“You’re ready?” Cary asked. Kit took a deep breath and let it out slowly. However many times he did this, there was always the little thrill of fear that came from stepping on the stage again.
“I believe that I am.”
“That’s as good as being true, then,” she said.
The stage stood at the raised end of a little plaza, near a fountain, but not so close that they’d have to compete with the noise of the water. The men and women walking past were Kurtadam for the most part, but Firstblood and Cinnae as well. Yardem and Marcus stood across the way, eating meat and barley from rented cups. Kit found his place, raised his arms. A Kurtadam girl not more than eight years old with a pelt the color of wheat paused in her path to gawk at him. He nodded to her gravely.
“Stop!”
His voice went through the crowd like a ripple in a pool. The man selling wine by the fountain hesitated. The woman striding away toward the docks paused, looked back. Yardem lifted his ears.
“Stop now, and come near! Hear the tale of Allaren Mankiller and the Sword of Dragons! Or if you are faint of heart, move on. For our tale is one of grand adventure.”
Marcus caught his gaze, nodded to him, and tapped Yardem on the shoulder. Together they turned away into the streets under a wide and darkening sky.
“Love, war, betrayal, and vengeance shall spill out now upon these poor boards, and I warn you, not all that are good end well. Not all that are evil are punished. Come close, my friends, and know that in our tale as in the world, anything may happen…”
Dramatis Personae
Persons of interest and import in The Dagger and the Coin
IN THE GREATER WORLD
Inys, the last dragon
Marcus Wester, mercenary captain
Kitap rol Keshmat, former actor and apostate of the spider goddess
The Players
Cary
Hornet
Lak
Charlit Soon
Mikel
Sandr
Callon Cane, a convenient fiction
IN BIRANCOUR
The Medean bank in Porte Oliva
Cithrin bel Sarcour, voice of the Medean bank in Porte Oliva
Magistra Isadau, formerly voice of the Medean bank in Suddapal
Pyk Usterhall, notary to the bank
Yardem Hane, personal guard to Cithrin, also
Enen
Roach (Halvill)
Corisen Mout
Maestro Asanpur, a café owner
Mastién Juoli, master of coin
IN IMPERIAL ANTEA
The Royal Family
Aster, prince and heir to the empire
House Palliako
Geder Palliako, Regent of Antea and Baron of Ebbingbaugh
Lehrer Palliako, Viscount of Rivenhalm and his father
House Kalliam
Clara Kalliam, formerly Baroness of Osterling Fells
Barriath
Vicarian, and
Jorey; her sons
also Sabiha, wife to Jorey, and
Pindan, her illegitimate son
Annalise, her daughter
Vincen Coe, huntsman formerly in the service of House Kalliam
Abatha Coe, his cousin
House Skestinin
Lord Skestinin, master of the Imperial Navy
Lady Skestinin, his wife
House Annerin
Elisia Annerin (formerly Kalliam), daughter of Clara and Dawson
Gorman Annerin, son and heir of Lord Annerin and husband of Elisia
Corl, their son
House Daskellin
Canl Daskellin, Baron of Watermarch and Ambassador to Northcoast
Sanna, his eldest daughter
Also, various lords and members of the court, including
Sir Namen Flor
Sir Noyel Flor
Cyr Emming, Baron of Suderland Fells
Sir Ernst Mecelli
Sodai Carvenallin, his secretary
Sir Curtin Issandrian
Sir Gospey Allintot
Fallon Broot, Baron of Suderling Heights
and also Houses Veren, Essian, Ischian, Bannien, Estinford, Faskellan, Emming, Tilliakin, Mastellin, Caot, and Pyrellin among others
Basrahip, minister of the spider goddess and counselor to Geder Palliako
also some dozen priests
IN ELASSAE
Fallon Broot, protector of the fivefold city
Carol Dannien, a mercenary captain
Cep Bailan, his officer
Salan, soldier and cousin of Isadau
IN NORTHCOAST
The Medean bank in Carse
Komme Medean, head of the Medean bank
Lauro, his son
Chana, his daughter
Paerin Clark, bank auditor and son-in-law of Komme
Magister Nison, voice of the Medean bank in Carse
King Tracian
IN HALLSKAR
Magra of Order Murro and several of his compatriots
THE DEAD
King Simeon, Emperor of Antea, dead from a defect of the flesh
King Lechan of Asterilhold, executed in war
Feldin Maas, formerly Baron of Ebbingbaugh killed for treason
Phelia Maas, his wife dead at her husband’s hand
Dawson Kalliam, formerly Baron of Osterling Fells, executed for treason
Alan Klin, executed for treason
Mirkus Shoat, executed for treason
Estin Cersillian, Earl of Masonhalm, killed in an insurrection
Lord Ternigan, Lord Marshal to Regent Palliako, killed for disloyalty
Magister Imaniel, voice of the Medean bank in Vanai and protector of Cithrin
also Cam, a housekeeper, and
Besel, a man of convenience, burned in the razing of Vanai
Alys, wife of Marcus Wester
also Merian, their daughter, burned to death as a tactic of intrigue
Lord Springmere, the Mayfly King, killed in vengeance
Akad Silas, adventurer, lost with his expedition
Assian Bey, collector of secrets and builder of traps, whose death is not recorded
Morade, the last Dragon Emperor, said to have died from wounds
Asteril, clutch-mate of Morade, maker of the Timzinae, dead of poison
Erex, lover of Inys whose manner of death is not recorded
Drakkis Stormcrow, great human general of the last war of the dragons, dead of age
Smit, a player lost in war
An Introduction to the Taxonomy of Races
(From a manuscript attributed to Malasin Calvah, Taxonomist to Kleron Nuasti Cau, fifth of his name)
The ordering and arrangements of the thirteen races of humanity by blood, order of precedence, mating combination, or purpose is, by necessity, the study of a lifetime. It should occasion no concern that the finer points of the great and complex creation should seem sometimes confused and obscure. It is the intent of this essay to introduce the layman to the beautiful and fulfilling path which is taxonomy.
I shall begin with a brief guide to which the reader may refer.
Firstblood
The Firstblood are the feral, near-bestial form from which all humanity arose. Had there been no dragons to form the twelve crafted races from this base clay, humanity would have been exclusively of the Firstblood. Even now, they are the most populous of the races, showing the least difficulty in procreation, and spreading throughout the known world as a weed might spread through a rose garden. I intend no offense by the comparison, but truth knows no etiquette.
The Eastern Triad