An Interrupted Evening
”Don’t tell me about “women’s work”. Hmph.
The patron of the Shtaran Empire is Latina, the Defender, and while she bears an upraised shield to protect those under her care, she also wields a burning sword. In the Empire of Shtara, women of breeding are just as likely to be taught the art of the blade as the art of needlepoint.”
-Imperial merchant explaining things to a Southern trader.
The daughter of a businessman, merchant, and crime-lord, Jaylissa Deverex learned the art of the blade at a young age. Given his pursuits, her father thought it wisdom’s choice to indulge his daughter’s desires on this matter. Besides, it brought his daughter closer to other young men and women of both blood and means which was an opportunity to be exploited. Still, Grandal Deverex had never imagined that his daughter would actually need such skills.
---
keeeeraaaaaaash! came the distant sound of breaking glass.
Jaylissa’s bare feet slapped to the floor even as she became aware that she was awake; her knife was already in her hand. Jaylissa paused a moment and listened and her heart momentarily sank at the sound of fighting on the grounds. Whoever had taken her father was apparently coming here next.
The fire-haired young woman took a moment to pull her enchanted vest on over her nightgown while hoping that her new allies would be able to repel whoever was attacking. ”or at least not be the actual attackers.” came a darker thought.
Jaylissa then picked up her sword (a gift from her father) and went to the door. Pausing for a moment she gathered her courage and opened the door.
Her attackers had been waiting for that. Two dark-clad men ,wearing the cloaks of the City Watch and with their faces obscured by masks, surged towards her. “Father Dark sends his regards, woman.” Snarled the lead attacker, raising his sword.
Jaylissa rose her own sword to parry. “Intruders!” She called out, hoping that Lady Hyla would carry her voice to Lore. With that she pressed the attack, tumbling around her attacker and into the hall, where she would have some hope of escape.
The attackers guessed her intention. “Your pet sorcerer is busy. It’s just you and the three of us.”
Too late, Jaylissa realized there were three attackers, and the third one was already invoking a spell. Three purple missiles leapt from the man’s outstretched hand and struck her full in the back, stinging like mad. Jaylissa knew she couldn’t take many more of those.
Then hope surged. There was fighting in the North Hall. Her allies were awake. She only had to survive long enough for them to get here. The spell-caster was beginning his next spell though and the two men closest to her were pressing their advantage. This was going to be close.
---
The murmuring voices grew louder, disturbing her sleep. Vaguely Jaylissa knew something was wrong; something important, but she was so tired. Then the voice finally grew loud enough to hear.
“…and heal these battle-born wounds.” The voice belonged to Lieutenant Jared.
Jaylissa sat up quickly and looked around. “Intruders…” She started. The flickering light of a magical pendant showed that she was half-sitting on the floor of the south landing, perhaps twenty feet from her bedroom. The priest of Sarath was kneeling over here, already drawing his hand back from her heart. Dark smoke drifted across the floor and there was an acrid smell everywhere. There had been a fire.
“We know.” Said the Sarathian cleric with more gentleness then she thought possible. We stopped them.” He smiled then. “We got a prisoner too.”
“Where?” She nearly snarled.
Jared stood up and offered her his hand. “Over there.” He jerked his head over his left shoulder. Kellron and Jallarzi were kneeling beside three other prone forms. From the looks of things they were finishing tying up the last one and not being too gentle about it. Jaylissa felt a small stab of satisfaction over that.
Jallarzi looked up from her efforts. “We’re just about to wake them up and question them.”
Jallarzi looked them over. All three were dressed in the garb of the City Watch, but only two of them wore the familiar studded leather armor. Jaylissa kicked the unarmored one. I suggest we question this one.”
“Our thoughts exactly.” Agreed Kellron as he stood up. “Lore is securing the grounds and the fire is out. Why don’t we take this one downstairs where we can be comfortable.”
---
Erek Tannson was not a brave man; ambitious and charismatic, but ultimately cowardly. Within a few minutes Kellron, Jallarzi, Jared, and Jallarzi had pried what little the man knew for the bargain price of his freedom. Erek viewed loyalty as something to be exploited, not given.
Before long, the four questioners discovered that Erek and others were learning sorcery from a man who looked much like Shalzerith (confirmed by an illusion generated by Jallarzi) with aide from strange friendly creatures which had tentacles in place of their mouths. He and his fellow sorcerers were learning under the guise of the Braenite church that had just come to town, hiding themselves from the discovery by the Library.
Erek had been loaned to Father Dark in return for aid elsewhere. His mission here tonight was to kill Jaylissa Deverex; he didn’t care why but knew that Treshans were involved and somehow working with Baron Roth. Erek also added that he was suppose to pin the blame on the party by giving an eye-witness account after the Deverex estate had been burned to the ground.
The prize of the questioning however, and what ultimately earned him his freedom, was the location of Colonel Beka Megara and Defender’s High Priestess, Kerress Raptoran.
---
“The question is, can we believe him?”
“I think so.” Answered Jaylissa. “The man wants his freedom badly enough and the City Watch would hang him almost immediately. He’s telling the truth.”
Kellron looked at Jaylissa appraisingly. “I don’t particularly like having him go free though. I promised that man he could walk out of here, I said nothing about not capturing him later. Do you think one of your people can follow him?”
“Easily.” Jaylissa didn’t mention that she had been planning that anyway.
”Don’t tell me about “women’s work”. Hmph.
The patron of the Shtaran Empire is Latina, the Defender, and while she bears an upraised shield to protect those under her care, she also wields a burning sword. In the Empire of Shtara, women of breeding are just as likely to be taught the art of the blade as the art of needlepoint.”
-Imperial merchant explaining things to a Southern trader.
The daughter of a businessman, merchant, and crime-lord, Jaylissa Deverex learned the art of the blade at a young age. Given his pursuits, her father thought it wisdom’s choice to indulge his daughter’s desires on this matter. Besides, it brought his daughter closer to other young men and women of both blood and means which was an opportunity to be exploited. Still, Grandal Deverex had never imagined that his daughter would actually need such skills.
---
keeeeraaaaaaash! came the distant sound of breaking glass.
Jaylissa’s bare feet slapped to the floor even as she became aware that she was awake; her knife was already in her hand. Jaylissa paused a moment and listened and her heart momentarily sank at the sound of fighting on the grounds. Whoever had taken her father was apparently coming here next.
The fire-haired young woman took a moment to pull her enchanted vest on over her nightgown while hoping that her new allies would be able to repel whoever was attacking. ”or at least not be the actual attackers.” came a darker thought.
Jaylissa then picked up her sword (a gift from her father) and went to the door. Pausing for a moment she gathered her courage and opened the door.
Her attackers had been waiting for that. Two dark-clad men ,wearing the cloaks of the City Watch and with their faces obscured by masks, surged towards her. “Father Dark sends his regards, woman.” Snarled the lead attacker, raising his sword.
Jaylissa rose her own sword to parry. “Intruders!” She called out, hoping that Lady Hyla would carry her voice to Lore. With that she pressed the attack, tumbling around her attacker and into the hall, where she would have some hope of escape.
The attackers guessed her intention. “Your pet sorcerer is busy. It’s just you and the three of us.”
Too late, Jaylissa realized there were three attackers, and the third one was already invoking a spell. Three purple missiles leapt from the man’s outstretched hand and struck her full in the back, stinging like mad. Jaylissa knew she couldn’t take many more of those.
Then hope surged. There was fighting in the North Hall. Her allies were awake. She only had to survive long enough for them to get here. The spell-caster was beginning his next spell though and the two men closest to her were pressing their advantage. This was going to be close.
---
The murmuring voices grew louder, disturbing her sleep. Vaguely Jaylissa knew something was wrong; something important, but she was so tired. Then the voice finally grew loud enough to hear.
“…and heal these battle-born wounds.” The voice belonged to Lieutenant Jared.
Jaylissa sat up quickly and looked around. “Intruders…” She started. The flickering light of a magical pendant showed that she was half-sitting on the floor of the south landing, perhaps twenty feet from her bedroom. The priest of Sarath was kneeling over here, already drawing his hand back from her heart. Dark smoke drifted across the floor and there was an acrid smell everywhere. There had been a fire.
“We know.” Said the Sarathian cleric with more gentleness then she thought possible. We stopped them.” He smiled then. “We got a prisoner too.”
“Where?” She nearly snarled.
Jared stood up and offered her his hand. “Over there.” He jerked his head over his left shoulder. Kellron and Jallarzi were kneeling beside three other prone forms. From the looks of things they were finishing tying up the last one and not being too gentle about it. Jaylissa felt a small stab of satisfaction over that.
Jallarzi looked up from her efforts. “We’re just about to wake them up and question them.”
Jallarzi looked them over. All three were dressed in the garb of the City Watch, but only two of them wore the familiar studded leather armor. Jaylissa kicked the unarmored one. I suggest we question this one.”
“Our thoughts exactly.” Agreed Kellron as he stood up. “Lore is securing the grounds and the fire is out. Why don’t we take this one downstairs where we can be comfortable.”
---
Erek Tannson was not a brave man; ambitious and charismatic, but ultimately cowardly. Within a few minutes Kellron, Jallarzi, Jared, and Jallarzi had pried what little the man knew for the bargain price of his freedom. Erek viewed loyalty as something to be exploited, not given.
Before long, the four questioners discovered that Erek and others were learning sorcery from a man who looked much like Shalzerith (confirmed by an illusion generated by Jallarzi) with aide from strange friendly creatures which had tentacles in place of their mouths. He and his fellow sorcerers were learning under the guise of the Braenite church that had just come to town, hiding themselves from the discovery by the Library.
Erek had been loaned to Father Dark in return for aid elsewhere. His mission here tonight was to kill Jaylissa Deverex; he didn’t care why but knew that Treshans were involved and somehow working with Baron Roth. Erek also added that he was suppose to pin the blame on the party by giving an eye-witness account after the Deverex estate had been burned to the ground.
The prize of the questioning however, and what ultimately earned him his freedom, was the location of Colonel Beka Megara and Defender’s High Priestess, Kerress Raptoran.
---
“The question is, can we believe him?”
“I think so.” Answered Jaylissa. “The man wants his freedom badly enough and the City Watch would hang him almost immediately. He’s telling the truth.”
Kellron looked at Jaylissa appraisingly. “I don’t particularly like having him go free though. I promised that man he could walk out of here, I said nothing about not capturing him later. Do you think one of your people can follow him?”
“Easily.” Jaylissa didn’t mention that she had been planning that anyway.
I'm always poking in for the next installment and reading it with as much enthusiasm as ever. Thanks for the great story!
