Claire Bowen, Female French Merchant (Shopkeeper) (Non-Player character) A recurring character from a Hawkmoon campaign, a variant of the RPG Stormbringer, set in the “Tragic Millennium Earth” of Michael Moorcock’s novels. H3-14 – When You Lay Down With Dogs: Claire shivered from fear more than cold as she stood naked in the great hall. Her father had served Mistelvale’s lord-protector, Nykira’s father, as a man-at-arms and she had grown up in the castle. But all her joyful childhood memories of this place were overshadowed by the horrors she had witnessed here since the Hounds of Granbretan occupied it. “Please,” Claire begged. “We villagers didn’t do this. We serve you well… and willingly.” She dared to look up from the cold stone floor to eyes behind the hound mask and saw them hungrily roam across her body. “This woman is one of you,” the Hound captain accused with a growl. “The daughter of your former lord… and your friend you said.” “She was,” Claire acknowledged meekly. “But she was captured by your men months ago. Before the treaty… and before our resistance ended. We bear no arms against you now.” “If they are found,” the Hound conceded as he circled her, eyeing the nubile young beauty from every angle, “they will be publicly executed as examples to those who would oppose the Dark Empire. But if they are not caught with in the week, you will choose the twenty villagers who die in their place!” Claire was horrified at the thought that she would have to pick twenty people she knew to die. She was no-one; a tavern wench picked to be the vixen in a hunt because of her beauty. But she knew better than to object. “You should check the places the resistance used to hide,” she offered in a weak voice, “the caves by the river, the old mill and the empty farms beyond the village… Other than those, I don’t know where she would go.” With a wave of his hand the captain dismissed his men to scourer the countryside as he stopped in front of the trembling girl. His men had chosen their vixen well; she was just the type of beauty he would have picked himself. The hunts were a good way to keep his men sharp and satisfied since the Normandians had capitulated to their occupation so easily and there was little left to do but herd them like sheep. “Now girl,” he taunted as he undid the tie of his breeches, “let see just how well… and willingly you serve!”