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The inside of the building is unimaginably cooler than the blast furnace like air that had sat heavily outside. As you’re led deeper inside the small stone building sounds of the town fade to a dull background drone punctuated by the occasional yell and the light levels inside seem quite dim when compared to the brightness of the outside, at least until your eyes begin to adjust.
A slave, a collared man in his twenties with Varisian features, leads you through the home to a large meeting room and asks that you make yourselves comfortable while he announces your presence to his master. The room has a dozen large round cushioned chairs that form a circle around a small fire pit which is thankfully unlit at this time.
You’re here thanks to the advertisements you’d seen around town. They’d offered a decent wage for some work as guardsmen on a venture that would take you to the north but were a little vague on the details. You’d already spoken to a man who’d taken your name and asked about your skill set and now you were to meet the lieutenant of the woman who was putting this venture together.
The seats are comfortable despite lacking a back and it’s only a few minutes until the slave you met earlier returns and informs you that his master will be down in a few minutes. The slave then offers to bring you refreshment if you would like.
An exotic man with ash-grey skin sits cross-legged on one of the cushions, the slender bones hanging from his staff bumping together as he sets it aside. His tarnished suit of bronze armor is covered in all manner of strange fetishes, but strangest of all are his eyes. At first, they appear as white as the thin hair that hangs limply from his scalp, but upon closer inspection, they appear to hold a slowly rolling fog inside them. Not blinking, and certainly not speaking, he raises a hand, gesturing to the slave that he is fine, and proceeds to stare into space, hunching slightly forward in a morose slouch.
Iuni, a slender lady dressed in fine silks, quietly sits down and looks around the room to the other people sitting in it while quietly fixing up some of the jewels in her long dark hair. After a minute she snaps her fingers calling over the slave, asking for a drink while she waits.
Zalika gives the slave a curt nod in response to his query, her expression neutral. One of her hands rests lightly on one of the rapiers at her side, silently reassuring herself that a weapon was close by should she need it.
She looks at those seated around her and idly wonders about the upcoming job.
A taller keleshite man stumbles into the room. He looks more than a bit disheveled as if he spent the night carousing and only just woke up. He glances around at the other occupants and breaks into an open, welcoming smile. "Greetings! A most magnificent bunch of adventurers! I am Haroun Al-Fuad, perhaps you have heard of me? Or perhaps not. It is no matter. One day you will be able to tell your grandsons that you went on a great journey with the Haroun Al-Fuad." He takes a second look at Zalika and exclaims "A devotee of Sarenrae! I find that, of all the gods that men pay homage, the Dawnflower has the most poetic of appellations. And a gentleman from Mwangi," Haroun turns to T'Kual, "I once knew a man from Mwangi, a Captain Jako . . . Jaka . . oh, we just called him Captain Jack. A fine warrior. He could make his spear dance like the most beautiful harem girl in all of Kelesh. They say he was a cannibal, but I never saw him eat anything but what you or I would. Well, I suppose I shouldn't presume about another man's habits, and who might you be?" Haroun finishes, turning to Iuni Al'Badin and bowing as courteously as he can manage.
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The sound of a slow clap interrupts Haroun and the group turns to discover the master of the home watching the performance. The man is slightly taller then average, wears a plain white robe, has dark black hair cropped close to his scalp and a short black goatee. He walks into the room and takes a seat with an easy smile and as he gets closer you can see the end of a bolt jutting out from his right temple.
"Hello and good day my friends" the man says as he sits "I am Garavel and it is my hope that we will be able to come to an arrangement which will be of benefit to you and will see you accompanying my lady and I on a journey to the north."
Iuni chokes on her drink a little before blinking slowly in shock by Haroun’s entrance but quickly gathers her composure sitting up straight and facing Garavel as he sat down.
“What kind of arrangement are we talking about here?”
Hearing Garavel's applause, Haroun turns around, smiles–perhaps a little less friendly a smile than he offered to the initial party–and bows deeply, "I am pleased to have amused you, kind sir, but let us to business: What is to the north that you and your lady should need company such as this," Haroun gestures to the motley band of adventurers that Garavel has assembled.
"You're expecting something," T'kual says, his voice like gravel. It is not a question. "What is it we shall face on this journey?" He does not turn to Garavel as he speaks, continuing to stare towards the wall as he begins to idly twirl a painted avian bone between his long, narrow fingers.
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"My Lady has been tasked with the recovery of the town Kelmarane, a small town that was lost to the influence of the local Gnoll tribe and banditry" Garavel answers taking a sip for a chilled tea his slave brought him a moment after he sat "and T'Kual is right, we expect their to be trouble with wildlife and brigands on our journey, hence our desire to hire you as guard for the caravan".
T'kual pauses for a long moment as he considers what he's been told, continuing to twirl the small bone. "Why not?" he says, turning to Garavel at last. "It seems I must make a way for myself here, and I suppose a mercenary trade is as good as any other. We shall receive coin for this task?"
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"Yes, I have been authorized to offer you all one hundred platinum pieces each upon completion of the task of recapturing the village" Garavel replies "I have also drawn up a contract that would release you of the task and pay you half the amount after six months have passed if the task proves impossible"
The majordomo pauses as he takes a sip from his tea and looks up at the roof painted with devotional images of Sarenrae battling Rovagug.
"If you have any questions to ask please feel free to ask, if not then I would ask you to return here just before dawn three days hence" Garavel offers after a moment.
Iuni thinks over what she has just been informed of.
“Ok, I’ll accept. I’ve been wanting to go on an adventure for some time now, and this seems as good as any” She stands bowing slightly then turning and leaving the room.
Once outside she stretches her hands above her head letting out a sigh “Hopefully this won’t be too much trouble” she mutters to herself.
At the mention of Kelmarane, Haroun's eyes light with recogition. "Kelmarane? Once the jewel of the north, I am told. For that price, you have hired Haroun Al-Fuad, and his sword, Kahani. "Three days though? I had hoped for sooner employment. I fear I found myself out of a favor with one of the merchants in the market, for being too much in the favor of his daughter. I, of course, have behaved gentlemanly. Well, as gentlemanly as reasonable. No matter, though. May be the peace of the gods be upon you all," Haroun bows as he leaves the room.
T'Kual makes no further comment, simply offering a morose huff as he rises from his seat and sees himself back outside, leaning heavily on his staff. Outside, he moves for more naturally than a blind man would, but he never seems to journey more than a feet from a wall. He pauses outside the door and look to his future comrades. "Three days, then," comes his simply statement. "Have you fought gnolls before?"
Zalika rises to her feet, leaving her drink half-finished. “I accept the job,” she says, and without further comment makes her way outside. She felt glad to be out in the heat. The coolness from inside was not sitting comfortably with her. Despite the prospect of a handsome payment Zalika didn’t allow herself to relax, and hoped the task at hand was going to be worth it.
Iuni leaned against the buildings wall yawning a little. She then looked over to T’Kual
“Can’t say I have, just a few people here and there” she brushed some dust off her shoulder looking everyone up and down.
“Well I guess I should get to know who I will be working with” pushing herself off the wall “I am Iuni Al’Badin” she raised her hand in greeting.
"Base scoundrel!" Haroun shouts before launching himself in the direction of the thief, drawing Kahani, his flashing rapier. "You shall return this lady's purse or face the blade of Haroun Al-Fuad, hero of Kelmarane!"
“Hey!” Zalika shouts. “That filthy cur’s taken my money!“ She gives chase, deftly weaving her way through the crowds. Cursing under her breath Zalika reaches the alleyway, seeing her thief further down at the other end. Withdrawing both of her rapiers she continues running and closes the gap enough to thrust one of her weapons forward.
Iuni notices a man bump into Zalika but doesn’t think much of it till until she hears that he took her money. Watching the two run off Iuni chuckles lightly.
“Looks like the fun has begun” she says pushing some hair behind her ear then starts to follow deciding now might be a good time to see what this group can do.
T'Kual joins the chase, , sprinting forward, but he is not what one would call a graceful runner. He nearly collides with large, obvious obstacles, moving out of the way only when he draws near to them, and almost trips over his own feet a few times. One of his hands has become strangely blurred, and a small knot of shadows whorls in his palm.