Robert
Thanks to his good graces with Sybille Stentor, the price of utilizing her teleportation services was not too steep, as he had aided with her own research plenty over the past month he had been in this wintry realm. As well as being a fast way to cross the entirety of Skyrim in the blink of an eye, it was immensely informative. Sybille's approach to Mundane Teleportation was quite fascinating, as there were all manner of attunements required and arcane contracts between the Court Wizards of Skyrim to allow such consistent maneuvering. 

While Varis preferred the Telvanni Peninsula, with its enforcement of *Learning* Teleportation... Varis had never been quite good at it. He was a quick study, but the school of Mysticism was quite elusive to him, even though many of his mathematical calculations came from the School's own Theorems and its practitioners' Grimoires. 

Another school he required more study in. He had enhanced his knoweldge regarding Illusion quite quickly, and next, he would need to spend some painstaking hours pouring over Mystic spelltomes to learn their meanings. 

For now, though, as he walked from Mistveil Keep down into the streets of Riften, his eyes narrowed as he examined the architecture. He had read that at one point it was a massive city of stone, and yet riots and fires had reduced the city to a rustic wooden silhouette. As he peered over the streets into the cannals, he could see the stone architecture that had been the entirety of the city. His eyes narrowed as he pondered whether a revitalization could occur, but as he looked up toward the vibrant markets, the seedy alleyways, and dark corridors, a frown overcame his features. 

Riften would need a lot of work, and for his plans of industrialization to take hold, he might have to save this city for last.

Though, there was a certain alchemist in this city Varis needed to see. 

Ingun Black-Briar. While her mother was an intelligent political and financial strategist, Varis required a scholar's mind. Thus, as he walked through the streets of Riften, his mind was focused on the woman's current residence, the path to it winding through the vast streets. 

He recognized the danger of these quiet, shadowy alleys, but a part of him *Dared* Someone to strike him. He had left Teejun in Solitude, so he was alone, covered in jewelry and opulent lavender-Cadbury spider-silk robes. The Wizard prepared the energies of a calming spell in his hands as he held them behind his back. As much as he delighted in killing thieves... Attracting the attention of powerful ones was not his priority.
Anne
Ra'zirr made his way to the area after leaving from a successful heist that was asked by a favor of one of the guilds members. He wouldn't want to draw attention to himself as he had his posh jacket cleaned and just guided through the crowd. Until he sat his eyes on a dark elf.

"Ra'zirr sees someone new in town. He could be an easy target for Ra'zirr!" He said in an excited tone to himself. He decided to keep his voice down and will make his way as he made an attempt to "Bump" To catch the man attention.

He will had dropped a pouch of gold and and leaned down accidentally bumping into him. "Excuse me Mister. I must had dropped this by accident."
Robert
The Sorcerer meandered from the alleyway into a crowded street market, where a Khajiit would rapidly be brought to his attention. Varis looked as the Khajiit got closer, before the feline humanoid dropped a purse of clinking septims. 

The Wizard's eyes glimmered with arcana, as the Telvanni's purple irises bore down on Ra'zirr as the man bumped into the robes. 

If Ra'zirr attempted to pick the Wizard's pockets, he would find that the robe lacked them, leaving only the jewelry on his person. Varis' jewelry was in bangles and chains, as silver chains linked his bracelets to his rings, and from the bracelets to his arm signets, up to the dangling amulets and necklaces around his torso. 

The only things disconnected from the Sorcerer's assemblage would be his Bonemold Tablet Earrings, depicting the symbols of the Reclamations. 

Though, as Ra'zirr took in this information, Varis's hands would be brought forward, and in his hands, as Ra'zirr might peer at the rings and bracelets, he would see the sorcery surging between them. A green arcana that hissed and wisped about, prepared to strike. 

Whether Ra'zirr recognized the spell of not, Varis looked from the purse, toward Ra'zirr's face, the source of his apology. The germaphobe would attempt to step away via the momentum of the bump, raising his eyebrows as he observed the situation.

"Agh! N'w-" The mage stopped himself, quickly glancing about to view his surroundings. Spewing a slur in broad daylight in a foreign land was not particularly wise.
Anne
He will recognize the spell and also the prowess of the man. His assumptions were correct this man was rather high status and strong spell wise. He would have to be wise and be able to get away with picking off anything. 

Luckily he didn't do anything illegal so the mage has no grounds to report him to the guards. Even if he does he has some guards who can help any guide members.
Robert
With no sign of theft so far, Varis stepped away and looked down toward the bag the Khajiit had dropped, before looking back up at Ra'zirr. Varis was a tad confused, as he saw enemies everywhere he looked as a result of his paranoia, but he had also seldom interacted with thieves in broad daylight. Thus, this particular trick was lost on him. 

Stealing from a Telvanni Wizard often meant having your hand melt in their pocket, back on Port Telvannis. Varis was no such expert in Destruction Magic, but his own runes were nasty enough to get the job done.

Varis dismissed the spell in his hands and said, "Hm, so long as my robes did not get damaged," He looked down at himself, seeking any possible stains or filth, before looking back up at the Khajiit. "You may require a chain to hold your purses. Or better yet, an Oblivion Rift to hide them in."
Anne
"Yes I haven't had time to purchase a chain. My apologizes for bumping into you. You seem to have to have an interesting robe. It's very different from these lands."

He said speaking up to the man.Ra would notice that he would be rather a good sport and decide to do something. "I would like to pay for a drink to repay for bumping into you."
Robert
The Scholar tilted his head a tad as the man correctly assumed the difference between Varis' robes and those of this land. His eyes narrowed at the offer of a drink. He pondered it. A strange request. Was Riften so polite, or did he have to remind himself of the city's reputation, and that it existed for a reason? The hustle and bustle of Solitude and Port Telvannis, let alone Blacklight, had no room for politeness in the midst of work and commerce. 

Thus, the Spellwright offered a slight grin as he looked at Ra'zirr. As he smiled, Ra'zirr would get a better look at the scars covering Varis' face, clearly slashed into by claws, ripping open his face along his nose and cheek, followed by slashes across his neck. Overlapping those scars were the Daedric Script tattoos that covered his face and body. 

"Very well. Though, first, I may have a task for you." Varis saw all people as pawns, but this man had the speech patterns of a Tamrielic speaker, with the accent of an Elsweyr native. If this man had been raised in Riften, he would be an excellent guide. If he was raised in Elsweyr and came to Riften of his own volition, then he may be just as perceptive when it came to thieves. 

"I am heading to Ingun Black-Briar's Manor. I may be willing to pay for an escort. Once at the Manor, if I have all of my baubles and trinkets still on me, I will pay handsomely." He looked up and around, before looking back to Ra'zirr. "If I do find something missing..."

Varis glanced toward Ra'zirr's fingers. Making the man *Believe* His hands were bags of shattered bones would be quite fun. And, less horrible than breaking his mind completely. Or summoning a swarm of Daedra to hound him. He looked back up to Ra'zirr's eyes.

"Well, let's hope that does not happen, ey?"
Anne
He will be humming but he's not a merc but he needs some more coin. He can contribute that to the overall wealth. "You assuming I'll take anything off you. Ra'zirr is no thief! I'll help. Let's get going. We don't have to keep who ever expects you waiting."

He said explaining himself: he knew the manor rather well as he wanted to steal from there but never gotten a reason too. This wasn't a reason now but he gets a good inside peak.
Robert
The Sorcerer nodded to Ra'zirr's answer. *Good. Then I may study this Khajiit more closely.* Varis gestured for Ra'zirr to move beside Varis, as the two made their way through the market. Varis's eyes never stopped moving. This city was not his to command, as Solitude had become. Ideally, this visit with the Black-Briar would allow him to set up a propylon within her home, so that he may come and go as he pleased. 

On their journey through the streets toward the manor, Varis turned his head toward Ra'zirr, electing to engage in some discussion. Or, as most experienced it, interrogation. 

"I seldom meet Khajiit who do not refer to themselves in the third person. Were you educated separately from your kin, or are you a fast learner of dialect?"
Anne
"You can say I'm a fast learner but it took me a couple months to catch on to how they speak here. I didn't want to be considered like the other Khajiits."

He was telling the truth about that as he walked along with Varis. He usually speaks in the normal Khajiit manner when he is talking to other members of his race or to the thieves guild since he trust they understand him. He doesn't want to seem as a thieving criminal to the man who's offering him pay. 

As they walked he kept his hands to his side. He would pay close to this impromptu "Interrogation." He wasn't particularly nervous as this happen countless times with his mentor so he knows what to do and say.
Robert
"Ah, excellent. I presume it is handy in negotiations. With a silver tongue, you can truly get anywhere."

Varis paused. "Though, not during war. The best thing a silver tongue can do in the midst of war, is to either stay hidden, or have managed to get a seat of power before the war began. In this province, that is." When he spoke of *This province*, he did not say it with much love. As though he found the barbarism of constant feuds between Holds and the Nordic battle readiness a tired thing that merited no respect from him. 

"Now," Varis glanced in Ra'zirr's direction.

"I have always wondered about the city of Riften. The cobbled streets, the beautiful estates. Alas, there is another version of the city, hidden and in shadow. What might you know of such clandestine activities?" Varis observed Ra'zirr, studying how the Khajiit would react to the subtle spell, and whether it would be effective on him.
Anne
"I stay clear from the shadows of the city. I hear many stories and rumors of people operating from these parts of the city. I would consider it as place I can fit into by my looks but not by personality."

He said as he felt a noticeable shift. He felt he was under the influence or impression of something. He didn't wanna make it noticeable or so. He decided to play it off and make it to where Varis can trust him for right now.
Robert
A sly grin formed on the mage's face. The response felt...*Evasive*. The deflection of his appearance being accepted there, but not his personality, caused Varis a great deal of intrigue. This feline was of a dark variety, perfect for blending into the shadows. His lithe and slender build made him agile, no doubt, and Varis wondered if the feline had much flexibility to him.

As Varis and Ra'zirr continued to speak, a gradual thing began to happen. The world around the two seemed to get quieter, as if the outside was becoming muffled to them in some sort of field, or bubble of silence.

Meanwhile, the sound between the two of them became more intense, clearer, as though the world's noises were falling away, and only they could hear each other. Ra'zirr might even be able to hear his own heartbeat before Varis spoke again,

"I see. Well, then I am surprised that you have not been recruited. The personality of a thief is not particularly important, so long as they have the capacity to learn." The spell Varis had employed would make his words seem wrapped in honey, dancing and flitting through the air, like music to the Khajiit's ears. 

A subtle spell to make him more appealing, more charming.

"Knowing a good thief would be most useful to me, and my business practices. I'm no smuggler, but having a smuggler's, or burglar's eye, is always useful as a second perspective. A shame, then, that I would not be able to hire you for such *Useful* Advice."

With this field of silence, Varis' words seemed so private, and none could hear the two outside of this sphere of influence.
Anne
He felt this was a trick to try and con him to saying something. As he felt the quietness between the two grow stronger and thicker. He will decide to soon it out or attempt too.

"It is a rather bad shake that you can't. I believe if I ever find someone who does. I will like to point them in your direction."

The silence wouldn't get to him as he grew up having to rely on silence to survive. If he didn't it would be a massive problem.
Robert
The Spellwright nodded at Ra'zirr's answer, holding his hands behind his back as he looked forward. The muffling field remained as Varis said, "Yes, that would be most considerate of you." The Dunmer and Khajiit would eventually find themselves in view of the manor. Only another street crossing and they would be on its doorstep. 

"You jumped on the prospect of working for me. I take it you grab odd jobs quite often, no? Who would you say has been your most *Profitable* Employer in this city so far?"
Anne
"No I can not say as everyone who I worked for were just here and there with payments. I don't like to compare as I find it as a displeasing thing to do."

He said as it was rather a thing he done with his heists. He couldn't really do a comparison as it would do him a displeasure.
Robert
A frown formed. "Ah, tragic. Having someone who was a good connect in this city would have been useful. If you dislike comparing those who offer the most coin, then you are not paying attention. Those who offer the most, are the ones worth doing business for. As for my purposes, those who pay the most, and honor their agreements and deals, are the most useful to go into business with."

Varis and Ra'zirr were now on the premises of Ingun Black-Briar's manor. The Spellwright noticed the bodyguards outside the house, crossed arms watching the two approach. Varis glanced toward Ra'zirr, wondering if the Khajiit had anything to say to, or about, these bodyguards before Varis would walk up to them.
Anne
"I'll say this the tavern owner offers a good payment. It just depends on what's required of him. But I don't think if that could provide any assistance."

He said before they arrived. Right as they arrived he noticed the guards and doesn't speak: "I would make sure to be careful. I'm staying out here because my kind won't be having me accompany you."