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Post by Gamemaster on May 12, 2006 12:12:11 GMT -7
PCs Keesha the sorceress Maher the sailor Saqir the adventurer Waleed the scholar Ya'qub the merchant
NPCs
Noora - the nursemaid Sahra - Ya'qub's wife Eakon - Keesha's familiar Mamoun - Waleed's servant Jaheira, Wudei'a, Najiba - Waleed's bodyguards Shabab Eblis - Bright Dancer's young captain Haroun the faris Adila - bearer of the curse
Notable crew Rasool Yameena Galeel -- 8th of Saris
Waleed, having been turned away at the gates of the ministry of secrets, returned to the Jasmine Dream to find his companions gathered inside the covered gardens enjoying an early meal.
Keesha, despite Noora's enthusiasm to hasten to her master's house, had delayed, pointing out that her father was not yet within the city walls and hence a slight delay would be of little consequence.
Ya'qub, Saqir and Maher were sharing their day's events with Keesha when Waleed joined them. The diminuative innkeeper clapped his hands and the servants redoubled their efforts and brought out more food and drinks.
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on May 13, 2006 20:20:34 GMT -7
Waleed greeted his friends with a sly smile, "Hello," then looking to Noora and bowing his head slightly, "hello." Waleed sat and motioned for his entourage to also be seated and then took a long drink from one of the proffered wine glasses. "Ah, very refreshing after such a long ride." He looked to Mamoun who had walked the entire way and was still too young for strong drink. "Mamoun," taking another long glass of chilled wine, "drink this and tell what you think of it. Take your time and finish the entire glass, if you need another glass to be sure of your findings, so be it."
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Post by maher on May 13, 2006 22:53:32 GMT -7
Maher, tired from the day, sat down with a happy sigh and took a nice cool clear wine. Humming to himself. He introduced himself to Noora. Maher continued his daily daydreaming after a moment.
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Post by Ya'qub on May 15, 2006 5:26:31 GMT -7
Ya'qub orders a bottle of wine. Then, picking it up, we walks over to Waleed's table. and sits down, himself bearing a wide smile.
"Friend," He begins. "It seems we got separated today. I pray that Fate blessed your path richly."
Then, in a hushed whisper, as he refilled Waleed's glass,
"Did you learn anything more about Adila's condition?"
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Post by Gamemaster on May 15, 2006 9:16:43 GMT -7
Maher, tired from the day, sat down with a happy sigh and took a nice cool clear wine. Humming to himself. He introduced himself to Noora. Maher continued his daily daydreaming after a moment. Noora's impatience to leave was only apparent to those who'd grown up around well-behaved servants. To all others she appeared calm and still, if overly so. "It is nice to meet you Maher," she replied. "What service do you provide for Lady al-Reehan?"
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Post by Gamemaster on May 15, 2006 11:02:41 GMT -7
Haroun entered the covered garden, his traveling bag over his shoulder. A pair of hummingbirds blurred past his smiling face and rose into the flowered blossoms that wove through lattices above.
"I am taking a pilgrimage! This afternoon I met a holy man bound for Rog'osto, City of Spires. He spoke of this marvelous city and his pilgrimage to the Mosque of the New Moon, dedicated to Selan. So glorious it must be! A trio of graceful minarets that echo the design of the royal palace of Huzuz. When I pressed for more information, he told me of Rog'osto's other mosques: The Mosque of the Venerable Kor, fashioned from white-washed limestone and covered in intricate mosaics of colored glass that reflect the morning sun like a shower of precious gems, and Zann's Mosque of the Visionary Spring!"
Haroun spread his arms as if to say: the hand of Fate doth push me forward, how can I resist?
"The spring waters within the mosque are said to inspire profound, revelatory trances. So you see, I am saddened to part with you my friends, but I leave this very moment, they await me at the docks. A journey of more than three hundred miles northward along the coast also awaits, the sooner begun the better."
Embracing his friends he left the inn hastily, calling back over his shoulder, "May Fate guide us together again soon!"
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Post by Gamemaster on May 15, 2006 12:33:03 GMT -7
Waleed greeted his friends with a sly smile, "Hello," then looking to Noora and bowing his head slightly, "hello." Noora bowed in return, smiling politely. As Waleed walked away she bent and quietly asked Keesha: "One of your suitors?" Mamoun took the proffered glass and stared into the deep red liquid. "The Misr say: 'In water you see your own face, but in wine the heart of its garden'," the diminutive innkeeper Ahamed al-Dihliz said, stepping into the room. The turbaned man was immaculately dressed in stylish red and yellow silk robes, which he neatly filled with a wealthy man’s large belly. From beneath his bulbous nose a waxed and curled mustache defied gravity on each side of his round face. After asking permission to do so, Ahamed reached up and respectfully lifted the bottle of wine from the table. Cradling it carefully with two hands, he read the label aloud. "The Star of Horus on the Height of Heaven, Northern Xois District, Chassut Red, Sekem-Ka, vintner. I would present no less to such honored guests and friends of Batul al-Reehan." As Mamoun lifted the glass to his lips, the innkeeper's smile dropped just a slightest bit. "Please, if I may?" he asked, his voice betraying none of the panic he felt. Setting the bottle back on the table, he instructed the young Mamoun on how to properly drink wine, something the young servant had seen on countless occasions but had only sneered at as pretentious snobbery. "This wine was bottled in distant Misr when the foundation of this very city was being laid, over one hundred years ago," the Ahamed explained. Mamoun went though the rituals of wine drinking, his facial expressions passing through various stages of trepidation and embarrassment before souring up as if sucking on a lemon. "Master Waleed, I can't say which it tastes more like, blackberries or black pepper, but I am not worthy of such..." the young man struggled to find the right word, "such rarities."
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Post by maher on May 15, 2006 15:40:36 GMT -7
"It is nice to meet you Maher," she replied. "What service do you provide for Lady al-Reehan?" Maher woke from his daydream and answered nicely"I'm a friendly worker of the Ya'qubs ship. I am helping out, i am, of course, a huge fan of adventure of sorts".
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on May 24, 2006 2:40:22 GMT -7
Waleed nodded at Mamoun's obvious distaste for the wine and took it from him and began to drink from it, "Waste not, want not."
After finishing the wine, he motioned for more and motioned to his entourage to order whatever they liked. While everyone was busy with their orders, Waleed leaned over to Ya'qub and whispered, "I was at the Ministry of Secrets today, but was too late to gain entry. However, I will gain entry tonight at midnight with the help of the guard." Waleed shook his money purse lightly and smiled.
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Post by Gamemaster on May 24, 2006 10:27:20 GMT -7
Keesha cringed. "No. He's but a travelling companion and a thorn in my sandal."
Noora eyed Waleed appreciatively as he leaned over in discussion with Ya'qub. "Oh?... well, he's very easy on the eyes.""
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Post by Gamemaster on May 24, 2006 10:31:04 GMT -7
"It is nice to meet you Maher," she replied. "What service do you provide for Lady al-Reehan?" Maher woke from his daydream and answered nicely"I'm a friendly worker of the Ya'qubs ship. I am helping out, i am, of course, a huge fan of adventure of sorts". Noora looked puzzled. "Another travelling companion?" she turned and asked Keesha. Keesha nodded afirmatively, appearing slightly annoyed at the continued questioning from the old woman.
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on May 24, 2006 17:32:22 GMT -7
Noora eyed Waleed appreciatively as he leaned over in discussion with Ya'qub. "Oh?... well, he's very easy on the eyes."" As Waleed was covertly as possible trying to relay his information to Ya'qub, he noticed Noora sizing him up. Always willing to play the dilletante, Waleed gave the old woman a wink and smile.
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Post by Ya'qub on May 25, 2006 6:22:44 GMT -7
"I was at the Ministry of Secrets today, but was too late to gain entry. However, I will gain entry tonight at midnight with the help of the guard." Waleed shook his money purse lightly and smiled. Ya'qub nodded. "I do advise you to be careful. It is said that there is some type of water beast that hunts at night. The locals fear it greatly." He yawned. "Well, it has certainly been a full day, and I have spent most of it away from bride. I believe we shall retire early...." He added with a good-natured grin.
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Post by Gamemaster on May 25, 2006 13:35:06 GMT -7
"Retire early?" Keesha stood up and nodded to Noora. "My companions appear tired and if I'm to have any hope of them joining me we should go now."
Sahra laid a hand lightly on her husband's. "I'm feeling much better. Let's go with Keesha and see what she learns. It seems so unlikely but... who knows? She is an orphan."
The excited fluttering of many birds lifting off from their perches in the canopy above must have covered the twang of the bow shot. Keesha gasped and clutched at the shaft of the black feathered arrow which pierced her shoulder.
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on May 26, 2006 10:30:52 GMT -7
The excited fluttering of many birds lifting off from their perches in the canopy above must have covered the twang of the bow shot. Keesha gasped and clutched at the shaft of the black feathered arrow which pierced her shoulder. "Holy crap!" Waleed blurted out as he jumped out of his seat. Quickly following the path of the arrow back up into the canopy, Waleed instinctively casted a spell, "Shaloo Shakar!" With little concern of propriety, he unleashed a shockwave of air at the location of the attacker in hopes of sending them skyward and letting their fall to mother earth dispatch them.
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