Submitted: 11 October 2000

Vow to Phelim

by Haana Valakula

"Hey ma'am!" says Baresh, "you can't have that thing in here....this is a peaceful tavern."

Haana looks surprised at the blade in her hand and releases it into a puff of ashes. "Oh my...I am sorry barkeep. I haf been training so much lately vith my moonblade zat it has become natural to my hands and I forget to release it until my tvitches start."

Baresh laughs and serves Haana the drink she has motioned towards. "Why all the practice? Have a big tourney ahead of you?"

"No...nothing like zat Baresh. I train because I haf svorn a solemn oath to Phelim, keeper of vengeance in ze stars, to kill a man. I haf svorn to drive a hot Yavash moonblade into his innards and tvist it!"

As Haana belts down her drink, Baresh looks a bit surprised at such brutal vehemence from such a slight lady. "Done you wrong has he?"

Haana leans forward towards Baresh "Let me tell you vhat he has done."

Baresh nods as he cleans a glass.

"Vell", Haana begins, "I do not know who my parents vere. Vhen I vas very young a group of gypsy marauders attacked my home and killed my mother and father and my siblings. I vas too young to remember it, but I learned about it later."

"Anyvays, for some reason, perhaps my youth, ze marauders did not kill me, but vone man took me as a captive and I grew up as a gypsy. My master vorked me hard. I vas beaten often, for minor mistakes or for no reason at all. And vhen I became older zis man took my vomanhood from me many times."

"I hated him...and often dreamed of killing him. In fact I hated all of zat gypsy clan, for zey all hurt me and laughed at me...all except vone. She vas ze crazy old gypsy moon mage and fortune-crafter. She took me in and vas kind to me and balmed my vounds and made sure I vould not bear children to my master."

"Zis voman also trained me somevhat in ze vays of ze gypsies and gypsy magic. But vone day she grew sick, for she vas very old. And she knew her time of dying vas upon her, for it vas vritten in ze stars. And so she took me into her tent and told me zat I vas not a gypsy born but zat my parents vere killed by my master. She zen said zat vonce my master tired of me as I grew older he vould vone day kill me. But ze kind voman did not vant to see zat happen to me, zo she gave me her bag of silver coins and a letter of introduction to ze moon mage guild in Crossing."

"Zat dawn she cast ze Shadows spell on me as her last act and zen died. Using her magic I escaped ze gypsies and travelled down to Theren and zen to Haven and finally to Crossing, vhere my letter allowed me to become a moon mage."

"During my flight south, I svore to Phelim to avenge myself and my family. I vould learn ze moon magic and learn ze vays of combat, and vone day vhen I am ready I vill go north to Ker Leor and I vill find my former master and I vill call my Yavash blade into being and I vill kill him dead!"

"Zat is vhy I train ze moonblade Baresh"

As Haana finishes her tale, Baresh nods thoughtfully and places his glass on the shelf behind him. He says nothing as Haana flips him coins for her drink and pulls her mantle around her as she opens the tavern door and heads off into the wintery night.