The 18th Scroll:Introducing Waleed

[Gamemaster]

"Aacckkk! Alright, alright, cease your endless proddings! I was not trying to escape!" Came a voice under a pile of debris that Amir was prodding and searching about in. "In all the confusion, this samovar hit me on the head and well, here I am." Waleed arose brushing himself off and said "I suppose..." then cut himself off as he immediately noticed he was not talking to a Wolf nomad. "Oh, I uh..." Then bowing and quickly saying, "I am Waleed Ibn Alurah of Hiyal, many blessings upon you this day for freeing me!"
"Freeing you?" Amir says, helping Waleed to his feet. "You were a captive of these people then? Well, lay your fears to rest, for tonight you shall dine on roasted goat and tell us all you can of your journey with the Sons of the Wolf."
"Truly I have been blessed by Fate herself for being rescued by such a noble and honorable host, I give you many thanks, many thanks indeed!" Waleed bowed again, "Tonight yes, I will tell you of my journey here, such a woeful tale it is." Waleed looked about, looking for something, then blurted out in a harsh tone, "Mamoon, where are you servant! You had better not be dead, or I will kill you! Mamoun!"
"Please excuse me, I must find my man-servant and have him gather up my belongings." Bowing once again to the nameless desert rider who was his savior, Waleed carefully stalked off to find Mamoun, all the while brushing the dust and debris from his refined clothing.
Waleed's surety of his servant's presence here amongst the scattered debris of a fleeing nomadic tribe was almost humorous. But before anyone could point out the fruitlessness of Waleed's search, a voice called out apologetically. The owner of the voice soon appeared, running valiantly beneath the hot desert sun.
"Pardon..." was all he could manage at first. He stood before Waleed, hands on hips, panting hard. "I.. had... to... escape." Wiping sweat from his sunburned brow he continued. "Your humble servant... apologizes for not escaping sooner."
Sahra passed him a water skin, which he took greatfully. While he drank, she appraised him. He was a young man, perhaps only in his thirteenth year. His clothes were torn and dirty but of a quality higher than most desert dwellers. His skin was burned red as if he spent little time working beneath the sun.
"Do you realize how long I have been waiting? If it was not for our benefactor," Waleed motioned over to Amir, "I could have died out in this desert heat while you were galavanting along with the nomads." His stern rebuke given to insure the ties between master and servant, Waleed said less sternly and with some concern, "It looks like you were not harmed, were you? I suspect not, which is good, because I need you to gather together my belongings, post haste Mamoun." Waleed looked about, "Hmm, perhaps I can find a sword and crossbow here, I'll need some protection since you are as worthless as a swimming camel with it's legs tied Mamoun." Waleed continued to mutter on as he searched what was left by his previous hosts.
Later that night, around the campfire and the feasting of roasting lamb, Waleed told his tale.
"It was many weeks ago I was in the arms of a very fair lady, or so I thought. I had met her at University there in Hiyal where I was studying. Dashan Bint Vakar was her name and fairest of ladies was she but I soon learned she had a heart of larceny. After a strenous night of 'comforting' in her arms, I did imbibe of a glass of wine she gave me and lo' I was brought down. I can still remember her smile as she knelt down over me and the last words I heard from her I can never forget." Waleed thought for a moment, then remembered, "Now I can travel to be with the one I love."

[Gamemaster]

"I didn't understand it at first, but I think she sold me off to these damn nomads because hours later I was was bound and gagged like some common article of clothing being transported across the desert in the dead of night. Luckily for me, Mamoun was also taken, more than likely was captured as he waited outside our door." Looking to make sure Mamoun was nowhere near enough to hear, Waleed continued, "I would have gone insane if it had not been for Mamoun, at least he is somewhat cultured for a servant whereas the nomads knew little other than survival from day to day, but I guess that is the way of it out here in his unforgiving land." Waleed looked about and wispfully thought about his home back in Hiyal. "It will be good to return home, I'm sure my mother will reward you all very well for returning me." Waleed smiled and took a large bite out of the lamb before him, forgetting his table manners. "What surprises me is why my ransom has never been received. Surely my mother must have paid it, but it has been many weeks." There was some doubt in Waleed's voice, his mother was not the nicest of women, but surely she would have paid his ransom. "It is no worry now, I am in good company and she will repay you all for the return of her only son, I'm sure of it."
"I'm afraid the roasted goat before you is closest you will get to civilization for some time." Amir al-Ahmar offers. Waleed notices that despite the mouth-watering aroma hanging heavy in the air, Amir has not eaten a single bite nor even had so much as a sip of water during the telling of his tale.
"Oh, this is fit for a King, good Amir. It is very welcome after the bits and scraps I've been eating these many weeks, yes, very welcome indeed!
"I know very little of Hiyal." he continues. "But I do know that it is far from here and across the sea. The best we can offer is a caravan to Vahtov, though you may find the folk who dwell there little better than the Sons of the Wolf, if the stories I have heard of that place are true."
Waleed's jaw went slack and he asked rhetorically, "I'm that far from home? Was I put on a boat or something?" Shaking his head,
"Well, it will be a long journey back home, at least the company is good as the food."