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Another Gnome enters the area, unwinding desert clothes from his form and thrusting them into his slingbag.
Sorry for Lateness, I have missed much?
So many people here....
Looks worried for a couple of moments
there is some food left?
He violently shakes himself dislodging sand from himself and then pounces on a cushion, and proceeds for a moment to beat it into submission, then looks up, and smiles
Soooooooooooo..... we all here for trade then, I think I have some herbs and spices with me.
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Salaam my friends! Shah Rivar, expert of arcane mysteries and salesman of alchemical concoctions, at your service! I would first of all like to dispel (no pun intended) the rumours that I peddle in impure pesh. Everyone knows that I deal only in the finest, most well-refined recreational substances and the minor hallusinogenic effects are all natural and not as some would say the effects of minor illusion spells... although that could be arranged for a price.
You can easily find my stall in the most reputable market square of Absalom, but if your tastes are somewhat more exotic you may have to meet me in privacy so that I may... procure whatever goods you may need from my private stock. And in case you were thinking it, I advise you not to let my short stature get you under the impression that you can just easily steal my goods or bully me. I hear that the last person who tried that still sees everything in vibrant shades of blue and pink. I still don't believe that gnome-punting is a national sport in this region, no matter how barbaric it may be.
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*Cal jumps up and down and claps*
Yay! More people my height around here! Oh I'm so happy. I like being a place where people don't just see me as an annoyence or a piece of sports equipment! I know for a fact those Taldans punt gnomes. Punted me straight out of one of their bardic colleges they did! Guess they didn't understand the complexities of gnomish music.
So, more sweets anyone?
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*Opens her mouth to start singing and then spots Shajirmanajol*
...eee!
*bounds over and tacklehugs the gnomish druid*
I see the desert winds have blown you back to civilisation again! Hihi! What herbs do you have?
Looks a little bewildered as people speak of Gnome sports, and a raised eyebrow at Gnome punting, but shrugs it off, and shakes his head a little.
I too am glad there are a fair number of the smaller brethren about too.
Ahh yes umm.. Salaam to you all too.
He raises his hand to accept the kind other of sweets from Cal, and is just about to speak his intention, when he is bowled off his cushion by Spark
arrkkk.. eeek.. Ahh Spark... umm .. pleasure to see you again, found yourself a nice tall husband yet?
Ah yes herbs, think I have some with me, some saltwort, scabwort and a little sweetspice for starters, and umm some bitter root to chew too.
He tries to untangle himself from Spark a little, and regain his cushion, sighing as he gets settled once more.
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Two tall slender looking men step in, strait black hair on their head and a tome in hand as they dust off their white scholars robes. one sits down nearby as the other who seemingly identical sits down in the same place as they merge into one man.
I hope I did not scare you. It was just a new spell I've been studying. It has been a long day and I need to rest and speak with my friends. What new knowledge have you? Surely your lives have been more exiting than my own.
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arrkkk.. eeek.. Ahh Spark... umm .. pleasure to see you again, found yourself a nice tall husband yet?
Ah yes herbs, think I have some with me, some saltwort, scabwort and a little sweetspice for starters, and umm some bitter root to chew too.
"Nope! No husband, tall nor short, means more fun but I truly think it would be nice to be wanted. Then again I think I'd get too distracted in the tales of the other wives if I ended up with a powerful man in his harem, and a man that wasn't powerful wouldn't have the stories nor the exciting thing to keep me stimulated"
*leans against the other gnome and gives him another hug before hopping up to her feet once more, unable to sit still*
"I will need to talk to you about herbs and what I can do for you for them, I have plans"
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Soooooooooooo..... we all here for trade then, I think I have some herbs and spices with me.
Herbs and spices are good. Some saltwort would be fabulous. All I have for trade though are a few books.
Digs around in his pack for a few seconds and produces a small dusty book
How about this one. It's an old guide to Garut from Kasheer. Very useful to travelers who wish to visit the Spire City. I have other books as well If travel isn't your intrest.
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"Salaam and greetings my friends, as always Master Al Sa’eed, your hospitality is exceptional. "
Hunts around for an open cushion.
"I was delayed; I was tending to the injuries of a Shepard across the Oasis. He had fallen down a Wadi, while searching for one of his sheep. His leg needed to be set, before I could beseech our lady Sarenrae to heal his wounds. "
Looking around hopefully
"Is there any Baklava for the late arrivals? "
Spotting Oben Tei
"Ah a fellow brother of the cloth so to speak. How are you finding life’s journey? "
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"Of course there's more baklava! I always bring extra. Also, I think there's still plenty of the good stuff left in the hooka. Might also be some of that rancid cake the devil lover left over there in the corner but you'll need a djinni to make it edible."
Cal wanders over to Spark and smiles
"So, you're still single ey?"
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My thanks Messier Menier.
Munches on some Baklava
Munches some more on the piece of Baklava
“This is excellent!”
Eyes the suspicious looking cake of the devil on the other side of the tent.
“ A Dijin you say? Hmmm Well I have an idea. I have a small prayer in mind. It is a prayer to Sarenerae to purify both food and drink.”
Goes over to the cake of the devil
Bows head passes hands over cake of devil.
“Sarenrae Humbly ask to have this cake of the devil and this drink blessed purified and made clean by you, so we may enjoy it”
The cake glows with a golden light briefly then straightens up from its collapsed formless mass, into a white fluffy cake of the angels.
“Cake anyone? I wonder if this will go well with dates?”
“perhaps some of you Chelaxians would like some of this cake of the angels? You do look a little pale, some more time out in the sun would do you good, give you some color.”
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"Ah Spark, you have plans.......... should I be worried, does this involve any particular herbs"
Shaji raises an eyebrow, and looks quizzical.
Then his face goes blank at the mention of books
"ahh pleased to meet you, well I like new things, been a few times to Kasheer, so maybe some different books, if you have some, I like ones with the pretty and colourful illuminations"
Shaji starts to fidget on his cushion
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"ahh pleased to meet you, well I like new things, been a few times to Kasheer, so maybe some different books, if you have some, I like ones with the pretty and colourful illuminations"
I've got it.
Digs around in his pack a bit more and produces another book, this one a hardcover.
This is a book of illusions. It's filled with optical trickery and brain teasers. Oh and of course lots of color and pictures. I've had this book since I was a novice Illusionist. But for some of your spices and herbs, only the finest books will do. If you dont like to read then I'm out of luck. I'm a scholar, books and knowledge are all I have.
Now that the cake seems a bit more edible I think I'll have some.
With a mouthfull of cake
*munch munch* Sarenrae makes the best cakes *munch munch*
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This is a book of illusions. It's filled with optical trickery and brain teasers. Oh and of course lots of color and pictures. I've had this book since I was a novice Illusionist.
"Pictures! I Love pictures! Are they color with tricky picture puzzles? Those are my favorite!" the halfling smiles a yellow toothed smile wiping his sticky hands on his dirty clothes "Can I trade you a dagger I pulled from a orc hand? I got most of the blood off it." He produces a rough nasty looking blade from his pack "I can put a good edge on it for you and harden up the blade a little more."
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I am glad you enjoy the cake.
Tariq, Sharjimanajo, I also have some books with nice Illuminations. I have here quite a few copies of a book “the life, stories and teachings of Sarenrae”.
Opens a saddlebag, bulging with hard back books
“ It is full of beautiful calligraphy and illustrations. Not the Blessed book itself, but a beautifully crafted book non-the less. One of the Imams at the Medrassa in Katheer, thought that these books might useful in “spreading the word”. So far all I think all they have done is make my camel irritable. I am sure these books have uses the old imam didn’t imagine, such has weighing the corner of a tent flap down, Several of the could make an excellent coffee table, and I am sure if you have no wood, and need a campfire I am sure these books can spread the light of our lady in a briefly bright warmth giving manner. Oh did I mention these books are lavishly illuminated and filled with beautiful calligraphy? They are actually a very pleasant read. And the best thing of all, they are Free. Not one gold Caliph, not one silver Genie, not one copper bit, they are free. “
“ As you might guess I am not one for proselytizeing with books and berating people with sermons, I prefer a kind word, a healing hand, an unasked for kindness. “
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Tariq, Sharjimanajo, I also have some books with nice Illuminations. I have here quite a few copies of a book “the life, stories and teachings of Sarenrae”.
Your offer is very generous and I would normally Take you up on that offer, but I lived in Katheer for a time and I already have a copy. Yours may be newer though. I've had this one for about twenty years. If you have any other historical documents about Sarenrae I would be most interested in those.
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Ah Tariq, I see you already have a more traveled and careworn version of the book I am offering.
And as for historical documents, I am just starting out as a pathfinder, and have yet to go on a dungeon delve. I have not had the opportunity yet to uncover some long forgotten dusty tome in a tomb where the dead are hopefully quietly and permanently resting.
Any original epistles, papers and books, penned by a judge prophet or apostle of Sarenrae, I am sure are safely kept in the grand Mosque in the capitol.
I will however point out that often holy texts depending on the faith, whose transcribing and illuminating are an act of prayer itself. So all efforts are made to see that the texts are accurately transcribed. I remember in the book of prophets and poets, the story of Bhalam, a rather ambiguous character, who was a sometime prophet of Sarenrae. The Dawn Flower instructed him to ride his donkey and go into the land of the Moabites, and tell the king that he needed to stop grinding his people under with excessive public works, and to make sure all had food. The king of Moab had a reputation of decapitating those who angered him. Bhalam wanted to keep his head on his shoulders so he urged his donkey in the opposite direction. At a narrow place in a mountain pass the donkey stopped. Bhalam beat the poor beast to urge it forward. It didn’t budge. Bhalam beat it some more. It didn’t move. Finally Sarenrae opened the beast’s mouth up and it said, “ Why do you beat me so master? Haven’t I served you faithfully for all these years? Can’t you see the danger before us?” When Bhalam looked up he saw an angry Planetar with a sword blazing like the sun raised overhead, ready to cut his head from his shoulders.
It’s amazing what we miss that is right in front of our eyes. But I digress; on the page of this text is a crescent like stain. I asked one of my teachers what it was, and he explained that it was a coffee stain left by the coffee cup of the original scribe, who had left it on the parchment.
Anyways I digress and I unloaded an unasked for sermon. I apologize. My only point is this, when cross-referenced with other historical records from other cultures, Holy texts are often found to be surprisingly historically accurate. Often one can find records of a battle between one kingdom and another, and the only real difference in the accounts would be which god was greater, and which general or king was more cunning. As for what city was burnt down and what town was sacked when, those details are usually accurate.
As for such legendary deeds of Sarenrae, battling Rovagug, and casting him into a pit, weather these deeds happened or not is a matter of faith. But is believing in such tales such a leap when clerics’ prayers are answered, and wounds are healed, diseases lifted, poisons abated, and the dead resurrected among other things? Imagine how challenging it would be to believe if all we had were writings and tradition to go on?
Again I digress Tariq, although I have no ancient manuscripts for you, and you have a copy of “ the life stories and teachings of Sarenrae”, I would be happy to give you my copy of our holy text “ the birth of light and truth”. Among other things, you might find some useful historical information. Someone wiser then I once said, “a prayer from the heart is far more potent then text memorized by rote”. And I also remember a poet writing, “Brevity is the soul of whit”. On that note, perhaps I should allow my long-winded musings, to which I have been subjecting you, to subside for now.
Iota, I would be happy to help you learn what the squiggly lines say, and to help you make your own squiggly lines so you can say things as well.
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Iota, I would be happy to help you learn what the squiggly lines say, and to help you make your own squiggly lines so you can say things as well.
The dirty halfling gulps down the mauled remains of the cake and seeing everyones stares looks down at his hands and chooses to suck the crumbs from his grime ridden hands guiltily. With his mouth full of cake "Iman, I have heard many tell me the words from the squiggly lines and they paint pictures in my head like when we would tell stories in our cages. We would talk about the Dawn Flower pushed back the evil from the Prince of Darkness..." he clears his throat and spits to the ground "... and brought truth and honesty to the world. Also when Sarenrae vanquished Qadiri satrap and organized the sultans of Keleshite." the halfling scratches his chin "I want to learn more from the papers pressed in books but I need to make "Whisper" cut deeper as I fight to vanquish evil from the world." he pats his scabbard.
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Well Iota, I can temporarily bless the weapon, so it gets by the resistances of evil creatures, or i can imbue it with some magical energy, which will improve the balance of your blade, making you to strike with more precision and damage, but these things would be temporary. For a more permanent solution, I could give you the names of a couple of good smiths in Katheer, who are honest and will not cheat you.
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I always need more apprentice work for weapon smithing. My skills are still rough and not showing much craft. It took me several tries to make my own blade but it turned out good enough to swing at an orc. I know I will need superior quality when my sights are set higher. I hope my first mission will be with someone with your abilities. Seems already Whisper bites deeper on more occasions than those wielding the straight bladed swords but any help is appreciated. Seems my biggest asset is that no one expects someone as small as myself to charge into battle.
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Well Iota, of course would be happy to help you in your endeavors if we find ourselves “ assigned” to the same pathfinder group. One never knows where the winds of fate will blow them, nor the Hand of Sarenrae will nugde them. One interesting thing I have found after dedicating myself to the service of Sarenrae, is that the political struggles between nations no longer hold my interest. I find myself much more drawn to the causes that I think Sarenrae would be drawn to, namely spreading the light and truth, of Sarenrae, through deed rather the word. ( after a fit of back story writing,) My journey from Katheer to Absolom was a very circuitous one. Our Quadrian trading vessel was raided by Chelaxian slaving vessel. I spent a month in the hold, as we sailed eastward alont the southern coast of the inner sea. The ship master took particular delight in telling me both how much money he would make selling me in the slave markets, and how I would probably end up as a sacrifice for some diabolical ritual. I prayed and did my best to keep my hopes up and faith strong, and Sarenrae delivered us from the Chelaxian slavers, by way of Andoran Cosairs. They took the Chelaxian Slave galley, and after a fierce battle, freed us slaves, and together we took the Chelaxian vessel. The Chelaxian crew that survived the battle were fed to the sharks. This experience has shown me a bit of the underbelly of Chelax, and has opened my eyes to the abomination that slavery is. Before I was indifferent to it. It was simply a part of live. Now Sarenrae has shown me how wrong I was. I have joined the Andoran cause because they are working to free others from the tyranny of slavery, and I also owe them my life and freedom, because I was going to either be bound into servitude or made a sacrifice. Some of those Andoran Corsairs gave their lives in the cause of freedom for complete strangers, who furthermore, were aliens to them. Anyways as usual I have been rambling on as usual, and while I have tremendous affection for my homeland of Quadria, now economic control of trade routs now seems like such a small goal, next to working for the freedom of others. I have said much probably too much , I have probably talked both your ears off Iota and for that I apologize.
And my small friend, I am sure you will be the biggest surprise many of our enemies will stumble across.
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“Ah, Calladavar, my friend I am not a spy. I am not actually very interested in matters of the state or trade. I am much more involved in matters celestial, of the spirit.”
(OCC No worries spelling is my weak suit. I suppose I was associating Qadira with AL Quadim. I also misspelled my characters name, Iman Gabriel al Katheer. It should be Imam Gabriel Al Katheer. ☺ I originally made a Qadrian character, but after I finished writing the back-story, I found myself with a character that was part of the Andoran faction)
“Oben Tei, one of my Imam’s once said ‘ one can learn far more by listening then preaching’. Hmmm. Perhaps I should listen to my own advice” chuckles
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: After finishing morning prayers outside of tent facing the dawn, rolls up prayer rug and sticks his head in the tent:
“Fare thee well my Qadrian brethren. Last night I had a vision from our Lady of the sun. I am to go forth and by her grace and cleanse desert shops of their cakes of the devil. I am to turn such wickedly delicious temptations into blessed cakes of the angel. Less filling goes great with wild berries. I’m off!”
: Spends a minute chasing his camel around the oasis, until he finally gets on, facing backwards. The indignant beast snorting in irritation takes off to the west. Our hapless priest waves goodbye to the oasis as his camel carries him off. :