The wind blew hot off of the desert as the city Yane woke for the day. The sound of merchants hawking their wares mingled with the siunds of animals and the crowds of people going about their buisness. As you finally ride into the caravan square near the center of town you are drawn to the mass of people, all bearing strange tatoos on their body.
I'm up for breakfast and some strong tea. Anyone else?
"Why not? I shall join you."
"Why not, it sounds like fun." Silhouette turns to the man standing next to him. "Hey, Dirk, you mind going to the rest of the gang and telling them where I went? Don't want them getting worried, after all."
Hapushet lowers himself uncomfortably to the ground, all the while glaring at his camel (which ignores him complacently). "Fool beast," he rumbles. "Yes, some breakfast would be welcome. Preferably somewhere distant, that we must walk to." He glances toward the market crowd, then frowns. "I know little of these Varangians other than their fascination with the stars. Are those tattoos symbols of their castes?" He makes an unconscious gesture toward his own forehead, where the glittering gold of his tattooed Caste Mark is currently hidden under a keffiyeh.
You walk down one of the busier streets leading from the souk and soon see a small storefront where people seem to be enjoying meals.
"This looks like a good place to start."
Silhouette shrugs and approaches the shop. He attempts to get the server's attention and says "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be selling food, would you? Myself and my companions have just arrived here in town, and we could use a proper meal."
The woman you approached bows reverently. "Yes traveller, you may puchase food from our humble establishment. If you have any needs that this humble servent casteman can fulfill, just speak your need."
SH allows the more vocal and talkative of his companions to handle the matter. SH turns around to look to assess the area and its relative strategic value.
"We'll take 5 orders of whatever is your favorite breakfast here along with some hot tea.
Do you have baths available?"
"Yes miss, we do," the woman says with a nod. "Would you prefer to use the public bath or for just a few coins more you can rent a private bath."
"I'll take a private bath after our meal."
"It will be nice to wash away the road grime but a good meal comes first."
"I need to go deliver a package this afternoon. What do you guys plan on doing? Do you want to meet up for dinner later?"
She shrugged. "May as well, I suppose."
SH nods his assent.
"Gladly."
"We also have rooms for rent," the woman says as she delivers your food. "Would you desire to seethem before you leave?"
"Sure, I'll take a look later on after the bath."
"We also have rooms for rent," the woman says as she delivers your food. "Would you desire to seethem before you leave?"
"Why not?" Silhouette takes a bite of his food. "So, why did the rest of you decide to come down here anyway?"
"I'm here on a job. What about you?"
"I'm here on a job. What about you?"
"Oh, you know how it goes. Me and twenty of my closest friends just felt like leaving the Confederacy for a bit. What about the rest of you?"
Hapushet looks askance at the "twenty closest friends," but his reply is simply, "I'm interested in the local geomancy. The kind of city planning done here hasn't been seen on a large scale since the First Age, but I wouldn't mind seeing it make a comeback."
SH pulls down the cowl of his cloak to better cover his face.
"Is there something we should know Sundered Heart?"
"Now now. No matter why he's here, we're all probably going to get in some trouble if we're recognized. Some of us more than others." At that, he moves his hat slightly lower over his face.
"Now now. No matter why he's here, we're all probably going to get in some trouble if we're recognized. Some of us more than others." At that, he moves his hat slightly lower over his face.
"Is there something we should know Sundered Heart?"
"My instincts tell me to be careful."
"Let's lay low and try not to attract attention while on this food run."
"Now now. No matter why he's here, we're all probably going to get in some trouble if we're recognized. Some of us more than others." At that, he moves his hat slightly lower over his face.
Shaking his head, Hapushet raises his eyebrows at Silhouette and Sundered Heart. "I'm not looking to borrow trouble," he says, indicating the keffiyeh that covers his caste mark, "but surely you're overstating the matter. We are the Chosen. Whatever 'trouble' this city might offer us, we can certainly handle it."
"Now now. No matter why he's here, we're all probably going to get in some trouble if we're recognized. Some of us more than others." At that, he moves his hat slightly lower over his face.Shaking his head, Hapushet raises his eyebrows at Silhouette and Sundered Heart. "I'm not looking to borrow trouble," he says, indicating the headband that covers his caste mark, "but surely you're overstating the matter. We are the Chosen. Whatever 'trouble' this city might offer us, we can certainly handle it."
"That is easy enough to say, but I would rather not cause trouble that might adversely effect those who follow me if I can help it."
Those going to look at the rooms.
Those going to look at the rooms.
** spoiler omitted **
GM and Co.:
"Well, I think this is worth looking into. I have some time before I have to make my delivery."
Hapushet looks suspiciously at the innkeeper who is so willing to trust her son's fate to newly-met strangers.
Hapushet looks suspiciously at the innkeeper who is so willing to trust her son's fate to newly-met strangers.
Hapushet looks suspiciously at the innkeeper who is so willing to trust her son's fate to newly-met strangers.
Hapushet looks suspiciously at the innkeeper who is so willing to trust her son's fate to newly-met strangers.
"That may be the way business is done here," Hapushet says gravely, eyes narrowed, "but it is not right in the sight of Heaven. We will see to it that those responsible are dealt with, madam. Have no fear."
"Thank you blessed ones," she says. "You will find the unworthy youth hiding in the abandoned prefect's manor on the other side of the river."
"Well, should I go pick up a few friends, or do you think we can handle these guys myself?"
"Well, should I go pick up a few friends, or do you think we can handle these guys myself?"
"I am not certain that calling upon your 'friends' would set the right example," Hapushet says dryly, "and unless these gang members are something more than human - and who such would devote their energies to blackmailing innkeepers? - we should have no trouble dealing with them as they deserve."