Jeral

Prevost Jeral was an officer in the military of Nom Purge.Kellanved's Reach, Dramatis Personae The Prevost was a tall, trim woman - with brown eyes tinged with green - who wore her hair in four long braids under her helmet. For body armour, Jeral wore a coat of leather cut in "overlapping scales", with long leather skirting underneath. The Prevost had an habitual stance of grasping two of her braids, one in each hand, to rest her arms.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 4, US TPB p.62/64-65
The "straight-talking" Jeral was the daughter of a minor baronet of the Nom Purge aristocracy. The Prevost was a conscientious leader, giving thought about any military engagements which might "just throw [her] lads and lasses away".Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 4, US TPB p.64
==In Kellanved's Reach==
In the years before the rise of the Malazan Empire, the traditional enemies of Nom Purge and the twin city-states of Quon and Tali were at war.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 1, US TPB p.6 The Prevost, along with a contingent of Nom Purge regulars, had been sent to garrison Two-River Fort, located in Two-River Pass. After a Nom Purge expeditionary force had been ambushed and broken in a battle with Quon Talian forces south of the end of the pass, Jeral spoke with three Purge noblemen fleeing past the fort heading for Purage. Ghenst Terrall was one of this trio who ordered the Prevost and her soldiers to leave the fort and to proceed northward to Purage to help protect it. The Quon Talian forces - which were following closely behind the nobles - were also heading to Purage, but with the goal of besieging this important Nom Purge city. The Prevost was tarrying as much as regulations would allow as she thought abandoning the fort and leaving the way north completely uncontested was inadvisable.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 4, US TPB p.62-63
Prevost Jeral and her regulars kept watch as additional survivors of the battle passed by or sought refuge at the fort. A group of these survivors, Orjin Samarr and his mercenary troop, arrived at the fort and joined the Prevost there. After discussing the situation with Jeral, Orjin realized the two of them had a similar mindset as Orjin also believed abandoning Two-River Fort to be a bad idea. Jeral and Orjin agreed upon a tentative plan to deal with the following Quon Talian force. To orient Orjin, Jeral gave him a tour of the fortress.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 4, US TPB p.62-64
The plan agreed upon by Jeral and Orjin required the assistance of the local inhabitants. These locals were the hill-folk of the hill tribes. After a meeting of Jeral, Orjin, and his chief lieutenants with the hill-folk, the Prevost gathered her regulars and prepared to leave to join the hill-folk up in the heights of the pass. Before leaving, Jeral asked Orjin what was going to happen at the fort. Orjin answered that he and his troop would remain on guard there. After the Prevost left, Terath shared with Orjin her uncertainty as to what Jeral would really decide to do. Orjin reassured Terath that the Prevost would fulfill her part as Orjin felt Jeral was a "fighter, not a runner".Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 4, US TPB p.62-65Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 6, US TPB p.99-100/103
Prevost Jeral and the cooperative hill-folk worked out the details of how they would implement the plan. Eventually, the Quon Talian expeditionary army entered the steep southern end of the pass. Commander Renquill paused at the fort to exchange barbed remarks with Orjin but then continued down the pass. The essential Quon Talian baggage train, at the very end of the army, finally arrived at the head of the steep-sided pass. Everyone then watched in shock or in awe and amazement as twin avalanches obliterated the baggage train down in the valley of Two-River Pass. In the resulting confusion, Orjin and his force slipped away and clambered up the mountainside to rejoin Jeral. Orjin congratulated Jeral warmly for not only the destruction of the baggage train, but for also gathering some four thousand more survivors from the broken Nom Purge army.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 6, US TPB p.100-106
After Jeral had fought alongside Orjin's troop - and been wounded, she was accepted into the 'inner circle' of lieutenants.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 8, US TPB p.128-130Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 12, US TPB p.181-182 When the Prevost received orders from Nom Purge's Queen and Council - which would have required Jeral to turn on Orjin - the Prevost, instead, broke with the Purge authorities and asked and was allowed to officially join Orjin's troop.Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 12, US TPB p.184-185
==Notes and references==
Category:Females
Category:Captains
Category:Nobles
Category:Quon Talians