We were almost killed. I woke up and saw we were almost upon the rocks. ... Anyone know how far off course we are now?
"Perfect timing," murmurs Fadilah.
"Um... how do we get our bearings to find out where we are?"
Nurah, do you have any memories of the time when you were enchanted by that thing... do you know where we are?
"I... don't remember anything except being at the wheel and then awakening, as if from a dream."
Zairiah resists the sudden urge to slap Nura, knowing it was just stress and nerves and wasn't really Nura's fault.
She takes a few cleansing breaths, noticing that her throat feels sore from all the screaming, and then, a little calmer, tries to figure out where they are.
Zairiah consults the ships charts and the stars and gets a decent idea that the ship has strayed norwesterly and back towards the Genie's Turban island range but should probably add a day to their journey barring favorable wind.
Zairiah explains to the others where they are, and what direction they should head.
The party travels throughout the evening to get back on track towards your destination.
GM Rolls
You are able to due to a favorable tailwind make up the time and are able to come within sight of the city of Qadib by dusk the next day.
"I suggest that we dock by daylight. No sense in looking suspicious. SMugglers and others often come in under cover of darkness."
Okay, good advice.
Zairiah goes back to her cabin for some much-needed rest.
GM Rolls
The sun goes down and each you take your shift on guard duty and nothing is out of the ordinary. You wake up the next morning and you sail your ship to Qadib's harbor and a skiff rows out to meet you to tug you into a birth in the harbor.
"Home! Well... I didn't expect to be back so soon. Relatively speaking," says Fadilah with a laugh.
"I would like the chance to visit my parents, if nobody minds," she says. "Ah... they are not very wealthy folk, though, so I wouldn't want to surprise them with a burdensome number of guests all at once. They, of course, would try to be hospitable, but if I am to invite some guests to their home then I should speak with them first and make sure that we can host enough people, yes?"
Have fun Fadilah.
Zairiah gathers together the orchids, orchid cuttings, and blue dye that she bought, and goes to see if she can find someone to buy them.
"I would not impose myself upon your family, Fadilah. If they welcome us, I will visit with them, but I will make arrangements to stay elsewhere." And in fact, she does this, seeking out an inn or hostel. The rest of her day is spent wandering the harbor area, enjoying the hustle and bustle of merchants headed for distant lands.
Fadilah gathers her things and sets foot once more in her home, the town of Qadib.
"Well! It's been a little while, but not too long. Doesn't look like things have changed in my absence! Come, let's see if we can find our friends' families."
She sets about asking some folks along the promenade about where they might find their quarry.
Nura follows the example of the others, asking about.
As your group try to help the little girl and her birdman friend through the City of Wands, it seems as though everything is magical. You ask around and the little girl told you that her uncle was a merchant so you make your way into the Merchant's quarter. The merchants are all selling a fiery yellow-orange pigment called Uther, which residents use to dye
fabric, especially felt. In the city streets, natives can be
identified by their yellow fezzes and golden robes.
Aljaz seems to remember the are of the city and Nura, Fadilah and Zairiah are able to find a bronzesmith through questioning and his shop is called "Machmud's Bronzery"
Aljaz says, "That is my uncle's shop. You ladies are amazing."
The birdman beak opens up and says in the voice of a little boy, "Where do I go?"
"Where do you want to go?" says Fadilah. "Though this may not have been your home before, perhaps it can be now. Maybe your friend here has family who can offer you shelter while you make a new life. Or perhaps you wish to venture forth again to find others of your kind, or make a new place for yourself elsewhere."
"Though Fate has dealt you a difficult hand, let it not be said that we would not lend our aid to a stranger in need; indeed, I would hope that such generosity would be extended to us if we were ever in such straits as well."
Looking to her companions, Fadilah says, "Surely we can offer some money to our companion here so that he is not forced to start a new life destitute?"
Zairiah eyes the dyes as they pass by, but saves that for later. When they get to Aljaz's uncle's place and the kenku asks, she says
Let's wait and see what kind of a reception Aljaz gets, and if they are willing to welcome the person who saved her. If you can't stay here, or if you don't want to, we'll make sure to take you somewhere welcoming, okay?
When prompted by Fadilah, Zairiah also hands over 5 gold.
Sorry, I don't have a lot right now. Hopefully more after we do a bit of trading.
After handing over the money, she looks back at Aljaz and says
Hmm... your uncle is a trader, right? Maybe I should talk to him about some of the things that I need to sell... I mean the delightful opportunities that I can offer him to help him to make a profit... remembering to slip back into trader mode when presenting her wares.
Nura digs in her purse and draws out 20 dinars, placing them in the pile.
Aljaz says, "He is a trader. Hopefully, he will take me in."
Boomer makes the sound of Aljaz "I want to go home." as it shrugs its shoulders.
You knock on the door of Machmud's Bronzery and a man with a yellow fez and a trim gray beard opens up and he sees you with Aljaz and he says, "Welcome to my shop."
He then turns to Aljaz and says, "Honey, I was not planning to come and see you for a few months, where is your mother and father?"
Seeing no way to break it more gently, Zairaih says
Greetings, respected trader. We came across Aljaz and her friend, shipwrecked. Boomer here rescued her. Her parents are dead. They had been on their way to see you, so we brought her here.
She paused there to give the poor man time to process.
Aljaz says, "Uncle, Mommy and Daddy are dead, we had a shipwreck. I know we had just visited you two weeks ago but these nice people saved me and Boomer, who saved me from drowning." as she starts to tear up.
Machmud says, "Your mother, Saray, is deeply missed. Well I will take on your friend Boomer as an apprentice and we need to contact your father's family and we will probably need to go to Hawa to have you settle his business. But that shall wait."
He then turns to the party and says, "Is there anything I can do to help you for saving my niece?"
Well, we of course did not save her for a reward, but we are on our way to Muluk, if you have any influence there, perhaps that would smooth our way, or if you are able to help us contact the right people to resupply our vessel for the journey?
For me personally, I would enjoy the opportunity to trade. I have excellent blue dye and the flowers and plants that it comes from. Perhaps you would be interested?
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He says, "I am a bronzesmith and merchant, however I do have some contacts in town that could help you with some trades in Muluk and elsewhere. You have blue, huh... here is known for its firey yellow and in Muluk for a deep purple. Well you should be successful, depending on the hue it may be well received indeed."
He then takes out a quill and parchment and give you a list of dye traders and textil merchants in the city.
He then says, "I have this fine bronze jambiya and May the Loregiver always guide your path."
He hands the party the jambiya and the blade is of the brightest bronze and with a wooden handle and its scabbard has intricate designs that come from a time that may have predated ironworking and the Loregiver himself.
Afterwards, Fadilah makes her way to her parents' home and she knocks on the front door. After a few minutes, Fadi's mother wearing a functional dress made of satin, and lozim underwhich are wide, light, light trousers narrowing in the lower parts. Her long, loose tunic has wide sleeves, reaching down to the wrists. The loose-cut pants, are made to match the tunic, and thus are made of the same fabric. The bottom of the pants is gathered and decorated with embroidered braid. Her color is the firey yellow of Qadib and she says, "Sevgilim, Fadilah, come in, please. Are you in Qadib permanently, have you received a position at the University? How have you been?"
Zairiah thanks the man, bids farewell to Aljaz and Boomer, and goes to sell some of her dye and get some of the local kind to trade when they get to Muluk.
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Once the child has been delivered, Nura goes to the waterfront to find a cantina.
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"Mother!" says Fadilah happily, and throws herself into an embrace.
"I have been traveling with a caravan and on a ship and have had many adventures! I can tell you all about it. It has been an amazing experience and I have learned so much, and I hope to write a collection of poems and stories about it all!" she says. She enters the old home and says, "We will be setting sail again soon so I cannot stay for too long, but I had to come visit of course. How is Father? Is everything well with the business?"
When Fadilah enters the main room, she see a man half-raising from the bench behind the table. He is old, about your parents age, maybe a little older and way shorter than you.
He wears a long aba under a leather vest in the manner of the nomad tribes and his white mid-length hair and long beard is topped by a red keffiyeh.
He smiles with bright white teeth with white and bright brown eyes look at you with interest. There is something oddly familiar with the cut of the nose and the cheekbones.
"We are blessed by the gods today, for the fabled prodigal daughter has returned." A deep bass voice, surprisingly coming out of such a small man, fills the room. He give a half-bow and goes on: "Your mother was just telling me all about your going to train with a practitioner of the magical arts."
He smiles again and one of his hands caresses the smooth and patinated belly of an oud set on the table. "But I am a uncouth guest for I know of you and you don't. I am Issam ibn Walid one of your twice removed uncle on your father's side, if my memory doesn't fail me."
Fadilah's mother says, "She is a Shai'ra. Is your gen friend present, he was always adorable?"
She then turns to Fadi and says, "You are leaving so soon. Your father and I would love to hear you regale us with your adventures."
Fadi's father comes into the room from the inner garden area that is Fadilah's childhood home and you can smell the delightful smell of Shavkat Al-Qadib's shashlik of grilled marinated goat and lamb cubes on skewers straight from the grill. The barrel chested man, wearing a bright yellow fez and white linen apron around body. He backs in the room because his hands are full with the large platter as he says, "Cousin Issam, tell me more of the situation in Mahhaba."
Once he clears the threshold into the room proper he turns and sees Fadilah and says, "Qizim, you are back from Muluk. I think I have made enough Shashliki for the whole family, what a joyous day!"
"Ah cousin! It's been long since I set foot in our city of birth. But from the last news I had, the servants of the Pantheon are not releasing their grip on the city. Both them and fellow followers of our Lady of Songs are pushing each other to more extreme actions... I am afraid the Pantheonists will soon turn their gaze outwards to the tribes of the desert or even to other cities." His smile turns sour for a moment.
"But this is not the time for such dark tidings, for your daughter is back and we should celebrate her, her youth and her future."
He picks up his oud and pinches a few bright chords, looking at Fadilah. "I apologize for bringing the mood down. Tell us about your adventures. The ramblings of an old man are certainly not worth your stories."
"Greetings, uncle! I am so glad to have a reunion of family."
She puts down her pack and pats it to encourage her gen to emerge. The tiny water genie peeks out, then slides up her arm onto her shoulder and waves shyly to the assembled family.
"I am sad to say that my master turned out to be a harsh and unjust man, and though I learned some things from him, eventually I feared for my life and safety. I fled and decided to leave the city, but the Fates were with me and I was able to join a caravan. Since then I have had many travels, visiting a magical healing spring, rescuing castaways from the ocean, and accompanying traders to other cities. I have learned a great deal and I hope that my journey is just at a beginning!" says Fadilah.
"Let us enjoy this wonderful meal. We will have plenty to talk about!"
"So it seems. You seem to have accomplished much in a short time.", Issam nods at the enthusiasm of the young Shai'ra.
"And you have seen more that many people would in their whole lives."
He pause a moment, trying to sort his thoughts. "If I may ask, as you have just been to Muluk, could you tell me how the city fares. I mean, are their opportunities for people from elsewhere to settle there? And how are the inhabitants considering the Pantheonist view of the gods?"
He sips some of the tea and picks up a cube of lamb. "I am asking with vested interest, you see, for I am thinking of relocating my family somewhere in the north."
And if by chance you were going back to Muluk in the coming days, I would ask if there was a small space for an old man like me on that merchant boat."
Fadi's father says, "The Free Cities are always a good place to settle. " he then listens in further
Nura finds herself a nice cantina with sailors to have a drink in.
Zairiah takes the list of names she had aquired from saving Aljaz and starts putting balgha to sand and seeing if she can make a good reliable contact in the Uther bazaar.
The third name on the list is named Jimar's Uther and Dye Emporium OOO and he has a small office on Dinari Tarek with a moderate sized factory in the back. Zairiah walks into the office and she is greeted, "Salomlar, and welcome to Jimar's Uther and Dye Emporium OOO, my name is Jimar dan Qadib, proprietor of this business, how may I assist you?" The man is wearing a firey yellow caftan with a matching fez and the tail from the top of the fez looks a bit exotic with a purple braid doing a zig zag pattern around the cap.
Zairiah bows to the man
Greetings. I love your outfit. I am a trader and was wondering if you would be interested in a business proposition.
I recently traveled to a place where they make a fine blue dye... well, is there someplace where I can lay out my wares and show you? That would be so much better than telling.
If she is allowed, she lays out samples of the dye, then explains how it is made, and says
And I was wondering if you were interested in partnering with me to be able to produce this dye as well as the fine dyes that are found elsewhere in this city. I propose that I sell you enough plants, flowers, and dye to get started manufacturing it yourself, giving you a corner on the market in this city, and in return for an excellent price, you give me a percentage of the profits. It's an excellent opportunity that it would be hard to get otherwise, and I'm offering it to you instead of those other dye merchants because I hear you are the best.
So, what do you say? I can sell you this starter kit to jumpstart yourself in the blue dye business for 50 gold, plus an extra 10 to guarantee that our deal is exclusive only to you in this city, and once your trade is established, then you save 50% of the profit for me. If you don't make money, I don't make money... only a percentage of the profit, after all your expenses.
Critzible
Maudril Sandcaster
WhtKnt
