the list looked to be dusting the pianos. " Neat." Roshu said. " How many pianos are there?" He asked. "The house has about three Pianos." Raymond replied. " One in the parlor, one in the dining room, and one in the music room." Raymond said. Roshu thought back to his childhood, they had had a piano in their home, he remembered it needing to be cleaned between the keys as well as check for broken strings or hammers on the inside. " Alright, let's get to it." Roshu said.

The next couple hours he spent cleaning each of the pianos by hand, getting in between the keys. Checking the strings. Everything seemed to be in good working order on each of them. While cleaning and making his way around the mansion with Raymond, Roshu took note of different things around the house. He made mental notes of guard positioning, the people in white's comings and goings, as well as locations of trinkets and other probably valuable items. The next thing on the list had been to help out in the kitchen cleaning and making sure the fine china is ready for the evening's meal.  Planning ahead Roshu cleaned the piano in the dining hall last.

The cleaning of the china took a little under an hour to complete but Roshu was able to get them all ready for the family's dinner that would be shortly. Over the time, he talked with Gill a little more. Listening to a story about a crazy dinner they once had. The last thing on the list for his entry trial was setting up the long table for the family.  Roshu took the china sets out from the kitchen and set up the table. Meanwhile the whole time Raymond was filling him in on details of the family. What they do and don't like. How they typically sit and what happens during dinner.

Later at the dinner Roshu stood nearby the table as he observed the members of the family as they interacted with each other. At one end was Mr. Crieger. At the other, the lady of the house, Mrs. Crieger, A relatively thin woman with blond colored hair. Between them on one side sat a teenage boy with blond hair, Bowen. On the other side were a pair of young twins, Misty and Sylvia, each with auburn colored hair. Each of them had next to them a servant, one of the people dressed in white.  Roshu however stood next to Mr. Crieger.  Mr. Crieger eventually spoke up as he stood tapping his glass with his fork. [color=#009966]" Attention!" He said in a light voice. " Here next to me stands a wonderful young lad who wants to join our fine house staff." He announced. " I put him to a few tasks today to test him. And I'm glad to say that I am pleased with his work."  The family members all looked towards Roshu. "Doesn't look that special." Bowen said with a cocky smile. Mr. Crieger clears his throat " Raymond here tells me he completed all the tasks as though he'd been doing them his whole life." He said. One of the twins spoke up. " Can he play with us?" The other one spoke up as well. " Yeah, can he?" " I'm sure eventually he'll have time to play with you two." Crieger said.  "Permission to speak, sir?" Roshu said. He remembered how most of this process and behavior went from when he was young. [color=#009966]" Granted" Crieger said. " See, he's even well mannered. Unlike some of these Brats!" he says tussling the hair of the servant next to him.  " I shall strive, to the best of my ability to carry out whatever tasks are thrown my way."  Roshu said. Crieger claps Roshu on the back. "Wonderful, starting tomorrow, you'll get the whole run through of the day. Raymond will continue to help guiding you in the ways of the house for a couple days."  Mr. Crieger sat down. " For now, Raymond shall show you to you're quarters. Welcome to the Team."  Raymond began walking Roshu away. Crieger called over one of his guards. "Keep an eye on that one." the guard nodded and went back to his position.

Roshu and Raymond left the area a few minutes before a clatter rang out through the dining area. " You idiot!" Bowan yells. A terrified servant backs away . " I'm sorry, young master. I didn't mean it!" the servant says. Bowan strikes the servant down. " Sorry doesn't cover it!" Bowan begins kicking the servant. " You can be replaced!" Bowan says. Bowan rips his napkin from his neck. " I'm finished eating." He says storming out from the dining room. Crieger's face darkens. " Dispose of that trash." He orders. The guards drag the bruised and beaten servant away. " And the rest of you keep in mind what he said ' You can be replaced.'"

I believe first part's pretty much done.
-Arrived in Floln Cay
-Met a small gang of children, helped them out.
-learned of a missing member
-Discovered mansion
-Devised and executed a plan to get inside mansion
-notices fishy things around mansion
-takes notes of valuables within the house.
-Secured a (temporary) position inside the mansion