Valas sat in the tent he and his brothers had been given as residence by Tarbish. The cushions were comfortable enough, though brightly colored and a little garrish for his taste.. The canopies were plain unadorned tan, quite nondescript and mundane. The low tables where they were served meals were constructed of a black ashen hardwood with brass accent. His brother Naris complained incessantly about how sleeping in a tent was well beneath his station. He wasn’t wrong. Valas knew from his conversations with Naadiyah, the gifts of Pasha Is’haaq al Eldris and the time he spent observing his first mark, the Calashite merchant, that they had been afforded a place of simple trappings no better than couriers should have expected. There was however always clean spring water to refresh themselves and stave off the exhaustion caused from the oppressive heat. Considering their less than desirable start, having to pay Quevas’ fine with a sizable portion of their funds to keep him out of the city jail, free keep and lodging could be construed as the brothers fortunes having turned for the better. For certain, Valas knew he was no common errand boy, his talents and station in life afforded him a degree of luxury. But he also knew he must make concessions if he and his brothers were to be successful in their assigned task. Finding a thief in the City of Brass, with no clues other than a name would be like finding an unnamed drow in Menzoberranzan with only a description of white hair and dark skin. As he sat, his thoughts wandered back to the Dark Embrace and the last meeting he had with his guild.

“The City of Brass? Absolutely not. I refuse to allow such a thing!” Evony snarled angrily. “Who does this Mistress Freth think she is?” Her eyes were ablaze with fury. “Let her send her tiefling to find her property. If it’s revenge she wants let her hire an assassin.”

Valas grinned, “I believe I am her hired assassin. At least that’s my primary function for the company.”

Evony waved her jewel encrusted spoon menacingly, “Excuse me?” Her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed, “I believe you are my assassin. Or do I mean so little to now with your Calashite whore?”

“You can’t be serious. Naadiyah is just…”

“Naadiyah? You gave it a name?” She sneered.

“She had a name remember? You were here when…”

“She? I see. Speak no more of it. I don’t want to hear it.” She angled the spoon threateningly at Valas. “The answer is no. I forbid it. I tolerate the inconvenience of her tasks taking you away for weeks at a time but a trip to the Elemental Plane of Fire is out of the question. Tell her you quit. I’ll hire you on here.”

Now Valas started to get angry, “As what? A bar back? A door man?”

“As whatever I please.”

“Valas grinned. “I’m flattered my lady. I didn’t know I meant that much to you?”

“What?” She was flustered, “just because….. if you think….. you know what? GO!” She yelled loud enough for the bar to become eerily quiet. “Get yourself killed, or enslaved, or killed then enslaved…or killed, enslaved and incinerated. See if I care.” She turned away cleaning a glass.

“I promise I’ll return as soon as my task is complete. I’ll make it up to you. You have my word.”

Evony glared at him over her shoulder. “Yeah you will…You most certainly will.” And turned away again.

Valas stood to leave.

“Valas.” Evony said flatly. “You would do well to see Innarei before you go. Perhaps she could teach you enough to stay alive.” She didn’t turn to look at him.

“I will. Thank you Evony.”

She half turned still not facing him. “Yeah well. Be careful Valas. I mean it.” Evony turned and went back to work.

“You there.” Came the voice of Tarbish. “They call you Valas? Yes?”

The sound broke Valas from his reverie. “That is my name. Yes.”

“Would you be so kind as to escort a group of my servants on a delivery. I have several crates that need to go out and it’s value demands protection. They are to go to the lower basin.”

“I’m unfamiliar with this part of the city. Should I expect trouble?”

“My friend, if you always expect trouble it will be less likely to find you. The lower basin is frequented by outsiders who don’t always respect the law. Though I expect that should pose no trouble for you. It’s a simple enough task.”

Valas nodded. “Your servants know the way?”

“Indeed. In time you shall find the city is not that difficult to negotiate so long as you pay attention to your surroundings.

Valas almost grinned. He had been given the same warning by Mistress Talice. He mindlessly rubbed a phantom ache in his armpit. He could hear her voice in his words. “Very well. Are the crates ready?”

“They are my friend. Safe journey. Enjoy the city.” Tarbish said with a smile. “And do not feel compelled to escort the men back. Take some time to walk around if you wish.”

Valas nodded and set out on his way. The servants Tarbish sent did not speak the common tongue. Fortunately for Valas he spoke their native Alzhedo. The directions were easy to follow. The pathway wide and easy to traverse. It seems when Tarbish said lower basin he was not only naming the ward but describing its location as well. The city wound down and a Valas felt himself traveling lower into it as if he were descending into a great bowl. No one seemed to pay much notice to him and he soon discovered couriers and merchants moving goods was so commonplace that he could be all but invisible. As he walked quietly alongside the small caravan his mind again wandered back to the Dark Embrace.

“Mistress Innarei?” Valas called entering the guild library. Valas looked around but all seemed quiet. “Mistress?” He called again stepping further in. A lithe figure stepped from the shadow of a bookcase, her tail replacing the book that had been in her hand.

“Hello Valas.” She said softly. “What brings you to me today?” Valas couldn’t help but stare for a moment at the beautiful half fiend before him. Her dusky rose skin was inviting and her garb was sultry and revealing.

“I..um..” he fought to compose his thoughts as she approached but found her allure distracting, catching him off guard.

Without warning her tail flashed forward wrapping around his neck, barbs biting into the soft flesh of his throat. “I don’t recall teaching you to stutter in abyssal or infernal.” Her tail drew his face to hers. Mistakes must be punished. She kissed him hard, her tongue felt like a hot poker burning in his mouth. As she drew her lips away her tail released from his throat, scraped under his chin and ran over his shoulder, down his spine, to the small of his back.

Valas composed himself quickly. “Mistress Innarei.” He began again this time perfectly in her native infernal tongue. “I’ll be traveling to the City of Brass and hoped you might be able to impart your knowledge of the place to me. I’d be most grateful.”

“Would you now? And what would you be willing to sacrifice for my help.”

He knew what she meant. The price of his favor would be the cost. Valas became a little uncomfortable. “I’m not sure I should Mistress… Evony…” He said rather sheepishly.

“Is upstairs and already furious with you I’m certain. Surely you wouldn’t deny me the pleasure of your company. The library is a lonely place.” She caressed his cheek with the flat of her tail.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“First lesson.” Her tail flicked as it cut into skin behind his ear. “Sometimes you have to do things that may not seem like the right things to do. You may feel a sting, like that cut behind your ear. That’s pride distracting you.”

She reached down and grabbed his hand. “Lesson two, know when to forget pride.”

He could feel her talons digging into the back of his hand

“Pride only hurts. It never helps.” She took a step, then began to walk, leading him to the rear of the library where her personal quarters were. The smell of incense was strong in the room and several tall candles flickered and danced as they dripped with wax. She motioned toward a large round cushion on the floor with her free hand as her tail shifted some pillows.

Valas held her gaze and did as he was bid. She straddled him as the point of her tail leaned him back. “Lesson three. Business is filled with unrealistic individuals. People who think that they’re too good for certain….tasks.”

Her tail removed his shirt.  

Innarei pressed her body against his whispering in his ear. “Efreeti are arrogant and offend easy. It’s better to feign weakness and appear humble than incite an efreet in the city to anger. The laws are harsh and don’t favor outsiders.

She bit hard into his throat drawing blood and bruising the soft flesh.

They are masters of deceit and will offer false bargains in the hopes of tricking you into a mistake so they can punish with slavery.

Valas felt the sharp edge of the talons on her feet dig into his ankles and he tensed in pain for a moment.

“Water magic and cold magic are prohibited and a severely punished crime.

She spoke for some time and Innarei’s ‘lessons’ were beginning to take their toll. He’d been beaten, burned and bitten. The pain was exquisite. The pleasure undeniable.

“Lastly. It is better to go unnoticed than display your power inviting challenges. Be the unseen. Listen to the whispers and be wary of your surroundings at all times. You will have no friends there and even professed allies are apt to betray you.”

They sat for a moment on the cushion. Valas was feeling a bit weak and somewhat light headed.

“Do you understand?”

Valas nodded.

“Then go my young apprentice. And fare thee well.”

“Thank you mistress.” He said sincerely.

She smiled and bowed her slightly toward him.

Valas returned to the stalactite approaching Nazmyr and Rygos in a corridor. He was still several feet away when Nazmyr sniffed the air. “You reek.” He said “of the sweet and pungent odor…of…”

“Wild roses and Jasmine.” Rygos offered with a knowing grin.

Jasmine… the scent broke him from his daydream. He and the crate carrying servants were passing a perfume merchant. Valas recognized the scent of jasmine almost immediately. He knew this would be an easy landmark to remember. They made their way deep into the lower basin until they came upon what he would have called a manor of hewn stone with burnt wood accents.

He rapped on the door to the dwelling and waited. A few moments passed before a fiery dervish opened the door.

“I have a delivery for your master Hizdahr zo Loraq from Tarbish the merchant, of the Kubri Al Azim.”

The dervish stared at him looking slightly confused. Valas repeated his introduction, this time in the Auran tongue and the dervish smiled in understanding. “Enter.” It said and led them in. Hizdahr Zo Loraq was seated in a parlor and did not rise to meet his guests.

“The delivery. Excellent. You may place them the storage room boy.”

And there it was, exactly as Mistress Innarei had warned, the sting of pride. Valas would have enjoyed nothing more than to cut this arrogant lout from belly to throat. He dug his nail into his palm and smiled. “As you wish sir.” The dervish led them to a large storage room to the rear of the dwelling.

Valas watched the servants place the crates and then turn to leave. He followed them out and almost made it through the portal when the voice of Hizdahr rang out again. “Wait boy.”

Valas could feel taste iron in his mouth as bit his lip hard drawing blood. “Sir?”

Valas asked.

“Your tip boy.” Hizdahr tossed a small pouch to him. Valas caught it with ease.

“Thank you sir.” He bowed and exited.

The servants had already gone. Valas stood outside the manor for a moment then looked in the pouch. There seemed to be 50 or so brass pieces, hardly enough to buy this man back his life, but that was for another day he decided as he set out to explore the city.