“Wati endures, or so the local saying goes. The people of Wati, known for their even tempers and shrewd wit, prefer understatement. They have known war and peace, poverty and prosperity, and survived decimation at the hands of a mad god's cult. But Wati's people answer each challenge with innovation, tenacity, and the deep bonds of community. They do not endure their hardships so much as grasp them, white-knuckled and screaming, until the world permits them to return to their quiet lives, surrounded by their honored dead.”
-Priestess Ankhtah Shepses, personal writings, 3076 AR
In Wati, the Half-Dead City, there stands a tavern called the Tooth and Hookah. Ask any local where a thirsty foreigner might find refreshment and she will send you here. Canvas awnings stretch over its doorways, mercifully casting pools of shade on the sand-strewn avenue. A flag hangs from one of the awnings, painted with a grinning green crocodile, dressed in the striped scarf of a pharaoh, sinking its teeth into the hose of a golden hookah.
Today, the 26th of Pharast in the year 4714 Absalom Reckoning, the day of the Great Lottery of Wati, the founding of an adventuring group is taking place at the Tooth and Hookah. Seated upon crescent moon-shaped pillows at a low, round table, are six adventurers, in the midst of a seemingly important debate. Water pipes of dinged and dented brass with painted enamel bases sit in the center of each table. Clay bowls filled with the stubs of unlit candles hang from the ceiling. Filtered light from the curtained doorway leaves the room dim.
The Tooth and Hookah seems more a miniature market than a tavern. Old books overflow on a table next to a counter covered with cheap-looking necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Wispy scarves embellished with tiny shining coins hang on a rack in a corner. The bar is a tall, narrow table, its legs hidden by a cotton skirt patterned with faded yellow palm fronds, its surface covered with colored glass cups, bronze decanters, and an assortment of liquor bottles. Behind it stands the bartender Farhaan, a Keleshite with closely cropped, curly hair and an intimidating look to him thanks to the scars on his face. A low stone ring at the end of the bar marks an indoor well, the home of the Tooth and Hookah's mascot, the tiny crocodile called Toothy. A haze of smoke fills the air with the smell of shisha tobacco.
Fitliss's only idea for a party name is something along the lines of "Iomdeae's Explorers", but I'm assuming the rest of the party will shoot that down pretty quickly. I already mentioned the reasons that Fitliss thinks Saroisael should be leader, he'll probably vote for Ai'sha as second in command and Irakalesh as quartermaster, Ai'sha because she said she was qualified and and Irakalesh because he seems smart. He introduces himself to Selassieas soon as he learns she will be part of the group, saying Hi there! I'm Fitliss, nice to meet you! If you're supposed to be keeping us alive, I should hope you'll have an easy job of it, I'm pretty sure all of us can heal. He then introduces her to everyone, unless he actually saw her talking to them prior. Once party matters are out of the way, Fitliss wanders into the market, exploring the city and getting to know the locals. He eventually gets around to asking some of his new friends about the tombs, specifically about the layout and explored regions.
Edit: Sweet! Nat 20 on my first roll!
Aliva will come down stairs after a nights rest to the bar for some breakfast and a much needed drink. "I never imagined the desert would be nearly this hot, my throat is parched and my hat is already soaked with sweat."
As she approaches the bar she smiles kindly at the bartender. "Sorry I only speak common, might I have a jug of water and some breakfast?" Aliva looks around the empty eating area and picks a spot she feels will be the most shaded all day. "I will just wait over here for you, thank you." She heads over to the spot she picked, awaiting the others to arrive.
Laroisael walks down the stairs behind Aliva, her hair messy from the rough night of sleep. "You've lived in this desert for who knows how long why aren't you used to the heat?"
She arrives at the bar, and nods, "Hello, just some water and whatever meat you recommend for breakfast today."
Irakelesh wakes as dawn slowly lightens his room. It's not a bad room, for an inn. It's nothing compared to the palace, of course, but it is certainly fine enough. Stretching, he stands up and then begins his morning ministrations. It doesn't take long and he is dressed, washed, and presentable. Time for some breakfast, he thinks to himself.
Once in the hallway he steps over to Ai'sha's door and knocks. He's not sure if she is already downstairs eating or not. But he waits a few moments to see if she answers.
Fitliss wanders down the stairs, blinking wearily. "Mother always said that even her sturdy gnome couldn't outdrink a dwarf, so why do I keep trying?" he groans in Gnomish, plopping down next to Aliva and Laroisael and shouting "Water please!" in the barkeeper's direction, still in Gnomish.
The elf just looked at the gnome, and, although she wasn't sure what he said, she questioned him in Common, "Is it necessary to just simply scream at the bartender in that manner?"
Fitliss blinks once, shivers/spasms for a brief instant, and blinks again. "Oops!" he cries, limping over to the barkeeper and apologizing profusely in Common. Fitliss meanders back over to the table, talking to everyone in the room before eventually finding his way back. "Thanks Laroisael!" he says chipperly, sitting down.
Selassie comes down the steps. having been awake for a while but doing her daily prayers. She orders some water and bread with date jam and then comes over to the group.
"Good morning everyone."
"Good morning Selassie! You just reminded me that I forgot to ask about food, thanks for that!" Fitliss once again hurries over to talk to the bartender, this time coming straight back.
"I'll be downstairs soon!", she answers, leaving her room soon after, she's not wearing her tunic and veil nor her armor, deciding that the thick fabric would do more harm than god in the shade, instead dressing with a blue bedlah decorated with yellow sun patterns. She still carries her scimitar on her waist.
"Good morning, Irakelesh", she nods, "Excited to explore the tombs?
Arriving at the table with her other companions, Ai'sha takes a moment to use Prestidigitation, trying to clean the table and seats from dirt and sand. Once everything looks clean enough, she sits down.
"Good morning everyone."
"Good morning Ai'sha! And you too Irakelesh! How are you both doing today?"
Aliva nods her head at the two come to join them for breakfast, looking Ai'sha up and down.
"I should have put on something lighter than my coat and hat. If you will all excuse me a moment?"
With that Aliva hurries off and changes in her room, leaving her heavier gear behind, putting on some thin pants and a light shirt. She stops at the bar on the way back down and orders two more jugs of water, returning to the table.
"I don't know if this Desert will have enough water for us with the way we are drinking it already. Selassie are you planning on taking us on a tomb visit today? Can we meet a live sphinx as well? I am very interested in them."
She takes a big drink of her water and sits back to listen
Selassie raises an eyebrow at Ai'sha's choice of clothing, "You should probably cover up a bit more if you've got something to wear that's light and loose.".
Selassie is currently wearing a light linen top, with loose pants, all in grey.
She nods at Aliva "Lucky for you I have prayed for the ability to create water and a simple blessing like that can be used many times. Water is not an issue. Sphinxes are often not too friendly. Why do you want to meet one?
The bartender disappears into the kitchen, and a few minutes late he returns carrying a large platter, which he brings over to the table. The platter is heaped with plates of mashed fava beans, kushari (a dish of lentils, rice, pasta and other ingredients), chicken molokhiya with garlic and coriander, kebabs with lamb or chicken, onions, and tomatoes, several kinds of hummus, dishes of yogurt, copious amounts of pita bread, date jam, and various other delicious looking and smelling foods. He returns to the bar to bring over jugs of water as well as steaming Qadiran tea with a dish of coarsely ground sugar.
“I believe this should be sufficient, even for such a party as yours. So, you're to be in the Great Lottery, or so I have heard? Farhaan would lie if he said that he was not a little jealous of your great fortune. So who leads this merry band? And what are you calling yourselves?” The bartender smiles as he surveys the group.
Fitliss simply digs into the food, preferring to let someone else do the talking this time. Once he rejoins the group [(which I am assuming will be at the temple, given my roll for time), Fitliss eagerly shares everything he has learned with them.
"I'm doing fine, thank you, have you slept well, Fitliss?", she answers, before turning to Selassie, "Well, i don't have many clothes, we've led a simple life in my temple and i don't want to suffocate inside an armor for more time than necessary, hopefully that is not a problem?"
She quickly turns to the bartender, happy to escape the subject.
"We don't have a name yet, or a leader, although it'll probably be me.", she returns the smile.
She quickly turns to the bartender, happy to escape the subject.
"We don't have a name yet, or a leader, although it'll probably be me.", she returns the smile.
"Confidence, I like it. I am certain that your group will be fabulously successful, and perhaps you will bring some business to my humble inn with your notoriety?" Farhaan laughs, and smiles broadly at the group.
"It is a privilege to be exploring this town, yet...I'm not quite sure if the locals will have the same view as I do." Laroisael said, with a hint of concern in her tone to counteract her soft smile.
"It is a privilege to be exploring this town, yet...I'm not quite sure if the locals will have the same view as I do." Laroisael said, with a hint of concern in her tone to counteract her soft smile.
"It is true. I would call you adventurers, but there are many here who might say instead...tomb robbers." A shadow passes over the man's face.
"The church of Pharasma intends to take pains to ensure that the...sanctioned exploration...of the tombs is conducted minimally destructively. Perhaps it's better this way, rather then leaving the relic trade to criminals. They are notoriously unconcerned with even basic respect."
Selassie is wearing her holy symbol of course.
"The church of Pharasma intends to take pains to ensure that the...sanctioned exploration...of the tombs is conducted minimally destructively. Perhaps it's better this way, rather then leaving the relic trade to criminals. They are notoriously unconcerned with even basic respect."
Selassie is wearing her holy symbol of course.
Farhaan glances at the spiral of the Lady of Graves that serves as Selassie's holy symbol, hesistates, and speaks,
"Indeed, most of those who go into the Necropolis are petty thieves at best...well, save of course the clerics of Pharasma who maintain the crypts and still bury the dead there from time to time. But, at any rate, I do know that the rules of this most grand lottery demand each group be given a name, and that they declare a leader. Something to think about. Would anyone like some stuffed olives?"
"I'm sure that as long as we use our best judgement when exploring, the people from this city will benefit greatly from it, right?", she keeps a confident smile.
"As a member of Milani's faithful I will do what I can to preserve the history and valuables that are located within the tombs. As Ai'sha said we don't have a leader yet but I think that will all work it self out shortly. Milani will help pick the one who is best to defend this group."
After that she will dig into the feast provided. Thanking the bartender.
"Is your establishment new? Most of us are new here and don't mucht about the Necropoli here.
After taking an Olive Aliva looks harder at Farhaan, "Were you ever part of a group that won the lottery and got to explore a Necropolis."
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Irakelesh follows Ai'sha down the stairs to the main room. "Hello everyone!" he says loudly in response to their greetings. "Everyone ready for some exploring? And learning! I've been looking forward to this ever since I heard this was happening. I know that poor Ai'sha here probably thought she would never hear the end of it. I would visit her at the temple and then talk her ear off about my excitement." He takes a breath and plops down at a seat. "So I'm starving. Where's the food? Yesterday when we were walking through the market I saw some amazing things. I wouldn't mind trying some of that." Irakelesh keeps talking without stopping until the bartender brings out the tray.
"Ah! This looks good." He quickly grabs a large assortment of items and begins stuffing them into his mouth.
"Oh. Yeah. We need a leader. I nominate Ai'sha." He waves a hand in her direction. He looks around the table and then stops for a second. "You know, I never realized this until now. But Fitliss, you and me, we're outnumbered here. Four to two." He smiles. "But I can't imagine being in better company!"
After a few more gulps of food Irakelesh starts up again. "So do you guys know much about the history of this place?"
"Is your establishment new? Most of us are new here and don't mucht about the Necropoli here.
After taking an Olive Aliva looks harder at Farhaan, "Were you ever part of a group that won the lottery and got to explore a Necropolis."
"Not exactly. My inn has been here for eight years, since I retired," says Farhaan, a look of sadness crossing his face. "But I have been in the Necropolis of Wati. I was sanctioned with my companions by the Grand Mausoleum to enter the Necropolis to hunt a rogue necromancer. I came back with this," he says, as he pulls back his sleeve to reveal a blackened scar on his right arm. "Some of my friends did not return."
"I am sorry for your loss. You were at least successful in dealing with the foul mage, I trust?"
After a few more gulps of food Irakelesh starts up again. "So do you guys know much about the history of this place?"
Knowledge(history): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
The main thing Irakelesh remembers about Wati is that a long time ago, you're pretty sure sometime in the 2000s AR, a plague devastated the town and it was abandoned. But at some time later the Church of Pharasma came in and consecrated the Necropolis, and since then the town has regrown to be larger than originally.
"I am sorry for your loss. You were at least successful in dealing with the foul mage, I trust?"
"Yes, we slew him. The reward bought me this inn," he says, with a somber tone to his voice.
"I believe i could lead us, Laroisael can be my second.", she says. "I mean, at least for the lottery, we can change later if needed. And about the name, after this conversation i believe we could find a name that would indicate we're not just thieves trying to pillage the tombs."
As the conversation continues, a handful of foreign merchants, Chelaxian, Ulfen, Qadiran, even one Tian, pass into the Tooth and Hookah and take seats at the bar, conversing in the Common tongue to make themselves understood. Soon after, a swarthy Osirian in brightly colored silks enters as well, and pulls a lute from a leather case. He stands off in one corner and begins to play.
"I have no opinion on who should be the leader. As for the name, it would be good to pay respects to the Lady."
Fitliss responds enthusiastically to the Ai'sha's question as to how he slept, and does his best to start talking with Irakelesh. When he isn't able to get a word in edgewise, he returns his attention to the rest of the group. Once the conversation is to the point it is at now, he speaks again. "I don't think it really matters who we appoint as leader, like Ai'sha said, we can change it whenever we want. If she wants to be named leader, let her, I don't see any problem with that. And since this is an expedition sanctioned by the church of Pharasma, it only makes sense that our name reflect that. How about "Pharasma's Seekers"?" With his piece said, Fitliss wanders off into the tavern. He returns to the table once he has spoken with all the patrons, and if he isn't needed, will simply check in with them before going into the city.
Laroisael remains quiet throughout the conversation, trying to gather her thoughts.
Laroisael remains quiet throughout the conversation, trying to gather her thoughts.
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Ai'sha nods.
"I think that name can work. If no one is against it we can present ourselves as Pharasma's Seekers, tomorrow.", if everyone agrees, she quickly turns her attention to the food and water in front of her.
Laroisael nods in agreement, though begins to ponder a bit to herself. "If what I know is true, Wati was once ruled by a cult of Lamashtu...one that released a plague. But...that can't be right...something's missing."
I will also allow each player at some point before the lottery to make a single skill check of her choosing from the following
"Alright." Irakelesh exclaims after consuming a significant portion of the tray of food. "Who's ready to explore? The streets outside look inviting. And that market we saw when we came in! That looked amazing. Reminds me a bit of the markets back in Qadira but different. And more exciting. Who knows what interesting trinket you'll find." He pushes back from the table and stretches. "Who's coming with me?"
Aliva finished up the olives she was eating, wiping her mouth and clearing her throat. "I am good satisfied with the name, my Goddess will not be upset with me." She then turns to Irakelesh "I am ready to browse the markets, never before have I seen anything of the like." Aliva stands up and moves to stand beside Irakelesh.
"Well, looks like that is settled! Let's go explore!"
Laroisael finished her mean, and wipes her mouth gently with a napkin. "Yes, I do believe I would like to explore the markets as well. Whenever everyone is ready, I am ready."
"Ai'sha, Selassie, are you coming?"
Ai'sha is reclined on her seat, very satisfied with the meal, the takes one last sip of water before answering.
"Just give me a second, if go out like this my skin will start boiling in no time.", she runs upstairs and returns some time later, wearing a long white tunic that covers her entire body and a white veil that covers her head, showing only the eyes. "Maybie i can find some other clothes around here.", she wonders, following the group.
Selassie nods at Fitliss, "I can act as a guide and we should stay together in any case. Just let me get my things." She heads up to her room and returns a few minutes later with her pack.
At Ai'sha's question she nods. "Certainly.
Aliva looks at Selassie, "Should I gather my stuff or am I ok with casual attire?"
"Up to you, I prefer to be prepared..