Thread: Portal - Darkness Dawning (Black_Out and Eternal Thrill)

Sebastian ran a small comb through his freshly trimmed tan beard while glancing over his reflection in the dusty mirror within the simple and sparsely furnished third floor apartment dwelling he called home. Outside his open windows he could hear the growing din of excitement echoing throughout the city of Crescent. His own excitement over the day was deeply laced with nervousness and trepidation. It was the two hundred year anniversary of the founding of the isolated but immensely successful and prosperous city of Crescent. He had bold plans to mark the occasion as he inspected the refined servants garments that he wore. Buttons were dutifully in place, collar correctly bent and his white shirt perfectly tucked into matching white trousers. Checking under his sleeve and beneath his pant legs he took inventory of the slim tools and lock picks that he was secretly bringing along. He took a deep breath and faked a smile in the mirror as he spoke in a practiced and pleasant tone to no one in particular. Right away Madame, so sorry madame. That sounded good enough he thought. A fine day to you sir, do you care for some freshly grilled shrimp? They've been wrapped in peppered bacon. He couldn't help but laugh briefly, is that how he should address a noble, or should he just remain silent and offer the tray of food. He frowned then, as he reminded himself that being caught pretending to be one of the servers working the Thompson estates massive party would have serious ramifications for him. That frown remained momentarily before it washed away and he took another deep breath, this time to calm his nerves. It was time to go, time to get to work, and time to see if he had what it took to pull the robbery of his life off. The streets outside were a crowded mass of festive folk being entertained by puppeteers of varying talent, feats of juggling performed by deft hands, and other brands of carnival like distractions. Banners hung from on high upon the towering buildings that cloaked the narrow avenues of Crescent in shadows. Swirling breezes brought in from the surrounding desert set the celebratory banners to sway and flap from the perches. While the smells of food, the clambering of the people, and the sounds of minstrels already at work entertaining the gathering crowds were everywhere. He worked his way through the crowded streets as he forcefully reminded himself to keep his eyes off the ample purses that beckoned him from the hips of people he passed by. Sebastian flicked his own nimble fingers together as he made his way to join the ranks of the service crew that was assembling at a well established restaurant and catering business on the fringes of the busy market district known as the Baker's Block. His travels there took him past the magnificence of the well that the city was founded around and upon. It was a deep trench that had been worked and formed by skilled laborers into a sturdy inverse tower of granite that kept the sandstone walls from crumbling inward. So much of the cities prosperity revolved around that heavily secured and maintained well. The underground river that fed the well had even been explored to the furthest reaches possible and mines were uncovered that hid rich veins of minerals and deposits of metal. It was almost as if another city breathed down there beneath his feet, where laborers, their managers, and teams of security forces disappeared for days on end to work, plunder, and secure it's depths. Turning down the main cobbled roadway that swept past the walls and gates and beneath the looming web of aqueducts that swept the wells waters throughout the city he made his way towards the Baker's Block. He slid inside easily enough, and blended in with the staff of workers that had already arrived. He mingled about and made a few simple pleasantries with the gathered service hands, of which he knew none and intended to keep it that way as he mostly kept to himself. It didn't come cheap to be here, he had to make arrangements, but it seemed the best way to get himself into the rich and opulent manor of Harold Thompson. He was one of the richest land owners in the city, and held deeds for several of the mines worked down within the well and even owned a granite quarry far to the west in the range of mountains at the edge of the desert. There was a brief roll call and he raised his hand when the name Peter Ivanson was called and smiled as he chirped out. Here! There was a staff of at least twenty on hand to attend the affairs of service for the party. Most were servers, of which he was one, a handful of bartenders, and a small team of cooks that were going to be busy preparing the snacks, treats, and meals for the gathering at the noble house made up the crew of workers. They set out together around noon and made their way towards the secured gates that controlled the flow of traffic into the noble district. The proper papers were presented to the waiting ranks of security and in short order Sebastian was falling in line with the rest of the staff as they entered the opulent gardens surrounding the manors within the noble district. The richness of the plaza where the nobles of Crescent dwelt within their magnificent manor's crafted from slabs of marble and granite that had to be dragged for days across the dunes of the desert was on full display to mark the occasion. Guards patrolled the unblemished washed cobblestone avenues while groundskeepers had meticulously trimmed and manicured the greenery that grew in abundance about the gardens. Far more decorative banners swayed and danced in the arms of the wind that swept through the court of the nobles. Musicians were assembled together near the edges of the garden upon a vast tree lined field, playing a concert for a gathered crowd of the cities privileged and their guests. The crew of workers was escorted past all of this by a small team of some of Crescent's finest guards and led towards the back entry to the Thompson's estate. There they once more checked in with the guards keeping the back gate secure and were swiftly led to the servants wing where a large open kitchen was already bustling with preparations for the soon to arrive guests. The great ball and celebration at the estate was set to begin promptly in a few hours before sun down, leaving the guests with ample time to socialize and make pleasantries with each other before the mass toast the citizens had planned to take was to commence with the ringing of the bells as the sun was setting. That left ample time for him to get familiar with the layout of the estate and figure out how to sneak his way up into the living quarters of the Lord and Lady where a safe was waiting with jewels and riches that would set him up for the rest of his days. Or so Sebastian hoped. Last edited Sep 8, 2018