Spin Offs, Kelifa A

Previous Next

Paladin Kelifa Eln’ Tormelleer

Brisken was an odd place, or so Kelifa thought as she meandered down the narrow street between the brick and wood buildings. She really only had GreensBridge to compare it to, though she had only been in that legendary city for around a year. Brisken had half the population. She had come from a much more rural setting; Lake Falls and Olgen were modest sized towns, with a combined population of less than a tenth of what GreensBridge could boast. So, while Brisken was still a huge city with nearly half a million people distributed through three main areas, overall it took up a much smaller area and was much more crowded. It was also smellier. And meaner.

The two main parts of the city were to either side of the East Sister, joined by a stone bridge that spanned the river at one of its narrowest points. The third part of the city was five yat further down river, situated at the end of the canal that circumnavigated the falls and rapids just south of the city. Kelifa thought the riverside docks and the farms along the canal could have been called something other than The Docks, Brisken Canal or The Canal. All of which were locally used.

While the bridge spanning the river was impressive, with matching fortresses of stone at either end, buttressed towers incorporated into its support columns rising high above the river and supposedly built by the Eldra. It paled in comparison to what GreensBridge had both in artistry and quantity. It did have a number of other impressive structures such as The Count’s Palace, built on top of a fortified hill overlooking The Docks, over a dozen lesser palaces built on either side of the bridge, the dwellings of the other important noble families, the Public Academy and its associated administrative buildings, the Temple of the War God, the Temple of Teumey, Goddess of Prosperity, obviously the favoured gods of the city, and lastly, Gane’s Tower, used these days as a prison, though it had once been the main administrative building. While these were more impressive than anything Olgen or Lake Falls could claim, it all paled in comparison to the main island of GreensBridge.

The narrow streets were crowded, dirty, and poorly cared for. The sun only illuminated the majority of the streets during its height, which was not very long this time of year. The harvest festival was held two weeks earlier here, as compared to GreensBridge and it was not unusual for the north winds to bring an early winter to the city.

Aside from the lack of aesthetics, there was also the people, many with Loopee ancestry. Generally there seemed to be a great divide between the noble families that ruled and their subjects. Weapons and armour were not allowed, neither by travellers within the city nor the locals, unless you were a noble. Pit fights and drinking were the main pass-times and the city had an unruly and dangerous feel to it. Organized crime was a big problem, it was said there was presently a war going on within the city between the Fingures and a rival organization.

The local Temple of Mercy was somewhat underwhelming, presently there were only around fifty sisters. They ran a small hospice and an equally inadequate orphanage, providing shelter and solace to less than a hundred children. Kelifa had brought thirty fighting sisters with her, not only had they been poorly received, but the temple had been hard pressed to accommodate their needs.

The local Cira-di, Yabeeri Volnt, had not been impressed to have a band of what she considered to be misguided women arrive from GreensBridge. Not only had they strained the hospitality of the local temple, but they had not arrived with any of the resources the temple had been asking for, apparently for years now. She had not even shown up with a letter from the High Seat, nor anything that even acknowledged the local situation. Kelifa had not told her much of what was transpiring in GreensBridge and though she was not surprised the present High Seat had been neglecting her duties, she was not about to spread rumours about things she only vaguely understood.

Apparently, half a dozen years ago, when the great war leader of the Pwhanna had passed through the city, on his way to Swampdon with tens of thousands of people following his banner, most of the younger sisters and a good number of the initiates had followed after them. This trend had continued in the years that followed with only a few of the younger women staying in Brisken, fewer having an interest to join the temple. Compounding the situation, their main source of patronage had passed away four years ago. Since the death of the Count’s mother the local temple had been hard pressed to keep up with their limited operations. Most of the local priestesses were over forty, they were tired and overworked. Some of them felt their Goddess had turned her favour away from them. Also of increasing concern was the likelihood of war with the Tannicans.

Word had come to the city that the armies had not been driven back from their Swampdon engagement, as had been the case in the two previous years. There had been disturbing rumours of undead being used by the Tannicans, of them having raised the fallen in numerous battles starting around midsummer. The Swampdon forces and their Pwhanna allies had suffered their first serious defeat and the Tannicans had pulled back, fortified a winter camp and continued their operations. Not to mention the confusing, often contradictory stories of orc in airships, either fighting the Tannicans or fighting alongside them, depending on who you were talking to.

Lavmor Reth stopped and looked down a side street, “This looks like it.” She glanced to the sister beside her, “That tower we can see over the rooftops, that was in my sending. Yours?”

The sister gave a nod, “Looks right, though it was darker in my vision. Maybe we should come back later.”

Another sister said, “We’re here now. We should at least check out the street, see if we can find the specific building. Mishdal, didn’t you say the door was marked with a sun symbol?”

The young woman gave a nod, “I think it might have been the Disk of Light, the symbol of the Tannican Church.”

Lavmor looked to Kelifa, “What do you think?”

“Well, I did not share in this sending. Though, if it is the place we’re looking for I’d rather handle things now. I’d not like the idea of leaving the women that were seen in the hands of slavers any longer than we have to. If we can confirm the location, then we should at least do a reconnaissance.”

Lavmor smiled with grim satisfaction, “Good.” She turned to the others, “Alright ladies, you heard the woman. Mishdal, you stay with Kelifa, I’ll take half the sisters around to the other end or down a back alley, if one can be found. I’ll send Div back if we find anything interesting.” She turned to Havella, “You said you saw a back way into the place in your vision?”

“Yes, Paladin.”

“Alright, you three with me. If we haven’t found anything by the time the light’s no longer on the streets we should head back to the tavern we passed.” She turned and pointed behind them, in the direction of the drinking establishment.

Kelifa nodded. Lavmor departed with her people, leaving Mishdal and three others. With the exception of herself all of these women had received a sending the night before. It was unusual for so many to have shared the Goddess’s guidance on a specific event, though not unheard of. It typically happened where there was great need or suffering.

She lead the way down the narrow street, there was little traffic and the few people they passed hardly made eye contact. A pair of ruffians casually leaned against the buildings at either side of an alley, they seemed engaged in a heated conversation and pointedly did not acknowledge the sisters as they passed. Shortly after they had gone by the ruffians, Mishdal quietly drew everyone’s attention to the fact one of them had darted off down the alley and the other was casually observing them. Kelifa spotted the door they were looking for, the five of them gathered in front of it.

Kelifa asked Mishdal, “Is that what you saw?”

“Yes, though it was darker in the streets, maybe near sunset, but that is the door.”

Kelifa glanced towards the man who was likely a lookout, he was certainly making no pretense about his interest in them. When he noticed Kelifa’s attention he pushed off the wall he had been leaning on and casually approached, “You ladies lost?”

Kelifa shook her head, “It does not appear to be the case, no. In fact you might be able to help us.”

“Sure, anything for the Priestesses of Mercy. What can I do?”

“Kneel down and put your hands on your head, then tell us how many people are inside and where the women are.”

He took a moment to process what she had said, his eyes widened and he looked surprised. Then he chuckled, “I think you women are confused. If you’re looking for whores this isn’t the place.”

Kelifa cocked her head to one side, “I believe you are the one who is confused.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, we are here to shut this place down and liberate the women. We will also likely kill the slavers and their associates. You could tell us what we need to know, or you can be counted among the dead when we are finished.”

His expression turned to one of worry, “Listen lady, I don’t know what makes you think there are any Tannicans inside that building. Why don’t I just take the lot of you to an ale house and get you some drinks.”

“I never said anything about Tannicans. Just slavers.”

Her companions started to spread out, Mishdal tried to move around behind him, but he was intent on not letting that happen. He started to back off, raising his hands, “Look ladies, I don’t want any trouble.”

From the alleyway, where he had been standing his watch, Div quietly came up behind him, flipped her vestment over his head and kicked the back of his knee, He was able to let out a bit of a shout before Div constricted the heavy material tightly around his throat. Kelifa stood back as the others closed around him, they pinned his limbs, muffled his noises and largely screened what was going on from anyone who might be looking their way. She strangled the man until he passed out.

Div smiled to her companions, “We found the back entry, we took a man alive, killed another, then I killed a second man in the ally. What do you want me to do with him?”

“Keep him alive, bind him and put him in the alley.” Kelifa returned her attention to the door. She stepped up to it and listened, she heard nothing. Then she gently set her palm to the door and muttered a prayer to the Goddess. Nothing seemed to be amiss with the door, there were no threats in the immediate area. Quietly she tried the door handle, it was locked.

Div returned from the alley, “Are we going to do this?”

“Yes. We don’t want them to move the women to a new location. Let the others know and tell Lavmor to make a loud entrance. Give us a count of five hundred before doing so, though.”

“Right then. I’m counting.” She moved off, back into the alley.

Kelifa looked to the others, “Let’s have some smiles ladies. And, try to look more relaxed.” She knocked on the door. A few moments passed and she knocked louder.

Eventually a dishevelled looking local answered the door. He seemed surprised by the sight of them, “Yes?”

“Hello, we’re here today to share the Goddess’s Mercy. Do you have a few moments?”

His expression changed to one of confusion, “Er?”

—

Previous Next