Kaiseress Kizzy I

Kizzy Drakland is a resident of Goldshire, played by Nathan. She is the current Kaiseress of Shireroth, having been named successor to Daniel III. She entered Shireroth during the reign of Kaiser Sehml where she settled in Demonsfall. She has a colorful past and is not ashamed to use her former job skills to get what she wants from powerful men in elite society. She worked under Duke Ryker to bring a semblance of civil government to Demonsfall and was made Queen of that city as thanks. As Queen of Demonsfall she embarked on a quest to obtain powers to help better control the city she was entrusted with. Her adventures are compiled here:

Kizzy had spent the last few months acting as errand girl, going between the guilds of the city, trying to placate each one while not upsetting the others too much. The congress had not convened in weeks and Kizzy was feeling the weight of her responsibilities crashing down around her. Although she had the title of queen and the authority of urbruiser, the denizens of the inner city barely acknowledged her.

On the first day of the new order of the Demons' Honor Code the congress made a good faith effort and hired nearly 100 vagrants as bruisers and placed them under Kizzy's command. However, that number began to dwindle as the guilds poached the bruisers and hired them into the guilds' services... the Syndicate took advantage the most by bribing bruisers still in uniform to rob tourists who sought help.

Farmland Funtime and Sugar Daddy's teamed up to ignore their agreements and began selling incredibly unhealthy food labeled as "organic" and "diet." This led to widespread low body image which drove denizens right into the arms of the ladies and gents employed by Mama and Papa Dreampie.

The Nickelodeon saw no demand for "real" movies, and to compete with the Dreampies' services had to resort to filthier and filthier films to attract movie goers. The same went for City Lights, whose all-clothed production of Mogbeth received a dismal review from a Shirekeep critic ("I was literally punched in the face.") and nearly bankrupt the theater and had to resort to live displays of untold depravity.

Only Shameless Grounds maintained their agreement to not charge over 5 erb per coffee, but that was just for plain black coffee. They also teamed up with Farmland Funtime and began charging customers 20 erb for shots of cocaine in their espresso. And naturally with such reckless lifestyles running rampant in the city, people died, and so The Family began getting new orphans. Sax Cauldron cited an internal, informal, self-reported study that claimed its customers could only experience carnal thrills when using real leather, as they could "sense the cruelty in the material" and synthetic material offered little excitement by comparison.

Poor Kizzy was on the verge of tears, "These fools are going to kill themselves, why can't they see how destructive they are being? It's that damn daemon, if only---" Kizzy felt the sharp pang of darkness that she knew to be the influence of the daemon probing her mind, finding a weak spot to invade her. Kizzy, like most of the other Draconians, had some natural tolerance to the daemonic corruption. They attributed it to their ancestry originating far away from here, but all Draconians reported these pangs of darkness. A few had obviously already succumbed and joined some of the unrecognized guilds that operated completely unseen and did unspeakable things. But Kizzy remained steadfast, she had seen unspeakable evils in her own life, but she had come through with a bitter and rational optimism so she saw no benefit to accepting the daemon's corruption.

Kizzy concentrated and pushed the darkness away. "These people are born into daemonic influence, they can't really help themselves out of it... if only... if only I could harness the invasive power of the daemons, then I can begin making real change here..."

Kizzy had spent the last few days pouring over books in the library and archives of the Cedrist Temple. It was one of the few places the daemon's reach could not penetrate. She read and reread the Woes of Ynnraille. "Such an unlucky land," she said to herself, "shifted and traded and abused since its very inception, no wonder my people feel an affinity for this place." She read the story of Rrakanychan. She brushed up on the tenets of Cedrism. She read about the Great Swords. Kizzy rubbed her temples, "Such a complex religion, such an imposing pantheon and mythology. If only it were cows..." and she drifted off to sleep.

She awoke to the sensation of her hand being moved and formed into a point. She kept her finger on the passage and looked around, but she couldn't see anyone else in the temple's reading room. She looked at the passage, "Of course, how could I have missed this? This is what Kaiser Raynor the First did, he held 'the Sword of Fire before the dæmon: "I have bound your soul to this sword and cursed you with it. Never shall you be able to touch it nor instruct another to touch it for you. It shall know your every thought as it knows your very soul'

A few inquiries to the librarian of the temple and she had learned of the current wielder of the Sword of Fire, the unliving descendant of Raynor, Mira Raynora, the Lich Queen. A shiver went down Kizzy's spine, "Seeking audience with a lich to gain insight into a daemon corrupting my city of thieves... Where did my life go wrong?"

"It's a long shot... but I have to try! I have to go to Lichkeep!" Miss Kizzy's Fantastic Journey

Kizzy read the letter from Queen Mira and was filled with hope. "The Sword of Fire is in Lyhigh, that's quite the distance. And its in the possession of the undead Lyssansa." Questions swirled through her head as the jumble of mythologies bounced around her mind, "The distance of the Sword to Demonsfall, and it being in the possession of an unliving person... Perhaps, perhaps it meant that-"

"Miss Kizzy," said a strong voice from beyond Kizzy's chamber door, "Oh, Miss Kizzy open your door!" She stood up, thoughts of demons and swords and undead momentarily melted away from her mind, she recognized the voice, her bodyguard, Dek.

One would assume the terms "rakish" and "roguish good-looks" would be overused in Demonsfall, and one would be right. Every sleazy, sweaty, desperate, man that couldn't get licensed by Papa Dreampie repeated those descriptors ad nauseum to lure in some hapless tourist hoping to be swept away by some dangerous bad boy.

Dek, however, was the first man Kizzy actually thought the terms could objectively be applied to. He was hired by the Guilds in Congress as Kizzy's first bruiser, and now, he was effectively her last one too as the others were bribed away by the very guilds they were hired by. Out of all the bruisers that came and went, she was secretly glad Dek remained loyal, she... enjoyed his company but dared not show it. She worried that a relationship would weaken her position in Demonsfall, open her to any number of sexist accusations that would slowly degrade her role as queen and urbruiser of the city.

Kizzy had not disclosed her plan to Dek. He was a native to Demonsfall and although he did not demonstrate much outward sign of moral corruption (Kizzy's heart sank when she first heard of how popular he was with Mama Dreampie's girls), Kizzy still suspected the daemon had a grip on his mind to some extent. Kizzy quickly closed her books, rolled up the scrolls and placed everything in a trunk piled with parkas, wool undergarments, and all manner of gear. She walked over to the door and let Dek in.

"Miss Kizzy, I'm so sorry but, you're running late! The hired car is here to take you directly to Timothea's riverport." He walked into the room and grabbed one of the handles of Kizzy's trunk, then looked up and gave Kizzy a wink, "Mind helping, me?" Kizzy felt her heart race at that wink, she was never the type of woman to respond to traditional displays of machismo and romance, and bristled at the thought of men lifting heavy bags for the 'little dainty ladies.'

They both carried the trunk to the car in silence (it actually was quite heavy) and Kizzy got into the back seat. "Well Dek, I'm sorry I can't tell you where I'm going, but I do need you here to maintain some semblance of order with the guilds-" at that moment, Dek looked into her eyes and gave her an understanding half-smile and nod and something light up in Kizzy's head a moment of inspiration. "No, wait. Dek, the city is falling apart, while I know you'd do well its too big for you, its too big for me... its too big for... us... us the remaining hired bruisers of the guilds that is." Dek tried, and failed, to hide a smile.

Kizzy's face brightened up, "Pack your things Dek! We're going on a fantastic journey!"

Miss Kizzy's Riverboat Jamboree

Kizzy was awakened only a few hours later to loud thuds rattling the door in its frame. She bolted up and stumbled around the bedroom in a groggy, adrenaline-fueled panic. She walked into the main room of suite, Dek wasn't on the couch anymore. Voices behind the door were shouting, "Open the door, Miss Drakland!"

"Dek! ...D...Dek! Where are you? Someone is trying to break in!"

Dek appeared at the door to the bathroom; wet, a towel loosely tied around his waist, hair still lathered and dripping water on the carpet, "Sorry Miss Kizzy! I'll get it."

As soon as the door unlatched the person on the other side pushed it up, nearly ripping the chain-lock off the wall, "Mr. Dek! This is the Timothea Municipal Constabulary! You are under arrest for assaulting a Mister Yoren Malferous IV in the lobby of the Riverview Hotel! Open this door immediately!"

Kizzy gestured for Dek to go quickly dry off and get dressed as she tousseled her hair and dropped the shoulder strap from her night gown and peeked though the door crack at the constable. "Officer, please do me the favor of letting my associate get dressed first. You have my word, as the Queen of Demonsfall, that you'll get what you came for, just wait for us in the lobby, there's no other exit, right?" before the officer could stammer out a protest Kizzy closed the door on him and twirled around to see Dek, trunks packed and clothes for her laid out, "We've got a few minutes before he gets suspicious, I assume there's no way down from the balcony?"

Dek shook his head, "Miss Kizzy, I'll go with the officer, I deserve it, I did punch the man."

"No way I'm leaving without you Dek," she held up a polka dot skirt and plaid blouse and shook her head at Dek, "Honestly? These?"

"Sorry, I-I- panicked!" Dek's face turned red.

Kizzy let herself laugh and walked to the balcony, "We're only on the second floor, we could probably repel down with bed sheets, a bit cliche but..."

The door slammed open and was filled by three constables, "Mr. Dek, Miss Drakland, you're coming with us. Now."

"This cell is disgusting," Kizzy nudged a dead rat with her boot into a corner.

"Not that bad, considering some places I've been," Dek said with a devilish smile that confused and exhilarated Kizzy.

At that moment a jailer walked by with a clipboard, "Miss Drakland, Mr. Dek, the Guilds in Congress of Demonsfall posted your bail with the stipulation that they... well it seems they withdrew the money directly from your personal accounts and then charged you the overdraft fee as well and will charge you interest to pay them back," the jailer's eyes' were wide and then said under his breath, "what a shitty place."

After being processed and issued court dates they were out on the street with their trunks. "Miss Kizzy, I am so sorry, I won't punch anyone every again I swear!"

"No! Dek, that's sweet but don't make that promise, one never knows when someone needs to be punched. But, the fact of the matter is we missed our river cruise and we need to make Mesior by tonight to stay on schedule, I can't keep Lys... can't keep our contact waiting much longer."

The two had been absentmindedly walking toward the river landing when they stopped at one of the docks and slumped down onto their trunks, both feeling dejected. Dek pulled out a harmonica and began to play a jaunty tune which brightened Kizzy's face.

"Why Dek, you are musical! Does that tune have lyrics?"

Dek's face scrunched up, "Sure does, I've heard it sung all my life in Demonsfall," he took a deep breath and began to sing,

"A prudent thief should never drink so much that he becomes bold. Because a thief who boasts and brags will rarely live to grow old. For silence is a thief's best bet and if he breaks this etiquette. Undoubtedly what he will get...will be more trouble than gold."

Kizzy giggled, "Oh Dek, that's such a charming song. Wise too!"

"Thank you Miss Kizzy! I'm sure you know some songs?"

"Well, Draconian songs are a bit more... involved. I'll sing- Wait a minute, what's going on over there?"

A troupe of musicians were hastily unloading their instruments, costumes, and equipment on the nearest dock. As Kizzy and Dek moved closer they overheard the leader of the musicians shouting at the captain of the riverboat, "You filthy communist Elw! You've cheated us out of pay for the last time! Don't bullshit us about some barter-currency and lecture us about the decadence of compensation! We need erbs you cheap bastard! Good luck finding replacements to match us!"

Dek and Kizzy looked at each before running over to the riverboat captain, "Captain! Let us come aboard! We can entertain your passengers!"

The captain looked at these unwashed, haggard looking people, "Uh, well normally I wouldn't but what can you do?"

"Well," said Kizzy, "He has a harmonica and we can both sing."

The captain's face was expressionless for several seconds. "Fine, fine, get on, but you're getting kicked off when we make port in Mesior."

After a few days of drifting down the Elywnn, singing and entertaining nightly, Kizzy and Dek disembarked at Mesior.

"Miss Kizzy," Dek frowned as he looked at the tourist map of Mesior, "this city was designed by someone who doesn't mind taking the scenic detour to cross the street."

"Don't judge, Dek, after all, our town was designed to get you mugged as you cross the street. I find it very refreshing... invigorating... romantic even. Let's wander around for a bit, our boat to Twoggle won't depart until tomorrow morning and I'd so like to experience this beautiful coastal city."

After an hour the pair had indeed gotten hopelessly lost, but luckily found themselves by the Distillery. After a few free samples and a whole bottle between them, they were back on the streets, wandering towards the outskirts of town. Their tongues were loosened but, being Demonsfaller and Draconian, handled their liquor well.

"Mish Kishy, if we flew we'd be there by two days ago."

"I know, but I needed time to prepare, and I didn't want to arouse suspicion, we were supposed to be on a leisurely cruise down river before the trouble in Timothea."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, what's done is done. And, really, it was quite noble what you did, defending the honor of an honorless city."

"Thank you?" Dek flashed a half-grin and winked at the same time, resulting in an expression that Kizzy couldn't help but laugh at.

"Oh Dek, you almost make me forget why I need to go to Lyhigh," she smiled a soft smile and the moonlight twinkled in her eyes.

"The moon seems a lot brighter down here, Miss Kizzy, you look..." Dek swallowed a lump in his throat, "You look very beautiful."

"Th-thank you Dek. Please.. you can call me Kizzy."

The two walked in silence until they entered a wooded area, Dek looked down at their map and determined that they were in the Grove of Lovers.

"Grove of Lovers? Really?"

"Yes Miss... er, Kizzy. Says here there's a cedar tree in the middle that might date back to Raynor's time. Whoa."

"All of my studying, and I almost forgot the reason I choose Mesior as our halfway point. What an idiot I am, I almost let myself drink the night away and mess up our chance. We have to find that cedar tree, its imperative I get there before the moon reaches... whatever high noon of nighttime is... high moon?"

Dek led them towards the middle of the grove, and there was the towering, gnarled mess of a cedar. A few dozen people were lined up, pilgrims who sought its alleged restorative powers in exchange for heartfelt confessions, the deeper and more corrupt the secret was the more healing was granted. Kizzy hoped to be purified by Raynor's Cedar before coming in contact with Raynor's Sword of Fire in Lyhigh.

"Dek, I don't want you to hear my confession. Please stand over there," Dek gave her a puzzled look but nodded and retreated to a further distance.

Kizzy walked up to the cedar tree and placed her hand on the rough bark, she couldn't tell if the faint glow was her imagination or the Zemlyan vodka they just drank. The moon was nearly overhead now, and she began to hear other pilgrims recite their confessions aloud as prayers to Raynor. Kizzy closed her eyes and cleared her throat, but her voice still quivered:

"Raynor, I stand here, by your tree, at least I hope it is yours, and ask you to purify me so that I may be able to come in contact with your Sword of Fire and glean some inspiration from it and demon trapped within it. I hope to cleanse Demonsfall, as best as mortals are able, and I require some insight into the demon's mind who corrupts the people there. They know nothing but corruption and it saddens me, it wears at my very soul to see these people dragged down. But you require my confession and my confession is atrocious, unforgivable, and I regret every day of my life since. Before the death of Kaiser Sehml, before he so easily dismissed his people from Shirekeep, I came to know him very well, very intimately. I carried the child to term and gave birth in Demonsfall. Although Sehml was dead by the time of the child's birth, the infant reminded me so much of the miserable embarrassing drakspunk failure that was his father that I abandoned him. I abandoned my own baby to the cruel world. After I realized what I did, I wrote the Demons' Honor Code to force all infants to be turned over to ducal orphanages, hoping that my baby would be cared for, but I have no way of knowing. And now, with Dek, an orphan himself who sees me as a heroine for protecting orphans, if he were to know, it would destroy him, his faith in me, his hope in a better Demonsfall."

Kizzy opened her eyes, her hand's glow from the Zemlyan vodka had subsided but it had caused a thick piece of bark to fall off the tree when she removed her hand. She picked it up, "This might come in handy." She walked back to Dek, unable to look him in the eyes anymore.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Did what work?" Kizzy snapped back in a paranoid tone.

"The pamphlet says you're supposed to confess something to get a blessing from Raynor, I was just wondering if you felt blessed."

"Not at all."

That evening Kizzy and Dek took the stage, after Kizzy taught Dek the song she would sing and he knew both the tune and his back-up lines. Fortunately the riverboat captain had a few spare instruments so Dek didn't have to rely on his harmonica only.

Kizzy walked up to the microphone, "Ladies, gentlemen, I know you were promised a comedic musical farce tonight, but my companion and I would like to share something else with you. This is a song sung by my people, we have been wandering for generations. Many things that others take for granted, we struggle with. Although we have found peace, hopefully, the darkness still lingers. One thing that we know to be true, one thing that can almost take the place of a home, is love. Draconians do not love easily, but we love deeply. This is a song sung by my people, in our most ancient tongue from the eastern foothills of Mt. Dracon in far away Tapfer.

"L'amour est un oiseau rebelle Que nul ne peut apprivoiser, Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle, S'il lui convient de refuser. Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière; L'un parle bien, l'autre se tait, Et c'est l'autre que je préfère; Il n'a rien dit mais il me plaît.

(L'amour est un oiseau rebelle) L'amour... (Que nul ne peut apprivoiser,) L'amour... (Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle,) L'amour... (S'il lui convient de refuser.) L'amour...

L'amour est enfant de Bohême, Il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime; Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Si tu ne m'aimes pas, Si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime; (Prends garde à toi!) Mais si je t'aime, si je t'aime; Prends garde à toi!"

As Kizzy ended the final note, she glanced over at Dek but he was turned away, soon the crowd was on their feet, filling the clear night sky with applause as they drifted down the inky black river.

Riverfront Brawl

Dek insisted on sitting up front with the driver for the ride from Demonsfall to Timothea. Although Kizzy wanted him to sit with her, she was grateful she had the backseat to herself. She used the ride to read through some more documents and histories. When they arrived at Timothea's riverfront district it was already late afternoon.

"Miss Kizzy," Dek spoke between heavy breaths as he and Kizzy carried their trunks into the Riverview Hotel, "I understand you need to get somewhere in Lichbrook, but why don't we just fly?"

Kizzy gestured for him to be quiet as they approached the clerk's desk, "Hello, I had a reservation for one, Miss Kizzy Drakland, but I have a last minute travel companion, is it possible to get two adjoining rooms?"

The clerk scanned his logbook without looking up, "No, I'm afraid we're all booked. Miss Drakland, your room is a suite and the couch does pull out." The clerk then looked up and glared at Dek and then looked down his nose at Kizzy, "Oh I see. I'll inform housekeeping to deep clean the room after checkout."

"How dare you! This is my bodyguard which is why I needed an extra room, as the Queen of Demonsfall I-"

"Hey, miss, this ain't Demonsfall, you ain't my queen. And I don't care if you wanna... enjoy... your bodyguard, we already assume that's whats happening," the look of indignation and frustration was growing on both Kizzy and Dek's face, "It ain't about you, its him! He's a Demonsfaller, and they always mess the place up, they're dirty, filthy street rats all of em! And remember, we have an inventory of everything in that room and you WILL be charged for any and all damage. So just a warn-"

The clerk was unable to speak anymore because Dek had bloodied his knuckles on the man's jaw and he crumpled to the ground.

"Dek! No no no, why did you do that! We could have just stayed somewhere else!"

"Sorry, Miss Kizzy, I don't know what got a hold of me, I just, I just can't stand people bad-mouthin' my city, I know its not that great, but its home. I don't mess places up, I'm not dirty! I mean... I know a lot of dirty people... but not me!"

Kizzy put her hand on his shoulder, "I understand, Dek, really I do. Well, regardless he did deserve what he got. But we should probably find somewhere else to sleep tonight. Our river cruise leaves tomorrow morning and we cannot afford to miss it!

After they found another hotel downtown, they settled into the hotel's lounge for a few drinks.

"Miss Kizzy, why'd you bring all these books down to the bar?"

"Well that goes along with why we're taking the river cruise. There's something very important in L-, where we're going," Kizzy was unsure how specific she could be with Dek, if other Demonsfallers came to Timothea and made bad a reputation for themselves, it was likely that the demon could still reach into Dek's mind. She didn't want to reveal her plan to the demon, she didn't know for sure that's how this demon worked, but her studies proved that demons can manipulate with the smallest amount of knowledge and she was worried.

Kizzy continued, "It's very important, very old, and very complex. It is, quite frankly beyond all of my training and experience, not being a demonologist, or theologian, or historian, or arcanist, or anything... just a simple former working girl. I'm trying to figure something out, but so many sources are vague, some contradict, some have been disproved, some have been re-proven... it's... so...much."

"Well sounds like you need a break," he gestured to the bartender, "Two glasses of Rosa Airle, please... 5649 if you have it," he then turned back to Kizzy, "It's almost midnight anyway, we'll be on the river all of tomorrow before stopping a Tyrelwynn. You can study then. Here, just relax," he raised his own glass to her's and they made a faint tink before both took a sip. The warmth of the wine filled her face, making her blush even more. Dek smiled, "Miss Kizzy, tell me about yourself."

"Oh, no... not much to say. I was born in Klaasiya, to a family of New Dracoheim farmer idealists. I hated that farm. They followed Ludwig Drakire in his revolution... I lived in Hoffenheim from age 5 to 14. That's when Drakire was exiled to independent Elwynn and the entire area of New Dracoheim fell back into poverty, ignored by the Klaasiyan and Imperial governments as punishment for the revolution. My people were now twice deprived of a homeland. I drifted between cities, Mehlville, Borders City, Butter Cow City for most of my youth before Ludwig Drakire, now going by the Elwynnized name of Luix Rakira, managed to get himself elected kaiser as Sehml. Despite most Draconians blaming him for losing the Natopian civil war and abandoning his responsibilities to help rebuild we still flocked to Shireroth, hoping a new land would improve our lot. Fortunately for Shireroth he was killed, and fortunately for my people we've been better off. We are much more welcomed here than in Natopia, old prejudices die hard there. You see, this is why I am so devoted to Demonsfall and to you," Kizzy accidentally caught Dek's gaze and realized what she said and corrected herself, "to your fellow residents. We need Demonsfall... its, its the last chance we have." Kizzy took a big sip of wine, finishing her glass, and steeled herself with one of her best smiles from her working days, "Now, what about you Dek?"

Dek looked down at the empty glasses in front of them, "Another?" Kizzy nodded, and the bartender poured them a new glass. They both took a sip, and then Dek took a deeper one. "Me? What's to say about me. I grew up in The Family, an orphan from the day anyone can remember. They set me up in a moldy bassinet on street corners with some older kids acting to be siblings. Apparently I brought in a lot of coin, I was liked. It's not common for infants to enter The Family. They fed me well, better than some of the older kids who were constantly one meal away from death. The Family knows their begging, and they know that when people are presented with something so malnourished and abhorrent, they instantly turn off empathy. I was a chubby little baby, made people think I was newly abandoned, newly orphaned from a loving family thrown into the harsh world of the street. As I grew out of that I was trained as a pickpocket, I was pretty damn good. The Family was all I knew, and they loved me, and I loved them." Dek took a big sip of the wine, "Of course, now I know they loved my money-making prospects and my devotion. When I was a teen I was basically the third in charge, Big Brother they all called me, Mom and Dad let me plan missions, assign streets, everything. I was on my way to taking over The Family when Mom and Dad died, and they were in their forties already so it was just a matter of time before they OD'd on something. They knew they weren't long for this world either, and tried to force my 'sisters' on me. I was repulsed, sickened. They couldn't understand anything except that I needed to take someone in The Family to be the next Mom. When Dad got stabbed by a dealer one night and didn't come home, Mom got desperate. She sent some of my brothers out to the tourist part of town and they kidnapped a pretty girl, around my age. I didn't know about it until a few weeks later, that had been torturing her, breaking her will, molding her into a member of The Family,to be the new Mom," Dek drank the rest of his wine, half the glass, a tear down his cheek, "I don't know how people can be so cruel and calculating, so... evil," he then turned to look at Kizzy, "But then you came along! You enacted those reforms! 'No young orphans in The Family,' it doesn't seem like much but, it... my life would be so different... if I had been turned over to the ducal government? I might... I might be somewhere else... somewhere... better."

Kizzy let the solemnity of the words hang in the air before Dek tried to cut the tension, "So why'd I punch that asshole clerk for insulting Demonsfall, the city that ruins children's lives?"

"I know its rhetorical, but I would like to know," Kizzy said in a soft voice.

"It's all I got, it's home, it's... me. I ain't got much to show for myself except my city." Then Dek thought for a few seconds, as if he was trying to organize and understand his feelings for the first time, "I think its because of you, you and your people aren't evil, but you live in Demonsfall. I decided to stick by you, no matter what, turning down the bribes because I wanted to see if you could do something to fix this city. And I think you know how so I'm trying to help."

Kizzy smiled back at him, not one of her professional, working smiles. A genuine smile, a smile that felt good, a smile that felt warm. "I'm certainly going to try."

It was now past 1 in the morning, and the bartender called porters to escort them back to their room. In the suite, Dek was futilely trying to unfold the non-sleeper couch before giving up and collapsing on the bed, smiling and laughing.

Kizzy watched as he took off his shirt and shoes, tossing them casually across the room, she desperately wanted to ask him to share the bed tonight, despite her better judgment. Almost as if in response to her unspoken prayer for moral guidance, she heard Dek start to snore. She sighed and then smiled before falling into the soft bed and falling asleep. Your Royal Niftiness, the Queen of Lichbrook,

I seek audience with You to discuss a matter of grave importance. I am the queen of Demonsfall, a city beset by many corrupting daemonic influences. The tenuous peace and relative morality of that city is quickly degrading to the point of near anarchy. Your family, as the descendants of Raynor I, is in the unique position to help me help my city.

I speak, of course, about the Sword of Fire. It has touched the soul of the daemon that corrupts Demonsfall and I would like to study the sword, with your permission. I seek to break the grip of the demon, or at least loosen it, so that my new people can live a free life. I would like, if possible, to meet with you in person to discuss the history of the sword as you and your family understand it, whether it has been near Demonsfall since the demon's soul was trapped in it, or if you have encountered strange sensations from the sword itself.

I look forward to speaking with you, and pray you find time to see me, my city's fate lies in your hands.

With reverence to You, Kizzy

Dear Queen Kizzy,

Thank you for you very interesting letter. As it was unclear which Lichqueen you wanted, your request was sent to me; unfortunately, I am not in a position to help as the Sword of Fire is not currently in my possession. I have, however, forwarded your letter to my granddaughter Lyssansa, who has been in a bit of a strop since my return to the mortal plane. Hopefully she will see fit to meet with you, although that will probably require a rather more arduous trip to Lyhigh. I advise you to pack plenty of windproof outer garments and possibly hire a translator familiar with the local drawl.

Yours with the greatest possible respect etc.

Mira Raynor (the Elder) Your Royal Niftiness,

Thank you for the response and please accept my humble apologies for the ambiguity. Thank you for forwarding my letter to your granddaughter and thank you for the suggestions, I will heed them.

Gratefully yours,

Miss Kizzy Drakland

Don't do it, its a cliche, Kizzy thought to herself, you know you want to, but do not do it! She and Dek were disembarking the boat that they've been on since Mesior, they were blown off-course many times, nearly got smashed to splinters on the Skyla Isles, and all the while Kizzy was violently sea-sick. When she reached the end of the boarding plank, she flung herself down to the ground and wept, her hair fell down around her face and she broke her promise and bent further and kissed the ground.

Dek had his hand on her back, rubbing it gently, it filled her with a sickening mixture of guilt and comfort. "Thank you Dek, I'm fine" then under her breath, "I deserve this punishment."

Dek helped her up and let her hang on his elbow as they walked from the docks, "Your letter from the Queen says we should hire a translator. I've never been to this part of the continent, I wonder how different they really talk?"

"I assumed it was more for cultural reasons, I'm sure we can understand their words just fine, but the culture gap might be the real issue here. We should find lodging, spend the night, inquire about guides that can take us to Lyhigh."

The difficulty Kizzy and Dek had arranging accommodations told them the Queen was right to tell them to get a translator. The night clerk provided them a list of tour guides that could be hired and available by morning. They chose the first name, Cornelius Aberworth.

"'Lo the' lady and lad, Cornel Ab'worth 'ere. Tourin' ta Lyhigh eh?" Cornelius tipped his hat and bowed deeply to Kizzy and Dek.

"Yes Mister Aberworth, we're grateful for your coming on such short notice. We've been delayed from our meeting with Princess Lyssansa so long I hope she hasn't forgotten about us. We really must get there as soon as possible."

"T'ain't no thing lady, we leave now, ya? Drag yer things to my van, it's far ours 'way, fiver if traffic outa town."

"Oh we're just going to drive there?" Dek said incredulously.

"Ya how else lad?"

"Oh, I just assumed, with everything else we've done to get here I assumed we'd be backpacking up a foggy mountain with lightning cracking in the background."

Cornelius switched into a Standard Shirerithian, "Now why would you assume that? We're not all ghouls and goblins here you know. Don't be disrespectful, especially if you're meeting one of the Lichqueens herself."

Dek's mouth was agape, "I didn't mean... I just figured... I had no idea... but everything else we've done..."

Kizzy put her hand on Dek's arm, "Now now Dek, let's just be glad we can relax... look his van even has monitors in the headrests, we can watch some movies." Kizzy, Dek, and Cornelius drove in silence on their way to Lyhigh. He drove them to the outskirts of the city centre, "Obviously can't drop you off at her front door, so you walk the rest of the way."

"Thank you again for the ride Cornelius, will you join us for the last leg of our journey to the Queen's residence?" Kizzy sweetly inquired, trying to smooth over any previous awkwardness between he and Dek.

Cornelius grunted, "My rates were for the drive, you want more you pay more."

Kizzy cleared her throat, picking up on the cue, "Ah yes certainly. Thank you. Please invoice the Demonsfall Congress."

Cornelius grunted again but sat in the driver's seat as Kizzy and Dek dragged their luggage out of the trunk. As soon as Dek slammed the door, the van sped off down a narrow street.

"Well that was fun," Dek dropped one of his bags on the ground in frustration, "Me and my big mouth, messing things up again Kizzy."

Kizzy put her hand on his shoulder, it felt tense, "Never mind Dek, we're here, our destination! It can't be a far walk to Lyssansa's palace."

Before long they were at the gatehouse speaking with the guard on duty.

"Sir, my name is Miss Kizzy Drakland, Queen of Demonsfall. I humbly request an audience with Queen Lyssansa. I wish to study a relic she has in her possession, the Sword of Fire, it could hold the key to my city's salvation!"

"One minute Mistress Drakland, I will see if she is available..."

Kizzy's optimistic hopes for a short walk were soon to be dashed.

The old city of Lyhigh, at whose main gate Miss Kizzy and her companion now found themselves, was a curious sight to behold. A prominent hill overlooking the plain had been carefully sculpted into a series of concentric tiers, with the outermost houses of each level forming an unbroken ring of brick and stone; the overall appearance so created was reminiscent of a gigantic wedding cake.

After a short delay, the guard reappeared from the interior of his little booth. "M'apologies for the delay, Madam," he replied with the stiff formality common of unliving soldiery. "Her Majesty has agreed to receive you, but first you must convey your persons...to the Palace of the Winds."

He half turned, gesturing with an immaculate gloved hand. From the rear of the gate, a single main street corkscrewed its way up the hill, soon disappearing between the tall rows of buildings. If the tight, curving dimensions were anything to judge by, this was a pedestrian only zone. The guard's hand continued, upwards, to the very summit of the city where a lofty gilded dome shone like second sun in the clear morning light.

It looked like a very long walk. By the time Kizzy and Dek had got to the Palace of the Winds they were themselves quite winded.

"Is that why its called that Kizzy?" Dek asked between gasps of air.

"I'm sure that's not why.... unless their sense of humor is drier than a creek in Babkha."

A guard was standing at the palace's entrance, listening to their belabored conversation. "Her Majesty is waiting for you, milady, and your... attendant. Please enter. A porter inside will guide you to the Queen's presence."

Kizzy and Dek thanked the guard as the porter appeared at the slowly opening doors. "Queen Kizzy, Mister Dek, welcome to the Palace of the Winds, Her Majesty send her regards and awaits your meeting," he looked at the two travelers, still hunched over, gasping, and sweating, his nose ever-so-slightly crinkled, "Oh right, I forgot you did... that. I'll take you to freshen up first."

After being refreshed Kizzy and Dek were ready to be introduced to Lyssansa. The porter led them through the palace twisting and turning until Kizzy was certain they could not find their way out until they arrived at the library. "Her Majesty understands your reason for visiting her are arcane in nature so she will meet you here at her convenience. She as been informed of your entering the palace and will see you shortly.

Kizzy Drakland had spent the last several months going blind and insane in a dim chamber under the Palace of the Winds in Lyhigh. The Sword of Fire, and the demon within, teased her for weeks before teasing her with a vision of a 'good' Demonsfall. No more pickpockets, not as much prostitution, fewer adult cinemas. She was lured in by the demon she was trying to control. Weeks went by without any more progress.

Every night Dek came to fetch her and carried her up several flights of steps to her room, laying her down and watching her sleep. He saw her toss and turn, he saw her face contort and her teeth flash. Every morning he asked her if she had any dreams. "Oh yes," Kissy always replied, "Delightful dreams!"

By the third month Kizzy finally made a break through. She had been hoping to imbue the piece of bark from Raynor's tree in the Grove of Lovers with the essence of the demon in the Sword of Fire. She had been reciting all of her secrets, hoping to activate the tree bark and create some sort of bridge.

As she laid her head on the table, she heard Dek come in to the room with her lunch. Every time she looked at him she felt her stomach churn, or was it butterflies? She desperately wanted to be with him, especially now, staying in this castle so far from home. The two sat silently as they ate, Kizzy's mind racing with desire, playing out dozens of scenarios where she takes Dek right then and there---- But then she felt another mind in hers, a grainy voice: "I don't care about your secrets. Tell me someone else's secret, and I'll give you what you want. It has to be big though."

Kizzy's eyes opened wide, of course. Betrayal is what a demon wants. Her demonology studies showed her that demons require something of great value before they will even speak with you. This demon wanted a secret... a big secret. What was the biggest secret she knew?

"Rrakanychan," Kizzy said aloud, "Here is a secret. It is a secret a Kaiser of Shireroth held til his shameful death. Sehml, a man I shared a bed with in his final decadent days. He shared things with me in confidence, and because no one would believe a whore if I tried to say anything. This kaiser knew of the coming Apollonian succession, and this 'man' was such a coward that he preferred to die than handle the situation. All Shireroth should know what a despicable man Sehml was for heaving the burden of Shireroth's greatest crisis upon the shoulders of his Steward, Duke Ryker Everstone."

The Sword of Fire burst into flames and Dek and Kizzy heard the demon's voice, "You have entertained me! A secret, not yours to share, of the highest level of cowardice and betrayal! You may take my essence with you in that dirty piece of bark you stole from Raynor's tree. Kizzy Drakland, you are not so innocent, you are not so noble, you are not so high minded. You are just as bad, and no better, than that filth you mated with. You birthed a lovely boy, and you abandoned him to the harsh world."

The demon's voice went silent and the Sword returned to it's normal state. The bark from Raynor's tree now had a soft glow, as if embers were lit inside it, The Emberbark.

Dek stared at Kizzy, "You... you abandoned a child... possibly to die. And you never thought to tell me? I myself am a foundling..."

"Dek, I ... I know, it wasn't supposed to happen this way..."

"Yes, Miss Kizzy, I'm sure it wasn't. I'm sure the lie was supposed to keep going. You're an awful person Miss Kizzy, you won't help Demonsfall, you'll make it worse if that's possible. I don't care though, I've seen the rest of this great land, I know there are better places. I'm leaving now Miss Kizzy, good bye."

Dek turned and began to walk out of the room. Kizzy called after him, "Dek no! Please... I... I love you!"

"I could never love you Miss Kizzy," Dek said without even turning around.

Kizzy's eye opened wide and her mouth began to quiver, she felt the hilt of the Sword of Fire in her hand, "YOU WILL LOVE ME!"

A deafening boom echoed in the chamber and then a thud followed by some sizzling as Dek's charred remains fell to the floor and began disintegrating into ash.

Kizzy placed the Sword of Fire back on its pedestal, grabbed the Emberbark, calmly collected her things, and stepped over the pile of ash on her way out, "Everyone will love me... whether they like it or not."

Kizzy had spent several days buried in paperwork in Shirekeep, Goldshire Hamlet, and finally Syrelwynn before she was able to get back home to Demonsfall. Her home in the city was quite modest by Goldshirian standards, but large for the inner city of Demonsfall. As Urbruiser of the Guilds she was able to afford a staff of two: a maid and a cook. Of course, now she would likely want to move.

"Your Highness, welcome back to Demonsfall!" the maid said as she curtsied as Kizzy dropped a few tenth-erbs at the woman's feet, "I'll tell cook to put dinner on! OH how we've missed you Miss... err.... Duchess Kizzy!"

"Don't bother maid, I won't be eating here. Send a message that I'll be meeting with the Guilds in Congress now."

"Now Mi-m-Madam? It's nearly midnight..."

"I can tell time you worthless drakspit, now do as I say or I'll hire some other toothless, humped, broken creature to do it for me."

"Yes'm," the maid mumbled as she shuffled out of the room.

"Gentlemen and ladies, thank you for meeting me here in the congress hall at such late an hour."

Murmurs erupted from all in attendance:

"Of course Duchess!"

"Our lives for you, m'lady!"

"Anything for the sovereign of Goldshire!"

"We obey only you, our golden Queen!"

Kizzy walked around the large table, pacing very slowly, stopping behind each guild leader as she spoke, "I'm so pleased you are all so willing to serve me. I really must apologize for my absence from my duties here in Demonsfall. Although, could you really blame me? You all bribed away all my bruisers. You slipped between the few rules we had," she slammed her fist down on the table, "YOU MADE A FOOL OUT OF ME!"

The room fell silent.

Kizzy composed herself, "Excuse me, I'm ever so sorry. It's been such a long few weeks. I'm afraid I must be simply exhausted. Why Mr. Mudd, be a dear and pour me a cup of your Shameless Brew? I started a pot earlier on the table over there... my my... I must sit down."

Kizzy sat in Mudd's vacated seat, in between "Mother" of the Family and Vincent Forcello of the Syndicate, "Mother, how are the Children?"

"Healthy, Your Highness," Mother swallowed hard, "All, all over age, that's for sure!"

"Naturally," Kizzy said while looking at Vincent, "And Vinny, how is tourism these days?"

"Up and up madam! Everyone wants to come to Demonsfall these days, we got our pickpockets switched over to doing real authentic, finger-in-their-jacket-pockets muggings now!"

"How wonderful," Kizzy's words left her mouth as her eyes laid on Mr. Mudd setting down a steaming cup of coffee in front of her.

She picked it up and held it under her nose, "You know, Mr. Mudd, your coffee really is terrible," she tossed the cup, coffee and all, over her shoulder directly into Mudd's face.

Mudd's shrieks filled the room, no one dared get up to help him.

Kizzy stood up, stepped over Mudd's crumpled, writhing body, "I think I over extended myself tonight, honorable guild leaders. I am ever so sorry for wasting your time tonight. I feel just awful for getting you all out of bed for no reason. Please, have your drivers send me an invoice for time and fuel costs. Good night!" "DEK!" Kizzy spring up out of bed, drenched in cold sweat. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Oh," she laid back down and the chain of events leading up to Dek's death replayed in her mind, as if she was watching a movie, "I remember these things happening, I just don't remember physically doing them." Her eyes welled up with tears, "Oh Dek... the only man I ever thought I could... love," She buried her face in the pillows and cried herself to sleep.

The Emberbark, with its constant dull orange glow, sat on Kizzy's nightstand, now it radiated with a bright, red glow.

"Kizzy! OH Kizzy please wake up!"

Kizzy's eyes opened wide, "D-Dek? No, I'm dreaming."

"No Kizzy, it's me. Part of me was sealed into the Emberbark. Now I'm trapped in here with the essence of Rrakanychan. The daemon is using you Kizzy! He made you kill me, he made you disfigure Mudd at the Guild Congress."

"I- I killed you? And Mudd... Mudd deserved it."

"Yes you killed me Kizzy, but I forgive you, you weren't in control. That's the daemon seeping into you Kizzy, you know Mudd didn't deserve to have his face covered in burns."

"I don't deserve your forgiveness Dek. Perhaps I can join you in the Emberbark if I turn it on myself."

"No, Kizzy, you won't be able to, let alone I won't let or want you to. The Emberbark controls itself. But I can influence it. Together we can achieve your original goal, reshape Demonsfall into a functional city and purge the evil."

"Ok Dek, I trust you. What do we do?"

"Kizzy my dear, we start a riot."

Kizzy arrived in the sleepy town of Sintan several weeks ago. She spent a few days walking around in disguise and talking to whoever was around. Sintan was, perhaps, the least remarkable city in Shireroth. Only noteworthy for its Knitting Society and for fielding an inbred candidate for Kaiser Aiomide's genetic harem. The city, remarkable in its unremarkableness, was the perfect site for Kizzy's test of the Emberbark.

She began by joining the Knitting Society, a quiet group of old ladies who were immediately distrustful of a beautiful, young, ethnically ambiguous woman coming in to their circle. With the help of the Emberbark, and Dek whispering sweet nothings and gentle encouragement in her mind, she soon had the old ladies plunged in a bloody fight with only the slightest subconscious suggestions at violence.

With the collapse of the Knitting Society, the rest of Sintan was quite easy. Kizzy walked up and down the streets, calling out people, speaking quite suggestively of their cousins and relatives. The Emberbark amplified the Sintanians' lustful nature and soon they were thrown into a jealous rage-induced orgy-massacre.

As Kizzy watched the townspeople tear each other apart, Dek whispered in her mind, "It's the only way Kizzy, we must be sure of the Emberbark's power and we must know you can control it." Kizzy nodded as she wiped a tear off her cheek and laughed.

Kizzy noted that the menfolk of Sintan were more tenacious in their fighting, pummeling each other for a chance at a woman who was more than likely a cousin. When most of the men were dead, Kizzy used the Emberbark to project calming thoughts into the survivors. She walked onto an empty plinth in the main square of town (a plinth where a local hero's statue would usually be if this city had any) and addressed the women of Sintan: "I, your Countess and Duchess, have found your actions to be coerced by the daemons that taint this land. You are guilty of worshiping daemonic forces, a direct violation of our most sacred law. You have proven that the corruption reached beyond Demonsfall into the rest of Ynnraile. I have spared you, as women in this sinful town you have likely be subject to countless horrors. However, this city must not stand. It will be left to ruin and you all will be relocated."