"What a relief that would be," Atreus said, then gestured at his face. "As you can see, it's hard enough for me to make a good impression."

Rishi's expression remained unreadable. "I do not see why that should be." He drew closer and spoke in a quieter tome. "But we do have need to discuss compensation."

"Have no fear," Atreus replied, jangling his heavy purse. "You'll be well paid."

Rishi's eyes lit up. "A blessing on you, sir!" He took Atreus's arm and started forward as he spoke. "Shall we attend to the queen?"

The sea of Mar divided before the procession, shaking tassels at the ugly foreigner and softly murmuring about Ysdar.

Atreus leaned down to speak quietly to Rishi. "What is this Ysdar?"

"Pay no attention to those heathens!" Rishi lowered his voice and spoke in a confidential tone. "The Mar of Edenvale are superstitious fools who would not know a devil of Ysdar if they saw one."

"All the same, I would like to know why they fear me," insisted Atreus.

"Very well." Rishi cast a meaningful glance at Atreus's purse. "But you must remember I am only doing as you command."

"Your truthfulness will be rewarded."

"Then as you wish," said Rishi. "According to legend, Ysdar is a devil from another world, an ancient evil unleashed many ages ago when the Lords of the Five Kingdoms weakened his prison."

Rishi was speaking of the Bloodforge Wars, of course. No traveler to the Utter East could escape hearing about the ancient carnage, for the wars were more a part of the region's history than the Ten Days of Eleint were part of Tethyr's. Shortly after conquering the Utter East, the Lords of the Five Kingdoms discovered the bloodforges, ancient war machines capable of manufacturing whole armies of magic golems. Unrestrained by the expense of raising and maintaining armies, the lords went mad with battle-lust, nearly destroying their lands and their peoples.