NPC: Lady Ishtan

"Why do you seek me out?" the lyrical voice chimed behind Nimble.

Spinning around, Nimble crouched with his dagger in hand.

"Put that away, thief. If I'd wanted you dead, you would be." Her fingers, all of them, glistened with jewelry. More distracting, however, were the finger blades that caught the afternoon sun slanting in through the half closed shutters.With one set of hands, she drew back the hood that concealed her face. Tattoos spiraled up her bangle adorned arms and flowed under her black silk dress. "I am Lady Ishtan, and you've come looking for me."

"I need someone dead."

Her silver eyes seemed to look through him. "Of course you do. Why else would you be here?"

Nimble straightened and sheathed his blade as she passed him. "Tea?" she asked, picking up a silver pot.

"Uh..."

She turned her eyes upon him again, silver beneath black eyelashes.

"Sure... I mean, of course... I mean, thank you, yes."

Nodding once, she looked down at the cups, and poured two. "Please, take a seat. The afternoon has gone on long, and you are covered in the dust of it. Ease yourself."

Nimble self consciously brushed at his tunic and pants as he surveyed the room for a seat. Not finding a chair, he settled on a large pillow with his back towards a sandstone wall. Lady Ishtan handed over the silver and glass cup.

She sat opposite him, focused on her drink. Clasping the cup in her upper two hands, she spread her lower hands and bowed her head briefly, then took a sip. Nodding in satisfaction, she rested her lower hands on her lap.

"Tell me how I might be of assistance to you. And tell me how you will be of assistance to me."

Image by Tiger1313

Lady Ishtan was once a normal human, or so the story says. A thief and assassin, she traveled the sands, finding few who would deny her shelter or food, lest they fall under her deadly fingers... Until she tried to kill the Raja Mir Rao, the son of a Jinn. According to the tales, she was sent to the City of Brass where she lived for a 101 years. Upon her return, her appearance was as it is now, and her skills even more highly refined. Now though, she rarely ventures beyond the walls of her own compound, though she is still often sought out.