Sable - Damsel Book Three
Wrapped in luxurious furs of sable, minx and bear, their hair and eyes as soft and
rich in colour and skin as white as snow, the rare Sable from the cold north create
excitement and gathering whenever one is seen.
Known as traders of fur and precious metalwork such as gold and platinum their wears
are eagerly sought after by the few that can afford their high, and further marked
up prices. Those that can recognize a Sable item when they see it on a damsel know
that she is truly one of the glamourous and that her star will rise high. And even
those that don’t remark only favourably of the damsel’s appearance and glamour.
Sable traders only appear during the Helenas winter and do not stray further into
the territory of the City States than where the rivers freeze into ice, entering the
small villages and trading centers that eek out a living in the harsh north waiting
for the arrival of these strange and alluring maidens. There in the middle of winter,
as the wind howls and the snow blankets all, the Sable appear through the blizzard,
stay for a few days to trade, and then vanish again into the snow storms.
A few hardy maidens and Heroines from the City States have come north during the winter
to learn more of these mysterious women and follow them into the freezing north with
their entourages. Warmly clad in cloaks and furs the resemblance is completely different
to the Sable who wear their furs for decoration only, seemingly unaffected by the
biting cold as many show no hesitation to remove their cloak or fur hat and sell it
at the high price they ask for and then leave naked.
The fate of the brave Heroines has always been the same. Disappearance. Not one of
the Heroines has returned to their Cities if they traveled after a Sable for more
than a day. Parties sent out to search for them find no trace, tracks quickly covered
by falling snow. They return knowing that nothing can be done and the names of the
missing are added to a growing list of those that have vanished before without a trace.
On two occasions years apart a loan servant of one of these foolish maidens were found.
The first lying dead of the cold by a free flowing stream as the season was late and
spring quickly forcing its way to reclaim the north. Great bites had been taken out
of her body and cuts and slashes that could have only been made by a ferocious animal
covered her. The second had staggered back into a trading town raving with insanity.
Before dying at night by fever she claimed that the Sable were demons in league with
beasts.
Only once has a Helenas damsel confronted a Sable directly in one of the villages.
Usually the cool appearance frightens off most maidens from getting to close; therefore
when the Heroine Xenalope refused a Sable permission to leave the entire village gathered
round to watch what would happen next.
A ferocious animal look grew on the Sable’s face and the howl of the wind grew loud.
Some claimed that the noise was not that of the wind but the cries of wolves or worse.
Xenalope who had spent time around magi felt the tingling sensation affect her and
fearful at the power emanating from the loan Sable backed down and let her pass.
Another account of these solitary and rare damsels was when a trio of juveniles practicing
their hunting skills against a wolf that had been terrorizing their livestock shot
and wounded what they thought was a wolf. Following the wounded animal they stumbled
into a clearing to see a Sable lying on her furs with a line of blood running down
her thigh. The juveniles took fright and fled back to their farm.
Other stories told, with little basis of fact, tell of bandits who used the north
forests as refuge against the authorities and would raid farms and small villages
for food. Then they would vanish never to be heard of again during a terrible night
of wind and driving snow. Many who believe the rumours of the Sable say that it was
they who killed them for infringing upon their domains as they do to the Heroines
that follow them.
Although such little is known of the Sable and the rumours told about them, they are
still welcomed, albeit with more than a growing trace of fear, for their precious
wears and fur. In the past few winters the number of trading Sable has increased causing
speculation of the size of the community and the nearest City State of Lesnios has
sent a company of maidens to gather more information and to take control of the trade
with the Sable.
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