Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revisionNext revisionBoth sides next revision | ||
al-qadim:diary [2020-10-18 13:42] – Masta www-data | al-qadim:diary [2020-10-18 14:26] – Previous months www-data | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 79: | Line 79: | ||
men först måste vi hitta ett lämpligt ställe att grunda en stad på och för att göra det så behöver vi en bra båt | men först måste vi hitta ett lämpligt ställe att grunda en stad på och för att göra det så behöver vi en bra båt | ||
- | ## Taraq 1 | + | ## Previous months |
- | ### The Tale of the Dock Worker | + | - 1494 |
- | + | - [Taraq](1494/taraq) | |
- | One day at the docks while unleading heavy crates for Andar bin | + | - [Masta](1494/masta) |
- | Solmor' | + | |
- | seemed out of their luck. " | + | |
- | said that they could work with him for seven dinars a week. More than | + | |
- | enough to cover a modest lifestyle, with food and stay at one of the | + | |
- | local inns. " | + | |
- | thought, "who does not know the value of steady money." | + | |
- | them "If that's not enough, you might inquire with Mahnaz al-Qudra, | + | |
- | she might need sa' | + | |
- | We be not sa' | + | |
- | papers!" | + | |
- | to be about the same pay as here" "Not enough!" | + | |
- | better work!" "What fools have Fate wrought", | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Three Thieves | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Hanna bint Rist at " | + | |
- | sleeping even though she tried to cover her head with a pillow because | + | |
- | she was hearing weird noises from her next door neigbor, Gufsha. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Early in the morning, a corsair and two sa' | + | |
- | little establishment. At first, they seemed helpful. They even helped | + | |
- | her find her family heirloom necklace. Nothing valuable, just | + | |
- | sentimental, | + | |
- | suspicions and of course her thoughts led straight to that weirdo, | + | |
- | Gufsha. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | All well and good. But. While she had left them to guard the tavern, | + | |
- | they must have stolen the bottle of mom's lobster wine. Later they | + | |
- | came back with Mahnaz, the owner of the silver mine down the coast, | + | |
- | and tossed coin around and took her pillowcase and her bedsheet. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Bullied Academic | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Gufsha was a scholar. She kept to herself mostly. Why did everyone | + | |
- | always suspect her? Why did people always came knocking on her door, | + | |
- | haunting her? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 2–9 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Last Askari | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Eleven of us askari were sent to the silver mine. The dead walked | + | |
- | there. Familiar faces to these askari. Faces that they hadn't seen in | + | |
- | a long time. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | And the dead were armed. | + | |
- | And the dead fought well. | + | |
- | And our lives were harmed. | + | |
- | And our brothers fell. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Two of our number fled. They just broke ranks and ran, after seeing | + | |
- | their friends die to this frantic horror under the ground. The blades | + | |
- | swung from bone arms that moved jittery and spastically, | + | |
- | trick of the eye. The half-composed bodies who would take spear-wound | + | |
- | after spear-wound and never blink. Eyes unmoving, lids unclosed. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When I was a child there was an old woman who would go to the souq two | + | |
- | times per a tenday. We would all laugh at her funny way of walking, | + | |
- | almost as if she was dancing with every step. She would smile at us. | + | |
- | My father told me that she had been his teacher in her youth. | + | |
- | But this was many years ago now and now I am a grown man. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Today I had to kill her thirteen times while she tore the last of my | + | |
- | friends apart. Only I remained. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Afterwards, two men showed up. Mining operations officers, sent by the | + | |
- | owner of the mine. They said they needed to cut the heads of my | + | |
- | people. "Just a formality," | + | |
- | killed these creatures," | + | |
- | took stock of the fallen, friends and foes, and loaded them up like | + | |
- | crates on a wagon of djinni wind. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Bravest Animal | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Come gather round! This bottle contains a magic potion that will make | + | |
- | you friend to all animals. Only fifty dinars! An elf came to me, they | + | |
- | said they wanted to win the animal' | + | |
- | defeated by the wolvenkind. I sold them a bottle of this very potion | + | |
- | and then they returned with a crown branches on their head, with | + | |
- | regency over wolf, beast and eagle. Friend to all beasts! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I asked them how they had won over the littlest sparrow, who, while | + | |
- | trembling, is steadfast and true. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They told me: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Embracing Fate, you become embraced. Supple, breathing gently, you | + | |
- | become reborn. Clearing your vision, you become clear. Nurturing your | + | |
- | beloved, you become impartial. Opening your liver, you become | + | |
- | accepted. Accepting the World, you embrace Fate. Bearing and | + | |
- | nurturing, creating but not owning, giving without demanding, | + | |
- | controlling without authority, this is love. We have no Fate but the | + | |
- | Fate we are given. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To this, the sparrow replied " | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Clear Water | + | |
- | + | ||
- | On a high cliff by the coast four miles from Safaq on a hot day there | + | |
- | stands a well. The water is clear there. The water is cool there. The | + | |
- | water has blood and venom there. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | At the bottom of the well, fourteen dirhams glistened, the glints of | + | |
- | lights like notes on a pungi flute. Charmed dwellers in the wall of | + | |
- | white stone. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Now there is no glint. Now there is no joy. | + | |
- | Now there are two workers digging in the ground. | + | |
- | Trading calloused hands for coin and books. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | One is burying their goblin-kin, their anchor in the Land of Fate, | + | |
- | their hope and their future. | + | |
- | The other is burying his past. His forgotten everything and other | + | |
- | half. He is burying his wish. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 9 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The party now is | + | |
- | + | ||
- | * Umaji min-Hakiyah | + | |
- | * Talara adb-Jamil | + | |
- | * Na'im al-Qadib | + | |
- | * Djut (absent) | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Brine Hand | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Call me the Brine Hand. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I lost my leg at sea and I lost my best friend there. They couldn' | + | |
- | even give him a true burial. Sometimes I even wonder if he is really | + | |
- | dead. I worship Hakiyah, the sea breeze, the god of truth. I want | + | |
- | answers. I've put my weapons in the ground. I serve as imam in the | + | |
- | small seaside town of Safaq. It'll do, this little town. It'll do. We | + | |
- | have a sailor' | + | |
- | sa' | + | |
- | give them an honorable grave. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I look out over the waves at night. I listen to the waves' crushing | + | |
- | sounds. Sometimes they feel peaceful. Other times they feel | + | |
- | suffocatingly restless. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Endless Night | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Gufsha; I still think my name is beautiful. I remember my mother | + | |
- | braiding my hair and saying my name. They say I'm Gross-Gufsha, | + | |
- | Disgusting-Gufsha. But I know who I am. I'm just Gufsha. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They don't let me see the sun. My dawn is when the dwarves light their | + | |
- | lanterns, shining on the silver lode. My day is the pick, heavy in my | + | |
- | hands. My music is the sound of rocks breaking. My company is the whip | + | |
- | lashing. My fashion is the manacles and chains. My evening is the | + | |
- | dwarves leaving, taking their lantern lights. My night is a bed of | + | |
- | stone. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | There is no true time here. There is only the cycle of work, sleep, | + | |
- | eat, work and sleep and eat. I am not here. There is only darkness and | + | |
- | stone. As my hope dies, so does my true self and my true name. Gufsha, | + | |
- | the child my mother loved... I can't let her into this mine. | + | |
- | Gross-Gufsha, | + | |
- | holds the pick. That is who is trapped here. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Goddess' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I am a soldier. An askari. I work for the good of the village of | + | |
- | Safaq. On Hakiyah' | + | |
- | shield belong to the city but my liver belongs to my goddess. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Im' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | My goddess brings light through Umaji, one of the five novices | + | |
- | studying under Velmar "the Brine Hand" to become an imam of my | + | |
- | goddess. She provides me with what I need. Umaji' | + | |
- | and true. The night tries to crush me with falling rocks. I do not | + | |
- | hesitate. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The sea breeze of dawn shines through me and the word of my goddess | + | |
- | heals me. We have no Fate but the Fate we are given. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I do not know of gods and of godly things. My way is the way of sword | + | |
- | and shield. My way is a simple way. Sharp and clean and true. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 9–10 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Mad Cavern | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The darkness was beautiful there. Shadows pooled like water. The | + | |
- | cavern wasn't formed naturally. Someone had dug it but without rhyme | + | |
- | or reason. My master' | + | |
- | distance and around the flickering point of light faraway, the harsh | + | |
- | crisp marks in the stone left shadows like soft caresses and feather | + | |
- | downs. It was an awe-inspiring sight. Tufa, our genasi' | + | |
- | hundreds of feet but couldn' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Forgetful Dwarf | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I usually move so silently in the night, and so tenderly I plunder the | + | |
- | bags, with my expertise in dex checks. But for the first time in | + | |
- | years, the mark woke up. At first I thought I was just unlucky, that | + | |
- | he had woken by coincidence, | + | |
- | I saw him I realized at once what I was dealing with. The geniekind | + | |
- | have many frightful talents. Now I have learned that they may sleep | + | |
- | without sleeping, and hear without hearing. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Recent Dead | + | |
- | + | ||
- | There is a house up the coast, East of Safaq, and west of Mahnaz' | + | |
- | Mine. A man went there. A faris, in armor, with shield and sword. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dwellers in the dark slew him, and when his body was cold, dozens | + | |
- | of eggs were laid in there and dozens of maggots made their home | + | |
- | there. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A man with the blood of djinn disturbed their abode with a hand of | + | |
- | wind. The maggots poured forth like milk through cloth. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Into a goblin, pure of liver, they started drilling. | + | |
- | The many maggots stung like thorns in briar. | + | |
- | The flamewind mage lit up the skin with fire, | + | |
- | and in their dying breath they took to killing. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 10 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The party now is: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | * Jalara abd-Jamil | + | |
- | * Na’im al-Qadib | + | |
- | * Umaji min-Hakiyah | + | |
- | * Lamsa abd-Husam | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Goat Herders | + | |
- | + | ||
- | What a strange follower we found, who wanted to deliver a rat to a | + | |
- | novice of the temple of Hakiyah, but carrying an urn of ashes as if it | + | |
- | were an atlas of the cosmos. What is there to learn from the dust of | + | |
- | the dead? What is there to glean from their smoke and markings? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | No, I learned all I need to know right here under the starry sky. | + | |
- | There are many djinni and efreeti in the Land of Fate but the concern | + | |
- | of me, my brothers and my sister is for this flock of goats to be safe | + | |
- | and grow strong. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In stillness I take rest underneath the cypress shade while my goats | + | |
- | graze the commons. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Barred Door | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In that big house there is a cellar carved into the sharp cliffs by | + | |
- | the sea. That cellar is but a tiny gash into Toril' | + | |
- | to shield it from Selan' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In that cellar by the crackling fire we eat our dinner at the long | + | |
- | table, break our bread together. This is our home. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Our beds are here. Our fellowship is here, our livelihood. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It's just that... that pounding on the barred door keeps waking me up | + | |
- | in the middle of the night. In my nightmares I see those... can I even | + | |
- | call it " | + | |
- | kindly at first but it turns cruel and gnashing. Their hollow gaze | + | |
- | pierce my soul. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I wake from my nightmares when I hear them pounding on that door. I | + | |
- | hear the creaking of the metal bar. O, Najm, let it hold. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Hidden Vial | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Potions of healing, greater potions of healing, even supreme potions | + | |
- | of healing… small bottles all. But I have through my decades-long | + | |
- | alchemical research created a wondrous substance. The strength of | + | |
- | ordinary potion of healing, that's true... but concentrated such that | + | |
- | two doses fit in a single tiny vial. Two doses! One-fiftieth the size of one | + | |
- | normal potion of healing. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I dare not leave this substance on my person. What if I roll over in | + | |
- | my sleep and break it? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I have constructed a hidden compartment in my desk drawer, under the | + | |
- | old receipts and miscellanea I store there. The vial wrapped in cloth | + | |
- | is hidden there, and the drawer is locked. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 11 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Mud Mephit | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Steal a goat! Tarnish Hakiyah' | + | |
- | Throw dirt, throw mud! | + | |
- | Sink a boat! Let all ships dissemble! | + | |
- | Flow dirt, like blood! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We've got conch to make our kind appear | + | |
- | Make a door under the sea | + | |
- | Through that door the Land of Fate is near | + | |
- | In that land we can roam free! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Orcish Millers | + | |
- | + | ||
- | O child of my liver, the Loregiver tells of a couple of orcish millers | + | |
- | who lived in the cliff city of Warth al-Keel. Everyday they would bake | + | |
- | their bread and eat it and sell it. This was before the enlightened | + | |
- | time and everyone in this village worshipped the kraken Valaastroth. | + | |
- | The kraken would visit the town once every ten years, giving orders | + | |
- | and taking treasure as tribute. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In the age of the Loregiver, a priest of Hakiyah, named Trandence | + | |
- | al-Ek, visited Warth al-Keel. He ate of the bread. He showed the true | + | |
- | wind and strong wave of Hakiyah. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The people built a strong mosque to Hakiyah. But when Valaastroth | + | |
- | returned years later, they were furious at the people of Warth | + | |
- | al-Keel. Vaalastroth broke the cliff and sent the town into the water. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the False Priest | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Istishia, the cold god of water, opposed the enlightenment of the | + | |
- | Loregiver. Istishia only wants the world to drown. But al-Ek loved | + | |
- | Istishia in his liver. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | al-Ek knew that Hakiyah' | + | |
- | and minds of the citizens of Warth al-Keel in a way that the cold | + | |
- | waves of Istishia never could. Only by posing as a priest of Hakiyah | + | |
- | could he gain a foothold there, build a temple there. But al-Ek loved | + | |
- | Istishia in his liver. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | al-Ek knew that if the citizens of Warth al-Keel had turned to | + | |
- | Hakiyah, away from the kraken Vaalastroth, | + | |
- | city. The city would fall from its sunlit cliff into the cold water. | + | |
- | Into the waves of Istishia. The people in the city would drown. al-Ek | + | |
- | too would drown. Every man, woman and child in Warth al-Keel would | + | |
- | drown. But al-Ek loved Istishia in his liver. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 11, evening | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Broken Portal | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They broke the portal | + | |
- | and I came out wrong | + | |
- | I was half cut off, | + | |
- | half buckled, | + | |
- | and half whole. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | My sister came after me | + | |
- | the portal was grey dry glass | + | |
- | it was a thousand fractures. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Mephits shone through a cracked lens | + | |
- | refracted and multifaceted | + | |
- | unique and wonderful. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But when the conch is gone | + | |
- | the portal is no more | + | |
- | and we can’t go through. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Kraken’s Ball | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Let’s dance for the kraken! | + | |
- | Let the night begin! | + | |
- | As the world is dying | + | |
- | we’ll be among kin. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Vaalastroth is coming. | + | |
- | Leaving his true mark. | + | |
- | While he starts to eat the world, | + | |
- | we’re dancing in the dark. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In his chandelier there are | + | |
- | a thousand brilliant lights. | + | |
- | Stars that light the ballroom’s floor | + | |
- | under endless nights. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Warth al-Keel will serve him | + | |
- | to honor his soft form. | + | |
- | He whips his arms like lightning | + | |
- | in a sudden storm. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Honest Novice | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Lankus, let me tell you about these no-good sa’luks and their | + | |
- | “missions” to my mine… | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Mission one, they tell me they’ll find the source of the undead that | + | |
- | attacked us there. Good job, just repeating the rumor-whispering of | + | |
- | your collegue over the other tavern, Hannah. That was the most | + | |
- | expensive message delivery service I’d ever paid for. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Misssion two, they tell me they’ll stop the zombies and skeletons. | + | |
- | They show up when it’s all over, grab the bodies and come here to | + | |
- | claim the rewards. Glad I got out of that one, or that would’ve been | + | |
- | the most expensive body transport service I’d ever paid for. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Mission three, they tell me they’ll find where that monster in my mine | + | |
- | came from and how come it was dead and who broke through to the mine | + | |
- | from the other side. I was just about to pay them for that too. But | + | |
- | thanks to that new guy in their group, the honest novice and his | + | |
- | sister, I dodged that arrow. That would’ve been the most expensive | + | |
- | efreet story telling hour I’d ever paid for. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 12 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Pumpkin Head | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Just an ordinary pumpkin head on a moonless night. There is | + | |
- | candlelight flickering inside it. Teeth are square, eyes with brows | + | |
- | corrugated and cruel. You could tell that when you get bit the marks | + | |
- | are going to be square holes. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The sound comes from outside of the house. Or so it seems. It's not in | + | |
- | here with us. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The flesh is stringy and wet, stuck between yellow teeth. A darkness | + | |
- | pierced by warmth and a happy smile greets you. With joy someone | + | |
- | carved me and presented me. A celebration. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Sand Rat | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You don't understand what Ökensand had been looking for, or the price | + | |
- | they would' | + | |
- | beaten up, messed up, mistreated and scared and the journey was longer | + | |
- | than it had any rights to. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Beyond years; longer than what's tracked on the calendar or map. Paws | + | |
- | callused by grit. Small black pearl eyes darting with caution. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Not only is the rat finally home now after a long quest. They carry a | + | |
- | liverful of despair and resignation. Having learned the hard lessons | + | |
- | of life. You have to walk that desert all alone. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Magic Wand | + | |
- | + | ||
- | There are many more colors than the sun can burn away from our vision. | + | |
- | Covered over by the shallow colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, | + | |
- | indigo, violet are the eight true colors of the weave. Fuligin, grue, | + | |
- | hooloovoo, octarine, smaudre, gloxym, jale and ulfire. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To see them is to see the world as it really is. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | How easily the world breaks, fractures like a velvet egg. It shines as | + | |
- | it breaks in a dry and dusty neon. Dances over our faces like wild | + | |
- | water caustics. Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she' | + | |
- | gone. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### Na Ims dagbok | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Kära dagbok. | + | |
- | Idag har vi haft en mycket intressant dag. | + | |
- | Allt började redan under morgonkaffet. Jag kunde se hur värdshusvärdinan nästan fick en leverattack av att se Jalara i dörröppningen. Det visade sig att Jalara hade fått tag i en stor magisk pumpa, så även grönsaker kan vara magiska. | + | |
- | Kanske det är bättre att skaffa en egen bostad i byn, verkar ju som | + | |
- | mina vänner bara ställer till problem för lokalbefolkningen. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Vi besökte det " | + | |
- | Efter lite undersökning av huset så hittade vi tecken på att det | + | |
- | verkar vara " | + | |
- | källaren, men även att de har kommunikation med ett skepp ute på | + | |
- | havet. Kanske ska jag ta med faten till Hanna så att hon kanske blir | + | |
- | lite lugnare. Hon verkar ju gilla lite av de starka dryckerna. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Jalara verkar fortfarande inte förstå att elementarmagi är verklig. | + | |
- | Detta även fast hon fick prova på att själv använda en Detect Magic | + | |
- | från en wand. När inte ens detta hjälper så vet jag inte vad jag ska | + | |
- | göra för att få henne att vilja överge sin antitro. Kanske Umaji kan | + | |
- | göra något för henne. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Vi verkar ha en spion i gruppen, den där ökenråttan är en farlig | + | |
- | motståndare. Verkar bara vara jag som förstår problemet med en ond | + | |
- | elementar magiker i gruppen. | + | |
- | Måste vara någon konstig magi som ökenråtta tagit över Umaji med, | + | |
- | kanske ska jag fråga Salta Handen när vi kommer tillbaka till staden. | + | |
- | Parasiter brukar ju kunna döda sin värd om man inte är försiktig med | + | |
- | separationen. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Sist men inte minst så råkade Tufa nästan ut för ett otäckt öde. Men | + | |
- | jag han i sista sekund rädda henne från att uppleva döden. Prata om | + | |
- | problem med ohyra i denna herrgård. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 13 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Modest Home | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Clean face before the morning prayer. | + | |
- | Breakfast of bread, curd cheese, olives and dates. | + | |
- | The coffee is dark and bitter. | + | |
- | The evening meal is the largest of the day. | + | |
- | Scooped up with flat bread. | + | |
- | An evening of telling tales. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | My son was chosen by the gods. | + | |
- | My daughter signed herself away to the courts of air. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A scent of the sea on the breeze through the window. | + | |
- | The day is done. I lay off my burden. Each day a new day. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Committed Researcher | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It's not that I don't want to work on this whole gold thing. I do. I | + | |
- | want to find the truth. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I've selected solitude so I can study. So I can read and try to find | + | |
- | the secret of making gold. To create the philosopher' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | If I just… Maybe tonight I'll find the answer. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Silver Sinker | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Pfffsht! Whaddaya talking about, Ibrahim! No _way_ 200 dinars is "too | + | |
- | much money for a fishing rod, even if it's pure silver" | + | |
- | at this thing, it is absolutely *baller*! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | So, wanna go fishing this weekend? We can go on your boat and we can | + | |
- | take this fantastic silver beaut for a spin! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 14–20 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Small but Scrappy Istishia Cult | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We have swords and we will attack Safaq. Any questions? We will | + | |
- | destroy everyone who lives there. Kill the town guard, the citizens. | + | |
- | Just the eight of us will do that. On our own. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Comforted Poor | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They say there is a house in Safaq where you can go when you're at the | + | |
- | end of your rope. When you have nothing and you want comfort, you want | + | |
- | shelter. You can find blessing there and they will take care of your | + | |
- | soul for you. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Harbor Riots | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A fish drying facility was burned to the ground in the riots over | + | |
- | arrests of alleged " | + | |
- | release of the suspects held by Eli and his town guard. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 20, continued | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Six Faris | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Knocked out by poison gas! But two awoke after just one hour. The others woke up later. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Six Guards | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To work as a guard in the House for the Poor's Comfort in Safaq you | + | |
- | need to be motivated because there is not a lot of money. But you will | + | |
- | be provided for. Food, shelter and faith. Now hiring, because the | + | |
- | other six guys died. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Thunderous Acolyte | + | |
- | + | ||
- | All it takes to get burninated by the party is one little | + | |
- | Thaumaturgy.♥ Luckily you can flee at the last second! Famshuna ftw! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 20–26 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Shattered God | + | |
- | + | ||
- | O, liver of mine, Q'xetl was a young god. | + | |
- | He wanted souls. | + | |
- | He wanted to harvest them, to eat them, to grow strange and strong. | + | |
- | To await his maw they pulled my limp body. | + | |
- | Into the howling portal they threw me. | + | |
- | With the many I became one. | + | |
- | When he fractured I remain— | + | |
- | split in shards. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Fish Thieves | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We are kin of goblin, they say. | + | |
- | We were born in Safaq, they say. | + | |
- | We steal fish, they say. | + | |
- | We attack on sight, they say. | + | |
- | We shoot before asking questions, they say. | + | |
- | We have treasure, they say. | + | |
- | But what they cannot say | + | |
- | is that we survived the party. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Reckless Attuner | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Honorable, the Chief Qadi and the Associate Magistrates of the | + | |
- | Court of Safaq al-Hadhar min Jumlat. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All persons | + | |
- | having business before the Honorable, the Qadi of the Sultan, | + | |
- | representing the Grand Caliph and ultimately the Law of the Loregiver, | + | |
- | are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the Court is | + | |
- | now sitting. We have no fate but the fate we are given. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It is a crime against the enlightened to willingly smash people in the | + | |
- | head with lethal intent. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But witness testimony seem to indicate that the accused, whom | + | |
- | herebefore is present, was under the influence of the arcane: a weapon | + | |
- | crafted with intent to stir rage; a berserker rage to protect its | + | |
- | owner and keeper. Whether or not this is the unnameable Sloessa is a | + | |
- | question beside the court' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Even so. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It is a crime against the Law of the Loregiver to recklessly handle, | + | |
- | attune, or possess cursed items to the extent that they kill, injure, | + | |
- | endanger or encroach on the safety of enlightened beings. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | That is a fine of 100 dinars for the first offense. Repeat offenders | + | |
- | will risk exile. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 27 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Generous Patron | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Welcome, one and all, to my abode. My name is Andar bin Petra and this | + | |
- | is my buttler Skerrin. Thank you for returning my fish. You may keep | + | |
- | the gold as a reward. No, no, *I* should be thanking *you*, for without your help I would have no fish, no gold, no camels and no cart. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Rich? I don't know about that. Yeah, a lot of the fishing boats here | + | |
- | are mine, and the fishers are in my employ, but I inherited a lot of | + | |
- | that from my mother, Petra, and the same goes for this abode. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I've expanded the trading program a little bit, that's true. Just doing my best to keep the family name proud! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Plague Dealer | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Aalim family got sick from bad grains at the green souk. Umaji | + | |
- | min-Hakiyah managed to contain the plague. A pickpocket reported some | + | |
- | unusual garments in the merchant' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Arcane Alcohol | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Under [[the Empty Net]] there is a strange smell. It is arcane and it | + | |
- | causes strange behavior. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 28 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Protective Wind | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Accessing the elements directly is the power of elemental mages. To | + | |
- | blow away gasses and fires is something they can do easily and then | + | |
- | normal people can just duck under and avoid getting burninated. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Hose Scrape | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Na'im, unfortunately, | + | |
- | apparatus that tried to examine his constituents and he died. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Unbegotten Spoils | + | |
- | + | ||
- | * Crystal | + | |
- | * Spellbook | + | |
- | * Red-tipped wand (7/7 pyro) | + | |
- | * Bok (Hemligheter med de vises sten med ett pergament) | + | |
- | * Bok (Örter) | + | |
- | * Crowbar | + | |
- | * Bedroll | + | |
- | * Thieves' | + | |
- | * 10 rations | + | |
- | * Key mine | + | |
- | * 12 x light comp | + | |
- | * Litet skrin med 11 candles och pergament | + | |
- | * Vinflaska | + | |
- | * Bläckpenna | + | |
- | * Magiskt bläck 50G | + | |
- | * Pure white clothes | + | |
- | * Oil | + | |
- | * Waterskin | + | |
- | * 1000 ball bearings medium pouch | + | |
- | * Bottle of ink | + | |
- | * Mess kit | + | |
- | * Small knife | + | |
- | * Carved marble elephant | + | |
- | * Hooded lantern med cover | + | |
- | * Owlbear (nallebjörn) | + | |
- | * Silvermetspö | + | |
- | * 2x5 stone barrels of brandy | + | |
- | * 4 sacks | + | |
- | * 5 medium pouches fulla med light components — 5x5x6 Light components | + | |
- | * vattenskin | + | |
- | * Spade | + | |
- | * Hammare | + | |
- | * Abacus | + | |
- | * Healers kit | + | |
- | * 6 munkkåpor (Istishia edition) | + | |
- | * bok med namn på folk som varit i templet | + | |
- | * 3 × pergament | + | |
- | * papper | + | |
- | * Kulspetspenna från "Bank of Toronto" | + | |
- | * iskall dagger (cold iron) | + | |
- | * 8 munkkåpor kolvita (Q' | + | |
- | * half plate | + | |
- | * Alkemist-böcker och papper | + | |
- | * 2×Flaskor 16-7 | + | |
- | * 79 Dinarer, 97 Dirham, 18 kopparstyvrar, | + | |
- | * 13 Light components | + | |
- | * Mystery key | + | |
- | * Silver Bell | + | |
- | * Azur | + | |
- | * Moss agat | + | |
- | * Eld Opal värd 1000g | + | |
- | * Perl worth 100g | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It was truly a time of riches and wonder, o child of my liver! But we | + | |
- | have no fate but the fate we are given. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 28–29 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### Tale of a Fallen Hero | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When a hero falls, the gods cry and the monsters cheer. | + | |
- | But when a wizzard falls the rest in the party directly ravage through his belongings. | + | |
- | I, Suha, witness this first hand today. | + | |
- | The wizzard' | + | |
- | Maybe they had a bet on what the testament said or if the wizzard had more then they thought. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A bloody sight he was, tubes and wires leaking out of his mouth and a scary sight in his eye. | + | |
- | At least I was there in Selan´s service to help clean him up before his maker he would face. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | If he ever gets to walk the earth again only a higher power knows. | + | |
- | May Selan take mercy on his soul. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tomb and the Unwise | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A great secret the wizzard had. Power over both the fire and the air for him to inferno make. | + | |
- | Fire to light the room and fire to burn, could this be the answer to a ceiling break. | + | |
- | But to escape this hot cage all the fire would do no good. Air on the other hand removes fire where it streams, or punches a hole in a wall it seems. | + | |
- | After all this I no wiser was. Maybe my master can finally teach me how to crystal clean, so I might someday a master make. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Treasure Hider | + | |
- | + | ||
- | My name is Aulin, I'm a level six rogue, treasure-hider for hire, five dinars a week. | + | |
- | My most precious possession: Sloessa! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Taraq 30—Masta 1 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Fleeing Duo | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Thirsty Salt is my name and the Clever Copper is my friend. We had to | + | |
- | leave Sunless Island in a hurry and we were lucky to be picked up by | + | |
- | the party and escorted to Safaq. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We had visited the Sunless Island with four sa' | + | |
- | al-Hukra, and his sister, a Wind/Water mage named Sharwin al-Hukra. | + | |
- | Another corsair just calling themselves al-Karakas. And an outland | + | |
- | warrior, "Sir Bradford", | + | |
- | Shatterspike. He did not speak midani, the language of the Loregiver. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But there were debbi on the island. Wild dog people! Not enlightened | + | |
- | beings. Me and Clever Copper just had to run away quickly and left the | + | |
- | adventurers to their fate. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Sleepless Night | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Clean face before the morning prayer. | + | |
- | _wash of the streaks, wash off the worry_ | + | |
- | Breakfast of bread, curd cheese, olives and dates. | + | |
- | _set the table, stare at the food, try to eat some_ | + | |
- | The coffee is dark and bitter. | + | |
- | _salt from tears_ | + | |
- | The evening meal is the largest of the day. | + | |
- | _it sickens me_ | + | |
- | Scooped up with flat bread. | + | |
- | _my hands do not obey me, they fall limply by my sides_ | + | |
- | An evening of telling tales. | + | |
- | _i cannot hear them. my thoughts are with my daughter_ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | My son was chosen by the gods. | + | |
- | _hakiyah, you failed me. i blame you_ | + | |
- | My daughter signed herself away to the courts of air. | + | |
- | _husam, scum among the djinns. your power came with death_ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A scent of the sea on the breeze through the window. | + | |
- | _a lament of cold water breaks my spine_ | + | |
- | The day is done. I lay off my burden. Each day a new day. | + | |
- | _this too shall pass_ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Flame/Wind School | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The ten schools are secretive but the clothes from Flame/Wind in their | + | |
- | blue and red are distinct. You do not meddle with their affairs. | + | |
- | Sanbalet was not a well-known student. But even so; to rank among the | + | |
- | very few who manage to graduate Flame/Wind as level 3 elementalists is | + | |
- | not an easy task. It is doubly impressive to so as Sanbalet did: as a | + | |
- | multiclass build. When you spend only half your levels on matters | + | |
- | arcane, you need to work hard. As Sanbalet did. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 1—Masta 7 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Petulant Crew | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I am Bemir. Soldier for Hakiyah and her truth. Not a galley slave put | + | |
- | to rowing and heisting ropes. The air genasi refuses to work. The | + | |
- | priest puts us to work on his fruitless expeditions. Travel exhausts | + | |
- | me. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Dark Stairs | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Durrar Island is a name you don't often here these days. It's more | + | |
- | often referred to as the Sunless Island. They say that debbi have been | + | |
- | sighted there. And rats. They say that the pin fruits grow there twice | + | |
- | every year. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | On that island there are stairs that descend into the darkness. Eleven | + | |
- | steps to the first landing. The first landing is five by ten. Fifteen | + | |
- | steps to the second landing. Those fifteen steps had blood spatter. | + | |
- | The second landing is ten by fifteen. The stairway continue down from | + | |
- | the second landing. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It's a five-foot-wide staircase. Steppes carved out of the Durrur rock | + | |
- | itself. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Packed Bag | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Call me the Brine Hand. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Umaji min-Hakiyah was my acolyte, then my novice, then my priest, and | + | |
- | I had looked to him to be my successor. But the village is in pain | + | |
- | under his leadership. He was my pupil, my charge. His failings are my | + | |
- | failings. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A mosque cannot survive with two heads. | + | |
- | A flower cannot blossom when it is drowning in water. | + | |
- | Too much attention is as bad as too little attention. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I put my weapons in the ground here. I made Safaq my home. I have | + | |
- | tried to steward it. Being focused on its present, I have failed its | + | |
- | future. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I will search for another village to show the truth of Hakiyah. But I | + | |
- | will settle for just a bed for me and my weary leg. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 7 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Looted Storehouse | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Door locke picked by thieves' | + | |
- | to say what she saw. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Hill Kahin | + | |
- | + | ||
- | There is a new Kahin in the party! Sa' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Also eight faris. | + | |
- | A'ina, Be' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Sea Ghost | + | |
- | + | ||
- | There it lay, out on the black waters of a moonless night. The Sea | + | |
- | Ghost. The legendary smuggling vessel. | + | |
- | Lantern-lit on a windy night. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 7–8 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Leaves' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Sea Ghost, in those times, had a deck wizard named Punketah, of | + | |
- | the wind/sea school. The school is in the old city of Huzuz. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Punketah was sitting together with me, and with a group of men, in a | + | |
- | place of Ajiya when the wind made her stop, and stand up. She saw that | + | |
- | I was weary of the sea, sick of the endless waves, so she offered me | + | |
- | some leaves of the catastrophe tree to chew. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To go to where rivers flow, overlaid with sand and covered with a kind | + | |
- | of paradise where there is no water and where nothing can be said | + | |
- | between the paths of the sacred sand. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Only the sun with its fierce rays and the moon with its waning days | + | |
- | and nights, and nights and days, and the two of them are my | + | |
- | companions. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We are here together in a place of dry, soft sand, in a kind of | + | |
- | paradise where there is no water and where Punketah sleeps with her | + | |
- | head in my lap, and with her hands in her pockets, tightly grasping | + | |
- | the remaining leaves, and where the water is only marked as the | + | |
- | kingdom of the Crowded Sea and of the three-eyed god. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Three Lizalfos | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Each of the three lizalfos has a distinct personality and keeps his | + | |
- | own secrets from his family and friends. The three lizalfos are always | + | |
- | in the dark about the location of the pseudodragon so that they can | + | |
- | not be seen by travelers. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Jira abu-Fevis is the only one of the three lizalfos to have a secret | + | |
- | lizard-home, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The three lizalfos sealed their lips with their tongue and the | + | |
- | smugglers are unfaithful to their sworn oaths and are unsure of how to | + | |
- | proceed. The three lizalfos are desperate and are dismayed to find | + | |
- | that their oaths are broken. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | On their own, the three lizalfos are incapable of magic, but they | + | |
- | are constantly reminded of their magical bond and the weapons they | + | |
- | have promised to carry. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The three lizalfos and one pseudodragon are not to be underestimated, | + | |
- | and no mortal can hope to outrun them. The other beings in the | + | |
- | wilderness are so small and insecure that few cares to be near the | + | |
- | local tribes, and are in no position to sit on their lot and risk the | + | |
- | wrath of their distant cousins. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The tribes are as numerous as the human tribes in the wilds and are | + | |
- | spread out over the land as far as the eye can see. The tribes are led | + | |
- | by kings and emirs and by clans of mercenaries and pirates. They are | + | |
- | not as organized as the human tribes but are more flexible and | + | |
- | resilient, complete in their customs and more organized for their | + | |
- | kind. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Safaq Council | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Safaq city council is founded on the purest of principles and none | + | |
- | can point to anyone else to whom they owe their loyalty. No council | + | |
- | can be trusted to predict events, as the council will only use the | + | |
- | information they gain from the city watch and the barbershop gossip, | + | |
- | and they will only trust themselves with their secrets. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The council does not lie. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Any council member who does is held to account by the sultan of the | + | |
- | governing city, and the council is made up of the most respected of | + | |
- | the members. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Safaq city council has unanimously voted to ban noxious alchemy, | + | |
- | to which the sultan of Jumlat, who has the power to do this, has | + | |
- | agreed. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The group is led by Soldiers of the Enlightened Throne. The plan is to | + | |
- | retain the custom on the Isle of the Blessed, and to have the council | + | |
- | members elected by the people of the city. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The council members are chosen by the people of the city, but only the | + | |
- | council is allowed to rule, and the sultans are appointed by the Grand | + | |
- | Caliph himself, who can remove them at will. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The council is divided into three seats and each seat serves a | + | |
- | different function so that the village is divided into three parts: | + | |
- | the harbor, the souks, and the temple. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 9 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Poor Angel | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Poor Angel, I give you a gift. | + | |
- | I gave you a gift, | + | |
- | and I gave you a gift, and I gave you a gift, | + | |
- | and a gift, and a gift, and a gift, and a gift. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Poor Angel. | + | |
- | To whom Fate has not granted a single good. | + | |
- | I have heard, O fortunate sultan, | + | |
- | that she was born during the winter monsoon. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Befuddled by the loss of her beloved. | + | |
- | Sons of the musical instruments, | + | |
- | And utter strangers in her own land. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In her anguish she recited: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When I feel my beloved, be glad; | + | |
- | for he will be the cause of my heart' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | All the while I keep silent, | + | |
- | as I do not know what is happening. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When I see him, I weep; | + | |
- | in my longing I say: "My darling, do not be dismayed; I am unwell." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When she had written this, the sultan of Jumlat summoned her, kissed | + | |
- | her hands and said: "What is this?" | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "I am unwell," | + | |
- | on the waves." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Poor Angel. You have been so silly to be so hard to keep from weeping | + | |
- | when you are in your death, and in your death you will be more than a | + | |
- | burden on your enemies. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You are so naughty, so mean and so treacherous. | + | |
- | Your sin has reached the point of being the cause of all. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You will tire your enemies of all your good, and when you | + | |
- | have done this, they will say to you: "Where is your love and your | + | |
- | grace?" | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Such is the power of passion that even when it is gone it | + | |
- | will not return. This has gone on long enough. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Hail, you who have given us your life! You who | + | |
- | have walked on the same path as those who hunger for it! Here | + | |
- | are you one of those who is sad and despairs? How can you say | + | |
- | to those who have turned away from the path of truth and | + | |
- | have wandered in the darkness of its shadow? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | If we are to be saved the way Fate and the Gods has saved us, we have | + | |
- | to sing praises. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "Go serve on the waves", | + | |
- | find a ship for you, and I believe them to be trusted, but you report | + | |
- | to me and to your rubban." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Palace Garden | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "I have heard," | + | |
- | Serpent Lord was brought up to the palace of the Pilgrim Dogs. I have | + | |
- | not seen, however, any work on the part of any one of these great | + | |
- | beings to make any of the statues." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Durrar Island, where al-Ashar and its shadow, al-Cryx reside, is a | + | |
- | small and unassuming fortification. The walls and doorways are | + | |
- | decorated with exquisite tapestries and gold leafs. The interior is | + | |
- | lavish, with a huge dining room filled with banquettes, exotic fruits, | + | |
- | and a spacious baths. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Durrar' | + | |
- | palace of the Great and Glorious al-Ashar. Sun bathes the garden | + | |
- | through the stained-glass citadel windows in a multifaceted, | + | |
- | tiling of all colors. The centerpiece of the garden is the arboretum | + | |
- | and its strong and everlasting tree. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Angered Queen | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Yusdrayl, queen of the debbi, smiled and said: "You have been | + | |
- | beautiful in the way you have carried yourself, but as I have told you | + | |
- | before, there is something that is bothering me." She continued: "we | + | |
- | have been very kind to you, Meepo, but I don’t know how you can be | + | |
- | sure that we are not mad." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When the old queen said this, Meepo was afraid of her and said: "It | + | |
- | was none other than the al-Hadhar, goblins and such, and I have | + | |
- | already told you everything that I know." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | When the old queen heard him say this, her anger turned to hatred and | + | |
- | she said: "I have heard the other debbi say that the serpent' | + | |
- | is a coward, and I have to ask you, Meepo, to tell me that you are not | + | |
- | cowardly." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The much-scarred debbi replied: "Yes, I am not cowardly, but it was | + | |
- | under my watch that our serpent, al-Cryx, was stolen." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 9, noon | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Terrible Weapon | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Yusdrayl, queen of the debbi, and all the people of the city. She has | + | |
- | a strict system; she has a set of rules that govern her people, and | + | |
- | every day she imposes a harsh punishment on anyone who breaks them. | + | |
- | She is prepared to punish anyone who disobey her, and she doesn' | + | |
- | hesitate to do so. She has a strict code of conduct and a code of | + | |
- | honor, and every day she gives a punishment to anyone who breaks them. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The beast’s tongue is a terrible weapon, and it is more evil than any | + | |
- | other weapon. It lets a creature swear an oath, as if it were a | + | |
- | magical weapon, but only those who swear will know its true nature, | + | |
- | and their oaths are often broken. The oath is of the order that the | + | |
- | gods have given it to all living things, and it is not to be broken | + | |
- | and abused. Some countries have outlawed the practice of oaths in | + | |
- | their courts. If they do, the judges have to be hanged in prison, and | + | |
- | the accused must die of natural mutation. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Imprisoned Elf | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Havis himself is quite a character, with a long history of fighting | + | |
- | the city guards and being captured many times by the Thieves Guild, | + | |
- | but he has proved to be quite accommodating in the past. He is a | + | |
- | grumpy and rash character, and can be quite violent and unpredictable | + | |
- | in his own mind. He also has a habit of hiding in an ocean far from | + | |
- | the city, not wanting to be detected by the city guards. He is also a | + | |
- | terrible mime, and his signature ability is his ability to haggle. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Havis, a prisoner of the deeps of the sea, may be about to die. If he | + | |
- | is, he will not be able to find his father or mother. He will be sorry | + | |
- | to see his beloved again, and will be sad to leave his old home. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Marooned Realm | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Jalara, ruler under the ground, and she is in the habit of watching | + | |
- | with a great watch and looking with caution. She is not always right, | + | |
- | of course, and she gives guidance to animals that are in a position to | + | |
- | give guidance, but she is a pumpkin-head of learning, and she | + | |
- | understands the nature of evil. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | She has been acquainted with the shady and shaky affairs of al-Bek and | + | |
- | al-Basg for a long time, and she has learned to understand their | + | |
- | duplicity. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | At times she has been too generous to the tribes, but the great and | + | |
- | terrible pumpkin-heads have no capital cities in the land of Fate, and | + | |
- | no rivers in the region of the Pearl Cities. She has ruled over the | + | |
- | tribe for long enough, and they are all respectful and polite, and she | + | |
- | has taken a great interest in their affairs, and they are all of the | + | |
- | same mind as she is. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "It is said that" said her lieutenant, "the world is made of salt, and | + | |
- | plants are so little understood that they have not been written down. | + | |
- | I know nothing about passing through the water, and the water-borne | + | |
- | elves are not to be trusted. If any person does pass through the | + | |
- | water, he will become a vagabond and will be drowned by the others. On | + | |
- | the other hand, if any person sees the one who has passed through, he | + | |
- | will be subject to the lash and his property stolen." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Jalara, ruler under the ground, and all around it. The whole land is | + | |
- | filled with a little greenish-blue shade, with the occasional white | + | |
- | dot. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 9, afternoon | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Debbi War | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The war against the debbi is not a holy war. The night is a dark, | + | |
- | lonely place, and the Geeba speakers are often seen sleeping or | + | |
- | playing in the dark, or wandering the dark corners. The Geeba speakers | + | |
- | have also recorded songs for the deaf, and a songbook for the blind. | + | |
- | The debbi have been known to attack the tribes of al-Hadhar, but their | + | |
- | hostility is tempered by their own pride. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The war against the debbi is a long-term affair, and will only end | + | |
- | when the city is turned into a ruin. Their rules are unable to escape, | + | |
- | and are often imprisoned in their own palaces. The war's final blow, | + | |
- | though, is death, as the warriors are forced to leave and seek | + | |
- | sanctuary in the bizarre magical city of the Geeba speakers, where | + | |
- | they learn the secrets of the Serpent Lords. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Crowded Sea | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Heart of the Sea, that is, of the Sea of Elements, and of the | + | |
- | Crowded Sea. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Sword of the al-Sayaj, one of the Ten Great Mountains, that is, of | + | |
- | the Seven Branches of the Enlightenment. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The City of the Delights, that is, of the Palace of the Enlightened | + | |
- | Throne, and of the Crowded Sea. And so it goes on. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Mouth of the Sea is a vast, narrow spiral of scarlet and gold, | + | |
- | like a great crescent moon, and there are many tales of its workings. | + | |
- | The land is barren and drear, but the sea is filled with life, which | + | |
- | delight the young and the old, and which is the dwelling-place of many | + | |
- | powerful and beautiful creatures. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I saw with my own eyes the Crowded Sea, and those that lie there behind it. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The sea was covered with white, and there was a green sea, and a sea | + | |
- | of gold. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | And the ship of the Sea of Fire, and a ship of golden pearls, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Wishing to be released from a burden that no one | + | |
- | can bear. In the midst of this sea, distant and | + | |
- | unseen, stands an island. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The land of the Crowded Sea stands in a vast ocean of death and | + | |
- | destruction. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Where the Crowded Sea has laughed and joyfully | + | |
- | when the nightingale hears the song of the sea, | + | |
- | as a girl in the land of the Crowded Sea, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | While in the nightingale' | + | |
- | a girl of the land of the Crowded Sea. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Crowded Sea, which is the only place in the world where the sea is | + | |
- | not covered with tears. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Wolf Senses | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A ruined jungle is a vast network of once-living trees, prostrate and | + | |
- | broken: a ruined jungle is a natural areas of the jungle, often dotted | + | |
- | with the remains of a jungle' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The invisible and intangible creatures of the jungle are a source of | + | |
- | new threats, given their nature, known to be savage. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Though the wolves do not come across as chaotic creatures, they are | + | |
- | often viewed as indecent, unenlightened, | + | |
- | of civilized tribes. They are also believed to be intolerable and | + | |
- | cruel. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They can also find the traces of animals and other creatures of the | + | |
- | same type as themselves, such as the moon and stars. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The keen senses of wolves make them difficult to use as spies. Some of | + | |
- | them have been known to follow their prey for days on end before | + | |
- | setting off and leaving the den to wander around before | + | |
- | returning to hunt again. Their prey consist of animals, but they can | + | |
- | also hunt for their prey with birds, reptiles, and insects. They are | + | |
- | also known to attack travelers on sight, and they are highly | + | |
- | protective of their food and their meals. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The keen senses of wolves, of plants and other things that serve as | + | |
- | food, and of all kahina, which are true to their nature, and are not | + | |
- | deceived by false words. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They strode, on the trail of the debbi, whose head was like a headless | + | |
- | bull, whose hair was like a hunt-camel, whose tongue was like a snake, | + | |
- | whose nostrils were like the nostrils of a dead, whose blood was like | + | |
- | a snake, and the blood of all other snakes. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 10–18 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Bone Nests | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Nests of bones, this is where they have been for some time and they have | + | |
- | been waiting for this opportunity to see you. Well, they shall be your | + | |
- | servant, and they shall treat you with justice and honor. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Their hunger causes them to be quite relentless, nipping at the | + | |
- | clothes of the bahrayin and their enemies, often causing them to get | + | |
- | overwhelmed by their strength. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Nights of torment are sometimes called upon by the harpies. Sometimes | + | |
- | they are called upon by the sultan of the crescent moon, and are used | + | |
- | to on the stars, meteors, and other large bodies. The crescent moon is | + | |
- | not the only crescent moon, but this is the one that is most commonly | + | |
- | observed. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Some are as though they are bones, and some as though they are | + | |
- | mammals; for the former are the fish, while the latter are the rancid | + | |
- | animals, reptiles, and birds of the wilds. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | All so changed that they resemble the creatures of the sea. Others | + | |
- | have been returned to their former forms, and are as though they were | + | |
- | the creatures of the land. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Last Journey | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I put on my best clothes, and I went to study, until I got up and went | + | |
- | to the baths. Then I washed my hands, and I brought bread and butter, | + | |
- | and I sat eating and drinking until I was ready to leave Safaq. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Attacked by four stirges, who seemed as if they were angry with me for | + | |
- | all the trouble I had caused Umaji. I was taken aback, and asked why I | + | |
- | had been so angry when I had always been so sanguine. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | As I lay dying in the desert, I see the | + | |
- | sunken ships, and the dead bodies of the bahriyin. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They buried my dead, | + | |
- | My bones were broken in the desert, | + | |
- | and the waters of the Crowded Sea overflowed my house, | + | |
- | and I had to bear the weight of my own tombs, | + | |
- | and my own dead were buried beneath the sand. | + | |
- | My mother and my father, O Hakiyah, | + | |
- | Have you not sent down the cry, O Hakiyah | + | |
- | that they came hither to me after death, | + | |
- | and my soul was filled with the love of the waves? | + | |
- | That I saw the beauty of the honey sun, | + | |
- | and the reflected rays glimmer in my sails? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Hesitant Fleet | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They asked us to send a fleet as fast as we could, and to ask Jumlat | + | |
- | for help. We told them that we could not sail until the sultan brought | + | |
- | them the news and the result of the battle. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the king had given orders to | + | |
- | the city guards, they did the same and when they had done it, they | + | |
- | said: "We have put them to death. We have sent a fleet to visit them | + | |
- | and this year they will be killed." | + | |
- | back they said: "We are damned." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They then set out to search for them and when they had done this, they | + | |
- | said: "We are damned. We have killed our own." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 9, prequel edition | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Dead Traveler | + | |
- | + | ||
- | He had a great interest in trade, and he was a merchant. Most of his | + | |
- | trade took place in the desert, but he also had a small shop in the | + | |
- | city. The enemies of the Three Freedoms and the Maghribis are also | + | |
- | Merchants in the City of Brass. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I called him to see what he wanted. "I want to know your name," he | + | |
- | said. "I want you to tell me where you are and what you want," I told | + | |
- | him, "and how you are here." He agreed, said he didn't have a name. He | + | |
- | was just known as al-Karakas. He said: "I have come to ask you for | + | |
- | your name and your message." | + | |
- | him: "By Najm, I am already dead, and I can't get up". | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Twilight Thorns | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The kahin just watched his tree and its branches die out and die and | + | |
- | die and die until the tree fell down and they all went into the | + | |
- | stables to die. When the tree was dead, the hounds killed it and the | + | |
- | tree died. The kahin got up and hid the wood from the tree, and then | + | |
- | he began to eat the fruit of it, but it kept on dying until he reached | + | |
- | the end of the dvargir mine shaft, and the tree kept on growing and | + | |
- | growing inside of him until it had reached the size of his own spine. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The kahin was dying and he was going to wash his hands and ask for | + | |
- | mercy, but when Nazeera, the pumpkinhead, | + | |
- | him and took him by the hand. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "You can be sure of what I say," said Nazeera, "and I"m not afraid of | + | |
- | you or your people. I mean to make your bed, and to die for you, my | + | |
- | son, in your own land. You are safe. And to hear is to obey. You have | + | |
- | been warned. Do not you unlock your dungeon door or else I will put | + | |
- | you, kahin, in your place. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You know, my son, what fate has drawn out, but the truth is | + | |
- | not to be trusted. You are not safe. And what is the secret of | + | |
- | your secret?" | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Al-Bek, for that was the kahin' | + | |
- | went back to the door, and the kahin, terrified by the sight of his | + | |
- | own body, kept on his guard. He then went to al-Basq, the doorkeeper, | + | |
- | and said: "I don"t have a body to bury, except this one, my son." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "To hear is to obey," he said. "I shall be upon you in no way." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The tree was not hard to reach, and the kahin could not be trusted to | + | |
- | destroy it. The kahin just watched his tree and rarely spoke. He was | + | |
- | as easygoing and polite as the trees. The pumpkinhead' | + | |
- | that the kahin might be a spy for the Sand/Sea school. But the kahin did | + | |
- | not care. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | So it is that the kahin is cast out of the tree, and the tree he | + | |
- | inhabits is his own personal plantation. Apart from the fallen fruits, | + | |
- | the kahin, and his two slain guardians, no one else lives in the tree. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The tree is a living tree with a life of its own, growing and | + | |
- | rejuvenating as needed. The tree does not rest on itself, but lives in | + | |
- | the branches of its own tree, growing and reculturing every few days | + | |
- | to find somewhere else to rest its head. The tree does not see the | + | |
- | world, as it is a tree. It sees only what the trees see, and that is | + | |
- | the unending twilight under Sunless Island. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Hard Three | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The hardy trio are always on the wrong side of the law. They are | + | |
- | fought over for the black market, and the thieves and assassins who | + | |
- | frequent the barricades of the sunken cathedral know them well. The | + | |
- | city's conversation is heated and small, and the madmen are ruthless | + | |
- | and unpredictable. Their presence leads to violent incidents, as they | + | |
- | are always on the move, although they do not like to be left alone too | + | |
- | long. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The citadel has a reputation for being a beggar' | + | |
- | this is not exactly true. Madmen have often acted as little more than | + | |
- | caravanserai, | + | |
- | city is home to a number of seldom seen beggars, who sell their wares | + | |
- | to the greatest of the merchants and the most powerful. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The three hunters could only see the shadows that they were trying to | + | |
- | hide from their own eyes. The night had fallen heavily in the mountain | + | |
- | beneath the waves, and the familiar torchlight and fluttering rivulets | + | |
- | of the night were dimmed by the tree's voice from the forest below. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The three partnered, and it was now only themselves that they could | + | |
- | see. The others were asleep, and as the night wore on Moudaa' | + | |
- | obsession grew. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The night was now dark and cold in the Veins of Stone, and the night | + | |
- | stayed dark and cold for several more days, until they were forced to | + | |
- | go hiding in al-Bek' | + | |
- | and the violet light of fluorescent fungi started to shine on them. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The three of them spent the night in the tree-branches, | + | |
- | terrified of Bu'ah and Atah, and the two secluded themselves until | + | |
- | morning came, and then they resumed their instructions. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The next morning they went to the upper level, and the Geeba speech | + | |
- | that they had learned in the forest must have been the same as | + | |
- | the language of Jalara' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 19–22 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Spacious Mosque | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Hakiyah' | + | |
- | aren't as many novices and acolytes here. The mosque is more spacious, | + | |
- | with buildings and walls, and the floor is covered with books. Most of | + | |
- | the furniture is black, but the door carpet is darker, and the rug is | + | |
- | black. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The walls of the mosque are of a dark grey stone. The spice rack is | + | |
- | also similar. The shrine is filled with fragrant wood and jasmine. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The garden is surrounded by a maze of trees, but the forest is blocked | + | |
- | by a hedgerow of walls to keep out the besieging eyes of the sultan | + | |
- | when he visits. The maze was painted by immersing the painter in a sea | + | |
- | of colors, and the maze is decorated with random motifs that the | + | |
- | artist has never seen before. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Rilcha min-Hakiyah, | + | |
- | the seminary in Jumlat. She saw him as one of her best friends in many | + | |
- | ways; but she hadn't heard from him since he left to found the mosque | + | |
- | in Safaq years ago. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Novices' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Locked in the brig, if you can't resist the song, | + | |
- | It's the most delicious of songs, no matter what you ask. | + | |
- | I used to tell myself: | + | |
- | You don't have the power to escape, | + | |
- | but if you do, I can guarantee you | + | |
- | that a day or two of peace will come over the seas. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Now I know better. | + | |
- | It is only when you think you can' | + | |
- | that you turn to bars, where the lyrics are not to be trusted. | + | |
- | They are my companions in life, and they are | + | |
- | the most unspoilt of the two. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | What are the verses of this song? It is all that I have to say, | + | |
- | Plentiful in the night, but now I can't sleep. | + | |
- | And now I have a lover to whom I can swear, | + | |
- | Before I ask, if they ask, I can't promise. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Then it is with deep sorrow that I have written this song, | + | |
- | Love is the only thing that has kept me awake, | + | |
- | And the only thing that has kept me awake. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Locked in the brig, if you can't resist the song, | + | |
- | You cannot say that you cannot hear you. | + | |
- | I am your servant, and you are my slave. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | A terrible thought came into the Captain’s mind, and he trembled and | + | |
- | laughed. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Locked in the brig, if you can't resist the song, I'll have you | + | |
- | whipped to a thousand stripes and I'll buy you a nice explorer' | + | |
- | from the local shopkeeper and send you out in the desert. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Soul Ransom | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Reached into his core, grabbed his soul, tore it out, and shook it | + | |
- | alive; there he sat up writhing in a dark, enveloping, and terrible | + | |
- | agony, until in his terror he realized that he would die and that his | + | |
- | own soul would be his ransom. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The imam wraith knew that the two were doomed together and feared that | + | |
- | they might be drawn into the power of the Four Great Disasters, whose | + | |
- | destruction is in their own hands. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It was foretold that they should be caught and put to death, but it | + | |
- | was foretold that they should escape and return to the fair land of | + | |
- | fire, the land of joy, the land of life, the land of the bounteous, | + | |
- | the land of death, where they would have no fear and where they would | + | |
- | not be seen or heard by any other creatures. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 22–26 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Eagle Eyes | + | |
- | + | ||
- | This pair of crystal lenses fit over the eyes. They are effective in and | + | |
- | above water: they are not affected by their owner' | + | |
- | They are completely opaque and do not permit eye contact with the | + | |
- | wearer. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The gaseous forms are more common in the eastern jungle and in caves | + | |
- | and ruins that are often hidden by magic. The crystal variety can be | + | |
- | used as eyeglasses, eyeslopes or a special kind of hunting eyepiece. | + | |
- | They are useful for eye sight. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Millennia ago, they were forged by the dvargir of the underground city | + | |
- | of Tanis, where they were used to guard the city from the effects of | + | |
- | the sea, miles above the rotten veins writhing through al-Toril' | + | |
- | stone core. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They were found by Abu Heriak, one of the poorest sailors in Sikak' | + | |
- | styes quarter. All other magical items that were found in the | + | |
- | Labyrinth had been swept aside in the wind, but he used the crystal | + | |
- | lenses to protect his family from sharks. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The pair was later used by holy slayers of the Grey Fire to detect | + | |
- | ambushes that otherwise couldn' | + | |
- | city. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Although lenses like these are now more difficult to find than ever | + | |
- | before, they were once used in large numbers by a tribe of al-Badia | + | |
- | called the House of Nasr, or the People of the Eagle. In that era, a | + | |
- | few centuries ago, the tribe were sometimes referred to as the Crystal | + | |
- | Peepers. Now only one pair is known. It is believed that all other | + | |
- | varieties are lost in the fungus of the desert. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | In the city of Gana, they are known as sultan' | + | |
- | Worn by the sultan' | + | |
- | they were displayed in public and were allowed to be sold to the | + | |
- | efreet-singed captain Xendros, the faithful quartermaster of Safaq. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | She, in turn, on one of the last days of winter, sold them to her | + | |
- | patron, Na'im al-Qadib of the Flame/Wind school. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Evernew Grimoire | + | |
- | + | ||
- | This spellbook doesn' | + | |
- | magical items. Magic items that deteriorate in this manner amount to | + | |
- | magic gaseous. Thus, they are often consumed as mage hoods and mage | + | |
- | lanterns, though the mage hood is always invisible, and the lanterns | + | |
- | are controlled by the mage. Not so this book. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The spellbook, which bears the inscription "The Tale of the | + | |
- | Unattainable Pearl of Night" in midnight ink, was bound in the era | + | |
- | before the elements and before the elemental planes were formed, when | + | |
- | the masters were masters themselves. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They are no longer the only ones with it, of course, but none have | + | |
- | ever been aware of its existence. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The elemental plane of fire was formed around this tome. The Tale of | + | |
- | the Unattainable Pearl of Night was a cornerstone of the Mosque of | + | |
- | Blistering Atonement when the City of Brass was originaly built. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The spellbook is magically connected with the worn hilt of its twin, | + | |
- | who is the dagger named The Star Before There Were Stars. It's this | + | |
- | dagger whose hilt suffers all the wear, tear, flames and waves that | + | |
- | are inflicted on the Tale of the Unattainable Pearl of Night. The book | + | |
- | appears evernew while the dagger' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The efreets have an extraordinary knowledge of the arcane and the | + | |
- | magical arts, and their spellbooks are filled with arcane spells. An | + | |
- | efreet named Kann had been searching for a great wizard long before a | + | |
- | dark magician vizier named Badr al-Din, who had long ago forgotten his | + | |
- | purpose, came to their lands. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The vizier, who came by land from the desert, who wandered through the | + | |
- | burning sands into the burning plane, had come to visit the holy | + | |
- | shrine of Karak Kadar, and had befriended the efreet, who are almost | + | |
- | all religious zealots or mystics. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The vizier and the efreet are generally polite, but occasionally rough | + | |
- | and uncooperative, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | These are now the most powerful of the efreet. They are the reason why | + | |
- | the people of the Land of Fate do not worship the dragon, the cruel | + | |
- | god of dark magic and death. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Tale of the Unattainable Pearl of Night was bound before the | + | |
- | elements were sparked, and its pages are constructed from the sands of | + | |
- | time and involve the great magic of the gods. Its spine is the | + | |
- | mathematical equivalent of a function of conculturation. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The Tale of the Unattainable Pearl of Night is full of destructive, | + | |
- | irrevocable instructions and useful spells. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It contains the following: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | - beginner' | + | |
- | - a list of magical items to use in the construction of conjuration spells | + | |
- | - a list of spells and magical items to construct spells; | + | |
- | - a list of potion items to use in the conjuration, | + | |
- | - and a list of magical items to use in the derivation of illusion spells. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The efreets are not the only ones with it either; the tome's cover is | + | |
- | itself a kingdom of the stone, and the stone is itself part of the | + | |
- | castle of the dao. The dao are the only ones who know of most of the | + | |
- | other majestic creatures and of the hidden spellbook. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dao have been forbidden for many years to use it, because they | + | |
- | view it as an evil weapon. However, they have no wish to use it, for | + | |
- | they know that the spellbook will be used to defeat them. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Visiting the City of Brass, captain Xendros stole this book and sold | + | |
- | it, in the brief few years when there was a stagnant, unjust peace | + | |
- | between Gana and Jumlat, to the breeze-ruffled rubban of the Sea | + | |
- | Ghost, Na'im al-Qadib of the Flame/Wind school. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Loyal Barahyin | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It's simple. We trust our rubban, Rax bint Vander. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | _(At that, the half-orc rubban' | + | |
- | red of her hair grew redder.)_ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Yorin has lost two barahyin just in the last week. I would never want | + | |
- | to sail with him. Rax sticks with us, no matter what. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We're not insane defenders of this city. We're not too sure about you, | + | |
- | for you seem to be hiding some sort of strange dark treasure in the | + | |
- | tunnels beneath the city. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | We don't really want to get this on too long. I'm not sure you'd be in | + | |
- | much the city of Sikak, Rubban. Or perhaps you are a desert-dweller? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You seem to think that this city is a desert, and that the only place | + | |
- | you can find water is on the mountains! | + | |
- | + | ||
- | That would be a good idea if it weren' | + | |
- | dwell within the stone burrows. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Our rubban, Rax, is the most trustworthy of sailors and she is such a | + | |
- | loner that she doesn' | + | |
- | a threat. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | If this is your attempt to save our lives, you have no idea who you | + | |
- | are or what you are talking about. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | What I want is for the waves to take care of you. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Our boat may be a small one, but we are always on the move and taking | + | |
- | risks. We have to keep our promises. If we don't, we will come back | + | |
- | and wait for you to come. If that doesn' | + | |
- | you, but I want you to come with me to see how bad the enemy is. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 10, prequel edition | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Last Descent | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Captain Ma'sa and his squad of guards were all well trained and fully | + | |
- | equipped with spears, battle armor, and shields, and they were all | + | |
- | loyal to Eli. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They had been tasked with protecting Safaq from the enemies of Jumlat, | + | |
- | a mission that had taken them far from home. Wordlessly, they | + | |
- | descended those seemingly endless steps, leaving the sun and bright | + | |
- | skies behind. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Something had been bothering Ma'sa. A thump… thump… sound. He tried | + | |
- | turning his head, in both direction, to see where it came from, but it | + | |
- | was a sound from his own imagination. His mind playing tricks on him, | + | |
- | distorting the echoes of his guards' | + | |
- | to be. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | It sounded almost like shovelfuls of damp earth being tossed on a | + | |
- | coffin lid. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | As if this descent into the ground was his funeral. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Desperate Prayer | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Oh shit holy shit Hajama give me courage Hakiyah wash over me the | + | |
- | captain is _dead_ so many teeth so many arrows my feet are killing me | + | |
- | poison spray they are spraying _pure death_ was that guy playing the | + | |
- | _bongos_ why are they here they looked like _people_ but what was that | + | |
- | _language_ they were speaking sounded like geeba geeba _bree-yark_ | + | |
- | they were yelling we need to get out of here get on the boat do | + | |
- | _something_ and that chick her eyes were **glowing** through her | + | |
- | helmet and those teeth those long arms and did you see Ma'sa was cleft | + | |
- | in _twain_ I can't it's hard to run when my feet are _bleeding_ oh | + | |
- | shit these stair _steps_ please let me reach the surface I feel like I | + | |
- | can't _breathe_ down here please let me see the sun please mom | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Dead Horizon | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Two times every day, Eli looked out over the dead horizon. At dawn, as | + | |
- | the sun rose above it, and at dusk, when the shadows of Safaq' | + | |
- | danced long over the Crowded Sea. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The ship of twenty of the towns precious few guards that he sent out | + | |
- | still had not returned. The sea had always been dangerous; its depths | + | |
- | always endless under the wooden planks of a ships' deck. Connected not | + | |
- | only to all the lands of al-Toril but to the world-of-all-worlds where | + | |
- | Marids swim. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The roaring, crashing danger, over which the sun still rose every day. | + | |
- | A danger that had become familiar, even to Eli, whose ancestors came | + | |
- | from deep sand and the Dao. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | These last few weeks, however, the ocean seemed to reassert its cold | + | |
- | dominion. At first the fish stopped coming in, and then, the fishers | + | |
- | themselves. The only ship that had returned was The Sea Ghost, that | + | |
- | old smuggler' | + | |
- | successor. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | With the endless cries from the north, where the mine used to be, and | + | |
- | the recent successive raids from Istishia cultists, from mamluks, and | + | |
- | from the Emirs of the Sea… And what were those wraiths Adan and Sa' | + | |
- | talked about? We needed our full strength. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Eli thought himself a mad man to have sent a full fifth of his force | + | |
- | to Durrar Island. Yes, sometimes a stitch in time saves nine, but… How | + | |
- | thinly stretched is _too_ thin? | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 26–28 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Dead Ocean | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dead ocean is understandably unstable and the wind is driven by | + | |
- | intense currents, but the tides are not too far off the shoreline at | + | |
- | any given time. This is the result of the Zakharan' | + | |
- | to control the tides, which they use to keep themselves and their | + | |
- | ships safe from the storms. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dead ocean, the black sand, and the light of the night. | + | |
- | The lover, who has forsaken the hateful | + | |
- | and deserted the dark places, waits for his beloved. | + | |
- | A month of love, like the morning in the House of the Sirens. | + | |
- | A month of sorrow, like the nights on the shores of the crowded sea. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The corpses of sea creatures are often buried along the shores. A | + | |
- | seafaring community is built upon the sea's lower reaches. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dead ocean is a place of peace and beauty, filled with the wonders | + | |
- | of art and the gentle life of those who live there. But it is not | + | |
- | without danger that the coast is so rich and varied. Beaches, swamps, | + | |
- | reefs, frays, and rough seas add to the beauty of the coast. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The dead ocean. The blood of the living, and the oceans are the source | + | |
- | of their blood. The living are all in the ocean, and the dead are in | + | |
- | the land of Fate, where their blood is kept safe from the sea. The | + | |
- | living are scattered throughout the world, and the dead are scattered | + | |
- | among the stars. They are abandoned by the sea, and the stars are | + | |
- | scattered across the world. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Siren' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You will find me in the streets, | + | |
- | but in my own land of the dead I wait | + | |
- | for the coming of the Sea, the Crowded Sea. | + | |
- | I can see the Pearl Cities in the gloom | + | |
- | of the desert, and in the land of the dead. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | For you will find me in the cities of the seas. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I will not rest here, and I shall not rest here, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But always you will find me in the water | + | |
- | in the water where life begins and flows. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I will be your guide, and your guide will be me, | + | |
- | until I make my way to the Pearl Cities | + | |
- | where the inhabitants are | + | |
- | like a dark cloud upon the land, and the wind upon it. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I will not rest here, and I shall not rest here, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But always you will find me in the water | + | |
- | in the water where life begins and flows. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You must know that all this land is sacred, | + | |
- | to the gods of the Sea, and that they revere | + | |
- | the sun, moon, and stars that dwell beneath | + | |
- | the waves, and in the depths of the sea. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Wild, yet never seen, | + | |
- | nor ever heard, | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But your utterance has beamed | + | |
- | down on me; | + | |
- | it is a song of pleasure, but you have a | + | |
- | song to make. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Your tongue has a song to make; | + | |
- | your tongue has a song to make. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But your utterance has been | + | |
- | cast down on the ground; | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You have been cast down from your own tongue, | + | |
- | you have been cast down from your own tongue. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | And your voice has been cast down; | + | |
- | and your voice has been cast down. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | And your ears have been cast down; | + | |
- | your eyes have been cast down. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | You have been cast down from your own eyes, | + | |
- | you have been cast down from your own eyes. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Replacement' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Back in those long Masta days when Safaq was going through its first | + | |
- | Season of Pain, Namarida abd-Umaji asked of Na'wa min Hakiyah: | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "Are you ready to come here to Safaq to oversee Hakiyah' | + | |
- | built by Velmar, called 'The Brine Hand'? Our priest, Umaji, has not | + | |
- | returned." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I am. I prefer to write rather than read. I'm a Priest of the Faith | + | |
- | Ethoist of Hakiyah, the Wave of Truth. I am always busy. I am not on | + | |
- | good terms with the people of Safaq, but I have always been a good | + | |
- | friend to the merchants on Jumlat' | + | |
- | complain if I can have steady work at the minbar of Hakiyah. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I am not the Brine Hand, but I am prepared to be a substitute. | + | |
- | I am not Umaji, but I will be willing to be substitute. | + | |
- | Followed by another, a fourth and then a fifth. | + | |
- | Some clerics are the end, others the means. | + | |
- | You, Namarida, I have no doubt. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Commander of the Faithful, if you will. | + | |
- | I would be honored to be your priest, if you will. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | But it is said that the beginning is the end, | + | |
- | and the end is the beginning. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | I would be honored to number among your messengers and your sages, if | + | |
- | you will. The hammer of fate is on your head, Commander of the | + | |
- | Faithful; you must learn to trust in the Wave of Truth, be guarded. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Starting midnight I will lay — awake but perfectly still — face down in the soils of Safaqs graveyards. | + | |
- | When the dawn strikes, before I pray for spells, | + | |
- | I will walk down to the shore and cleanse myself of dust in the harsh waves. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To Hakiyah I bring my regrets, missteps and sins. | + | |
- | From her, in return, I receive clarity. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ## Masta 28–30 | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Silent Mine | + | |
- | + | ||
- | They arrived to town early one morning. Gufsha and the seven dwarves. | + | |
- | All welded together into a big ball of arms, legs, pieces of armor, | + | |
- | hair, screaming faces; screaming all in the dwarwen tongue, because | + | |
- | Gufsha' | + | |
- | Two of the dwarven men were blindfolded. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | To those who could understand the dwarven family tongue, the song | + | |
- | seemed familiar, like one from their childhoods. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "When we see a city without walls, | + | |
- | we are afraid to enter it, fearing to pass the night. | + | |
- | While the walls are raised, the gates are shut, | + | |
- | and those who pass through are met by a hidden door | + | |
- | that we must not enter, lest we be looked on." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | At the same time, they only had to keep on living for a long time. | + | |
- | Fate had never dealt with this particular case before. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Then, after the seven dwarven miners all had been killed by the town | + | |
- | guard, the tongue-less woman roared, a roar straight from her stomach, | + | |
- | without being able to phonate any clear words, and tore up herself. | + | |
- | The city was left alone. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Emptiness Between | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "The emptiness between this particular walking staff and this handful | + | |
- | of incense sticks is what I worship." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | This void is a way to view experience; it neither adds or removes | + | |
- | anything from the raw sensation of events and perception. You see what | + | |
- | is going on in your own mind, and what you can sense of the outer | + | |
- | world, without making any assumptions about underlying causes. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | This is what we call emptiness since there' | + | |
- | presuppositions that we usually bring to all of our experiences: | + | |
- | stories, gods, planar beings, classes and levels we reference to try | + | |
- | to make sense of who we are and this Land of Fate. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The kahina found that when focusing too much on the questions those | + | |
- | elements raise about our true selves and the reality of the prime | + | |
- | material plane distract us from a more impactful sensation of how | + | |
- | events affect each other right here and now. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | Between the top of the pyramid shaft and the bottom of it is another | + | |
- | kind of emptiness. The emptiness in a 200 feet fall. There is a peace | + | |
- | there. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ### The Tale of the Foldable Hat | + | |
- | + | ||
- | "Oh, yes! I have a new hat!" said the old woman. "And what's that? | + | |
- | That's a nice hat!" | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The younger woman stretched her arms out in front of her, and she then | + | |
- | got up and took the hat her bag and tossed it at the old woman. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | She then went to the window, away from the window, and made a great | + | |
- | bonfire, which was delightful to see, and the old woman herself then | + | |
- | got up and entered and lit the bonfire. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | She then thanked the old woman and kissed her hands, and then she told | + | |
- | her to take care of the foldable hat. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The reason she had given her the hat was because she was thinking of | + | |
- | giving alms, and she was thinking of giving the gift to the poor, as | + | |
- | well as to the stranger, more trustworthy, | + | |
- | and less greedy. She was thinking of giving them all, but the stranger | + | |
- | had told her that he was here to make a deal with the city council, | + | |
- | and that he was not to be left for a day. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | The young woman was delighted to hear this. The stranger said: "I have | + | |
- | come from the west to make a deal with the council." | + | |
- | here?" asked the young woman, and the stranger replied: "Oh, I'm used | + | |
- | to go wandering in the deserts and take shelter in caves." | + | |
- | + | ||
- | With this in mind, she could give up the hat, not to one of the town' | + | |
- | beggars, but to the older noblewoman, with a purse heavy with dirham. | + | |