The best Inn in DOM in my opinion, is the Nightshade.  The crossroads of danger and depravity.  To be banished permanently from the Shade you'd have to do something pretty foul.  It's the one place that you are expected to watch your own purse.  If it is stolen there, then you are the fool who allowed it to happen.  You could get barred for outright murder, but a deadly bar fight was always a possibility.  And if Hiram the Innkeeper told you to back down, you did - or suffer the mortal consequences.  Your body would never be found and I don't imagine that your kin would come poking around asking questions.  Ah but to steal a fat purse in the Shade was a right of passage for a clever clip.  I had done it I must admit.  It was during the Midwinter Festival a few years back.  Lots of fat purses down here before the Festival of Lights.  Out of towers mostly, trying to prove themselves brave.  More than a few did not go back home I can tell you that.  But I didn't kill no one, just clipped a fatty.  It was easy really.  They think they're watching out for it - but there's just too much going on.  Mine was the Blaadi Icekregger Captain.  Blaad won the game that year and I know it was due to that kregger's anger after having his purse lifted out from under him.  I was long gone when he discovered it.  Japes later figured out it was me and they were cold to me in the Shade for a week or so on account of Dorcer losing, but we eventually all laughed about it.

My need-to-know status with Forcellus was elevated.  "Vin" he said as we came to a stop before the locked door leading to the underground "we need to know how it is down there.  Go check it out and come back.  We need to know if there are Morits.  Don't get caught if there are."  I was pretty sure that he did not need to give me than advice, but I nodded.  "Come back tonight" he said quickly.  I added "and make sure I'm not followed" trying to hide the hint of sarcasm.  I'm the better soldier here, I thought.  I'm on home turf.  But I did not say so.  Forcellus looked at me for a moment.  I could tell that he was momentarily anxious that I might give away the game so I placated him and said "don't worry, I'm your best man below and I am your man."  My sincerity was as pure as I could manage.  It seemed to work. Just before I went Zef spoke up "No one talks to the Morits about the entrances to the underground, but they probably know there are lots of them".  he said this like an admission of guilt.  I could tell he felt bad about the squealing the Fortan Guild probably did.  He was a member of the Font, you see.  The Black Font is the Fortan clan's strong arm.  Eli separated himself from his father's Corvarran bluster by latching onto a rival clan.  What Eli would not dare tell his dear dad is that the Font would've had his tavern long ago if not for his joining them.  The City Guilds are run by the Fortans and the Font does their rough duty.  They can make a business suffer pretty bad if they want to, and a Corvarran tavern at the end of a Dorgat bridge would make them want to.  I knew this too, but speaking of it can get you barred from the Tooth, and that would never do.

And so the door closed behind me and I was alone.  I stood there letting my eye grow to the darkness, which was more complete than I remember.  In better days there would be the glow of lamps along the way hidden behind thick glass windows no bigger than your fist.  The Tooth had dowsed theirs.  I should be able to see across the street to Boros Saddlery from here, but I could see nothing.  Still, there was only one way to go from here, and that was north to Soubridge and so I began to walk, feeling my way.

Next: The Bailey

My son, I cannot tell you how happy I was when our little boat finally found the correct shore.  As you probably know Lake Efrem Dorcer is vast.  Forcellus, Guwek and I were only traveling across the narrow portion of the lake as it approached the city, but it still took us all night.  We rowed as a blanket of snow descended upon us, traversing the current that would have naturally carried us toward Norgat. Finally spotting land we rowed toward it - only to discover that we were approaching Dorcer Island with the castle wall before us.  At that point we were faced with going back out and rowing directly against current to travel further south.  We had all taken turns with the oars, though but probably none bested Guwek in distance covered.  If Morits had attacked us upon our arrival in Sougat, we could not have lifted a sword much less swung it.  Well, at least I couldn't have.  Luckily for us the snow did not let up, and the shore of Sougat near Guidries Landing was deserted.

The longest night of my life was still not over, but continued into the next day as light started creeping into the clouds revealing a world sheathed in white.  Beautiful, but more beautiful would be my own bed.  We trudged on, bringing our knees up nearly to our chests in many places in order to walk.  When we reached My shack on the land of Heston Coros, we were too tired to skulk.  We simply entered and collapsed.  I graciously offered Forcellus my bed in the loft, he ungraciously accepted.  So much for my dreams. 

We slept until noon.  The view from my cabin door was spectacular, but only if you were not going anywhere.  I somehow doubted that Forcellus would be content to enjoy the comforts of my humble abode for very long.  And in truth, I really had no food to speak of.  I had not been home since the invasion - having spent nights at Janos' farm in Wesgat.  "Let's go to the Tooth" said Forcellus clomping down the stairs from my loft.  Not sure that's such a good move, I thought.  So close to Sou'bridge.  Surely it must be watched.  But then again, there was a good excuse to bundle up.   Who would recognize Forcellus covered head to toe in skins?  Indeed he still had the bear pelt from my bed wrapped around him.

The Broken Tooth Inn is the favorite of Sougat farmers.  Or rather Sougat Corvarran landowners who employ farmers.  Here they get to talk as if they themselves till the fields, which they don't.  The average farmer could not afford the Broken Tooth, and would more likely turn up at the Ox and Mule on Gendry St.  But I digress, the Tooth is a good Inn, and Forcellus was buying the drinks. 

The Inkeeper of the Tooth is Eli Zavras.  He's a Veil, but he's also an arrogant bastard who imagines himself an equal to Heston Coros and the other Corvarran landowners because he has some famous Corvarran in his family tree.  He only owns an Inn and a few stables.  "This legendary Inn has been Corvarran since the Dorcer Kingdom began" he is overly fond of saying in that nasal voice of his.  I guess you can tell that I like the Ox better, but neither is my favorite.  It was not old Eli that Forcellus probably meant to speak to, but his more approachable son Zef.  We did not discuss the matter, but the Tooth does have an entrance to the underground.  I was suddenly on a need-to-know basis with Forcellus.  If he got in with Eli, I would be outranked as far as the Veil goes.  I wouldn't complain.  I already had quite the adventure - and I suppose canoodling with a cutpurse might dent his image.  Besides, I knew that I would find it hard to stomach aristo small talk for very long.

Next: The Nightshade

"There will be no help by sea" said Karsh Petros.  He, Tirian, Veltek and a room full of councilors murmured dissatisfaction.  "Portha has turned traitor to the crown.  We have no more navy." 

Tirian had never felt so tired.  Even the direness of the situation did not stop him from nodding off at one point.  The last four days had been grueling.  They had left the rented hut in Northway and went north as snow began to fall.  They made it to a lonely farmhouse and paid the inhabitants to spend the night.  They had never seen a Raylan before, but somehow never imagined that their visitor was the famous Tirian.  In the morning they paid the farmer handsomely for a mule to carry their packs and they hiked off into the snow.  "We have to get to Corvarras fast - we are nearly out of funds" he had said to Veltek, and worried how they would get there if there were no ship in New Dorcer prepared to take them.  The mule turned out to be more hinderance than help.  They found themselves longing for old Nan "at least she's easier to push" grumbled Veltek who resorted to touching him with Shock to keep him going.

The snow was up to their knees when they reached the villiage of New Dorcer.  They sold the mule at a loss, and headed for the docks.  At first they anonymously attempted to bribe the captain of the only merchant ship docked to take them south, and when the only fortune they could amass proved not enough, they identified themselves and appealed to his patriotism.  The man still refused, "I'll drown the head of the Church of Unity if we go out in this and I'll be hanged" said the man.  Tirian knew that it was merely an excuse to keep from going.  In the end, Veltek had to intimidate the man with a well placed Energy Bolt which had them quickly on their way.

The going had indeed been rough.  The Great Sea was choppy and visibility was non-existent.  They took on water, and had even exposed themselves briefly to a Morit warship, but thanks to the blanketing snow they were able to change course apparently undetected.  They entered the Straits of Isban in the dark.  The snow lessened to a degree as they meandered south and they were occasionally able to follow starlight.  Sailing all through the night and the following day, they arrived in the port city of Corvarras, the capital of the Grand Dukedom of Petros in the evening.  Once there, they went immediately to Castle Corvarras and were ushered in to see Grand Duke Karsh Petros, the young son of King Lythe Methlin Petros II.

In the great hall of Castle Corvarras, Karsh continued his tirade, now standing.  "Moritania controls the sea lanes if Portha is lost to us.  The autumn will insure that we have no overland help until spring, when Moritania will doubtless send more ships and men.  We need to plan ahead.  If they cut off reinforcement by sea, all help of any size will have to march south through Fortan and across the Fortan mountains .  If they reinforce that pass, and the two coastal passages at north and south, they can keep us at bay for quite some time."  Tirian was awake again - long enough to have heard the gist.  "My lord" he said.  "Yes master Tirian?"  Stifling an ill-placed yawn, Tirian went on, "what if we take the city back during the winter?"  Karsh looked at him as if he were mad.  "With what?  You have already told us that the DOM Guard were killed.  Our own stupid laws state that Dorcer cannot have a standing army, so we have no troops!"  "That is true my prince" said Tirian "but Forcellus is there, and the underground is not well patrolled.  We have the Green Veil with us, intact.  There is a limited number of Morit troops, and we have all winter.  Perhaps we can give them a nice midwinter surprise."

Next: Sougat

A mere half hour had passed since Guardsman Guwek Tyno entered our rented hut, yet outside the ground was already sheathed in white.  One look and we knew that our Blaad journey was not to happen.  Guwek called it first by uttering "tank" the Castan word that meant both "it begins" and "it is inevitable."  We had been lucky so far this autumn.  Usually the end of summer is marked by a flurry of snow.  "Tank" meant that no large army would be on the march until spring.  The blasted Morits had timed this perfectly.  Midwinter might see some help perhaps.  Every year a small contingent from the dukedoms and their provinces brave the frozen cold in the dead of winter, when even the snow is too frigid to fall. They come to the capital to convene the Grand Council and for a great festival of tournaments culminating in the grand festival of lights.  It is a massive street party above and below ground.  At least most years it is.  I imagined the Festival to be moot this year.  And yet… the festival is many snowy months away.  Anything could happen between now and then.

Forcellus announced that we would be returning to the capitol.  "We cannot spend the autumn in Northway."  Which is exactly what we would be doing if we stayed even another day.  I did not relish a slog south through the storm, but there was nothing for it.  Wek had said that he had another way into the city besides Norgat.  Ol Nan was in luck, it did not involve a horse, but we were not to be so lucky because it involved a boat.  "We go around to Lake Efrem and take a fishing boat across to Sougat" the young Castan explained.  Forcellus looked interested.  I said "don't we have to pass by guard towers on both sides?  Dorcer castle on one side and the Sougat city wall tower on the other?"  "Yes" he said and pointed out the window of the hovel "in that."  If we managed not to get lost on the lake, we would most certainly be obscured by the sheets of falling white that he pointed at.  "Let's go now." said Forcellus standing.  "We can still reach DOM by nightfall - we'll add darkness to the mix."  Great, I thought.  We're going to end up in Fortan.

And so, out into the near whiteout we marched.  Wind and snow howled around us as we slowly made out way out of town.  We could not be sure that we were not followed, but good luck to them if we were.  I wished that we had someone to follow, as we more than once found ourselves off the road and nearly in a pond or other sign of gross error.  Mercifully the cascading snow let up at one point just long enough for us to catch a glimpse of Mount Fortan, showing us where south by southeast was.  And we had walked this road before, there were a few notable trees and small farms that helped us along. 

Darkness was upon us by the time we approached the city.  We avoided the Circle road surrounding the city wall, and cut across farms using hedgerows as guides and rejoined the circle road east of Norgat crossing.  The silence was profound.  Even our footfalls were muffled by the fresh snow.  Dim firelight emanating from farmhouse windows and reflected by the snow provided us with meager cheer and occasional direction.  We were thoroughly exhausted as we finally spotted the black expanse of great lake Efrem to our right.  The harbor house had a light on inside, but the windows were cloudy and obscured by snow.  We felt our way down to the water looking for boats.  We saw several, overturned and blanketed by snow.  There were no oars.  "I hid some beneath the Harbor House" whispered Wek answering my look of concern.  Within minutes we were on the lake and disappearing into the abyss of snow and darkness.

Next: Tirian and Petros

We parted at dawn.  I could tell that the others had spent many hours together and had many adventures.  Their leave-taking was not without emotion.  They all knew that Karek would not be returning to DOM.  He longed to return to his arid homelands.  Tirian too would probably not return until the city was back in the hands of the Dominion, he was too recognizable and Veltek would undoubtedly accompany him wherever he went.  Forcellus and I did not count on either of them returning to the Gaping Maw.

Our first order of business was to head for the Grand Dukedom of Blaad.  We stabled ol' Nan at the Northway Inn intending to procure real horses.  We would have ended up with a peasants purse if we had had to buy the mounts, we had very little actual money left, but we took Bardol partially into our confidence and he agreed to loan us the horses for nothing if we needed them.  Bardol had convinced Forcellus that he was indeed "a true Dorcer man" and so Forcellus had identified himself as a member of the DOM guard showing the innkeeper his Royal Guard chain.  "I've seen another one of those recently" he had said in a low voice as we stood in the stables.  "When… and where?" replied Sir Forcellus.  Bardol eyed us carefully, looking for signs of trickery, but Forcellus possessed such earnestness that it was hard to believe that he would lie.  In truth, he is as he seems. "In the tavern" the barkeep finally said.

Seated in the back corner of the Northway all by himself was a large but youthful red haired Castan man that Bardol pointed out secretly.  He was nursing a finger of ale and looked a little nervous. Every few seconds he would scan the room for others who might discover him.  He was not exactly finessing this, but then I'm an expert and a harsh critic. I doubt the other patrons would have noticed.  Forcellus bought the man an ale and had the wench delivering it also give him a cryptic message "the cleft oak says hello."  The man carefully looked around after the wench departed and caught Forcellus' eye.  Forcellus then left the inn and we walked slowly back toward the rented hovel.  Snow began to float down as we walked.  This was not a good sign.  As we suspected, the man exited the Northway and followed us.

Once inside I stoked the coals of the fire as our stranger knocked and was let in.  "How is it that you are out of the city?" began Forcellus.  Small talk was not his forte.  The man recognized Forcellus.  "Sir" he began "I was sent out to find you by inkeeper Palen.  I am all that is left of the Guard.  By all rights I should be dead.  My entire unit was either killed or taken prisoner.  I survived by a trip to the privy.  Good timing is all.    Then to answer the alarm on Forcellus' face he added "I promise you that I was not followed.  But they are looking for you sir.  Someone recognized you in Norgat and told the Morits.  They are asking around, poking into taverns.  Norgat is not safe for a return sir.  That's what I'm here to tell you."  "What is you name?" asked Forcellus.  "Guardsman Guwek Tyno sir" was his immediate answer.  He was well trained.  Usually the Castan are a independent lot of boorish drunkards, but that may be my Corvarran showing.  "How well known are you, guardsman?  You stand out a bit" said Forcellus.  "I was new to the unit sir.  Only three days in service.  Just out of Forcellus Academy."  "That explains a lot" said Forcellus clearly impressed.  And it did explain a lot, The Forcellus Military Academy at Blaad is the premier military training school in the kingdom.  "You'll serve with me, guardsman" pronounced Forcellus.  The large man beamed "Thank you sir -  yes sir"

Next: Autumn Descends

"You don't actually plan on taking this beast with you?" I asked them.  We had visited the stables to get their mount.  As sorry a piece of horseflesh as you ever saw.  A liability in my opinion.  Innkeeper Palen patriotically offered to buy the nag they called "Old Nan".  "You can have it" said Forcellus "after it gets us out and back into the city.  In the meantime, it's our disguise".  I was not so sure that it would not just call attention to ourselves in the state that it was in, but I did not say so.

"We need to get news to Grand Duke Zelen Blaad and we need to know if he has any plans to retake the city before the spring." Forcellus said aloud to no one in particular, his frustration mounting.  "I cannot be everywhere."  We stared at him in silence.  He knew we would be of no help, and we did not disappoint him.  "Let's go" he finally said in exasperation.

Palen gave us a small keg of brandy as a cover.  We donned our peasant rags and made off.  We were three of many peasants queuing up to leave the city by way of Norgat.  By the time we could see the guards examining and confiscating it was too late to leave the line we were in.  Morits on horseback patrolled and took special examination of those suddenly deciding to flee  inspection.  I saw one woman viciously slapped with the flat of a blade for refusing to yield a satchel.  When our turned arrived the Morits looked us over suspiciously.  "Where come, where go?" asked one Morit in very bad Domish, his chiseled face aimed at me.  "We been a hoorin'" I said doing my best to look lascivious.  We had agreed that I should do the talking.  I should be insulted that Forcellus regarded my tongue as being "closer to a peasant brogue" but he was right.  "And now we're a go'on home" I added.  Of course the Morit found the small keg.  "Jes water" I mumbled.  I could have lied better but if this Morit thought he had played me it would go better for us in the end I hoped.  I could see by the change in Forcellus' posture that he though the lie a bad move.  "Water hey?" said the Morit grinning slyly.  He leaned in and sniffed the bung.  He stepped away and as he did he smacked me full in the face with his leather gauntlet.  I reared backward forcing Forcellus to catch me.  I hoped that this would stop any retaliation that Forcellus might be planning.  The Morit used a knife to cut the straps and our little bundle was taken.  The Morit pried it open and shared it with his cronies.  I need to remember to poison it next time.  Well, we were out some refreshment and I had a fat lip but at least old Nan clomped along a little easier as they waved us out of the gate.

At Northway we turned toward the small farm hovel that the others in Forcellus' party had rented.  It was nearly covered by trees.  I must admit I was nervous.  I had never met Lord Tirian nor had I ever expected to.  But there he was, suddenly, framed by the doorway.  He caught my eye and I suddenly felt naked.  I had little doubt that in less than a minute he knew exactly who I was and why I had come.  "This is Vin Verde of the Green Veil" Forcellus announced as we entered the small one room hut "he and the Veil aim to help." he added.  "Then I regret having disliked the secret societies of DOM" said Tirian with a coy smile, "they come in handy after all".

We stoked the fire and sat down to eat and talk.  I nearly fell asleep after the long days walk.  It was decided that Tirian, Karek and Veltek would cross the Dorcer Sea to travel to Petros to speak to Prince Karsh and that Forcellus and I would travel back to DOM to organize.  We would eventually meet again at the Gaping Maw, leaving word with Palen.

Next: Guwek Tyno

Sir Forcellus Blaad, Sir Veltek Malpedi and I were off to Northway to meet up with none other than Lord Tirian of the Church of Elemental Unity.  My circle of friends had definitely elevated.  I would resist the temptation to try to lift the telepathic brooch that Lord Tirian is rumored to have. 

We did have a single stop to make before braving passage through the well watched Norgate Bar.  I did not dare go back home, Forcellus might be recognized if we passed through the center city so getting to Sougat would be off limits unless we wanted to swim or take a boat.  So our only stop would be at the Gaping Maw Tavern.  The Inkeeper, Palen Corva, was a good man and a patriot.  I knew that he would help if at all possible and we needed to have updates on the city both above and below ground.  He was also a member of the Green Veil as I was.  It was handy that Sir Forcellus and Sir Veltek had planned to stay at that very tavern.  We went back to the Maw very late in the evening.  All taverns were to close before ten by Morit edict, and everyone off the streets by midnight.  We were too late for last orders, but we had not yet hit curfew.  "Boarders!" shouted Forcellus as we knocked at the door.  We were let in by a serving wench.  She eyed us suspiciously but said nothing.  I could see Palen in the back room behind the bar sitting at a desk nursing an ale.  Forcellus looked nervous as I took my leave to seek Palen, but he did not try to stop me.  I felt sure that Palen would recognize me, but I hoped my old rep had not substantially outweighed my newer, cleaner rep.  "Mr. Corva?" I opened.  He eyed me stonily.  "Make sure the girl locked the door" was all he said. 

We all sat around a small table in the back.  He had recognized Sir Forcellus earlier, he told us.  "I thought it prudent not to let on" he said "If there is some kind of plan then I am in.  But are you sure you trust him?" he said pointing at me.  I was not shocked by his lack of confidence, but I also knew that he was having me on.  Palen is not chatty like most barkeeps are, but he held a wry wit usually aimed to kill.  Forcellus smiled and answered "for the moment, we have decided simply not to let him out of our sight.  We have to trust someone.  Can we trust either of you?  We cannot know.  "The Green Veil are not traitors" said Palen.  I knew then that he was in.  You don't invoke the Veil to cover a lie.  "I am glad to hear that" Forcellus countered.  "Then perhaps you can help us." 

Lord Forcellus asked many questions and Palen corroborated my stories.  "The city is in a state of shock" he said.  "It all happened so fast.  We are all waiting for some kind of direction.  The only thing we did instinctively was block the underground.  Hide a piece of DOM for ourselves.  But it's only a matter of time before Fortan or some drunken patron bound for the Nightshade reveals it.  They probably already know."  His tale was going from bad to worse.  It seems the town was in depression as well as shock.  "They know" said Veltek with seeming surety.  "But how many places in DOM can they police?  If I were the Morits, I'd happily ignore the underground until it proves a problem.  Then simply batten it down and let the spring wash flush it."  "Veltek is right" said Forcellus "If they start to patrol it - they will lose too many men and thereby lose the fear and respect they count on.  Better to pretend they don't know about it.  But this means they may not know it's extent.  This is a game that we must play to our advantage."  Then Palen look at me and with a straight face delivered "and so you will need this sewer rat here."

Next: Farewells

I had chosen to expose my nature to a celebrity.  One of my drinking buddies of six years earlier was none other than Forcellus Blaad of the DOM Guard.    It was well known prior to the Morit attack, that he had left with Lord Tirian, the abbot of the CEU to battle the great darkness.  So the champion of the DOM Guard was gone when the Morits came blasting in.  That is why it was such a surprise to see his face that afternoon in the Gaping Maw.  His ragged appearance did not fool me.  You don't forget a face under the circumstances of our first meeting.  I could tell that he did not recognize me.  He was waiting for someone.  I felt  sure that the Morits would cart him off if they knew who he was. He finally saw me staring, and quickly looked away.  The tavern was not crowded, but it would be soon.  Perhaps he was waiting for a crowd.  I could not wait any longer, and strolled over to his table carrying an ale.  A smaller man sat with him.  Not the Raylan Abbot Tirian I was sure, but he was no soldier.  He looked nervous.  "Bertram!" I said.  "Game of 5-dice?" and sat down next to them.  Blaad's face went pale.  He was trying to place my face.  "Glad to see you recovered from our binge with Coros and the Castan" I said with a low voice.  Suddenly his face flooded with guarded recognition.  "I am a patriot, Bertram" I said quickly, and quietly.  "Can I help?"  I must have sounded as sincere as I truly was, because he took the bait.  "Perhaps" he answered.  "I am looking for information."  "Then I can help" I said.

We left the Gaping Maw and went to Janos' farm in Wesgat.  Janos was a friend of Heston Coros.  I stayed there after Dorgat was taken.  I did not want to chance crossing the city center or underground to get to the small stone house I call home in Sougat.  Not wanting to involve Janos, we sat in the barn and talked.  Forcellus asked lots of questions.  Most of which I could answer.  The Green Veil was everywhere, and we knew the score.  I told him that the Morits went for the Dorcers first, imprisoning ministers and guard officials.  The castle was taken, and King Lythe Petros II and Queen Lira Coosa Petros were both held within.  The Morits took the central city hostage and threatened slaughter if the gate to the keep was not opened.  The guilds were next. Jonas Fortan was given the choice to stay on or be replaced by a Morit.  He is seen by many as a traitor as he agreed to stay, but I am not so sure he's not just buying time.  The Morits have not asked about the Veil or the Font and unless someone speaks up, they might not think to ask.  The Paternal hostages might squeak though.  The Morits have forbade all assemblies beyond ten men.  There has been a lot of killing and hostage taking to insure the peace."

Concerning Morit military strength I said "the Morits have a force at every Bar Gate in town.  I don't have to tell you that the town is defendable from a land attack even with small numbers.  But they could not withstand an attack by the Blaad, army, say."  I knew by his look that Forcellus did not expect the Blaad army any time soon.  "The DOM Guard and the Royal Army are gone" I said.  "The latter is in Corbam and Castan helping with the dead from the darkness.  The DOM Guard… are all held, or dead."  I could see that these words stung Forcellus deeply.  "Where is Lord Karsh?" he asked hoarsely.  "He had left the city before the attack.  He is at Castle Corvarras in Petros."  "That is at least something" he said sadly.  Gathering his resolve he said "He must be brought this news".  "Sir" I added, "they also have not yet entered the underground."

Next: Until We Meet Again

My son, if you are reading this, you may think by now that I was just a thieving dog.  And you would be right.  But I had honor.  If I told you that I would not steal from you, then I would not.  No matter how drunk you got, or how large a purse you had.  But if I made no such promise, then all bets are off.  I would expect no more from you.

One evening when I was just turned 18, I was outside the Maw.  I was checking the field when three guys as drunk as can be walked past, and into the Maw.  Two of the guys were soldier buddies laughing and carrying on.  A big Blaad and a bigger Castan.  The third was shorter, older and reeked of money.  A Corvarran Land Lord.  The three of them were off together for a night on the town.  The two could grind me up for meat pie, but if they got drunk enough in the Maw, I would still chance it on the old man. 

The amount of drink they  held was amazing.  I followed them around from one tavern to the other.  They caught sight of me at one point, "I know you!" the Blaad soldier said, slurring his words.  Naturally I played along.  They had probably seen me enough that night for me to become a family member.  So I was added to their roving party.  The old man brought the drinks.  His name was Heston Coros.  He apparently owned lots of land in Sougat.  He had a fat purse at his waist that called to me with a sweet voice.  He was a kindly old guy who seemed to like me.  I reminded him of a lost son, he told me.  I just hoped he had no romantic plans for our future.  By the time we worked our way back to the Maw we were all ripping drunk.  We went into the tavern, and then I did three things that I never would have done sober.  One, I never stole from anyone inside the tavern.  Sacred ground. Two, I never steal from those who may later figure out it was you, like three guys that you carouse with all night.  And three, NEVER try to steal something while piss drunk.  Hell I SAWED that purse off with a dull tavern knife while the Corvarran was still talking!  Drink and thieving do not go well together, remember that my son.  Well to make a long and painful story short, the soldiers sobered up quickly enough when they caught me in the act.  At the behest of the barman, I was hauled into the street by the two soldiers.  The Castan wanted to beat me bloody, luckily the Blaadi heeded Coros, who had other plans for me.  They took me to his estate in Sougat and locked me in a room.  They finished their party without me, and luckily the Castan forgot about mincing me for afters.

Heston Coros was just a nice guy.  But he was no innocent.  He was a ranking officer in the Green Veil as well as a rich landowner.  He took me under his wing.  I took an oath and became an emissary for the Green Veil, working for him.  I promised not to steal, unless he asked me to.  I promise to uphold the creeds of the "brothers of the bountiful harvest and the green vale."  I even learned to speak some Corvarran.

Coros did not have to work, but he always did.  He would check on harvests, give advice on feed, but also quietly have a guildsman beaten for cheating a peasant farmer.  He was a good man.  The father I never had.  When the Morits came to DOM, I had been with him for six years.  He was at the Royal docks inspecting a crate of sour apples from Wesgat. Too little sun this year.  He had no idea that he would be the first casualty of the Morit War.  The shot from that damn Morit ship gun went through him and sprayed him into the inner city. 

Heston Coros was a Domish patriot.  He would have been proud to die for his country.  I will miss the old sot.

Next: A Fateful Meeting

I am no great writer.  I will say that upfront.  I write these things down so that my sons and daughters will know who I was and what I did during the Moritanian attack.  I am a worse family man than a writer, so this journal may have to suffice for fatherhood.  Truth be told, I am telling this to someone and they are writing it down.  I never had time for my letters.

I am not a Traisgan.  And my name is not actually "green wine" in that tongue.  I do not know my real name.   This new name was stuck to me by the Corvarran trader who discovered me stowed aboard his vessel, the High Winds.  I was not a willing passenger.  I could easily fit into a leather satchel, and that's exactly where I was.  Who left me there?  I never found out.  I probably never will.  That is why I am writing this to the sons and daughters that I do not know, and one now that I finally do know.  Too old to move my ass across the room now, I have finally settled it and took a bonafide wife.  She's a sweet thing and she's given me a son.  The least that I can do is get something in writing before I fall over dead. 

My new seafaring "dad" turned out to be a drunken gambler who liked to watch sores develop on my body at his hands for fun.  I left him pretty early on and made my own way.  I've had pretty much every job in DOM I think, in my time.  I was not much good at any of them.  The one that I was good at was stealing.  I could steal a melon out of your hands, that you were currently eating.  I knew the contents of your pocket better than you did.  And I was good at gambling.  And so, after awhile, I made my living doing what I was good at.  In those days I would start perhaps outside the Gaping Maw or the Red Fist Inn.  I would frisk a few drunken merchants, then head to the Black Horde Inn or to the underground to the Nightshade where I would hopefully double the lot in five-dice with rich men that would not cry over a lost crown or two.  I took care never to fleece the Font, the Veil or the Paternals.

I don't think I'm telling trade secrets here - this stuff is common knowledge now.  Being able to read, you are probably smart enough to know that the Green Veil is the less-than-above-board wing of the Corvarran Land Lords.  Let's start back a bit further if you don't mind.  You probably already know that the City of DOM was long ago settled by three main groups.  The Dorcers were here first.  They still own most of the land in the center city (Dorgat) and collect rents.  They are ministers and judges.  The damn province is named after them.  They are old money, and the most high-born.  The second group are the Fortans.  The Fortans are a clever lot of business dicks.  They formed the Guilds, and they still pretty much run them, no matter what you hear the crown say.  The third group were the Corvarrans from the south.  They came here in large numbers and helped enlarge the city by working hard and getting huge tracts of what Dorcer thought useless floodplain land too far away from the city in exchange for food and other goods.  But that useless land was built up, and is now Sougat.  The Corvarran landowners are rich.  When King Julian passed the Land Use Law and they were able to purchase land, they did just that.

As you can imagine, there is a lot of shenanigans that go on when you have three powerful clans in the same town.  These three groups all have secret brotherhoods to complete their less than savory tasks.  The Dorcers have "The Paternals", the Fortan have "The Black Font" (House Fortan's crest bears a black fountain), and the Corvarrans have "The Green Veil" (a play on the word "vale" as you probably realize.)

Next: I take an Oath