Tales of Midbar: Secret Priest

We took the train to Kellrid and then teleported to Taunbrit, going back in time two hours, and caught a bus to Minris. We’d gone to Minris because most the leaders of Benai Nibeyim were going to attend the mage conference but were also having their own meeting before hand.

Dwendra took me into a hotel near the bus stop.

“Breeze worketh part time here,” she explained, “and Eleprin’s parents own it. This art where the mage conference ist to be held but remembereth most people, including the owners, thinketh it art an investment convention. This wilt be a good place to begineth our research.”

We found Breeze in an office with her nibeyah friend Eleprin, sorting booklets and badges into bags.

“Greetings,” said Dwendra. Then she switched to Semic and said something I didn’t understand.

There was an exchange between the three girls in Semic. I’d learned Haprihagfen tended to speak Semic to stop other people from understanding. I knew Eleprin was a Winemaker but not Haprihagfen because only anavim could join. It seemed odd having her join in the conversation.

“Apparently Benai Nibeyim hath set up camp at some ruins west of town,” said Dwendra. “It art likely some of their people art in the various bars drinking.”

“Sorry but you look familiar,” I said to Eleprin, scratching my head. “I know I’ve seen you before and it bothered me then but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I’m a faharni,” she said shrugging her shoulders but emitting somewhat worried vibes, “lots of Paxian girls look like me.”

“There art something oddly familiar about thou,” said Dwendra.

“I just look normal,” insisted Eleprin scrunching her nose.

She didn’t. She was faharni but I’m faharni so faharni’s don’t look alike to me. It wasn’t just her looks, it was also her body language.

I hadn’t been in bars often and never one like The Mountain Goat. It was just a serving counter and a collection of chairs and tables in an area enclosed by low stone walls, now lit only by a few electric lights and the fading light of Aleph, which was getting close to setting. I think it catered mostly to truckers as there were several trucks parked outside. It was at the west end of Minris and overlooked the town and the Vineyard. This night it didn’t just have the regular clientele, there were more psychics than one would expect in such a place. Dwendra and myself were looking for a Benai Nibeyim member who’d had a few drinks too many. Obviously any sober psychic would instantly recognize us as anavim, which would probably alert them not to talk to us. As Minris had a higher proportion of anavim than most towns, our presence shouldn’t seem too suspicious. It was now getting near midnight and some people were getting very drunk.

“What do you think’s going to happen with the avatars?” asked a nibey.

He didn’t seem anywhere near drunk enough to be useful.

“They’ll annoy the Trulists who’ll execute them.” said another nibey, casually.

“Aublelma dismembered that guy who was just trying to fornicate her,” said the first.

“Well proclaim them frauds and disown them then.”

A hipsick who looked like a trucker waddled up to us and said, “They don’t have prostitutes in this town.”

“I don’t know about street prostitutes,” I said. “They don’t have Temple Prostitutes.”

“You’ve got a nice woman,” he leered and vaguely pointed at Dwendra.

“Thank you,” I said, really not liking where this conversation seemed to be going.

“I think she’d like a real man,” he grinned showing teeth that needed cleaning.

“I hath decided long ago the sort of man I desireth,” said Dwendra, “thou dost not sufficeth.”

“Well let’s see how you feel when I,” he drew a knife, “see how this guy handles ...”

He dropped the knife, went cross eyed and fell over.

“Knock out spell?” asked Dwendra.

“Didn’t take anything fancy. I think those guys look like they’re seriously drunk.”

We went over to a group of two nibeyim, a katchey and a hipsickah and found a place to sit. At first they were talking about people whose names meant nothing to me.

“What’s with Narblo?” the nibey asked eventually.

“Apparently he fornicated a psychic girl who was supposed to stay a virgin,” said the katchey, shrugging.

“I thought we were supposed to be breeding psychics,” said the hipsickah.

“Well apparently there was some reason they wanted this slot to remain a virgin,” said the katchey, “and he went and fornicated her. Says he can’t remember because somebody used a date rape spell on him.”

“I thought he was a mage,” said the nibey.

“He is,” said the katchey. “I guess it must have been a really good spell.”

“Maybe he’s making the date rape spell story up for his defence,” said the hipsickah.

“There’ll be mind readers at the trial,” said the nibeyah.

“Do you think he’ll get off?” asked the nibey.

“I don’t know,” said the katchey. “We normally don’t worry about a bit of extramarital nooky. After all we are supposed to be breeding psychics but the Trulists insist psychics can only fornicate hipsickim.”

“There are advantages to being Winemakers,” the nibey said and gave the nibeyah a squeeze.

“The poor guy’s stuck at the ruin,” said the katchey. “They’ve used a tether spell on him, he is a mage after all.”