Flintlock & Corsets [Fantasy, PM if interested]

[Gentle_Incubus]

[[OOC: This is a story set in a world not unlike our own, particularly Europe during the Age of Enlightenment. As such, there are flintlock pistols and all that, yaddayadda, but don't sweat it if you're not an expert on history.
This RP will accept, and encourages, multiple characters (because I'm a fan of love triangles and drama, lol), so if you're interested, send me a PM and a general idea about your character, please.
The theme, of course, is romance, but considering the title (and if conflicting characters are present), we expect and encourage combat, though it's strictly a secondary concern.
Um, anything else...? Have fun. :3 ]]

Darkness and rain enveloped the land like a mother smothering her child. The skies were shrouded by a veil of clouds, the midnight stars hidden away, making the night all the more black.
It was a typical night for the Barony of Delmass, in the throes of late Spring. A northern land, a vibrant green during the day, known for it's great forests, breathtaking castles, and prestigious wine. It's the wine that most people find interesting about Delmass, as it's infamous for being of the very best quality.

But wine was not the reason one young man was visiting Delmass.
Riding along the rode, upon a chestnut horse both brave and strong, was a athletic young man. Not that many could tell his age, wearing that long leather duster with the collar buttoned high, covering everything from his nose to his knees. Upon his head he wore a tri-cone hat, his hands wore a pair of leather riding gloves and his legs adorned a pair of leather traveler's boots of high quality, all of which served to conceal the rest of him. That was what the passerby could see.
Underneath, the young man wore leather riding trousers, and a shirt of white silk under a black vest. At his side hung a cutlass and a pistol, both having obviously seen use, but just as obviously maintained and cared for.
It was all over top a pale body, toned and lithe, almost cat-like. If it weren't for the built muscle mass, one might have called him lanky, once upon a time, but now it was obvious that he had the build of a swordsman. Scars, he had a few, mostly around his torso, but some on his legs or arms, but not many and none super-imposed.
He had a face which could be called boyish, perhaps even impish or feylike. High cheekbones and a defined jawline, yes, but his green eyes were large and expressive, showing a craving for excitement and adventure, and a wide, crooked, roguish smile gave way to trademark dimples. The face was framed with a mod of shaggy, brown hair which fell to his jawline like a pile of falcon feathers.

Those features were infamous across the country, belonging to none other than Julian Cisseli. Infamous daredevil, rogue, grave-robber and lover, Julian had spent the last half a decade traveling and making his name known to the authorities. He had been caught once or twice, but his daring escapes had only served to make Julian's name legendary.

Which was why, of course, he was traveling at night, and why he wasn't in the Barony of Delmass for the wine (that is simply a bonus).
No, Julian thought to himself, as the great Castle Delmass, a grand structure of complexity and beauty, entered his vision, and as he passed the thatched houses of the surrounding village.
He was there because the Baron happened to have an interesting artifact in his possession. A sphere of silver and ruby, an item of mystery that goes by many names the world over. Julian knew it, however, as the Eye of Ishtar.
Legend goes, the Eye of Ishtar could be used to figure out the location of the world's largest treasure, fit to make a man king of half the world. No one could ever figure out how it worked, however...
Except Julian.

Having reached the castle, Julian dismounted his horse and patted her affectionately, looking up the large stone wall.
There it was, a window. He looked back to his horse, and the satchels she carried, and he produced a long rope with a three-pronged hook at the end. With a practiced grace, Julian swung the grappling hook about and let it fly, easily latching onto the window.
Without any hesitation, Julian ascended.

After the silent climb, Julian entered the castle, and carefully proceeded to padfoot along the deserted passages. Where could that treasury be, he wondered to himself, lost in thought and in castle.

Little did he know that this was the hour that the Baron's beautiful daughter decided to sneak out of bed for reasons that were her own.

[MadameNyx]

With brow leather boots making her small footsteps silent, Alanna made her way through the castle, her lithe 5'4 frame moving confidently through the deserted hallways. Her delectable, lightly tanned curves were hugged by simple, tight brown leather pants and a bodice made of the same material, her long, reddish brown curls hidden away by a long, dark cloak. Full dark pink lips and dark green eyes crowned a face otherwise described as delicate, now hidden by the darkness of the night.

Just as she was turning a corner, she heard something. A whisper of breath. She frowned, having made sure her father was asleep before she got there and knowing that the different servants (Gods she hated that word) were fast asleep by this hour. Taking out one of the many daggers in her person, she waited quietly for the figure to get closer before she stepped forwards, her blade a hair's breath away from the man's neck.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked in a soft, yet commanding voice, one she didn't use much. Her emerald eyes glittered like a cat's in the soft moonlight, her other hand already resting at the handle of one of her slender swords, in case she needed to use it.

[Gentle_Incubus]

So far, so good, Julian thought to himself, as he slithered through the stone passages of the grand castle. Dark, damp, Julian was in his element. The only thing that could possibly make this better would be a fair maiden to- Oh goodness.

Julian had found himself, after turning a corner rather deftly, mere inches away from the tip of a rather sinister looking dagger. Another thief after the same score? A guard or mercenary? Whatever the owner of the dagger was, Julian soon realized that she was immensely beautiful.
That didn't stop him from drawing his pistol via reflex and shoving it against the mysterious woman's rather attractive tummy (though Julian would come to this conclusion after some later reflection).

Jade eyes met emerald, and Julian found himself grinning. He had always appreciated the presence of beautiful women, and decided that he would not ruin a thing of art by putting a whole in her. Though he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to let her know that, considering she had him at knife point.
Still, he was daring enough to pull down his coat's collar to reveal his boyish face and roguish grin. "Why, I'm merely here to pick something up. Not too important, really, just a little trinket no one has quite figured out yet." He took another moment to drink in the girl's beauty before adding. "Point me towards the Treasury or no, but know that I'm not afraid to shoot this pistol and wake every sleeping soul into this place. I've gotten out of tougher scrapes." And with that, he finished with a playful wink.

Now, the next course of action. Oh yes, the Eye of Ishtar. But first, Julian decided to act on his impulse, and he was certainly a creature of impulse. In motion almost quicker than the eye could register, he moved the knife just a little to the side, and leaned in to let his press those full, lovely lips of the mysterious woman's against his own. He let it linger for but a moment, and then pulled away with a mischievous smirk. "It was lovely meeting you. Pity it couldn't be under better circumstances."
And with that, he was off, in search of his treasure.

[FridaysChilde]

Poppet Pennywise sat on the roof tops, eating an apple with a small dinner knife she'd nicked from a posh eating establishment. Silly of them to leave big tubs of the things laying about for anyone to help themselves to...she'd taken a bakers dozen and kept one for herself.

Below her shadows slipped into shadows. Ah, the night world, the best show in town for her money...or whoever's money she had in her pocket today. Like just there, a man with a horse who's footfalls were muffled...that took a bit of sacking it did... and a sneaky climb. To meet a lover, mayhap? Because no sooner than he was up, than some chippie was down and kissing with him.

Leaving that very nice horse all by it's lonesome. Shame that. And here she was with a nice apple, what horses liked. Maybe she should shimmy down and get friendly like with the beast and find out what one could find out while the lovers did what lovers do.

Poppet shimmered down a drainpipe, her figure lithe and underfed so weighing nearly nothing and about as loud as a sleeping titmouse as she crept across the cobbles to the horse.

"Aren't cha the pretty thing," She cooed. "Lookit what I gots for ya..."

[Gentle_Incubus]

My God, this place is rather easy to figure out.

Beaming, Julian found himself filled with glee as he stood within the Baron's Treasury. Just a few flights of stairs, and getting past a few simple traps, and there it was.
And what was also was, was the orb of silver and ruby which stood proudly on it's mantle in the center of the Treasury. Not quite one for modesty or security, is this Baron Delmass? Julian mused to himself, as he approached the mystic item and, anti-climatically, swiped it.

And then he ran. Like the very wind, the swift, silent footed Juliam made his way through the castle and dashed out of the kitchen which he had made sure to not earlier. He had his prize, so there was no reason to stay, was there? Nope. Well, maybe to find out the identity of the lovely waif in the bastion... No, there are many beautiful women to be had, away from the many pointy objects that she had in her possession.
Better just cut ones losses and head for the horse.

Imagine the highwayman's surprise when he found his horse being, dare he think it, tempted by a simple fruit, held by a figure cloaked in the natural shadows of the midnight.
Deciding to take great offense to the untoward advances this person was offering his horse, Julian padffoted his way up behind the figure and drew his sword, tapping the flat end on the figure's shoulder whimsically. "Hoping to ask for a joyride, were you? Or just feeling generous with that treat, there?"
Julian, of course, had no idea that he was dealing with a woman at this time.

[FridaysChilde]

Poppet turned slowly. "Why not, I was done with it, ate all the good parts anyway, and the horse don' care about the parts that are left, do he?"

She gave a wry smile and thought that this had the beginnings of a good joke.

A cutpurse and a footpad bump into each other in the dark...

She slipped the hood off her head and revealed a pert face with a bit too much wisdom in the dark eyes for such a young person, dark hair bound up in braids and then curled around her head like a crown, and one pearl earring dangling from her left lobe.

"You gonna run me through for a spot heart when it comes to big dumb beasts?" She quipped, rubbing the horses nose as she asked.

[Gentle_Incubus]

"Her. She's a mare, if you'd care to inspect. Though despite your knowledge of anatomy, I'll respect your generosity." What a pickle was this. Julian stood, eyebrows furrowed, blade poised, and a priceless treasure cradled in his coat pocket, he was a mere moments away from getting away, free as a bird. However, an obstacle had emerged in the form of a woman with talent and wit. A terrifying combination, as Julian knew from experience. Was she an agent? Perhaps also after his treasure? Or was she innocent?
Damn the Lord himself, what the the proper course of action here?
That, and the woman's attractive features fuddled with the decision making process quite a bit, which stopped Julian from simply running her through. Big dumb breasts indeed.
"Now, why would I do a silly thing like that? I admit to knowing a few much more interesting uses for-"

Alas, before Julian could make his decision, or even finish his, what would certainly be a witty reply, Fate had conspired to ruin all of Julian's plans. A gunshot was fired into the air, which sent Vera, his horse, into a panic. She reared, as shouts came from the castle. It seems Julian's presence had become aware to the guard.
But digression aside, Vera reared and bucked, and it just so happened that the saddle was loose just enough to slide off the animal, before she went galloping off.

So there Julian was, holding his sword, though no longer concerned with the pickpocket, watching his horse run off, and leaving his saddle and personal possessions strewn about the ground. All sorts of things scattered into the soppy mud. Papers filled with foreign characters, and gold and silver of exotic origins, minor treasures that Julian couldn't bear himself to part with.
He looked to the treasure, and then he looked to the lovely thief before him, and then to his treasure, before finally to the woman once again, this time with a finger towards the stash and a pleading look in his eyes. "Twenty percent of that for a good place to hide?" And then he chuckled, much like a bashful school boy, finding himself much more vulnerable tahn he planned to be that evening.

[FridaysChilde]

It was funny, wasn't it? How one thing, like a loose buckle, could undo all a fine months plotting and leave you at the mercy of a stranger.

"Done and done!" She grinned at the man who found himself horseless and at the mercy of either herself, or the tromping feet that were now headed for the gate as it was being wenched up.

She whipped off her cloak and shoved his goods on it, giving him a glance. "You going to stand there like a big oaf or help?" She asked. In short order she had the bundle tied up sans the saddle, to a long rope, which she tied around her waist. With a jump she caught the edge of the bootmakers stall, and pulled herself up onto the window ledge above it.

"Be a love, toss the saddle up, will you?" She asked, leaning over the edge and waggling her fingers down at him.