|
Liath tapped her chin cutely. Her mind was chewing on what the magical man was saying.
Something in the wording...there just had to be a chink in it.
She had read tales of old, many tales that involved wishes, and many more than involved oaths. A great many of them involved plucky heroes working their way out of a problem by exposing some double-meaning or oversight in such things.
"Does it have to be a specific item made of brass?" Liath asked of the first question. "Or will any item work? And then what would we do with it?
And...is that the -exact- wording of your oath? 'To protect the treasure'?
I simply mention that to 'protect' doesn't mean to 'prevent from being moved or re-purposed'. It simply means to not allow a thing to come to harm.
In theory, so long as none of it is destroyed, your oath is in tact.
So too, does it specifically state a time limit in its retrieval? Say that some treasure did leave the room, did you take an oath to return it in some specific time? Or just eventually?
I'm just saying that, we could take some treasure with us, and then you could travel with us and get outside the tower for awhile. Then, when you're ready, you could take the treasure back to this room. Wouldn't that be nice?"
The Djinn says, "It is not an item made of brass but of Tumbago which is an allow made of either brass and gold or copper and gold. It is a specific item. But the majority of items in here are either gold or silver. The item would need to be found and then destroyed magically. My job is to prevent the treasure from being stolen. I am not allowed to leave the tower unless I am chasing down the treasure. I am required to fight you if you try to take any of the treasure away, however, I am required to guard the majority of the treasure here. I am not an attorney, but I do not remember where the sorcerer was from, if you read his notes in the room you came from you might be able to figure out if he has any next of kin or something."
GM Roll
|
|
Liath nodded and tapped her chin in her adorable way. She was learning. Already she could see more than one way to attack it, some more difficult than others. But one seemed obvious and painless so she started to build that.
"Ah, of course, as any right and good being you are righteous in your execution. Of course you are.
Tell me, do you at least know the name of the mage that summoned you? Knowing that I'll be able to read his notes better.
Also, do you know which language his notes are in? There are so many languages having that detail would be a great help.
Lastly, I'm sorry, great Djinn, but you said "the majority of the treasure here." Is, ah, would...um....would that mean that there are objects in the room that you are not charged with guarding?
Which ones would those be?"
Nabila listened passively as the manic half-orc fired another barrage of questions at the mystical guardian. She had little interest in the treasure, but the curiosity of it all? A tower in the middle of the water. A guardian with immense power. Deals and laws and stories. You decided it was best to just pay attention now. Najm must have something in store for her.
|
|
[dice=Fetch spell!]1d100
Fadilah sends her gen to fetch a spider climb spell.
"If my friend returns with the spell I need," she explains while the gen vanishes to the elemental planes and beyond, "I should be able to climb up there easily. No telling what is inside, though. If there is something heavy, I could tie a rope to it."
Nura listens quietly, well aware of the value of information.
Fadilah sends her gen off to find a spell that will let her home in on tumbago. Once the gen returns, she sends it off again, as she casts the first spell and starts slowly scanning the room.
"I've cast a spell that will let me sense tumbago," she explains, "though of course the object might not be in this room."
Fadilah casts detect metals and minerals and she is able to find a source of the tumbago in the room where you climbed into the window. You search through the equipment and there is a jar shaped piece in one of the machines.
Fadilah picks up the tumbago jar and says, "This must be it - a genie vessel, most likely."
While the team is still in the laboratory, she asks, "So... what do we want to do? I am a friend to genie-kind and I am inclined to free the djinn above, but I don't want to act unilaterally."
"There may still be a claim on that wealth," Nabila says with a shrug. "But yes, we should absolutely free him from his servitude. It would be a boring and lonely existence. Probably nice for a while, all that quiet and solitude, but only seeing the one room for so long?"
Nura says, "Free him. I see no reason to delay his imprisonment any longer than necessary."
Fadilah nods. "Very well." She picks up the tumbago jar and proceeds back up the stairs.
"Oh magnificent djinn," she says as she returns, "we have discovered this relic of tumbago." She holds it up. "Does this strike a chord within your memory?"
The Djinn smiles and says, "That is delightful. Yes that is the artifact. Now, you need to destroy it. You would need to take it to Qudra, there there are those who can safely destroy the jar and set me free."
"We were headed that very direction! Who is it we need to seek out to finally release you?"
The Djinn says, "Qudra has always had the best artisans in Zakhara and you should be able to find someone who could safely destroy the artifact. A person's name I do not have as I have said before I have been stuck in this lonely tower for many a century."
Fadilah starts to step forward, realizes that this would put her in terrible peril, and instead raises her chin and says, "I am the sha'irah Fadilah al-Qadib, and on my name I shall see this task done! We shall take this tumbago relic to Qudra and there seek out an artisan who shall free you from bondage and let you return hence to your home. This I swear by Fate."
The Djinn says, "You should hurry before you lose a preferable wind. I appreciate what you are doing for me."
He then snaps his fingers and all of you are teleported to the deck of your ship with the rowboat returned to the side.
Nabila spins about and catches the rail of the ship. "To be honest, I am getting tired of being thrown across space like that."
"Lately, yes..." Nabila says as she steadies herself.
"I suppose it was kind of him to send us to the ship instead of immediately sending us straight to Qudra," says Fadilah. "This way we stay together with our sailors and our ship, at least."
"Yes. But some warning might be nice," she replies before sighing and finding a brush for her hair. "I suppose he would prefer some expediency."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You sail the Dhow on your way to the city of Qudra, a city that Meleek knows well. You get a decent back wind and about an hour after dark, you start to see the lights of the light houses signalling the entrance into the port of Qudra.
The most immediately noticeable feature of Qudra is its massive grey stone walls. The outer granite wall is 40 feet high and 40 feet thick.The only other entrance is via the waterfront, where the great walls curve around to embrace the harbor. Two 50-foot-tall towers guard the harbor entry and serve to hold great chains which can be used to seal the harbor against invading ships. Interior walls divide the city itself into defensible quarters. Taken as a whole, the defenses give Qudra the look of a great brooding bird of prey hovering protectively over its harbor.
"My. Looks like this city has seen corsairs before and isn't messing around," says Fadilah as she takes in the sights.
"So... how do we find the metalworker who can do the deed?" she wonders.
|
|
"The Djinn said that it wouldn't be hard to find someone," Liath chirps as she skillfully glides the ship into a safe berth. "I imagine if we go to the artisan's district and start asking around someone should know, yeah?
And I reckin' finding someone to break something should be easier than making something."
Badriyah, the leader of the Mamluks, says, "We need to check in with the Mamluks in the morning. I highly doubt you will find anyone until morning."
Meleek and Badriyah go off with the rest of the Mamluks to their barracks for the evening.
Fadi, Nura and Nabilah
"Well we have some money now, and a ship!" Nabila giggles. "I guess we could either rest aboard our stolen corsair vessel or we could find some nice comfortable beds and maybe a warm bath? Oh! This is enough money I could get a luxurious jasmine-scented bath!" she sniffs the air as if she could smell the night-blooming flowers on the breeze. "Is anyone at all familiar with Qudra?"
Nabila quickly grabs a handful of coins and tries to dump them into Liath's hands. "Here, here sweetie, please. I do not need all of this! You were with those filthy thieves so long, you deserve a bath too!"
|
|
Liath's eyes light up like a child on their Nameday. "Oh! Oh a thousand mountains of gratitude upon thee, mistress Nabila! Oh, of course for such generosity we shall of course learn the lay of this city. O I do vow that before the sun sets on this day we shall at least know of he that will have a try at that which we require!"
After so arcane a vow Liath motions Nabila to follow her, all but pulling her arm along the run of the wharf.
In this she had some clue. In the stories there was always some meeting of figures by inns near the sea-side, for, the stories go, seamen were eternal of a thirst either after some time at sea, or eager to debauch their time before taking to ship.
Liath gives the shops of refreshment at the water's edge a good look, before selecting one that is both close and, hopefully, not merely a cover for a den of ill-repute.
After having chosen one, she enters it and, at the attention of a server, launches into a verbal barrage that seems both uncontrolled and, oddly, rehersed.
"The blessings of the day be upon you, noble merchant! My ally and I would ask of thee a pitcher of koumiss and two meals of good, fresh meat!" Liath produces a gold coin and continues, at a charge, "For the change I would leave it to you for some simple information. We are but newcomers here and have need to know the lay of the land, so to speak. Would you be able to tell us aught of the city? Specifically directions to the artisans street?"
She pauses for breath then, caught up in a real adventure in a real city!
Father would be so proud.
Or the opposite. Whatever.
The Restauranteur looks up and down at Liath in a quizzical way and says, "The Calipha be praised( may she live to a thousand years), we are a port city and we are at the port fresh meat is much harder come by in this quarter, however we do have fresh sturgeon caught before sundown by a friend of my locale, would that be adequate for you, sailor?"
Nura joins the others at the restaurant, opting for the sturgeon.
Nabila giggles as she is dragged away by the excitable woman. "It is just money, if it brings you joy I am happy to share."
"If Nura likes it, yes, I will also have the sturgeon. We should find a seat! Are the others coming?" she asks, scanning the street.
|
|
"Why yes, sturgeon would be delightful," Liath replies, still not exactly sure what she should be doing right now.
"Father said money was power," she replies to Nabila before she can stop herself. "He said that some people would do anything for power, and ready coin was a tool by which people are most easily controlled."
She decides she's talked enough of the past and moves on. "Um, yes, I suppose we, mighty heroes that we are, should sit and consume our dead animal flesh and drink koumiss, virile sojourners that we are."
Liath looks for an open table and decides to repeat her question as to details of the city and, most importantly, the location of the artisans' quarter, when their meals arrive.
"Did the others not follow us? Ah, here is Nura now. Nura, is there anyone else with you?"
The server says, "The Artisan's quarter is in the eastern part of the city. They should be open in the morning."
The server brings you your food and fermented mare's milk and says, "Is there anything I can help you with?" she takes whatever your order and leaves.
Shortly thereafter an old, ragged beggar woman approaches you and asks "Oh great sailors of the sea mayhap you could spare this old woman some alms, praise Najm and the Calipha, may she reign 1000 years?"
|
|
Liath happily set upon her fish and booze. Both tastes were passing strange to her, but had mentality steeled herself for adventure when she left hr pampered prison, and tried to embrace change.
"Peradventure, shall we procure rooms here, or do we wish to sleep on the ship for the night before beginning our investigations into finding a destructor on the morrow?
Indeed the ship would be cheaper but one can never know what adventures might find one when you venture outside--"
As if by serendipity the stranger approaches them to beseech money.
"And blessings upon you as well, my lady," Liath states graciously, continuing her practice of treating everyone like a noble because she had read so many stories of kings going about as beggars you just never did know.
Liath had no money upon her save what she had been given mere minutes before, and had not owned the coins for so long to have grown attached to them.
"Here you are, madam, and may it bring you long life and good health," Liath says sweetly, pressing a gold coin into the beggar's hand.
The women gives Liath a gleaming smile and says, "A thousand thanks, may the Loregiver smile down upon you for such generosity. May the Grand Caliph have a child."
She then looks both ways and then pushes a stained, rolled-up piece of parchment into the Liath's hand. She says, "Use it well, O charitable one. If you do not know its significance, ask any learned
person and he or she can tell you. I am too old to pursue it myself. Go in peace."
"Oh, sweetie, before you go?" Nabila holds another coin out to the beggar woman, "I know you have already gifted us with..." she crinkles her nose as she thinks of a diplomatic statement, "whatever that was, but would you know of any craftsman skilled in metal as a medium?"
After the woman has gone she leans into Liath. "What did she give you, anyway?"
|
|
Liath's eyes go wide as she is told of the importance of the piece of parchment. Long had she dreamed of salvation coming in the form of some piece of writing she could use to free herself from her father's reach. Long had she thought that she could put such "namby-pampy" talents to use, were she given a chance.
Many stories had such elements, betimes a treasure map, or some long-forgotten prophecy. Oh, by the Watcher of all Scholars let it be so!
Heart beating rapidly in anticipation she carefully unfurls the scroll and pours all her knowledge into memorizing its significant.
Liath unfurls the parchment to reveal a map which she can read but the names on the map are fairly unfamiliar to her.
|
|
Liath perks up as a good deal of the map finally unveils its meaning to her.
"This is...very odd. It appears to be a map, but to call it old would be an understatement. This is one of the few pieces of parchment I have ever encountered that I would truly call 'arcane'.
Um, some of the directions do not appear plain to me. Does any here have the sense of checking directions?" she asks of the table.