Editing Irenna the Bandit (section)

== Background ==
Irenna's parents weren't bad people. They thought they were doing well by her when they gave her to Karas. And he, in turn, gave her some small training, for her own protection - becausehe was corrupt, venal and abusive, and knew that his wife would be a target. 

He only got worse when she bore a daughter and not a son. Her daughter died after one of his tirades, which gave her the will to leave him. His power too great in his village, and not wanting to return home 'disgraced', so she went to the city to find work.

Previously untapped talent came to the fore there, and she joined a troupe. While in the city, she had no troubles, but the manager held all the other actresses and singers as whores, and intended the same for her. While traveling elsewhere, he pushed the issue, thinking she would submit rather than be left.

She proved otherwise. She knocked him senseless and stole a day's earnings, then fled. Oddly, that didn't make him angry, just more determined to get her under his control. He has little enough he can do unless she comes under his thumb again, though.

She took up a small cottage, where she lives as 'the crazy lady down the lane', about the same distance from two or three villages, without being part of any. What they don't know is that she supports herself through banditry and the like.

Her usual mode is to get herself taken in by a caravan as a weak, helpless woman, surprising the guard, and taking whatever coins they have before disappearing. Occasionally, she works with a small nearby troupe, setting the caravan off guard with her usual method, letting them get closer in than they otherwise would. 

She gets a share of the keepings, and has even enforced a 'no rapes' policy with them. They aren't large enough to take caravans without her help, and she's sworn to deny it if they abuse women when she's helped them. This doesn't stop them any other time, but she makes do where she will.

She's returned to the village finally feeling able to work towards the destruction of her ex-husband. She'd prefer, rather than killing, to expose him and ruin him, but she'll take what she can get.