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 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:38 pm
Trielnolu of House Baen'duis, Seventeenth House of Llurth Dreir, lounged on a chaise and waited for the next warrior to be brought to her. She had considered holding these interviews in House Barrith, where she currently resided, but she had not wanted to attract the attention of either the eccentric Matron Barrith or the more irritating secondboy Micarreth. It was partly because of Micarreth that she was forced to hire a bodyguard in the first place. Mas D'aun, the elderboy of House Barrith and her host, had expressed some concern that his brother might not appreciate her presence in the House and might take steps to oust her.
She had no doubt that his efforts would double when he found out her other purpose for being in Gallidurth. Ostensibly, she had come to Gallidurth to pursue a course of study in magecraft unhindered by the difficulties which had plagued her in Llurth Dreir. She was also there to gather evidence - if she could - that her cousin had been behind the attacks which caused her to have a mental breakdown. Finally, she was going to bear the elderboy of House Barrith a daughter. He didn't know this yet. He didn't even know that she planned to agree to his proposal. But she knew, and she planned to tell him soon enough. Once she'd hired a bodyguard to ensure that she would remain safe, at least in the early stages of her pregnancy.
She glanced at her notes to check the name of the next applicant for the position. Ilythara Chan'drasen. She was from Llurth Dreir, which was a point in her favor already, though she wasn't going to base her entire decision on that. Still. It would be nice to hear a familiar accent spoken around her. No. She firmly reminded herself not to form any preconceived notions about this person. Let their experience and interview be the deciding factors.
Tri-no nodded to the doorman, who belonged to the Graceful Spider, the inn where she'd rented a room for an hour to conduct this interview in what passed for privacy in Gallidurth. The doorman bowed deeply and showed Ilythara Chan'drasen into the room.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:29 pm
Ilythara had found it fortunate that upon her arrival into the city of Gallidurth that she had overheard discussion of a job opportunity with a High House between two warriors. Without any second thought she had followed the two warriors, at a discrete distance of course, to the inn where the interviews were being done. She had been truly fortunate that servant who was screening the applicants hadn't batted an eye when she had mentioned her House name.
She settled down in line, leaning forward on her great axe in an attempt to relax as she waited her turn for her interview with the Lady in question. She wondered, briefly if perhaps the Lady would be more partial to a female bodyguard than a male. She hoped she had more of a chance to be hired than any of the males who were lined up around her. She was one of the few females in the room, she hoped that was to her advantage. She really needed the job. Really.
Having just arrived into the town, all her funds nearly depleted she had no idea what she was going to do for food. Sleep didn't really matter to her, since she nearly if ever slept. This all tied into the fact that she was fearful of the damned dream visiting her and plaguing her once more. If only she could get the damned thing eradicated from her mind, everything would be much better. Not that it really mattered since she had been able to go without sleep for long periods. Most warriors usually did.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to her the line in front of her dwindled until it was her turn. She stood up straight, pulled her helmet off holding it under her left arm as she pulled her fingers through her hair to make herself look a bit more presentable. Finally the doorman nodded to her, and opened the door, bowed deeply and showed her into the room.
Ilythara strode into the room, her eyes immediately drawn to the female seated in the center of the room. Upon hearing the name of her House, Ilythara bent her head in a bow to the Lady and dispelled her nerves as they attempted to race through her. Once that was taken care of, Ilythara openly swept her gaze up and down the woman, assessing her as best as she could. Her first inclination was that the woman was a magician of some sort, and that the job would be one of the best she had ever had if she was able to sell her skills well enough.
"Lady Trielnolu," she spoke, her tone crisp and clear. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:45 pm
"I'm sure," she said with little interest, though inwardly she was thrilled to hear an accent of one from Llurth Dreir.
Trielnolu had heard that greeting before, but it never got old. No one at home showed her the proper respect. She got more of it in a foreign city, where no one knew anything more about her than she chose to tell them. Of course, the fact that she was fat was unusual everywhere, but few people were stupid enough to comment about that...especially not to a mage. She was about to become fatter, too, if things went as expected. Which was why she needed a bodyguard.
"Tell me. What makes you so special? Why should I put the safety and well-being of my person into your hands?"
Tri-no couldn't help feeling a little intimidated by the hugely tall warrior with the enormous ax, but she quickly dismissed it. She was a mage, and this was nothing but a warrior. A very, very tall warrior. She'd never seen anyone so tall in her life. But height was hardly indicative of talent or personality. Tri-no didn't want a bodyguard whose presence she couldn't stand any more than she wanted an ineffective bodyguard. Less, in some ways, since she would also have magical wards in place to do the same job.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:10 pm
Ilythara had been a mite surprised at how short the female had been, but didn't let that register on her face. She didn't really care what shape the female was in, as long as she was paying well enough. She wasn't surprised however when the female spoke down to her, since she was after all a warrior. That happened to her practically every day.
What surprised her was that the female asked her what made her special. No one had ever asked that of her before. Usually it was, "How long have you been fighting?" "How good are you at defensive maneuvers?" or the more popular, "Are you sure you can lift that thing?". The last one was usually used in reference to her huge axe. She usually laughed at that one and told them in a very low and menacing tone, "Try me".
She blinked in thought and finally replied, hoping to the gods that Trielnolu wouldn't notice her lapse or pause in answering the question.
"I don't sleep. I'm fast as hell, and I have never had a customer that's complained about my services. I'll give you some references if you'd like, Lady."
She hoped that the woman wouldn't care about references and wouldn't ask for them. The only reason why she didn't have any complaints from her old customers is because she had killed nearly every single one of them. Usually for slights, threats and outright attacks on her character, but still such a record would raise questions that she really didn't want to answer. She didn't after all, want to scare away her first potential client.
There was something slightly off about the woman, but Ilyth hadn't picked up on it until now. Her scent, was different. Almost akin to a mount that was going to give birth. If it were true that the woman was pregnant she knew instantly that it was the reason why she was looking to hire a body guard. Perhaps someone related to the male would want to take her and the child out of the picture. It made Ilyth go cold on the inside.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:40 pm
"You don't sleep." It was a question put in the form of a statement, accompanied by a healthy dose of disbelief. Tri-no had no doubts about her speed. "If your references reflect that, I'd love to see them, but otherwise I don't care to read through things which can be so easily forged anymore. I hope you wouldn't waste my time by applying if you aren't any good. My time is valuable."
Tri-no took another moment to study the warrior before her, and at the time she noticed where the warrior's gaze was lingering. Tri-no's midsection. Well, she had expected that it would be noticed, but she couldn't help being amazed at the warrior's bad manners in calling attention to it.
"I suppose I should get this out of the way before we proceed. Asking when the baby's due will earn you a relocated body part. There is no baby. I am fat. I have always been fat. If you have a problem with that or an inclination to discuss my size with myself or others, you should leave now. I do not want to have this conversation ever again." Her tone was acerbic and impatient. She hated being reminded that she was heavy, but it was better to establish this at once.
"I would like to know where you trained, and what other weapons you are familiar with. I also want to know how you are in dealing with magic, because you'll be living in a place pretty well steeped in it if I hire you."
Trielnolu couldn't exactly say why she wanted to hire this warrior. Possibly because she looked intimidating enough that even Micarreth might think twice before trying anything. Also, she was from Llurth Dreir. She was already a little homesick, but only because she wasn't keeping busy enough. She knew that once she settled in and began to study magic and when she told Mas that she would consent to bearing him a child, her life would become full, and then she wouldn't have the time or inclination to miss home. Really, her life had been quite pleasant since coming to Gallidurth.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:32 pm
"Barely, that is. Pretty much only 3-4 times a month. I've found I work best when working on adrenaline. And no, I don't waste people's time, I make a point not to do so." Ilyth replied.
She was rather surprised that the woman noticed her assessment of her. She knew better than to argue with the woman when she claimed there was no baby. Perhaps she had been wrong. It did happen occasionally, just not often.
"As you wish Lady, forgive me for my error. I was taught and trained in the fighting school located in Llurth Dreir, my teachers were quite pleased with my abilities with sword and bow and arrows, as well as my skills with the battle axe. I can fight with several other weapons, but my weapon of choice would be the axe."
She was slightly surprised when the woman mentioned a place steeped in magic. It wouldn't be the first time that she had guarded a mage, technically she had been guarding her Matron and elder sister the day her House had fallen to the hands of their enemies. She had only failed because their had been too many of them, and there had been too many magicians at the time. Fortunately, she had discovered much to her pleasure that Lloth had gifted her with shields against any sort of magical attack after she had been raised from the dead.
"Magic not a problem for me. I am used to being surrounded by it. I should mention, Lloth has shielded me from most forms of magical attack. It's a blessing that I don't normally share with others, as most Mages feel they have to test it out to be sure of it. Were there any other stipulations that you have about the person you hire? I ask because usually people do."
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:11 pm
Trielnolu wanted very much to ask how Ilythara had taught herself to get by on so little sleep, but she assumed it was just a matter of discipline. And possibly a wide streak of insanity. As long as it wasn't the sort of insanity which made the warrior go mad with that ax of hers and slaughter anyone nearby, Trielnolu didn't particularly mind that Ilythara didn't sleep. Actually, that seemed like a pretty desireable trait in a bodyguard. It meant that she would actually be guarded by someone who was conscious when she wasn't. That would be incredibly reassuring.
"I'm glad to hear that you don't waste people's time. I've never understood how people can blithely say that we live for centuries, and therefore have time to waste."
She listened some more as Ilythara informed her that she was accustomed to dealing with magic. That was another mark in her favor. Trielnolu came from a House where magecraft was supremely under-appreciated, and where practicing it actually made some members of the family uneasy or uncomfortable. Her own mother was actually put off by her magic. Her mother was a warrior, though, and warriors knew only the bare minimum of magic, and they didn't tend to understand what they knew in any depth. Trielnolu knew this because it had been part of her training in Llurth Dreir to teach warriors basic battle magic. The task always fell to unlucky student mages.
"I'm also pleased to hear that you're comfortable with magecraft, and very pleased to hear that you're so blessed by the Spider Queen. I imagine having a bodyguard who is basically impervious to magical attacks would be extremely useful. Especially if that impunity was granted as a favor by Lloth. She doesn't seem likely to allow a favored person to be killed."
That was Trielnolu's reasoning, anyway. It might be flawed, but that seemed unlikely. The Spider Goddess did not grant such gifts to people She planned to allow to die. As for other stipulations...she supposed she ought to tell Ilythara what sort of a situation she would be entering into.
"No stipulations, other than those I've mentioned or implied. But if we're to enter into any sort of contract, you ought to know the situation you're to be getting into. I am staying as a guest at House Barrith, where I am studying magecraft with the intention of becoming an illusionist. The elderboy of House Barrith has asked me to bear his daughter, and I have not yet given him a reply, but I plan to agree to his proposal, which means that I will soon be pregnant. I'm interested in hiring a bodyguard because I'm positive the secondboy will not be supportive of his brother's plan, and I do not wish any harm to come to me while I'm in a delicate condition."
There. Now to see how Ilythara reacted to that. She might not want to become embroiled in such a situation.
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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 7:29 pm
Ilythara was glad to hear that the Lady was pleased, and that seemed to be finally getting to the point of stating her conditions in order for a contract to be written up.
Ilyth didn't take to having to speak that much, and was usually relieved when interviews drew to and end in her favor.
The Lady's reasoning about Ilyth's "blessing" was actually pretty much on target. The Spider Queen had placed her favor on Ilyth because of her want for revenge, and retribution against those who had destroyed her House. So far, she had destroyed one major House that had been involved. She still had three more to undercover before she could track them down. She had initially come to Gallidurth in an attempt to gain help from one of few survivors of her House who had witnessed the whole ordeal. However, if she gained a job that would be even better. One could only enact revenge when they were taking care of themselves properly. And right now that was Ilyth's main concern.
She was rather surprised when the Lady told her the situation. It was certainly...a different situation than Ilyth had ever been party to. However, it didn't seem as very difficult compared to her plans of revenge. If anything, she wouldn't have any problems with the House folk, seeing as she was usually pretty good at reading intentions and assessing their intrigues before they could act on them. It had been a skill that she had adapted from years of training in the fighting school, as well as encounters with the "high" society of Llurth Dreir.
"I don't foresee my having any problems with your plans, Lady. If anything, this..brother will be sorry if he attempts anything against you when I'm your body guard. If you'll accept me as your body guard, I will do anything and everything in my power to keep you safe."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:53 am
Trielnolu nodded sharply. In her mind, she could think of several responses, and she tried them all out in an instant in her imagination, and decided most of them would be inappropriate. It was possible that Ilythara might have a sense of humor, but if Trielnolu found herself in need of amusement, she could talk to Mas or something. There was absolutely no reason for her to turn to her bodyguard for amusement. Besides, a bodyguard was a hired employee, and it was odd enough that Trielnolu's closest friend - Could she call Mas that? - was a male in whom she had no physical interest. Befriending an employee was something her cousin might do, and it was not something any noble would admit to except an oddity like Shrisin.
And so, in the interest of delaying any discovery of humor in Ilythara, Trielnolu said with a hit of sharpness, "I would expect nothing less, if I accept you as my bodyguard."
Trielnolu had few illusions, which was amusing, considering her choice of profession; she did not think that any physical attack would come as long as she had a bodyguard who looked halfway competent. Because a bodyguard would be able to give her sufficient warning to allow her to prepare a magical defense or retaliation, and Micarreth would not enjoy the results of that at all. It wasn't particularly nice of her to hire a bodyguard simply to be a distraction, but there was also the off-chance that the bodyguard might take care of the problem so that she wouldn't have to, which would justify the expenditure in her mind.
Which reminded her. She would have to be careful of her expenditures, because her allowance would eventually run out. Especially when her aunt began to suspect that she was not going to be coming back to Llurth Dreir. There was no cause for her aunt to fund the doings of anyone who lived in absentia. So, no matter how inclined she was to hire Ilythara, it would be impossible for her to do so if the warrior asked too much for her services.
"I suppose the next logical question, then, is related to financial arrangements. How much do you expect to be paid? Also, I am not currently in the market for a permanent bodyguard, so this position would last - at the longest - the duration of my pregnancy."
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:07 pm
Ilythara wasn't surprised in the least when the Lady addressed her bluntly saying, "I would expect nothing less, if I accept you as my bodyguard."
She figured she had spoken in generalities in regards to her status among society. A warrior, for the most part was expected to do their best in everything that they did. If they did things half enthused it was spotted a mile away and they would be disciplined for it. Ilyth definitely did not want to find out what the Lady Trielnolu's take on discipline was, and figured she should just be up front with the female.
"Of course you should. I didn't mean to imply that I would do a shoddy job or that I would do less than my best for you. I tend to take the easy way out on speaking with others and say what they want to hear, than to take the time and explain and emphasize my strengths properly. Perhaps a trial run of my abilities would be a way to show you how capable I am for the position." Ilythara suggested, trying not too look as bored as she felt.
Interviews seemed to drain her more than anything else, which was not always a good thing for her. It made the sleepless nights catch up with her more readily and then she'd be fighting the wave of tiredness that would try to sway her into sleep. She fought the tiredness, applying pressure to the inside of her left hand on a trigger point that induced a rush of endorphins through her body. Now feeling much more alive she answered the last question the Lady had asked. A question much more to her liking.
"The going rate for a body guard in Gallidurth from what I've heard is twelve shekels a week, I figure that would be plenty enough. As for the position length, that's perfectly fine. I wasn't particularly looking for a permanent position, just one that would allow me to do some side investigation. You needn't worry about me shirking duties, I will only do the investigating when you have no need of me or I will employ someone to do it for me. I am as flexible as you have need of me.
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 4:26 pm
Trielnolu had already made up her mind: she planned to hire Ilythara for the position. She seemed competent, which was all she really needed. Trielnolu could not afford the best of the profession, and so competency seemed like a fine goal. And having a bodyguard as large as Ilythara was ought to act as a deterrent to any would-be attackers who were only half-way sure they wanted to do harm. Unless they planned to attack with magic, in which case it would fall to Trielnolu and Mas D'aun to figure out how to protect her. With luck, she was just being healthily paranoid, and there was really no need for Ilythara's services.
"If you wish to give a demonstration, you're welcome to do so, providing you give me time to move to a more distant vantage point. However, I really do not find it necessary. I know well the school where you trained. My House has sent warriors to train there for many generations, and the quality of the warriors it turns out has always been quite high."
That was the truth. Matron Baen'duis was full of contradictions, in that she was both liberal-minded and very set in her ways, and one of the ways into which she was set was the school to which she sent warriors to train. She said she liked the caliber of instruction they received there, and the school was affordable for a House whose coffers were not filled with precious treasures. Speaking of coffers which were not filled with precious treasures...
Trielnolu's focus became very sharp as Ilythara came to the matter of her wages. She did not know what the going rate for a bodyguard was anywhere in the Underdark, let alone Gallidurth, because it was not something she ever had to worry about before. Twelve shekels a week. Her allowance could cover that for some time, but if she was going to outfit herself in a manner befitting her station and purchase spell components, some of which could be quite expensive, this could be a more costly enterprise than she had counted on. And yet, she did not know if it was appropriate to haggle in this situation. Her aunt Halynda probably would have known how to get a better price out of the warrior, but Trielnolu could think of no way to do so.
"Is your side investigation the sort that could cause trouble to follow you to where you...make your bed?" She remembered just in time that Ilythara didn't sleep, and altered her question accordingly. "Because I have no interest in a guard who will bring trouble with her."
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 9:32 am
Ilythara was pulled out of her bored state of mind when the Lady told her she could do a demonstration for her if she wanted to, though it really wasn't necessary. She hadn't heard that before. Most times a demonstration was expected of her when she went into an interview. Perhaps the female didn't really care how skilled she was, but more so liked her more for her size than anything else. This bothered her immensely.
So she was on the bigger side, and tended to tower over most of the competition. That didn't mean that she wasn't skilled, and she didn't take to the insinuation very kindly. She was mulling on the Lady's first words that she didn't even hear the last bit of the sentence that the female spoke. She half growled half murmured under her breath before pulling her helmet on and readying herself.
"Oh, I'm definitely giving you a demonstration," She exclaimed with fire in here eyes.
She motioned the Lady to move back, and then launched into a series of frenzied movements, almost dancing through the fighting routine she had perfected over the years. The axe blade slashed through the air, practically singing as it moved with speed and deadly accuracy. Had there been anyone actually attacking her, he would have been a pile of finely sliced pieces on the floor. She finally came to a stop, half crouched, with the axe held at an angle across her body and looked up at the Lady, her eyes gleaming with blood lust. She almost launched herself on to the female who had so blantantly disregarded her expertise but held herself back. It really wasn't worth losing the opportunity of gaining the job.
Only after her anger was abated, did she recall with clarity the rest of what the Lady had questioned her about.
"In answer to your other question, no. There will be no trouble coming to me. Only to those who I am investigating. You needn't worry about that, Lady Trielnolu."
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 10:29 am
Trielnolu disliked that she had to move herself quickly to be out of the warrior's way. She was not fond of moving hastily, as it was not comfortable for one of her size and shape to do. She was less fond, however, of large, heavy, sharp weapons being used in close proximity to her person. The possibility of being injured, either on purpose or by accident was too great. So she moved at speed to clear space for the unasked-for demonstration. She didn't like what she saw in the warrior's face as she donned her helmet. The warrior seemed not to have listened well to what she had said, and that was not a good trait in a bodyguard.
The demonstration was not a surprise. She had seen warriors wield axes before. They did not interest her, except that she did not like to be near people who were swinging weapons around. She did pay attention, though. Mostly because she suspected that Ilythara was very close to turning the weapon against her prospective employer, and she wanted to be ready to prevent that, if necessary. As she moved out of the way she had slid her hand into the small satchel at her wrist and withdrawn a flashball, which would illuminate the room with light like the sun for about a second when broken. If it came to it, she would break it in her hand and blind the warrior temporarily so that she could cast a binding spell, which was already on the tip of her tongue.
"Do you always rely on your emotions to sharpen your focus, or can you do without?" she asked at the end of the demonstration. She still had the flashball palmed, ready to be broken at need, and she was more than a little miffed that there had been even the vaguest threat to her. "Berserkers are not much use, even if they are talented."
"Good. I'm glad there won't be a problem. I don't need any further complications in my life."
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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:44 pm
Ilythara could immediately tell that the lady was irritated with her. She straightened up, with an inaudible sigh. She really need to think things through a little better before acting rashly or impetuously. She wasn't a youth anymore, and she needed to remember that. Especially now that she was pretty much relying on whatever jobs she could to keep her going and on the right path to take out those who had destroyed her House.
She wasn't much surprised when the other female immediately focused on her major fault. This female didn't let things get past her. She was a bit miffed that the female had picked up on the stirrings of ill intention to her person. She'd have to work on that if she wanted to be able to catch people off guard better. She eyed the hand that had palmed the object the Lady had pulled from her satchel, but chose not to address it.
"It's an old habit that I haven't fully shaken, My Lady. I am working on re-training myself. Emotions can be tools, but if you don't have full control of them they can cause one to spiral out of control. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I am a Berserker, though there have been some in my ancestry."
Ilythara went silent after this, waiting for the Lady's next words. She would be surprised, after her rather threatening manner earlier if she actually got the job. Though...if she did, she had no doubt the woman would place some sort of spell on her to prevent her from attacking her in the future.
Ilythara sighed, and ran her free hand through her hair. She really needed to work on a lot of her faults and modes of interaction with people. Perhaps it had been too long since she had worked among people. If she got the job it would definitely keep her on her toes both physically and mentally. Which would be a great experience for her.
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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:28 pm
Tri-no surveyed Ilythara, evaluating whether she would be in more or less danger with her around. She came conclusively to the decision that she would be in less danger. Ilythara needed to be employed, obviously, and Tri-no would not be employing her for too long. Not to mention there were magical means Tri-no could take advantage of to ensure that Ilythara behaved suitably. But she would not use those unless it proved necessary.
"I've noticed that, about emotions causing people to spiral out of control." Here she actually referred to herself, but from her tone that would not be obvious. "As long as you are not a berserker, I think I can work with you. I will pay you twelve shekels a week, though you may expect a bonus at the end if I am suitibly pleased. I am living as a guest of elderboy Mas D'aun Barrith. If you go there and tell them that you are my bodyguard, a place will be found for you."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Tell any others that are waiting that I have made my selection. Also, if you ever display any signs of temper toward me again, I will place a binding on you which you will not enjoy in the least. Believe me."
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