This character was created for a tabletop role-playing game set in the Eberron world. It was written in September 2008.
994 YK
2 weeks after Day of Mourning
Northeast of Vathirond
Itlani stuffed her last piece of bread in her small mouth and chewed thoughtfully, looking upon the horizon. Far away, the dread curtain of mist which marked the border to Cyre hung in the same place it had for the past two weeks. Their contingent had been sent to assess the situation and possibly mount a rescue operation in Cyre. General ir'Vulain had given up on that last idea when most of the officers, including her, had flatly refused to send any of their men into the unknown mist.
«Any orders yet, Sarge?» Itlani turned her gaze on Vorj Thorn, a man about her age and the second in command in her small unit. Like her he was apparently lightly armed. Appearances were often deceiving.
«If they have any idea what's going on, they aren't keeping me in the loop Vorj. Best be ready to move at anytime...» Her voice turned to a whisper. «Things might get nasty if the general gives the wrong order.»
«Thinking they'll be a fight within the ranks?» Vorj asked without missing a beat.
Good lad, got to get his loyalties sorted though. No point in dying for some noble idealist who never gets his hands dirty. She wanted to tell him. There will be fighting if he sends my troops in there. She wanted him to know, she'd fight for them. Nevertheless, Itlani held her piece, no point in stoking the brazier.
«Let's not worry about that...» The hilltop where she stood afforded her a good view of the whole camp and she let the words trail off when she noticed another officer ascending towards her. With a nod she indicated to Vorj he should leave, which he did without protest.
Itlani took a few moments to scan the elf moving to her; her first impression was that he was as green as grass. She could tell simply by the way he walked and held himself. She hoped he was just a messenger and not her new commanding officer.
The bitter sergeant saluted the young elf, who inexperienced as he was still had lived about three times as long as she had. He seemed intimidated by her presence and that suited her fine.
«Orders LT?» She quizzed, seeing he hesitated to speak up.
«Yes Sergeant.» Immediately she tensed up. Noticing her reaction, the Lieutenant hurried through an explication. «It's not what you think, no one is heading through the mist.» Itlani visibly relaxed and even sighed in relief as he continued. «There's been a general halt of all offensives throughout Khorvaire, apparently, discussions of peace talks might be starting soon.»
Itlani nodded as she crossed her arms on her chest. «I heard about that... So, they need some units to make sure our neighbors play nice?»
«That's the gist of it Sergeant.» In turn he seemed relieved and she smiled to reassure him further. «We have been ordered to reconnoiter the Thranish border.»
Italni saluted once more. «We're ready to move out when you are, sir.» She moved to leave, but he interrupted her in hushed tones.
«I heard what your unit does Sergeant...» His features had visibly paled and his voice conveyed his fear.
«Don't want to get your hands dirty?» She asked point blank, keeping her voice low.
«It's not that... I'm.. I'm not an assassin, I can't...» He stammered and Itlani held up her hand to stop him.
«We'll handle the killing if it comes to that.»
He breathed nervously, obviously not fully satisfied yet. «But the men...»
«... Won't know a thing about your... disposition.» She finished for him. Itlani didn't blame him, her line of work wasn't for everyone, but she doubted her unit would respect him whether they knew of his squeamishness or not. He would have to prove himself. She flashed him another comforting smile. «Don't worry LT, I've been doing this for a long time...»
982 YK
East of Shavalant
As the sun reclined in the horizon, a young peasant girl struggled with a cauldron on a light slope. Her soft skin was already tanned from constant exposure to the sun and her long dark hair hung wildly around her, as unkempt as the rags she wore for clothes. As the steamy smell wafted to her nostril, her stomach churned. She could not tell if it was hunger or simple nervousness, she keenly felt both.
Cresting the hill, she finally spied her destination, a small group of soldiers camping on the open. Instantly, they took notice of her and one of them moved to meet her.
«What do you have there, girl?» She expected him to be harsh and mean, yet his voice was measured, if wary.
«Dinner, sirs.» Itlani answered meekly, she was genuinely scared and part of her wanted to simply drop the meal and bolt. «Mom reckons you might be tired of rations and we had some stew left...»
They should have questioned her further, but in their famished state they simply accepted her lie and emptied the cauldron faster than she thought possible. Itlani watched; they seemed happy, joking and sometimes thanking her. She pitied them, they didn't look at all like the mean men described to her, they looked every bit like any man from her village. There was nothing to be done now, save finishing the task she had been given.
One by one they fell to the ground, clutching their chest and groaning. Some of them stared blankly at her while she watched the light in their glazed eyes fade away. She stood, unmoving, until only the crackle of the camp's dry wood fire could be heard.
She ambled through the still forms of the soldiers, inspecting each of them for any sign of life and silently hoping they were all dead. The poison used was efficient, if not always lethal. Yet, she held her hope as each soldier she inspected was deceased. After the fifth or so corpse, her luck didn't hold. She found a half-elf woman breathing shallowly and very much alive, if unconscious. Itlani thought she looked so peaceful, maybe it didn't matter if she lived, a score of others had been killed.
Her instructions were clear, she had to make sure they were all dead. Whatever fear she had of finishing what she had started was swallowed by the fear of failing. Itlani pulled a small knife from her tattered clothing and hovered above the prone woman, struggling to find the courage to follow through with the plan she had been given.
The knife shook in her small hand as she moved it to the woman's throat. With her other hand, she steadied the blade and considered her victim once more. Conflicting thoughts erupted in her young mind, but one word stayed stronger than all other ideas; «enemy». That woman was the enemy, she was one of the soldiers who had done all the horrible things to the Brelish Itlani had heard about. In an instant of determination, Itlani closed her small eyes and thrusted. She felt something soft give way with a slight gushing sound, then her hands were soaked in a warm liquid. When the young girl opened her eyes, she realised she was covered in the woman's blood. Not a tear came to her eyes and with grim resolve she decided she would protect her kin from now on, like she had done on this day...
998 YK
1 week ago
Sharn
«Nine of red.» The dwarf said smugly as he dropped his second card and second red dragon on the table, if he wasn't bluffing, he'd take a good amount of sovereigns from each player.
Of course, if he had Tiamat in his hand, combined with his ten and nine, he'd have a color and number win. That would net him a good amount of sovereigns. He probably has been setting this play from the start... Good thing I also have Tiamat in hand then.
Itlani gave a rueful smiled and with exaggerated disdain, dropped her third card into play. «Rogue». She took a few sovereigns from the pot using the cards power.
The lanky man to her right chuckled. «Playing to save the furniture, eh?» She didn't even look at the card he or the others played and waited for the dwarf's move.
«Get ready to lose a lot of sovereigns.» Addressing no one in particular, he carefully placed Tiamat next to his two red dragons, eliciting a riot of curses from other players. Thirty-two; he had the highest hand giving him the pot and full colors, giving him ten sovereigns from each player's pot. Itlani had played poorly and she couldn't even pay up.
The dwarf reached greedily across the table, grabbing the pot and the offerings of the other players, but when his hand neared her coins, Itlani casually flicked her Tiamat in his hand. He visibly paled and the table erupted into chaos.
He was not the one who had cheated, but considering his incredible hand, it was harder to believe that it was Itlani with her poor hands and even poorer plays who had cheated, even if it was the truth.
In the end, its always about misdirection.
As the common room erupted into a brawl, she slipped out the establishment's back door and settled herself in a nearby alley.
Itlani was not surprised when the dwarf stumbled in after her, a few moments later. Her recon had shown her that this particular alley was the best place to disappear from the vicinity of the Broken Lantern.
She watched him silently as he moved cautiously through the cramped space, often glancing nervously backwards. A lesser agent would have stepped out of the shadows to gloat, but a Dark Lantern never took chances and Itlani shared a similar sentiment.
In one fluid movement she took out a dagger and plunged it into his stubby neck. He went down with a wet gurgle, hands clutching the dire wound on his throat. It was all for naught, blood flowed swiftly from the wound. Dwarf or not, it wouldn't take long for him to die. Itlani locked her gaze with him, and watched his life slowly pour away, neither flinching or blinking.
She would never know why he had to die, she didn't even know who he was, but the Dark Lanterns had been very specific about his death. They also had promised her a true assignment once this was done. For two years all she had done was basic clean up, but today she would become a true Dark Lantern and she would finally get her opportunity to serve Breland in the fullest of her capacities.
