Dragon magazine 277/Another Name for Dawn

"Another Name for Dawn" is a short story by Paul S. Kemp published in Dragon #277. It is a companion piece to the Sembia: Gateway to the Realms series, exploring the origins of the character Erevis Cale.

Summary
Vasen Coriver has decided to leave the Night Masks, and is slowly amassing the funds to leave Westgate by skimming the reward money from his various criminal jobs. He finishes one of his last planned jobs, kidnapping the noble Nomen Thorsar. As Vasen returns to his secret stash to deposit his take of the reward, he discovers a thief. After a brief struggle, Vasen defeats the thief, one Losk Cale. Vasen realizes the Night Masks have learned of his skimming and that he is to be killed for his disloyalty. He grabs what currency he has stored and resolves to leave Westgate immediately. It soon becomes clear that the Night Masks, led by his associate Jeldis Visiin, are out to get him in force.

Vasen manages to sneak past a group of Night Masks. He decides he can't leave Westgate without saying goodbye to his mentor Theevis. Theevis enchants Vasen with a spell that makes him harder to detect, and also uses magic to make all of Vasen's red hair fall out, as a disguise. Vasen leaves but is immediately hounded by Night Masks again. He kills one wizard and then makes for the harbor.

At the harbor, Vasen tries to buy passage on a ship, the Wave Runner, which seems to him like either a pirate ship or an independent merchant. The crew tells him that the carrying of any passengers is up to the captain, who does not come aboard until dawn. Vasen resolves to wait for the captain. As he does so, Jeldis arrives and challenges him to a duel. The crew of the Wave Runner look on. Vasen realizes the Night Masks will never stop chasing him for as long as he is alive. He loses the duel on purpose, letting Jeldis skewer him through the gut before stumbling off the pier, into the water. Vasen immediately consumes a healing potion he had kept hidden, mending his wounds. He swims to the other side of the Wave Runner, where the crew help him aboard. He negotiates passage out of Westgate with the captain, Gros Fallimor, as dawn breaks. When asked for his name, Vasen replies "Erevis Cale".

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