Robert Asprin - TW 10 - Aftermath

VIP免费

2024-11-29 0 0 413.8KB 135 页 5.9玖币

侵权投诉

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT

Thieves World #10 - Aftermath

Robert Asprin

AFTERMATH

CONTENTS

Dramatis Personae, Lynn Abbey

Introduction, Robert Lynn Asprin

Cade, Mark C. Perry

Wake of the Riddler, Janet Morris

Inheritor, David Drake

A Mercy Worse Than None, John Brunner

Seeing Is Believing (But Love Is Blind)

Homecoming, Andrew Ojfutt

AFTERMATH

Dramatis Personae

The Townspeople

AHDIOVIZUN; AHDIOMERVIZ; AHDIO-Proprietor ofSly's Place, a legend- ary dive within the Maze.

AYE-GOPHLAN-Captain of the palace guard before the arrival of Prince Kadakithis. Now he is one of

three men charged with keeping the peace in Sanctuary.

LALO THE LIMNER-Street artist gifted with magic he does not fully un- derstand.

GILLA-His indomitable wife.

GANNER-Their middle son, slain during the False Plague riots of the previous winter which signaled

the end of severe civil unrest in Sanctuary.

VANDA-Their daughter, employed as nursemaid to the Beysib at the palace.

HAKIEM-Storyteller and confidant extraordinaire. HORT-Son of a fisherman and now Hakiem's sometime

apprentice.

JUBAL-Prematurely aged former gladiator. Once he openly ran Sanc- tuary's most visible criminal

organization, the hawkmasks; now he works behind the scenes.

MASHA ZIL-INEEL-Midwife whose involvement in the destruction of the Purple Mage enabled her to

move from the Maze to respectability up- town.

MELILOT-Owner of a scriptorium where letters can be written or trans- lated.

MRADHON vis-Nisibisi adventurer and sometime spy. He has betrayed almost everyone and been

betrayed in return, but he is a consummate survivor.

MYRTIS-Madam of the Aphrodisia House.

SHAFRALAIN-Sanctuary nobleman who can trace his lineage and his money back to the days ofllsig's

glory.

ESARIA-His nubile daughter.

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robe...20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT (1 of 135) [8/27/03 10:31:58 PM]

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT

EXPIMILIA-His wife.

CUSHARLAIN-His cousin. A customs inspector and investigator.

SNAPPER JO-A friend who survived the destruction of magic in Sanctu- ary. Now employed as a

bartender in the Vulgar Unicorn.

ZIP-Bitter young terrorist. Leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Sanctuary (PFLS).

Now he and his remaining fighters have been designated as officials responsible for peace in the

city.

The S'danzo

ILLYRA-Half-blood S'danzo seeress with True Sight. Wounded by PFLS in the False Plague Riots.

DUBRO-Bazaar blacksmith and husband to Illyra. ARTON-Their son, marked by the gods as part of the

emerging diety known as the Stormchildren. He was sent to the Bandaran Islands for his education

and safety-and to remove him from Sanctuary.

LILLIS-Their daughter, slain in the False Plague riots. TREVYA-A newborn orphan girl placed in

their care by Walegrin.

MOONFLOWER-S'danzo seeress of remarkable obesity who was slain by Beysib guards who had mistakenly

attacked her husband.

THE TERMAGANT-Oldest of the S'danzo women practicing her craft in Sanctuary.

The Magicians

ENAS YORL-Quasi-immortal mage cursed with eternal life and a con- stantly changing physical form.

ISCHADE-Necromancer and thief. Her curse is passed to her lovers who die from it. Her rivalry with

Roxane drew her into the murky realm of Sanctuary's politics from which she has yet to extricate

herself.

ROXANE; DEATH'S QUEEN-Nisibisi witch. Nearly destroyed when Storm- bringer purged magic from

Sanctuary, she is trapped inside a warded house and a dead man's body.

HAUGHT-One-time apprentice oflschade who betrayed her and is now trapped with Roxane.

TASFALEN-The dissolute Rankan nobleman, one oflschade's lov- ers, whose body has become Roxane's

prison.

STRICK; TORAZELAN STRICK TIFIRAQA- White Mage who has made Sanctuary his home. He will help anyone

who comes to him, but there is always a Price, sometimes trivial and sometimes not, for his aid.

AVENESTRA; AVNEH-Once a preteen prealcoholic barfly at Sly's

Place. Now Strick's very young receptionist with a sweet tooth. FRAX-Former palace guardsman, now

Strick's fiercely loyal guard.

WINTSENAY; WINTS-A down-and-out young Ilsig whose life has improved immeasurably since he began

working for Strick.

AFTERMATH

Visitors in Sanctuary

JARVEENA-A woman, once Melilot's apprentice, who. with Enas Tori's help, unveiled a plot to

assassinate Prince Kadakithis shortly after his arrival in Sanctuary. In the intervening years she

has been employed as Melilot's trading agent, and her many hideous scars have been slowly fading.

SAMLOR HIL SAMT, Trader from the north. His sister died in Sanctuary and his business sometimes

brings him back to the city.

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robe...20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT (2 of 135) [8/27/03 10:31:58 PM]

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT

STAR-His seven-year-old niece. A single lock of white grows amid her black hair. The Beysibs claim

this is the mark of the favor of their gods and the child does seem to have some strange

abilities.

The Rankans Living in Sanctuary

CHENAYA; DAUGHTER OF THE SUN-^ beautiful and powerful young woman who is fated never to lose a

fight. She is the prince's cousin and is working to raise an army of gladiators which will place

him on the imperial throne.

PRINCE KADAKITHIS-Charismatic but somewhat naive half-brother of the assassinated emperor,

Abakithis.

KAMA; JES-Tempus's daughter. 3rd Commando assassin. Sometime lover of Critias. Zip, and Molin

Torchholder.

MOLIN TORCHHOLDER; TORCH-Archpriest of Sanctuary's wargod (whichever deity that is at the moment).

Architect for the rebuilt walls of Sanctuary. Supreme bureaucratic administrator of the city.

RANKAN 3RD COMMANDO-Mercenary company founded by

Tempus Thales and noted for its brutal efficiency.

GAYLE-A member of that company.

STEPSONS; SACRED BANDERS-Members of a mercenary unit loyal to Tempus. Their years in Sanctuary

have been among the worst in their history and they are eager to leave for anywhere else.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

CRITIAS; CRIT-Longtime mercenary in the company. An intelli- gence gatherer and assistant to

Tempus. Also the partner of Straton, though that pairing has been in disarray for some time now.

STRATON; STRAT; ACE-Partner of Critias. Injured by the PELS at the start of the False Plague

riots. He has been Ischade's lover and though her curse has not killed him, most of his former

associates count him among Sanctuary's damned.

TEMPUS THALES; THE RIDDLER-Nearly immortal mercenary, a partner of Vashanka before that god's

demise; commander of the Stepsons; cursed with a fatal inability to give or receive love.

WALEGRIN-Rankan army officer assigned to the Sanctuary garrison where his father had been slain by

the S'danzo many years before. He is now one of three officers responsible for the peace in

Sanctuary. He is also Illyra's half-brother.

The Beysib

SHUPANSEA; SHU-SEA-Head of the Beysib exiles in Sanctuary; mortal avatar of the Beysib mother

goddess. Lover of Prince Kadakithis whom she wishes to marry.

CHABOSTU; CHA-BOS-A daughter born before Shupansea was driven into exile.

INTRODUCTION

Robert Lynn Asprin

Military units have never been noted for their punctuality, and the Stepsons were no exception.

Even though their departure was originally planned for shortly after dawn, it was nearly noon

before the first pair actually swung aboard their horses and headed off amid waves and good-

natured catcalls from their comrades. This was not a regular army unit, but a free company of

mercenaries, so the formations and columns one might expect in a troop relocation were nowhere in

evidence. Rather, the men set out on their journey in pairs or small groups as they were ready,

with no thought to waiting for the others. Indeed, it was doubtful they would even all take the

same route to their new posting. However disor- ganized or leisurely their departure might be

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robe...20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT (3 of 135) [8/27/03 10:31:58 PM]

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT

though, one thing was clear. The Stepsons were leaving Sanctuary.

Relatively few townspeople had gathered to witness their passing, but the first pair waved at them

anyway as they set off. No one returned their salutation.

Of the watchers, two men were notable if only from the diversity of the pair. One was old, his

hair more silver-white than gray, while the other was a youth barely out of his teens. The younger

was dressed in the humble garb of the town's lower class, while the elder man's finery marked him

as one who moved in richer, perhaps even royal, circles, That they were together, however, was

never in question. Not simply because they stood together and exchanged comments, though that

Would have been sufficient evidence for most. Even more apparent was their manner. While they

conversed freely, their eyes never met, but instead remained focused on what was going on around

them. Close attention was paid to the departing pair of Stepsons as if attempting to memorize

their appearance and gear, then switched once more to the preparation of the remaining

mercenaries.

Were they not so open in their scrutiny, the two might be mistaken for spies. As it was, they were

ignored, for neither was unknown around the city. The younger was Hort, a lowly storyteller; the

older, Hakiem, once a talespinner himself and mentor to Hort, was now adviser to the ruler of the

Beysib.

"Well, it actually looks like they're going."

"Of course," Hakiem replied without looking at his friend. "Did you doubt it?"

"Yes, and so did you." Hort smiled. "But that didn't keep us from being out here at dawn. We

should have known that even if anything happened, it wouldn't happen until later."

"True enough. Still, if we had slept in and they had decided to get underway on time, we would

have missed it completely."

The younger man snuck a sideways glance at Hakiem.

"I can see where that would affect me," he said, "but why should it make any difference to you?

Your storytelling days are behind you now."

"Call it habit," the old man grunted. "Besides, an adviser needs infor- mation as much as a

storyteller, and the best information is still that which you gather yourself."

The men fell silent as another pair of Stepsons rode by

"Well, it actually looks like they're going," Hort repeated, almost to himself.

Hakiem hawked and spat noisily in the dust.

"Good riddance!" he declared with sudden vehemence. "The sooner they're clear of the town, the

better it will be for all of us! There has been nothing but chaos and death in the city since they

arrived. Maybe now things will return to normal!"

Hort struggled, but lost his brief bout with silence-

"As I recall, Hakiem, there was chaos and death in Sanctuary long before the Stepsons put in their

appearance. I don't see where they've been any worse than Jubal's hawkmasks used to be ... or your

pet fish- eyed friends for that matter- It's wrong to try to blame the Stepsons for all our

problems . . . and dangerous to think things will return to nor- mal when they've left. I don't

think I even know what normal is any- more."

Hakiem turned away, his eyes avoiding both Hort and the departing Stepsons.

"You're right, of course," he admitted. "Though the Beysib have been far gentler with our town

than the Stepsons, who were supposed to be guarding it. Water does not flow upstream, nor does

time run backward. Sanctuary will never be what it was. Hawkmasks, Stepsons, Beysib - . . they've

all had their impact on the town, and their presence will never be completely removed. Even the

new laborers who are here to work on the walls will change our lives, though in what ways we have

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robe...20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT (4 of 135) [8/27/03 10:31:58 PM]

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT

yet to find out. All we can do is what we've always done: watch. Watch and hope."

"Speaking of the new laborers," Hort said with an almost forced casu- ainess, "have you heard

anything of people disappearing?"

"I assume you mean dropping out of sight without turning up dead later," Hakiem retorted drily.

"That's right." The youth nodded. "Able-bodied men you'd think would be able to take care of

themselves. I've heard of three so far."

"It's news to me. Still, I'll keep my ears open."

A group of Stepsons walked their horses by, not even looking at the assembled watchers.

Though he would never admit it openly, the withdrawal of the Step- sons as well as the Rankan 3rd

Commando from Sanctuary concerned Hakiem much more than the disappearance of a few common

laborers. He wondered how much of what was happening in town Hort was aware of and simply not

commenting on and how much he was actually oblivi- ous to.

There was a fight brewing. A contest of wills, if not swords, between the town and the Rankan

Empire. He did not for a moment believe that it was coincidence that the Stepsons were being

pulled out of town just when the tax issue was reaching a head. The question was, would they be

back? If the empire tried to enforce its orders by force, would the Step- sons be the whip for the

empire or the shield for the town? Or would they stay away, maintaining a mercenaries' neutrality,

and not return until the matter was resolved ... if they returned at all?

The old man studied faces, but could not find a clue to the future written anywhere: neither a

hint of the future in the faces of the merce- naries, nor a glimmer of realization of the stakes

that were being played for in those of the townsfolk.

CADE

Mark C. Perry

In another time, in another place, he could have been something else. He could have been a hero,

or a general, a pnest, or a king But he was born in Sanctuary and that made him a killer.

Cade stood on a low hill looking down on the city. Sanctuary. He turned his head and spat

Sanctuary, the capital of hell He had left the city eleven years ago, after killing a man, his

first Now he was back, to kill again Somewhere in that cesspit his brother's body lay rotting, all

his bones cracked by some torturer It was that someone whom Cade was going to kill

The wind shifted and the stench of the city assaulted him After the long nde through the clean

desert the smell was a physical force, full of wet decay, the smell of man at his worst. Victim

and hunter were all the same in Sanctuary The evil of his birthplace was alive, active, infecting

everything that came into contact with it.

The sun was going down, dusk slowly covered the decrepitude of the city's ancient buildings, but

the shadows could not hide it all, even from this distance. Cade was surprised to see a new wall

going up around the town but it hardly helped the view, for surely that wall was not so much to

keep enemies out as the inhabitants in. Even a madman would see there was no gain to be had by

conquering Sanctuary

Cade smiled to himself at the thought Attack Sanctuary-better to fight for a beggar's bowl He

turned to face west. A house or something burned sullenly there, ignored by the inhabitants of

Downwind, the worst part of the whole place. Downwind .

And that, he told himself, is a place and a name you promised never to have anything to do with

again But of course he knew promises meant nothing m hell . .

If Sanctuary could be called the place of his birth, it was Downwind that had created him There he

had lived between the age of six and sixteen There he had learned about the world, the real world,

the truth behind all the lies that men blind themselves with He had learned about fear, fear in

his poor brother's eyes, who had always tried to protect his younger sibling, even though it was

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robe...20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXT (5 of 135) [8/27/03 10:31:58 PM]

文档加载中……请稍候！
如果长时间未打开，您也可以点击刷新试试。

下载文档到电脑，查找使用更方便

5.9 玖币 0人已下载

立即下载 VIP免费下载

摘要：

file:///F|/rah/Robert%20Asprin/Aspirin,%20Robert%20Lynn%20-%20Thieves%20World%2010%20-%20Aftermath.TXTThievesWorld#10-AftermathRobertAsprinAFTERMATHCONTENTSDramatisPersonae,LynnAbbeyIntroduction,RobertLynnAsprinCade,MarkC.PerryWakeoftheRiddler,JanetMorrisInheritor,DavidDrakeAMercyWorseThanNone,John...

展开>> 收起<<

Robert Asprin - TW 10 - Aftermath.pdf

共135页,预览5页

还剩页未读，继续阅读

声明：本站为文档C2C交易模式，即用户上传的文档直接被用户下载，本站只是中间服务平台，本站所有文档下载所得的收益归上传人(含作者)所有。玖贝云文库仅提供信息存储空间，仅对用户上传内容的表现方式做保护处理，对上载内容本身不做任何修改或编辑。若文档所含内容侵犯了您的版权或隐私，请立即通知玖贝云文库，我们立即给予删除！

Robert Asprin - TW 10 - Aftermath

相关推荐

开通VIP享超值会员特权

作者详情

相关内容

热门标签

举报选择: