Chapter 4

**39 Thieves and the Woes of Hezraphrat**

Jason looked up to see Darrow, the shopkeeper from earlier in the evening. Standing next to him was an equally as tall man with the same hazel complexion, but with massive muscles. “Harold, my friend. You wouldn’t believe I got a silver for that old fairy tale book I won from that traveler in cards last week,” Darrow said loud enough for the entire bar to hear. The shopkeeper looked in Jason’s direction and grew a surprised smile, “Oh, I didn’t mean that. It’s a pleasure to see you again young zur, I hope you have been enjoying that book.”

“Ah yeah, I was just about to start reading it,” Jason responded dryly nodding his head down at the now closed tome. “A lot of hazy text though,” he growled.

The shopkeeper nodded, “Yes, yes. Forget about what I said about that. Harold here thinks no one still cares about the old myths.” Harold, the barkeep, snorted but offered no comment. “Well this is my brother Vroot,” Darrow said indicating his large companion, “he runs the store with me. You know scaring away beggars and shoplifters. He was off collecting debts while you were by. I’m afraid he isn’t well versed on Titain yet, even after all these years, so I do all the talking for us. Oh I fear my manners escaped me earlier, I never caught your name zur.”

“Jason.”

“Ah splendid, just like the great Hessian Emperor, gods protect his spirit. Do you mind if I join your company,” Darrow didn’t wait for Jason to respond and slipped onto the bench across from him. Vroot walked off to see other patrons. “Ah you have chosen a fine inn, my friend. This is where many of our brethren come for spirits and fraternity and it’s the only place you can get a good Hessian Stout this side of the Jade Sea,” Darrow said with a wink. “Are you enjoying the treasures of this city traveler?”

“Yeah I’m learning a lot but I don’t even know its name yet,” Jason remarked. Darrow had already thrown the thought of the book out of his mind.

“Ha, that’s a novelty. You have found yourself in Exton, gateway to the Kingdom of East Tumlohn.” The name drops gave Jason’s a head a swirl but he got down that he was in Exton.

“Right, Exton. How big is the Kingdom of East…”

“Tumlohn,” Darrow offered. “I know, I’ve lived here nigh on 20 years and I can’t get use to all the names. Quiet small actually. There’s Tumlohn then about six leagues east is the capitol, Laxtar. In between that are a dozen or so villages and small towns and that’s it.”

“So it’s pretty small?”

“Yes, but our neighbors are docile and our King is competent so life is merry. Ah here we are,” Darrow said as the innkeeper set down a tankard in front of him. “Add one for my friend here to my tap Harold.” The man nodded and turned away to get Jason another drink. Upon a closer look Jason realize the innkeeper possessed the same large frame as Darrow and his brother. Looking around the slowly filling taproom he noticed most of the other patrons shared the same physical traits. Now that the room was full as merry cacophony resonated and Jason realized he couldn’t understand most of the words being spoken.

“Thanks for the drink Darrow, what are so many Hessians doing here in...”

“Exton.”

“Yeah Exton.”

“Ah it’s not just Exton my brethren have fled to, but all of Titan. It’s a subject not too bright but is easier to talk about over game and drink. Here let me show you a token of Hessian pastime and I can tell you of the strife of my people,” Darrow pulled a packet of cards from his pocket and set them on the table. The innkeeper returned with two tankards which he replaced with Jason’s and Darrow’s empty ones. Jason had been looking forward to reading his book even in its rough condition, but he let the shopkeeper continue. He bought me a drink might as well give him some of my time, maybe I can learn somethings.

“The game is 39 Thieves, my friend. A game started by brave legionnaires off on the frontiers. Most say it’s origins come from the desert lands, but no one wants to believe any form of culture came out of that barbarian land. I honestly think some drunk sergeant dreamt it up one day to steal wages from infantry. Either way, the soldiers brought it back from gods know who and it spread like wildfire amongst civilians until every street urchin, oil presser, and senator’s wife was playing 39 Thieves. Here’s how you play,” he dealt each of them five cards. “The objective is to get the closest to 39 without going over, if you go over you lose. Have you used a Hessian deck before?”

“No,” Jason said. He looked at his cards and was staring at a 6, 3, 10, a hand, and a gem.

“There are 44 cards. Four of each number two through ten, four thief cards and four gem cards. The numbered cards are their face value. If you play a thief card you swap the placement of cards for the round and wherever the thief ends up it counts as ten points. Gem cards are worth 11 points if played on your side or 1 if played on an opponent. If a thief is played on a gem the thief is worth 21 points. If both players lay down thieves then no points are given.” Darrow looked up and saw Jason staring blankly at him. “Valuv! It’s not hard friend, trust me you learn as you go. The game starts by each player laying down a card then the following round you lay a card on your opponent and it goes round and round. You’ll see it’s not all about high scores, sometimes it’s best to keep it low, but remember the player closest to 39 without going over wins. Here we can play a few rounds, talk, drink and then I can start taking your money,” the Hessian laughed loudly and they started the first game.

Jason laid down his 10 while Darrow played a 5. “So tell me more about how you got here,” Jason asked. He had gotten excited earlier when he learned Darrow was a Hessian, but he figured that while they were bartering was not a good time to talk.

Darrow waved his hand in the air as he strained to look at his card. “Yes, yes. Now remember this round you’re going to play a card on me.”

Jason decided to play his 3 on Darrow. He set the card aside to show he was ready. “Alright.”

They flipped their cards and Darrow played a 10. The score was now 20 to 8, Jason tried to contain his glee, but he still wondered why Darrow didn’t play the 10 on the first hand. As the Hessian was looking through his remaining cards he started to talk, “It’s Hezraphrat not Hessia like most of you pigheaded islanders like to call our homeland. My brother and I were raised on the western coast in a fishing village. I won’t bother you with its name or even the province we were from,” Darrow placed a card aside to show he was ready.

I better play it safe this round and put out something low, I have a good lead on him. Jason nodded to show he was ready and they flipped cards. 6 on Jason and a gem on Darrow, 26 to 19, the tally was getting closer. Jason gritted his teeth, this game wasn’t for money but he was still competitive at heart.

“As I was saying, we were raised in a fishing village,” Darrow continued. “Our father was conscripted to the desert campaign. The sandstorms were bringing the barbarian raiders deeper into Empire territory. After he left, Vroot and I took over our fathers fishing boat. Vroot was always strong, arms like our father’s and grandfather’s, while I took after our mother, thinking in numbers and organization. I never loved the sea and one day there was a bad popup storm and a swell knocked me of our boat into the ocean. I wouldn’t have survived if my brother wasn’t there with me. Ready?”

Darrow’s story had distracted Jason and he forgot to pick a card. He hurriedly threw down the hand card on Darrow, Darrow put down a 9. They shifted the cards so that the hand was on Jason and the 9 on Darrow. 36 to 28, Jason kicked himself, he was left with a gem, there was no way he could win. Even if Darrow had a thief that would bring the shopkeeper to the perfect 39 and Jason way over the limit.

“My brother is a very kind man, even if he may not look it. After the storm he said I should start working with our mother to sell the fish he caught in the market, our father would be back from the desert and three would be too many for our boat. Alright last card my friend.” Darrow revealed his card and it was a 1.

Jason showed his and the Hessian laughed. “You came too strong my friend. The game is about setting up your opponent, not yourself, Valuv.” He collected the cards and started to shuffle, “alright this time for money.”

Jason nodded, “sure how much.”

“Nothing much, I don’t take a lot from my friends. Quarter copper a game?” He reached into his coat and put the metal triangle on the table.

“Except when you sell them books,” Jason responded to receive a laugh from Darrow that no one could be mad at. “Sounds good to me,” Jason looked in his pouch and grabbed a half copper. Let’s try something, he thought. He pulled his dagger from his belt and pressed the blade to the center of the half crescent. He pushed down and the metal gave way with slight pressure leaving two triangles. Jason placed one of the quarters into his bag and left the other on the table.

“Valuv, I promise to not take too much my friend,” Darrow laughed. “Harold, another round,” He called to the innkeeper. Darrow dealt out new cards and continued his story. “I learned about many kinds of people working with my mother, ships from all over the world would stop by my village. Most were only stopping to restock supplies but we did well.”

“How did you end up in Exton?” Jason asked.

“Our father and many other legionaries never came back from the desert.” He mumbled, “Hajii valuvum,” and raised his left arm to kiss a bead bracelet. “It was a storm year, and a very bad one. The sandstorms ripped apart the legions and what was left of them the barbarians were able to pick off. The storms were so strong they reached our village killing all the crops for that year. To make matters worse, the failed war bankrupted the Emperor. Some say the great fire that burned the capitol was started by his suicide. But no one really knows how he died or what started the fire. The emperor had many wives and many sons and civil war ensued after his death. The Senate was weak and corrupt, unable to control the warring princes so our once strong empire fell into petty kingdoms constantly at war. We were from a distant province, or no great political or military importance, so we never felt the wrath of war. But we still suffered. Our mother suffered a great illness and on her deathbed commanded us to leave our cursed land. We didn’t know how to leave since Vroot and I had no money. The trading ships had been replaced by pirate ships when the crops failed, all the fish we caught we ate or traded with our neighbors. She gave us a few gold coins she had hidden away and it was enough to get us travel to the nearest port city. After the weeks of walking we arrived in the city, but the fare out was too much for what money we had left. So we saved the rest of the little money our mother left us and we were able to join a galley as rowers, we didn’t care where we went just as long as it wasn’t Hezraphrat. There were many other Hessians on the ship in the same situation. We met Harold’s brother on that boat who told us about a Hessian émigré community Exton. We had no other plan so we followed him here and Harold help set us up like he has many other refugees. Vroot and I were able to slowly build up our store and the rest is history. Braccians may not be the nicest people but they respect hard work so we’ve had little issues. It’s better than living in the Titon Empire, I hear Hessians are taxed heavily unless they enlist in the auxiliary units. Sorry if I bored you with my story friend.”

Jason had lost 2 coppers in the time it took Darrow to tell his story but it was worth it. “No, no, I’m sorry about what has happened to you and your country.” I’m glad I didn’t choose Hessian in the character creation. The Braccian start is hard, I can’t image how hard it is as a Hessian especially if I had spawned in Hezraphrat or the Empire.

“It is alright, for I still have my brother and I make friends like you. Here,” he hands Jason the deck of cards, “Take these and get better so I can play you another night and you can remember Hezraphrat. Too many have already forgotten it.”

Jason looked at the deck.

**New Item: Worn 39 Thieves Deck: These cards have been well used but they still have some life in them.**

“Thank you Darrow.”

He waved a disregarding hand, “get better so that I have to work to take your money. It is late and I am quite drunk. It was nice meeting you Jason. I look forward to the next time we meet.” He got up and staggered out of the inn.