3. Araevin Maerdrym

Araevin Maerdrym

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    Character Name: Araevin Maerdrym
    Login: DarkRenaissance

    _If you are reading this, then it means I am either dead - or made my escape. I will leave the guesswork as to which fate I found up to you.

    For the unacquainted reader, my name is Araevin, and I have run afoul of the Rundeen - a slaving and mercantile consortium - and more specifically, their chapter in Calimport.

    Don't get me wrong - I have no qualms about any form of thievery, coercion, blackmail, assault, or even murder if the target is deserving. But slavery has always been a thorn in my conscience, but able to be ignored for the right price; a slave shipment of children - not so much.

    To further explain, I was not a member of the Rundeen but rather a hired scout of sorts. On our trade route from Memnon to Calimport, it was my responsibility to ensure that the slave caravan was not caught unaware by bandits. My pay for this entire route was five hundred gold - not an entirely poor sum considering the low chance of bandits attacking a Rundeen caravan, but I was also made aware of - no, not just aware - shown - the cargo in advance - and perhaps that's why I made my mistake: twenty human child slaves of assorted gender. I never did claim my pay.

    I could go to the Calishite government about the caravan, true. They are enemies to the Rundeen, but slavery is still legal and that would get those children nowhere. My only option was the Harpers - but where to find them? I went to the taverns. I drank of ale and spouted off loudly enough about my mission for plenty to hear.

    We set off two days after my attempts at announcing the caravan in all of the wrong places: five guards, two slave cart drivers, the slaves, and myself made our way south from Memnon. Some time before we reached the Dalabad Oasis, we were set upon. Initially, I thought they were Harpers, but I was mistaken. Still, the Janessar - as I would later find out - would certainly see those children freed. Ten assailants - all of the guards and the drivers killed. It would seem there is no mercy in the heart of the Triad for slavers.

    I believe my overall mistake is that I did not pay close enough attention to what other ears were listening in those taverns and what the Rundeen would do if they knew I lived through the ordeal - let alone orchestrated it. I'd already made my way to Manshaka and foolishly thought I was home free of the entire ordeal - plenty of other cities to disappear to… but I believe it was the second "accidental" bar room brawl that turned deadly when I got the hint that the Rundeen were on to me - that and a letter I found in the pocket of the second would-be assassin I'd killed in the alleyways of Manshaka. I would have thought they would have burned such letters but... the quality of assassins you can hire for my original pay is typically not the best.

    I stowed away upon a ship from Manshaka to Skuld that evening - and from there, I'll leave the guessing up to you dear reader. Needless to say, I won't be back in Calimport - or Calimshan at all - any time soon._

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