Thieves Ordered Against PaxLair   

Submitted by Tessa:
 

Tessa opens the creaky door to the old lighthouse she called home since childhood and seeks signs of movement indicating the presence of anyone else. Not seeing anything, she proceeds to the northern wall and disappears through it.

Behind the illusionary wall, Tessa begins to ascend the winding staircase to the second level of the lighthouse, where her small bedroom is located. She opens the door and quietly closes it behind her, and changes into her night-clothes.

After brushing her hair and settling on the bed, she opens a small red book, which she keeps under her pillow, brings over her inkwell and quill, and writes the following:

"This evening, two of my brothers, Vendor and Arodias, joined me in PaxLair. Ironically, we didn't steal anything from the citizenry. I think we all felt a force holding us back from doing so, a certain admiration and compassion for the good souls there. I didn't know such feelings had a hold over me, but apparently they do. Instead, it was as if waking up from a dream to realize that Arodias and I were walking around the town, introducing ourselves to people (including a well-dressed Orc soldier), and getting along quite well. They told us of beings named Wraiths which are a blight upon their land, and Arodias and I swore to pursue these Wraiths. Of course, we couldn't find them when we went looking for them. But Arodias mentioned that he's heard of them, and believes he's even seen them before."

"Arodias also told me that while I was speaking to someone else, he saw someone walking around town with what appeared to be red blood on his hands. This concerned me -- I believe PaxLair may be visited by murderers, and from the honest tradesmen I met along the way through the town, I don't believe they are equipped to drive murderers out."

"I'm confused as to why, in an area not protected by Lord British's guards, I feel so strongly for the people that I cannot steal from them. Yet they all seem so genuine -- so much like the citizens that Occlo should have.... I am compelled to call off ...."

Tessa's quill slowly pulls itself out of her hand, and she stares at it with amazement. In elegant calligraphy, words begin to form underneath the quill, on the page she is writing upon....

"You Shant Allow Sickly Compassion To Sway You, Child. We Provided You The Personal Power To Lead An Army To Rid Occlo Of Filth, And Require This Of You. We Command You To Ensure Your Army Remains Content. The People Of PaxLair Are Wealthier Than They Seem To You Now. Set Aside Your Weak Heart, Child. Claim Your Army's Destiny In PaxLair, As We Have Foreordained."

The quill falls on top of the page.

"WREN!" she yells.... "STOP DOING THIS!"

The old mage slowly materializes by her bedside. "What is the racket about, Tessa?"

Tessa glares at him with righteous rage. "I can't believe you would do this to me! This is my private space! How dare you?!"

"May I see it?" he asks, indicating the book. She wordlessly hands him the book.

The old man nods, and closes the book, handing it to her. "It was the Voices, then. You can't hear them as I can, so they write to you." He nods again, with some fear behind his eyes, but holds her gaze.

"What do you mean?" she asks, more terrified after seeing the old man's fear.

"The Voices I hear, Tessa. The ones that caused me to become a horse thief and ultimately a dragon thief. They pulled me into magery even against my father's wishes. I believe they may haunt this island ... I believe they may be sovereign over it, in fact. I have always thought of them as my pirate ancestors, but I'm unsure."

"No! No no! ... no more nonsense from you.... " Tessa says, shaking her head. "This makes no sense. I'm sorry I called you.... just... please... please leave me alone. I don't want to think of any of this."

The mage nods sadly, and disappears. Tessa springs out of bed and swings around wildly to make sure the mage is truly gone. Uncomfortable, she dresses again, grabs her kryss and some gold, and heads off to the inn in search of a better night's rest.

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