Masquerades - Kate Novak [0]
The Harpers 10 - Masquerades
by
THE PLAYERS
THE HEROES
ALIAS-Swordswoman of the Realms, created by FINDER WYVERNSPUR; a cheap heroine.
DRAGONBAIT-Companion to Alias, called CHAMPION
in his native tongue; a saurial.
OLIVE RUSKETTLE-Rogue Harper, self-proclaimed bard and role model to halflings everywhere.
THE NOBLES
LUER DHOSTAR-Patriarch of House Dhostar, Croamarkh
of Westgate. His only son is VICTOR. NETTEL THALAVAR-Matriarch of House Thalavar,
employer of halflings. Her granddaughter is THISTLE. SSENTAR URDO-Bad-tempered Patriarch of House
Urdo and would-be smuggler. His sons are MARDON
and HAZTOR.
OTHER NOBLES-Other noble merchant houses in Westgate include ATHAGDAL, GULDAR, MALAVHAN, SSEMM, THORSAR, and VHAMMOS.
THE SERVANTS
KIMBEL-Personal servant to House Dhostar, a geased
assassin. KANE-Butler to House Dhostar.
BRUNNER-Servant to House Dhostar; a harbor worker. DREW-A halfling in the employ of House Thalavar; a
shipping clerk. MISS WINTERHART-A halfling adventuress hired by
House Thalavar. MAXWELL BERRYBUCK-A halfling in the employ of
House Thalavar. MERCY-A half-elven servant girl at Blais House.
THE LAW
DURGAR THE JUST-Priest of Tyr, chief justice and
master of the watch. RIZZI and RODNEY-Members of the watch.
THE NIGHT MASKS
THE FACELESS-Leader of the Night Masks.
THE NIGHT MASTERS-A ten-person secret cabal that serves the Faceless. Seven hold regional offices: HARBORSIDE,
THUNNSIDE, GATESIDE, PARKSIDE, CENTRAL, OUTSIDE, and EXTERNAL REVENUE; and three have executive positions: ENFORCEMENT, FINANCE MANAGEMENT, and NOBLE RELATIONS.
MISTINARPERADNACLES-Advisor to the Faceless, a
dead red dragon. MELMAN, KEL, BANDILEGS, TIMMY THE GHAST,
LITTLEBOY, TWIG, SAL, JOJO, KNOST, MARCUS,
and ONE-EYE-Various underling Night Masks.
There are others who run off or die before we learn
their names.
THE TOWNSPEOPLE
JAMAL-Street performer and social critic. MINTASSAN-Young sage of Westgate and traveler of the planes.
BIG EDNA-Keeper of a tavern in a tough part of town. DAWN-An elven dressmaker.
AND INTRODUCING…
THE QUELZARN-Legendary monster inhabiting the sewers of Westgate.
One
The Night Masks
Alias watched the young couple seated at the edge of the plaza fountain. They appeared as stark silhouettes backlit by a golden sunset. The swordswoman shielded her eyes from the glare and picked out more detail. The boy's tender face and oversized jerkin were both blackened by soot, and the young woman's face and apron were dusted with flour. Apprentice smith and baker's daughter, Alias guessed. Oblivious to the presence of others, the pair sat side by side, staring wordlessly into one another's eyes. The boy leaned forward; the girl leaned forward; their hps hovered inches apart…
Then the girl turned her head and giggled. The boy scowled and frowned, certain that she was laughing at him, at something he'd done. Then the girl looked back at him; the light danced in her eyes, and she smiled. The boy's face twisted into a lopsided grin. He leaned toward the girl, and they began the courtship dance again.
Alias smiled, too, until her reverie was broken by the sharp cough of her reptilian companion, a sound akin to a sword being unsheathed.
"Fur-gathering about courtship?" teased Dragonbait. The saurial swiveled on his hips so that he stood upright, his heavy upper body balanced by a prodigious tail that now twitched back and forth impatiently. Although he stood at his full height, he had to look up at the swordswoman. Even the top of the flared fin erupting from between his eyes and cresting over his skull reached only to Alias's shoulder. Beneath his hooded cloak the saurial's face was more dragonlike than human, and his hide was made up of smooth, pebbly scales. He wore a soft leather tunic cinched at his waist with a broad belt of interlocking metal plates. In one clawed hand he carried an ornate staff of ash decorated with mouse skulls and orange feathers. He was trying to make it appear as if he actually needed the staff to walk, so would-be