Well I suppose we should start with the basics. Who are you?



"My name is Jarral Dekar. What do you want?"



Jarral? That's an unusual name.




"Is it?"



Well uh… I'm here to ask you a few questions if you don't mind.



"Why?"



Curiosity?



*Sigh* "Very well"



Um, ok. So Jarral, would you tell me a little bit about yourself?



"What is it you wish to know?"



Well, how about we start at the beginning. Where were you born, what were your parents like, that sort of thing.



"I was born in the underground city, Andhakara'a, which I do not expect you to have any knowledge of. My mother was a hunter, my father was and still is Lord of his people. "



Don't you mean your people?




"No, I was outcast. They are his people not mine. "



I'm sorry. Why were you outcast?



"I defied the Elders and was punished accordingly."



But what exactly did you do?



"I brought an outsider and an outcast into the city. "



Why?




"Because my Lord asked me to."



I don't understand. Your father asked you to do something and then punished you for it?



"The Elders punished me. I should have known better."



But, wouldn't you have been punished for not doing your father's bidding?



"Yes."



I don't understand.




"I do not expect you to."



Alright, moving on then… How old are you?



"I am not certain. Perhaps twenty years by your calendar?"



Wow, you don't look it.



*blank stare*



Alright then. Do you have any siblings?




"No."



What is your relationship with your parents like then?



"My mother walked into the light of the rising suns shortly after I was weaned. I do not remember her. "



And your father?



"He is consumed by his duty. "



So I'll take that as meaning you aren't close.




"No."



You don't seem to like him much.



"I do not have to like him."



So.. do you have any friends?



*hesitates* "I… I do not know."



How can you not know?



"How do you define friend?"



Well, people you trust, enjoy spending time with, that sort of thing.



"Yes."



Yes you do? Tell me about them.



"Why?"



I'm curious. What are they like?



"They are criminals, or so I am lead to believe."



Criminals?



"yes. Thieves and murderers for hire."



And these people are your friends?



"They keep me safe."



Safe? From what?



"Those who wish to hurt me."



But who wants to hurt you?



"I do not know."



So you're in some sort of trouble?


"no."



Then why do you need protecting?



"I do not. "



But you just said…



"I said they kept me safe, I did not say I required them to do so."



Then why are you friends?



"Because they have not tried to hurt me."



And other people have?



"yes."



Why?



"I am not certain."



I'm sorry.



"why? You have done nothing to me."




Right um… moving on then. You're an alien right?



"To you? Yes."



What's your home world like?



"It is a desert planet, the people live underground. The twin suns make life intolerable on the surface and the sand storms make things even more difficult."



So you never went to the surface?



"No. Only the hunters ever do so."



You mentioned twin suns?



"Yes. Two suns forever fighting for dominance in the sky."



What's it like living underground?



"Cramped, dark and wet. Disease was rife. "



It must have been pretty hard.



"It was all I knew."



And then you were outcast



"Yes."



What happened when you were cast out? Where did you go?



"My father arranged for me to stay with his brother. "



His brother? Your uncle? What was he like?


"He is… an impulsive, irresponsible individual. He did all he could but he was not suited to guardianship."



So then what happened?



"I left. I moved from caregiver to caregiver. "



But never settled?



"I was never given the chance. Those who cared for me had their own agendas, kept trying to twist me into something else or ignoring me entirely. "



And you resented that



"Yes."



I can understand why. How old were you?



"Perhaps fourteen years?"



Wow. It must have been hard.



"Yes. "



I have to ask, what's the deal with the tattoos across your face?




"They are symbols of station."



Station?



"Within Kevali culture all individuals are apprenticed and branded with the markings of their profession. Their symbols of station."



And what was your station?



"I was a scribe."



A scribe? What does that entail?




"I archived, recorded information and translated ancient texts."



Translated? So you're good with languages then?



"Yes."




You must have been apprenticed very young.



"I was."



Is that normal?




"no. My Lord and the Elders felt it important to take advantage of my linguistic talents sooner rather than later. "



So they made an exception?



"Yes."



Did you being your Lord's son have anything to do with that?



"No. Neither myself or the Elders were aware of this at the time."



You didn't know he was your dad?




"No. The exact nature of my conception was… not something my father is proud of."



Ahh. So when did you find out?



"Shortly after I was outcast."



That must have been quite a shock



"Yes. I recall I did not take it well."



So this linguistics skill, it wasn't something you were taught?




"no. It would seem fate decided to bless me with an innate understanding of language."



I don't understand.



"If I can isolate the root, I can extrapolate and build up a working translation. It is seldom perfect but it is… adequate."



That's quite a talent.



"It has been infinitely useful."



And you just always had this knack?




"As long as I can remember, yes."



Got any other interesting talents?



"I am uncertain what you would define as interesting."



I dunno, anything you can do that not many other people can?



"It would depend entirely on which people you are talking about."



You're difficult, you know that?




"So I have been told."



So what about the outfit then? All the robes and such.



"What about them?"



They're er… twitching.



"Yes."



Is that normal?




"It is something you get used to."



But… they're alive?



"In a manner of speaking."



What do you mean?



"They are sentient shadows."



You're wearing sentient shadows?




"Yes."



But… that's… I'm at a loss for words.



"You find it difficult to comprehend living shadow?"



Well yeah, it's kinda creepy.



"They will do you no harm."



I wasn't really worried about that… least not till you mentioned it. So um… is this sort of getup usual for your race?




"Only amongst the shadow priests."



You're a shadow priest?



"no."



Then what are you?



"I am not certain. The shadows call me Mahdhi, I am a servant of the Deus Umbra, a gift from one god to another."



The Deus Umbra?



"The god of shadows and secrecy."



Then you ARE a priest?



"I do not worship him. I accept that he exists and I do as he commands me. It is my purpose."



Your purpose?



"Yes. What I was born for. "



You were born to serve a particular god?



"Fate has plans for all of us. "



So your fate was to end up not quite a shadow priest?



"It would seem so."



How do you know that's your calling?



"She told me."



Who did?



"Fate."



So… wait… Fate is an entity? And it.. talked to you?



"She does not speak, but she showed me. I cannot explain it, you could not comprehend."



I don't know whether I should feel insulted.



"I do not mean to be rude, but to try to comprehend the actions of gods is beyond any mortal."



So even you don't understand it



"not fully no. Nor is it my place to do so."



So you just serve this god blindly?



"no. He offered me the means to defend myself."



Against what?



"Anything."



You seem certain that something is going to come and get you.



"Something always does."



Like what?



"Demons, shades, mortals even. "



They all want to hurt you?



"They all have."



Is that how you got those scars on your face?



"I started that fight."



Why?



"It was the only way to save my father."



What happened?



"I outsmarted a demon. He did not particularly appreciate that. "



So he came for you?



"yes. And now we are even."



Even?



"Yes. I defeated him, he defeated me. We have no further reason to fight. We are even."



But it's a demon!



"Yes."



Aren't they notoriously untrustworthy and you know… evil?



"He will not break his word. "



How can you be certain of that?



"Because he is bound by law."



Law? What laws could hold a demon?



"I am not certain but he is bound by them none the less."



So you saved your father from a demon?



"Yes."



Then you must care about him.



"I never said I did not."



You said you didn't like him.



"That does not mean I do not care what happens to him."



So you love him but don't like him is that it?



"Perhaps."



Perhaps?



"Love is a complicated emotion. "



Do you actually love anyone?



"I… I do not know."



You don't know?



"As I said, it is complicated."



Yes but you must have feelings for people right?



"Yes."



Have you ever been in a romantic relationship?



"No."



Why not?



"The opportunity never arose."



And if it did?



"I do not know."



You don't know? Are you not interested?



"Not particularly."



Why not?



"The human preoccupation with pairing off is something I have never understood."



You mean your race don't form intimate bonds?



"They do, stronger than any human bond. Kevali mate for life, unlike humans."



Hey! We're not all that bad.



"I never said it was a bad thing, simply that I did not understand it or desire it."



But what about a life mate then?



"I have never met one I trusted enough. Least… "



Oh? There is someone?



"No. I misspoke."



Uh huh. You really don't want to talk about it do you



"No. I do not."



Alright then. Can you at least tell me if they're male or female?



"I fail to see why that is at all relevant."



Well it's interesting!



"But ultimately trivial."



You're no fun.



"and yet you still persist with these endless questions."



Fine fine, last question then.


What kind of things do you like to do for fun?



"I have little time for frivolity."



You don't ever let your hair down.. so to speak? What about hobbies?



"I like to read."



Wasn't that part of your job description




"I enjoyed my job."



Anything else you like to do?



*shrugs*



Fine, you're sick of me aren't you?



"I am simply trying to understand what the point of this interrogation was."



Alright, I'll leave you alone then. Thank you Jarral.




"Farewell."