[Tiburon][U] The Claiborne Estate

[DarkAbyssKeeper]

The Claiborne Estate is nestled in a corner in the south-east of Tiburon, about as far from the port as one can get without rubbing shoulders with poverty. It consists of three lavishly appointed estate houses, bordering on mansions.

Full and fore-front is the main house, which sits behind a long, unnecessarily green garden and a wrought iron gate with flower motifs worked into the whole affair.

Note: As a thread describing a public location, it's generally assumed people can freely enter and leave the thread as they go about their business. When making a new public location, it is fine to double post in order to have the initial post only describe the location. This helps in the long run, as you might want to edit in more information as various NPCs that work/frequent the location are described by others.

[Havarti]

Havarti approaches the garden and smiles thinking, "I knew I drew this place before!" He had been in Ballena for a few weeks now after visiting Verto. This was actually the first thing he drew with his new paints. He had admired the vast variety of flowers that grew here. He had made an appointment earlier in the week for dinner with Lady Claiborne after receiving a tip from an inn keeper that she was looking for someone for the ball who was good with socializing. He being future tribe leader got much different training than other children in his tribe. He learned the ways of the higher elite, his mother used to be one of them after all. She taught him how to read, write, eat, dance, talk, walk, and anything in between. Havarti hoped his training would come in handy today. He had spent the day cleaning up and grooming, his hair clean and combed, he donned his formal wear which included layers of colorful layers of fabric, some being ornately designed, he had a silver pin of his family's crest pinned to his outermost layer and on top was a silver wolf fur cape. He wore custom boots etched with his family's crest. All of this was too flashy for his liking, and too many layers, but he wanted to make the best impression he could. He knew that he was a few minutes early, for it was better to be early than late, he walked up to the front door having admired the garden and knocked.

[Cassie]

A little girl followed behind Havarti, adorned in a brown serape with red stains and garb that looked as stitched together as the golem traveling behind her. "Is this it, papa?"

The golem, garbed in only a raggedy brown kilt to go with its staff-like mace and natural crab-like armor, consulted the crumpled sheet of paper in its hand. "Correct." Its voice was hoarse and echoing, coming more from its glowing eye than a mouth.

"YES! Let's go papa!" The girl dashes forward, noticing all too late that the fancy man in front of her had stopped moving.

[Havarti]

Havarti feels something run into him and turns around to see a poorly maintained young girl and a... strange looking creature.. Havarti smiles at the child as he wonders what that.. thing is. Obviously it followed her, so... it must belong to the child. He squats down to talk to the child on a better eye level. "Well hello there! Are you alright? I hope I did not hurt you. My name is Havarti what is yours?" She must be here for the social dinner.. is she planning on going to the ball? That's very bold of someone so young. He was impressed at the thought. If she is here.. then she must really need this, he decided if that was the case.. he may just have to help her out.

[Cassie]

The girl had stumbled back a bit after the collision, her vision clearing after a moment. The golem watched in silence.

"...OH!" She grinned at Havarti."I'm Cassie!" exclaimed the girl. She pointed towards the golem "And that's papa! Are you fighting in the social brawl?!"

[Havarti]

Havarti smiles and chuckles "Well hello there Cassie.. and Papa.. and why yes I a...." Havarti pauses... " Wait.. she said fighting. This kid can fight?.. No it is probably Papa there that fights.. he looks.. well fortified. (referring to his crablike armor) Wait a moment this is a dinner! And there is NO way I am fighting against a child!" "I am so sorry Miss Cassie, maybe I misunderstood you dear. Did you say fight in a social brawl?"

[Cassie]

The girl tilted her head a bit "Um, why are you sor- oh, I ran into you that's okay! The girl motioned for the golem to pass her the paper. It did so. "I'm here for the social brawl! See, it says here that - " the girl tried to lower her voice a bit "the Clay.. claib..clay-born estate will supposedly be host to a dinner party AND some manner of brawl to determine whom their Martial AND Social pledges will be." She cleared her throat. "So we get to eat dinner and then beat everyone up to become social-lights! That's how it works, right papa?"

The eye faintly glowed in response. "Grammatically correct interpretation. Reality... unknown."

The little girl waved him off "Papa says being a social-light is boring but I heard they get the best food and weapons and they have 'connections' they can use to make the bodies disappear." She leaned in close to Havarti and whispered "I want to know where they're hiding them!"

[Havarti]

Havarti paused for a moment at her last sentence trying not to seem startled, and sneakily used peer to see both their auras. It then clicked, "OH! The creature must be a flesh golem. They need other's mass to get stronger..." That HAD to be the explanation for why Cassie searched for.... dead bodies... right..? Havarti spoke quietly and gently towards Cassie with a smile, "Well that is a different interpretation than what I got by reading it. But I am only going for the Social pledge. Maybe the Martial pledge includes dinner as well. How about we ask Lady Claiborne to clarify it for us?"

[Cassie]

The golem's aura suggested it was calm. A little amused, perhaps. Cassie's, however, was filled with enough excitement for both of them. Although at the moment she also seemed a bit confused and a little disgruntled. "But, but the pap-" The golem stepped forward, causing the little girl to look up as it spoke. "Agreed. Lets." It motioned towards the doorway.

The girl sighed. "Oh-kay. Oh! Havarti!" Cassie moved closer to the man again. "If you win would you tell me where they are?" She winked.

Then she winked a second time (just to be sure).

[DarkAbyssKeeper]

If any of the three noticed, the door had opened to the house. Inside the foyer was decorated in polished granite and accented with marble. A short, thin man with pale skin and a rather sour countenance stood in the doorway. He was dressed in sharp, black clothing and carried a rapier at his belt.