| Baek Jarns | |
| Fictional Character | |
| "Running of the Bulls" POD: 65 million years ago (?) | |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct narrator |
| Nationality: | Dubyook |
| Species: | Sentient descendant of the dinosaurs |
| Occupation: | Soldier, Author of Fiction |
Baek Jarns was a writer from Dubyook. After being injured in a global conflict that left him sexually impotent, Jarns decided to stay in Sirap, Ecnarf, where he made a living selling his fiction. The fact that Ecnarf was in poor financial straits helped insured that Jarns could be relatively comfortable. He forged bonds with other expatriates who were drawn to Sirap, including Obert Ohn, also from Dubyook, and Lady Ett Brashli of Dunlin (with whom he had a brief affair).
One night, Jarns briefly kept the company of a prostitute named Jajett, taking her to a bar called Gilded Peasant. While Jajett got into a fight with the owner's daughter, Jarns met with Ett, Obert Ohn, and Kime Kelbam, Ett's most recent paramour. After idle chatter, Ett and Kime announced their plan to go to Amblona to see the running of the bulls. Jarns had been before, and, despite his warning that the event wasn't all pretty, Ett invited Jarns and Ohn to come. Jarns correctly intuited that Ohn went along with designs on bedding Ett.
Ett and Kelbam went first by train, making various stops on their way to Astilia. Ohn and Jarns followed a few days later as they wanted to spend some time fishing in Ganelon, in northern Astilia. After a few days, Ohn went off on his own to rendezvous with Lady Ett. He rejoined Jarns in time to arrive in Amblona, and for a time, was noticeably happier. Jarns found Ohn to be much better company. However, when the train to Amblona was late, Ohn fell back into his old habits. When they arrived and Ohn saw Ett was with Kime Kelbam, he was obviously disturbed.
Jarns quickly impressed both the owner of the hotel where he was staying and a bull-handler with his understanding and legitimate enthusiasm for bulls. The handler also suggested Jarns watch for a bullfighter named Moremo.
The day before the running, Ohn confided in Jarns that he'd slipped off from Ganelon to meet Ett, and that their time together had been wonderful. However, now that she was with Kelbam in Amblona, she had no time for Ohn. While Jarns attempted to counsel Ohn against further efforts to pursue Lady Ett, Ohn wouldn't hear of it.
All four ran with the bulls. After watching an Amblonan succeed in mounting a bull, Ohn attempted the same feat in order to impress Ett. Despite Jarns' warnings, Ohn lost his grip, fell, and was promptly crushed by a bull.
The other three survived. At the end of the run, Jarns realized that as he and Ohn were both from Dubyook, that the authorities would not doubt give Ohn's remains to him. He was correct: Tonmoya gave the remains of Ohn to Jarns, as no one else knew what to do with them. When Jarns proposed to sell of Ohn's property from the hotel, Tonmoya was dubious. When Jarns suggested that he, Ett, and Kime might chip in to make up the shortfallm Tonmoya confided in Jarns that Kime had asked Tonmoya for a loan.
After a quick search, Jarns found a substantial amount of money in Ohn's things, more than enough to pay for his cremation. Further, the three foreigners were investigated by Captain Sargia, who ultimately concluded that Ohn's death was by misadventure, and released the three back to their holiday.
The three sat in the hotel bar and drank. Jarns realized that the bullfighter Moremo was at a nearby table with two of his fellow fighters. He also realized that Moremo and Lady Ett had noticed each other. He also resigned himself to the fact that when that possible affair went sour, he would likely be the one Ett turned to.
Literary Comment[]
Baek Jarns is based on Jake Barnes, the central character of The Sun Also Rises.
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