Kyra gives a moment for the words to float in the office air. Then standing up in front of the slave trader, and looking him from up thanks to his current position she says "What about spies?"
The cleric gets silent again, staring deeply inside of the slaver's mind.
Just to keep up the paranoia. Mahjub is being honest and not trying to deceive anyone.
Muhjub laughs loudly, banging his hand on the desk. "Please, daughter of the desert, surely you jest. A funny joke at Muhjub's expense. Slaves as spies?" He slides his hands over his hair, pulling them back to his ponytail. "One might think to use a slave as a spy, but you are wasting your time and money. Never will they be a reliable source of information. The time and education required..." he shakes his head. "No, I am sorry daughter of the desert. Perhaps I can interest you in a unicorn instead?" He tries to keep a serious face at that last bit, but snickers and begins laughing loudly again.
Not amused at all by the slaver's display, Kyra rises her scimitar just up to Muhjub's face "Do you know Serenrae is the god of redemption?" She makes another pause. "I really want you to redeem Muhjub. It will be a real pitty you end up being redeemed by the «desert» Sun rays of Serenrae." she specially remarks the word desert making clear she does not like the easy tone Muhjab is refering to her. Next, she makes another pause and adds "Or under Mezuk's boots." she lowers her scimitar.
Kyra kneels in front of the sitted man, adopting a less menacing attitude "What will you do if a client wants a slaver to spy another of your clients?"
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Iason tilts his head, slightly impressed by the Sarenite's commanding argument that causes things to die down somewhat from the hostilities that might have resulted. (Etrigan snarls his disappointment quietly in the depths of his hood.)
With one last glance on the street to make sure none of the Token Guard are taking any interest in the proceedings, Iason heads inside after the others, gesturing his servant to precede him.
In Mahdi's shop, Iason crosses his arms and leans against the wall, next to his ever-lurking bodyguard. He is content, at first, to let Kyra handle the questioning, but when it seems to be devolving into threats, Iason clears his throat.
"Perhaps we have not been clear, Master Muhjub. A slave sold from your shop was found used as a tool for magical spying at the highest levels of Absalom society. There are two possible outcomes here: one, it is revealed to Absalom at large that your slaves are sneakspies upon their own masters, relaying what they hear and see to some unknown force... at which point, I imagine that nobody at all will purchase your slaves, will they? The stigma would destroy your business. Your shop would become permanently closed. And when these 'Sanguine Beast' come calling on you again, you will have no business profits with which to buy them off. They seemed like violent fellows," Iason says smoothly.
"Alternately, you decide to tell us from where you receive your slaves. You're merely a broker, after all. If the source of your slaves has been selling you compromised merchandise and using your prestigious shop for their own ends, surely you would feel no bonds of loyalty to them that need maintaining--?
"--oh, and the owners of that previous slave would appreciate you displaying proper customer service, and compensating them for the great headache and embarrassment caused by your merchandise."
Iason's smooth speech is perhaps somewhat ruined by the fact that he keeps glancing around irritably for their little Taldan lordling.
From the shadows of the hood, Etrigan keeps glowing eyes fixed on the slaver, tasting any scent of mortal lie or nervousness.
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Thadd withdraws his blade from its scabbard and continues Iason's thought. "Just to be clear...I do not care for your line of work. Selling people like so many heads of cattle does not sit right with me...and under normal circumstances I would have you free your slaves or I would free your hands of their thumbs. Luckily for you I have other tasks to attend to at the moment...so you will cooperate with our investigation before I become ornery."
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Maybe we try a different angle there. Let´s say a certain slave was, willingly or not, carrier of some unwelcome magic. That slave was bought here. Apparantly that slave got new clothes here the day she was sold. Now, how would you explain this? How might the slave have come in contact with that magic? And did you give her the clothes?
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Iason side-eyes Thaddeus's rather (to him) outrageous statement.
I dearly hope that is mere bluster and bluff to unnerve Mahjub, and that Messire Hawke is not seriously intending to permanently maim an Absalom citizen for practicing a legal business enterprise... Sigh. Idealists.
He says none of this aloud, of course. Explore, Report, Cooperate...
"Of course I am known in the ways of the Dawnflower, daughter of the desert. Mahjub cautions not be be so eager to redeem by the sword!" he slides his right hand through his hair, curling his ponytail around his fingers for a moment. "Should a special client desires such a special slave, Mahjub will make wonderful prices to accommodate such request if he is able."
"All those who pass through Absalom's Finest will be dressed in accordance with something clean and fresh. It is only just that they may reflect the quality of Mahjub Mahdi! Abadar be praised!" he says to the gnome.
Responding to Iason's appeal to his business sense, Mahjub runs his hands though this hair "Abadar be praised! You understand perfectly well sire! We can be special friends I am sure! Mahjub is only the man holding the middle in this transaction. Of course I am happy to share with you this information. In order to establish new contacts and sources, plus to keep the Sanguine Beast out of my beard it would bless Abadar for 400 gold measure to allow me to share such a contact with you. In light of your rather...unpleasant...Andoran friend's desire to separate more from me than just my business contacts..."
Mahjub tugs on his beard nervously, looking around the office. "I believe I know the slave you allude to sire. The slave which was purchased for Lady Silviana, she was part of a lot I purchased from Waheeda Wardak. She is a very skilled captain and sometimes supplier of merchandise for Mahjub. When I met her at the Docks last time, her vessel At Sea was flying the yellow sails used by the Okeno pirates. Mahjub was hopeful this would mean she will become a more frequent supplier in the future...but now..." he shakes his head.
He removes the tie holding his hair back, slicking his hands through pulling it all back again and deftly retying it. "In fact I am to be meeting with captain Wardak dockside tomorrow morning. I am told she has a new lot that I may be interested in bidding on. If the At Sea is not already docked, it will be coming through the Graveyard today."
"Very well Mahjub, you see, it was not that difficult. Do you know about anyone who would be interested to spy Lady Silviana?" Kyra seems much more relaxed now, she continues asking questions to the intimidated man "Do you have an idea where this Waheeda Wardak captain is getting the slaves from? I have the impression you don't want to tell us all you know about him..."
Shaking his head, Mahjub says "I do not know precisely where Captain Wardak gets her slaves from. Some from Okeno, some from Katapesh, some from who knows?"
"Daughter of the desert, I was told to expect a..." he briefly lowers his gaze to Thaddus' wayfinder, "...pathfinder as part of the lot I am bidding on tomorrow."
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Iason steeples his fingers, eyes narrowing as the further revelations unfold.
"I find interesting," he says drily, "that you knew exactly what slave we were referring to, though none of us had mentioned any names connected to the affair. Perhaps you did know that Atleg was meant as a spy, hmm? Or does gossip really travel that far and that fast..." he interrogates with one brow arched.
At the notion that Pathfinders are now part of the cargo, Iason snorts expressively, his gesture clear that he thinks Mahjub is a fool. "Oh, that was unwise of you, Messire Mahjub. Pathfinders have a certain facility for getting themselves out of scrapes and doing terrible things to the people who put them there, as my own bloody-minded comrades likely prove. But very well. We will go as your... representatives to this auction, I think."
His tone says he thinks Mahjub had better agree to that. He's got a rabid Andoran Eagle Knight here, after all.
"A pathfinder? And how do you think the Society would allow one of its members to be sold as a slave? I don't think any sane mind in Absalom or in thousends of miles arounds would be that mad to think that would be a good idea. Who told you that information good Mahjub?"
Kyra thinks a bit listening to the others questions, then adds "Anyone told you to sell Agtak to certain kind of person, or has anyone shown interest about her besides us?"
And she stills makes an extra question once she is able to "The man that bought Agtak, how was the deal done? Did he had a genuine interest in her, or it was just a random pick? Was there something from her that took his attention?"
Mahjub looks crestfallen and protests, "Mahjub does not bring the slaves to market, Mahjub is given some ideas of the lots which may easily turn a profit on. A very effective business relationship. Mahjub shares with you, his new special friends, in order to show his gratitude and respect for those who exploit, reclaim, and coerce."
"When Salbus came to visit Mahjub, he shared his requirements and this Atlag was the best fitting Mahjub had. He liked the price so... " Mahjub runs his hands over his hair again. "Please now, new friends, I have no more details."
"Were there any requirement you can remember?" and looking the others "We might want to check that ship now, before tomorrows... sell."
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I´m confused. First you speak of a ship and his captain, the At Sea and Waheeda Wardak, sailing under yellow sails and selling Pathfinders as slaves. Now you talk of a Salbus. This is the man who bought Atlag and resold her to Lady Silviana, yes? Where do we find him?
What i don´t understand yet, what is this sanguine beast you and your friends before were talking about?
"If Mahjub is to remember correctly, Solicitor Salbus required a female who could read Taldane, but with a preference for Kelish blood." he recalls sagely. Turning to the gnome he runs his hands over his hair, before putting them on his knees as he stoops down a little looking Koemi in the eyes, "Little friend, Solicitor Salbus' has an office in the western end of the Coins called The Red Letter. As for the Sanguine Beast, nothing more than a group of criminals who exact protection money from legal, upstanding merchants like Mahjub!"
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Little friend? Koemi gives Mahjub a hard look, nearly sticking her raised index finger into his nose and shaking it before his face.
How good for you that you were already such a good friend and told us so many things friends should never hesitate to share with each other.
Just in this moment, out of nowhere a sudden breeze brushes Mahjubs hair and all his efforts keeping it in order were utterly in vain.
Little friends deserve nothing but your greatest respect, my bigfriend. Now just how dangerous is this anguine beast? Only those men who were here before? Who is their boss?
Mahjub smiles, patting Koemi on the head. "No no, no offense my friend. Mahjub has great respect for halflings!"
"The Sanguine Beast? They are quite a nuisance, but Abadar be praised, they are the cost of doing business one could say. Mahjub could pay them for protecting, or maybe pay the Token Guard for protecting me. Mezuk isn't smart enough for big boss, but who he takes the money for? Mahjub doesn't know. " Mahjub then spits on the ground.
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I see. I do wonder how you can stay in business as a slaver if you can´t tell a gnome from a halfling.
She smiles looking up to him.
And, my friend, you don´t pat people who might be double your age on the head. Just a little lesson in etiquette.
She then looks around to her companions.
Should we see this Solicitor Salbus? It seems we are finished here.
"Yes Koemi, let's go!" Kyra gives a last look at the slaves seller "Thanks for the information. If you have given us misleading information, better go and never come back though." and so she starts walking towards the port.
For a brief moment Iason sees a look come acorss Mahjub's face. The look seems to convey extreme emotional exhaustion, but is quickly replaced by his big, winning smile. "Ah special friend, Mahjub is certain that Lady Silviana can find much use for the servant which she purchased! She is, of course, a woman of many talents! Mahjub is unsure such an accommodation is possible."
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Ah wait, we´ve already been there! That´s why we came here after all.
Koemi was already walking out, but then stops, index finger raised in front of her, and turns around on one heel, finger ending up pointing at Mahjub.
You nearly succeeded leading us in cirlces, didn´t you? But it seems the way out here is another route, one that leads to a ship with yellow sails. We should talk about that ship, it´s captain and her crew a little more. Several questions come to my mind:
How and where did you buy slaves from them?
How many are they, how big is the crew?
And what are their abilities? How able is that captain?
Did you buy other slaves from them or only Atlag?
If so, where are those now?
She casts a sidelook at Ozy.
And maybe you should change your field of business. It´s not good for your health i believe. I don´t want to worry about my friends.
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Iason turns an unimpressed look on Mahjub.
"Am I to understand that you have sold a slave that was revealed to be a spy to a noble family, and your reaction to the justifiable outrage of the slave's owners and their reasonable demand that you make amends for the considerable headache and scandal that this has caused them is to say that 'they can still use the slave'? Really? Well, I am sure that Lady Silviana, and the other affected parties, such as the esteemed Lady Darchana, will remember your excellent customer service when they go to purchase other slaves. Or advise their friends and colleagues to purchase slaves. Yes, they will certainly rush to patronize your shop, when it is clear that you sell corrupted merchandise and take no business responsibility for the matter."
"Come, Etrigan," Iason says, gesturing his servant to follow him out. He glances around for Ozymandias, loathe to let the maddening Taldan lordling run amok on his own. "Has anyone seen Ozymandias?"
About the time Iason asks the whereabouts of the Taldan lordling...he strolls back in the front door!
Raising his hands in submission Mahjub frantically counters "No no, my special friend, you misunderstand Mahjub's words. Of course Mahjub am meaning that the girl is her's to do with after nullified sales contract! Mahjub cannot reclaim such merchandise. To keep the good name of Mahjub Mahdi on the lips of Lords and Ladies only a small price for me to pay. Abadar knows Mahjub has taken heavy losses today."
In response to Koemi's questions about the At Sea etc, Mahjub says "Slaves Mahjub has gotten from Wardak in the past are dockside auctions. Mahjub is no sailor, boat is big. Crew is sometimes half-orcs, sometimes humans, sometimes Mahjub isn't noticing. Mahjub has heard Captain Wardak may also bring in more exotic cargo, but Mahjub is never having interest in anything more than slave lots. The last lot Mahjub buys from Wardak is eight units, all have been sold. Mahjub cannot share names of clients. Mahjub has already lost too much blessings of Abadar this day. The Sanguine Beast demands money, Mahjub cannot do business with Wardak now and will need new sources, this slave girl Atlag is a write off...and now you are wanting Mahjub's client list? Such a thing would be such unprofessional Mahjub cannot even imagine it...for less than 500 blessings to Abadar. "
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Iason stares at Mahjub a moment from the doorway, then walks back inside.
"Etrigan."
The hooded figure comes near at Iason's gesture, and stands, silently and imposingly directly by Mahjub, close enough that Mahjub can hear the figure's heavy, rasping breathing. Etrigan places a hand, oh-so-gently, on Mahjub's shoulder-- slipped from the robe, Mahjub can see that the hand is large, five-fingered, with black claws at the end of each finger and skin the yellow of a fading bruise.
"You have sold spies, Master Mahjub," Iason says quietly. "To, perhaps, seven other citizens of Absalom. You are fond of invoking Abadar, are you not? Abadar demands fair trade. Abadar would demand that you go immediately to each of these families, and tell them of the situation, that you may have sold them potentially corrupted merchandise, and that you will buy the slaves back from them at full price. That would be the upstanding thing to do, in the eyes of Abadar."
Etrigan begins to lightly put pressure on Mahjub's shoulder. Iason continues speaking, quietly.
"I am from Cheliax. We worship Asmodeus, there. Asmodeus is also concerned with contracts and the legality thereof. In Cheliax, Messire Mahjub, the penalty of the law for what you have done would be far, far more.... harsh.
"Now. Since I do not think I can trust you to go to your clients, confess your flawed merchandise, and set things right.... you will give us the names of these clients, and you will do so, now, without further argument. And in return, I will give you two blessings: a hundred coins, to cover your business concerns, and I will also not allow Etrigan to exact the justice of hell upon your person. Are we understanding one another, my 'special friend'?"
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Ozymandias, walking in just in time to hear Iason's speech, whistles loudly, impressed with the Chelaxian. "That, my friend, is one fine way to put the situation. A bit of tough love sure does go a long way in the eyes of the gods."
The halfling draws his magical scimitar and admires it for a few seconds, sliding next to Iason. "While me and Iason here may have differing views in politics, we share our contempt for you. In fact, I am a worhipper of Sarenrae, and as the old stories go, the Dawnflower and the Prince of Darkness have worked together on occasion to destory a greater threat... you don't want to be that threat do you? We worshipers of Sarenrae truly don't like slavers... and I would be glad to help punish you."
Kyra looks the display from the stepdoor, having no fun at all about the extra torturing. "I cannot hold anymore this guy bussiness. He and his deals are emptying my guts. Anyway I don't think we will get anything from buying his list, he is just playing you to leasen his losts. I somehow feel the hint to follow is the one about the ship. I guess Serenrae is guiding us through this call."
Mahjub cowers somewhat under Etrigan's pressure, but he still seems fairly calm for a man in such a terrible position. "Cheliaxian friend! It seems you know little in the ways of Abadar. One of the primary teachings in Order of Numbers is simple: Once you have their money, you never give it back." he laughs a strange, uncomfortable laugh. "Mahjub can accept 100 gold measures as a blessing to Abadar for knowing the names of the others."
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Malus intones some powerful, strange words while gesturing towards Mahjub.
"Mahjub, my friend, I am less concerned about those other families, but you and I both know that the Ladies Silviana and Darchana hold the kind of sway to make your life miserable, and possible even to crush your business completely, if we do not try to get this quickly swept away under the rug."
"Providing a refund for this particular slave is in your best interest as your problems will simply go away. All that needs to be done is the drafting of a bank note to Lady Silviana with your signature for the full amount. I will even deliver it myself, and have made the right correction to make sure that these troubles with the nobles go away upon delivery."
Smiling at Malus, Mahjub says "My good, good friend. Of course, this is what Mahjub has been saying all along. Though, Mahjub is shocked how you and your Chelixian friend misunderstanding how contracts work."
He takes out two sheets of paper, drafting a letter to Salbus which requests him to nullify the sales contract with Lady Silviana on the first. He then takes out his ledger, which is written in some kind of mashup shorthand of Kelish. He flips a few pages, and then sets to work transcribing a list* of names onto the second sheet.
Though the author of this scenario includes reference to the list of other slaves sold by Mahjub Mahdi from Captain Wardak, he was apparently too lazy to create names for the list as it's contents ultimately are beyond the scope of this scenario. The fact that it exists is relevant, it's contents not so much. Not that I couldn't adlib the whole thing and have you run all over Absalom looking for them for the next several months...;)
You are able to recall some tales of the Okeno slavers. They operate out of a harbor town of the same name, Okeno, on Stonespire Island off the eastern shore of Katapesh. They no longer fully control the city Okeno administratively but they strongly influance and control the Fleshfairs there, which are the largest slave markets in all of Golarion. Andoran sailors are the natural enemies of the slaver group, and they attack the yellow sailed ships whenever possible.
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"Done," Iason says shortly to Mahjub's agreement to take 1/5 of his original price. He pulls ten platinum coins from his belt pouch and tosses them desultorily to the trader.
"Do we have any other questions for Messire Mahjub?" he asks the others curtly. "If not, I suggest we either visit the Lady Darchana to apprise her of what has been learned so far, or that we make our way to the docks. The auction is not until tomorrow, so presumably we have the time to visit Lady Darchana now, as long as we do not tarry, and can still make the docks later this afternoon. But I would not find it amiss if we might learn more of the actual magical method of scrying from Darchana.... if she knows anything."
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"Thank you, Mahjub. Your fairness in business will not go unnoticed by those that make large moves, with even larger purses, in this city."
Malus addresses Iason.
"I do not believe that we have met the standard for investigation that Lady Darchana will expect of us. While we have rectified the situation financially, we have yet to find the source of the act that set us on this course. I would rather investigate the docks than bother the Lady with a partial update."
"What is clear to me so far is that neither Mahjub, the Majordomo, nor the solicitor have paid anything but a bit role in this situation. Shall we take our leave?"
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"Though I must say that sometimes, the finer points of proper etiquette do elude me. What say you all? To Lady Darchana to update her, or straight to the docks? Considering the ship is not coming in until later tomorrow, we still may have time to accomplish both if we set off early in the morning to the docks instead of immediately."
Kyra nods at Malus assesment of the situation. "I agree it seems all this agents have contributed to the events without probably knowing what would result of it."
She stands in a more dynamic position in the stepdoor, "I agree about visiting the docks first and try to gather information about that ship and its crew before trying to report anything."