The Fortress Moon

A point of curiosity for many (and deservedly so!) the Scribes thought it would be appropriate to develop some information in a general sense of what the Fortress Moon is, or may be.

Chiefly, the Fortress Moon is the moon, the one that lunar calendars used to establish the "lunar year". It shows a luminous face to Ardha during the night, waxing from a dark disc into a silvery-green crescent, all the way to a full circle of luminous green, and then wanes again to a crescent unto darkness. This cycle takes about thirty days, hence the thirty day "month" that makes up the lunar calendar. The reason for the lunar calendar being only twelve thirty-day months long, whereas the entire solar calendar and circuit of Ardha around its red sun takes about 1200 days, has been lost to history. Whatever the reason, it remains the case that each solar year lasts approximately three lunar years, counted each by twelve thirty-day months (with an intercalary "month" at the end/beginning of the new solar year that "offsets" new and full moons for the next set of lunar years).

Of course such calary quibbles tend to arouse less curiosity about the moon than the fortresses that cover its surface and grant its name. For the Fortress Moon is indeed a kind of castle-in-the-sky--or really, a whole world of castles. This is even somewhat evident for those looking on the moon with a naked eye, for many of the fortresses of the moon are lit up so that places on its face are visible even when it is "new" and dark. But scholars with access to telescopes have confirmed that these lit-places, as well as other locations, are in fact fortresses upon the plains and mountains of the moon. In fact, so much of the moon is built up that many have proposed that the whole moon is a single fortress, suggesting that perhaps the world too (Ardha) itself was built along similar lines.

And more! The mere physical characteristics of the Fortress Moon are perhaps dwarfed by the legendaria surrounding the moon. For the Fortress Moon is the home of all the demons that plague the world! Or so many mythologies declare. Certain sects differ on the details--is the moon the last bastion of these demons, constructed for them? or built as a fortress against these demons, a series of castles to garrison against their return?

Regardless of the particulars, it is true that the Fortress Moon is dotted with mysterious fortresses and castles, and that the demons that infest the world are often reported to have come from the Fortress Moon as well.

Some Areas of Interest
(when looking with a telescope)

• the Plain of Daggers / Plain of Towers, a large flat area on the moon observed to be filled with great towers of bewilderingly different shapes. Both names are well known but relate to the same feature
• the Tower of the Sword, a huge keep, in the shape of a xyphos or sword, which points back toward Ardha
• the Face of Kudonia, apparently named after some ancient feature of another world; a carven face that looks down upon a kind of field of Mars
• the Valley of Fear, a huge crater near the Tower of the Sword that also points back toward Ardha. The meaning of its name is lost, but millenarian cults are happy to assert that demons will boil forth therefrom come the end of days ...
• the Smaragdine Castle, a fortress-in-the-air, visible especially because of its emerald-green lights, though it can only be clearly seen when passing over the near face of the Moon
• the Forest Perilous, so called because it is perilous to think too long upon these lunar things rather than engaging with the world as it is; covering a large part of the face of the Moon, this forest lends its green color to the light that shines down upon Ardha when the Moon is bright at night; it is also said to be the source of certain nightmares of the mad

Certain Legends

• the city of Gadeed in particular takes pride in its inheritance, for it claims to have inherited the mantle of Dalan the Great and Pure who was a hero-king of old. Dalan the Great was the hero who commanded a strange fleet that sailed against Fortress Moon, and made battle with the demons therein, defeating them and driving them back. It depends on the mythology of one's cultus whether one believes that he drove them off with the intent of throwing down their fortifications, or if he drove them into the moon and set up fortification against their return ...
• the legendary king of Old Tsurr, Dalan II., is also said to have sailed against the Fortress Moon; this is not as well attested outside of his particular cult, but rather treated as the king's merging his own personal cult with that of the man he claimed as his ancestor
• among those said to have sailed to the Fortress Moon, Hamdi the Voyager is of course among their company. The legendary voyager (who seems to have sailed everywhere--could it be possible in a single lifetime?) is variously said to have literally sailed his blue-painted galley the 'Zourqa to the Moon, or to have found passage there by other means. Either way, he found himself imprisoned there by the demons inhabiting the place and invariably escapes in the stories by clever stratagems
• look not upon the Moon when pregnant, lest your babe be a mad mooncalf!
• a number of demons are associated in particular with the Fortress Moon, many of them documented by the old demonologist Tulket ibn al Rahm. A book of his has been claimed by certain barbarians, The Black Book of the New Moon's Shadow (entry 3). This was not an exhaustive list, the larger list being contained in the Clavis Arce Luna, which no barbarian has yet publicly found/read. Unfortunately, as looking too deeply into matters of the Fortress Moon is seen as demonological and dangerous, it can be difficult to come by materials explaining such relations in polite society
• Regarding the "built" nature of the Fortress Moon, it is called in some sects the Second Moon, built after the first one was destroyed during the War of Gods and Demons, when Dalan the Pure drove off the demons at last. According to those sects, this is well-attested by the fact that the "lunar calendar" doesn't perfectly line up with lunar phases, and with certain references in old legends that the Moon was "made to follow the calendar of the old Moon, according to the will of Men" ... The sources for this are (naturally) poorly attested, so take what one will of it. But they also lend a strange credence to the idea that the world itself was "built up" much in the way that a fortress--or a Fortress Moon--might be
• Never trust a Hanse merchant trying to sell you lunar lumber

It should be noted, there are a couple of other Moons. One of them is a "stationary" Moon that is said to hang over the swamped and ruined temple-city of the ancient Viïs Empire. In a way, this lends something to the theory of the Second Moon and the idea of the "built world". In a way ... but don't let it be heard if you think this, for it is certainly heterodox.

Also, for those in Cothon-Gadeed, there is a personality in the city who has an especial interest in the Fortress Moon, one Lady Khadra al Qamariya. Hence this entry, to some extent--but it is also overdue. The Fortress Moon is of course a legitimate object of interest and adventure for barbarians willing to venture into the Tel al Safina!

Veer Shevade

Merchant of the Bani Dawr

Purveyors of the taverns and listeners of rumors may be wondering what goods the Bani Dawr have been selling. Well, joined by members of their house (both for guard and for general assistance) a merchant has recently set up a brightly colored stall in the market. Most obvious of his wares are the brightly colored cloths draped about his stall.

Though not quite as voluminous a stock as this particular shop, these are the sorts of colors and piles one might see in Veer’s own stall.

Veer Shevade, a darker skinned fellow, obviously aged and weathered from travels, is seen during most days staffing his little popup stall. A cheerful fellow, with a thick accent who will happily barter and bargain (sometimes reaching a point where he speaks too quickly for the native Cothon-Gadeed language, and accidentally reverts to his home tongue) with customers for hours, Veer obviously has many things from his homelands for sale. Like other wandering traders before him, in between the “standard” cloths, lanterns, beads, masks and things for sale at this strange new stall, Veer has a handful of more unique items. These are only shown to repeat customers, or customers who are willing to show enough coin to make his haggling senses tingle. Nevertheless, the below special items are for sale from Veer. However, no prices are being listed, as all of these times are under a “make an offer” sort of bargaining.

• A List of Bargainable Goods:           [I can't get these bullets to format]

• 5 small pearls 

• 8 furry ghamel pelts of excellent quality
• 12 bolts of remarkably soft and lightweight cloth. Veer claims this cloth provides protection like that of good leather armor

• 60 “ration” days of sweet fruits and nuts (fresh, not preserved)

• 4 especially remarkable tapestries (above and beyond those for general sale), the artwork depicting strange scenes of whole villages riding on the backs of giant, long-necked, creatures.

• 18 pounds of dye-powder of various exotic colors. Veer will quickly explain that he means no intrusion upon the Barcidae, and their dyers and so any dye-powder is only for trade, not for sale.

• A single, rather odd looking bone. The shape is that of a small finger bone of some kind. There is no scrimshaw, or other markings upon it. What makes it odd is that as one observes the bone it will, occasionally, blur and seem semi-translucent for a moment, short enough that if it didn’t repeat itself a few moments later one might assume it was a trick of the light. Veer claims this to be a bone of the mystical qosoth, a rare item indeed! A small metal chunk that looks to have been crudely shaped into a small bowl, is included with this item, and is what holds the item, Veer explaining that if it were to phase while held normally it might just fall into the depths of the earth.

  

  The Bhave head, in color

• A remarkable little carving with exquisite detail, seemingly carved from a single fist-sized pearl. The figurine is of a four legged seemingly fuzzy or feathered animal, similar to the one depicted on the tapestries. The body is in equal length thirds, neck, torso, and tail, the head rounded with a bulgy nose. Several round spines protrude from the back of the head and down the top inch or so of the neck. Veer claims this to be a magical talisman of the Bhave, a mythical creature that carried humanity on its back to the river delta where she used her feet to trample the paddy-fields, and exhaled the sweet air of the valley from her nasal gourd, and the colorful feathers from her back as the seeds for the fruits and nuts to grow
• 
  A small, palm sized orb with what appears to be metal lacing just beneath a crystalline surface. It does not appear to be one of the "eyes" that certain barbarians have become acquainted with over the past couple years
  

For those interested in the more mundane side of the stall, here are the more “generally” available items, and their prices. Unlike the above items, which are all “as supplies last” these items are, for the foreseeable future, being made more generally available for purchase similar to other specialty goods. Note that these prices are subject to the normal “ebb and flow” of prices. Which is to say, during winter everything is 2x as expensive.

Price	Item
5 dn (gp)	Bolt of brightly colored, lightweight fabric (not as durable as the specialty bolts)
3 dn / pint	A fermented cider, made from exotic fruits
1 dn	Paper lanterns of varying shapes, sizes and colors
30 dn	Masks, often of a predatory (or otherwise beaked) animal, but warped and elongated to the point of the inspiring creature being nearly unrecognizable. The masks are made of a foreign wood that affords the masks a slightly higher tensile strength than most dried and carved wood, allowing them to bend somewhat around the face of the wearer.
500+ dn	Woven tapestries, usually of scenes or creatures (higher price for finer art). He will also accept commissions, explaining that the producer of these fine tapestries traveled with him, and that she would happily produce new such items. Though note that this comes with additional time for the art to be created.

Veer Shevade (or his stall in the Souk, at least) will remain in Cothon-Gadeed for some time yet. Unlike other merchants highlighted in this space, he is not so much "passing through" as setting up a semi-permanent booth to sell the goods of his homeland as they come to him, he being the face of the operation. Though business may call him away at times, the stall will nevertheless remain, looked after especially by servitors of the Bani Dawr.

[written up by Jacob--thanks for an excellent addition to the milieu!]

A Request for Aid from the Undercity

[presented by Jacob, in relation to adventures in the Medina al Taht, the "Undercity" that lies beneath Cothon-Gadeed] 

One day, as the winter months draw long and cold, a messenger arrives for Najm. They are dressed in what look to be fairly standard attire, if a bit dirtier than one might expect, even for a messenger. Though one would notice that somewhat prominently on a lapel is a silvery pin in the shape of the crescent fortress moon. He greets Najm formally, though in a way that shows he wasn’t especially practiced at the motions, introducing himself as Haafil. After that he explains that he has come to Najm on behalf of Farhat'amirat al Fasad wahakimat almadinat taht (this said with the practice and formality of someone who has to regularly use a liege’s full title), who requests Najm's presence at his earliest convenience. She [Farhat] wishes to contract Najm and whatever band of barbarians he can collect, to help deal with an increasing threat to her domain. He refuses to elaborate, claiming no knowledge beyond the request itself.

Najm certainly wishes to take up this request, to venture again into Medina al Taht. There are things down there that bear more investigating! Who will join Najm in this endeavor? When shall we set out? Those who are interested may come to the Saint Iskameen's moorings in the harbor, and from there the discussion will probably continue in Fahra's Hole-in-the-Wall

The Moon Maid

 As mentioned (and forgotten by the referee) long ago under the section "Lady Khadra Qamari -- A Patroness", the eponymous lady could be approached as more than merely a patroness willing to buy gems and jewelry, artefacts from the Tel al Safina, and especially anything relating to the Fortress Moon--she could also be courted as someone of interest with whom one might cultivate a relationship. Given that I've been having fun writing other examples up, I thought I'd follow up here as well.

Lady Khadra al Qamariya

An eccentric woman of Cothon, presenting herself as a noblewoman, though not a citizen of Gadeed, and curiously dwelling in a tower that had been built by the Xolda Klackons but abandoned, or perhaps sold some time past and ultimately come into her hands. Her servants go about liveried in green and silver, with sheer green veils of silk, while she is a woman of a beauty as eccentric as herself, with blue-black hair, a pale round face, and eyes of shining smaragdine green.

Her tower-home is a kind of wunderkammern, filled with curios and artefacts of stupefying variety. Many seem merely decorative--if that!--and few have any obvious use. Whispers swirl around her that she is a demon-worshipper, no little reason being her epithet ("the moon-woman"), though better-attested rumors suggest that she worships foreign entities, be they hero, saint, or demon. She is clearly no native of the Ten Cities, and yet also quite clearly interested in the kind of artefacts that might be retrieved out of the depths of places such as the Tel al Safina.

The Lady Khadra is tight-lipped about her origins, but is quite happy to engage in local gossip relevant in Cothon-Gadeed in particular, or the Ten Cities in general, as well as happy to speculate about all manner of theories concerning the Tel and the Fortress Moon and things "beyond". She seems skeptical of the "received tradition" about much of myth and history, though she always stops well short of outright heterodoxy. She even believes that "the Wanderers" (stars that seem comparatively fixed, but are known to "wander" the night sky night after night) are other inhabited worlds!

Cultivating a relationship with her shouldn't be difficult for anyone interested in similar topics--which certainly seem like the kind of the especial interests of other barbarians of a more adventurous bent. When rolling to advance the relationship, complications must be rolled for on a dice result of 6-9.

Tick 1 - Purveyor of Curios

(Revna has already achieved this level of relationship, though seems to be generally inactive at this time)

• You have access to Lady Khadra as a patron willing to buy certain items without your having to spend downtime finding a buyer, specifically:
  - gems and jewelry in general
  - artefacts from the Tel al Safina or other location, even if seemingly useless
  - anything related to the Fortress Moon

Requirement: In order to roll for this first level of acquaintance, one must present for sale (or gift) an interesting artefact taken out of the Tel al Safina or other similar place. It need not be especially useful, as Lady Khadra is fond of commenting on the strange items of the Ancients taken out of such places that she has in her collection.

Tick 2 - Fellow Enthusiast

At this level, one is an actual acquaintance of Lady Khadra as a person; she has recognized a mutual interest in the strange artefacts of the Ancients, and perhaps in curiosity about the Fortress Moon and legends thereof.

• Lady Khadra will help with research into strange and unknown artefacts, though she will still expect some remuneration for such aid
• You may ask Lady Khadra about the curios in her wunderkammern and about her interests, and you may well learn something interesting

Tick 3 - Intimates

Because of your mutual interest in the Fortress Moon and "beyond", Khadra has opened up to you in particular. You are free to call on her socially, and she is happy to speak at length with you on what she knows and what she suspects. She expects you to be discrete with this information, of course.

• Khadra will share information with you, esp. about the Fortress Moon, that is little known or perhaps secret
• You may ask favors of Khadra other than help in researching strange artefacts, though favors may come at a cost
• Khadra may reveal rumors of an adventure location that she has heard about, but not been able to seek out herself

Requirement: To roll to advance to this level, you must be able to provide Lady Khadra with some especial piece of information pertaining to the Fortress Moon (and which is not hearsay), or some artefact that is definitely connected to it or to the skies "beyond".

Tick 4 - Co-Conspirators

Having long shared interest in the Fortress Moon and "beyond", and having shown yourself to be a discrete friend who isn't going to blather all her secrets to the world, Khadra is now willing to let you into the inner shrine of her tower. The contents are secret, of course--you'd have to reach this level of acquaintance with the lady to know what lies within.

• Khadra will open up with you about certain secrets she has access to
• You may ask a major favor of Khadra, though it may come at a cost
  - in particular, you may ask to borrow artefacts from her wunderkammern, which no doubt include certain eyes
• Khadra will support (financially and otherwise) expeditions seeking hidden sites she is aware of

Requirement: To roll to advance to this level, you must have been told one of Khadra's secrets and kept it in confidence for at least three months. You must also have pursued at least one of the "leads" that Khadra has suggested, and reported back to her with information and/or artefacts from that expedition.

Tick 5 - Moonies

There is a level of relationship possible to cultivate beyond the fourth, but the how and what of it are as secretive as the Lady herself. Those who are at "Tick 4" may request information about this next level from the referee, and pursue it as they desire.

Complications in Pursuing a Mooncalf (d8)

1. Your association with Lady Khadra has been noted publicly, and rumors begin to swirl, speculating that you have swallowed her heterodox opinions whole. Religious conservatives take affront at this; you are not welcome at the Confraternity of 'Issa or certain other associations, and you must spend an extra 1d6 x 100 dinars when spending money to take part in any religious festival for the next six months (including, e.g. the Tripartite Games)
2. Some presence in the Lady's tower was deeply unsettling, though secret or hidden. Save v. paralysis against these "heebie-jeebies" or fight at -1 to hit, damage, and saves on your next adventure.
3. Learn one of Lady Khadra's secrets. Do with it what you will, remembering that it will influence ability to cultivate the relationship further.
4. Lady Khadra has heard of a specific artefact or site in connection with her obsession with the Fortress Moon. She asks that you look into it. You must follow up on this "lead" to advance the relationship any further, including if this roll was technically a "success"
5. Someone of power or influence who has an interest in Lady Khadra sees your increasing esteem with her, and gamble that you are their means of learning more. They may bribe or blackmail you for information, or try to use you for a formal introduction, &c.
6. Something has followed you out of Lady Khadra's tower. The Referee will develop what this means.
7. An item has gone missing from Lady Khadra's wunderkammern. She (probably) doesn't suspect you, instead asking that you help her find out where it has gone/who has taken it.
8. Roll again on this table, unless the Referee develops some diabolical complication for you to handle ...

Mentored by a Sorceress?

 Of the three great magicians in the area of Cothon-Gadeed, two have been interacted with by the current group of barbarian-adventurers. Zaynab the Enchantress has been engaged by the Ringing Anvil to assist Durham's smithy in developing enchanted items, both for Durham himself, as well as for customers. Meanwhile, June (a player-character who has not been active for at least a year now) developed a certain rapport with Mormaera Yrasi, Sorceress of the Azure Veil. Only Rjak of the Grey Hand still remains totally aloof from the machinations of the player-characters.

What is being presented here is a more generalized way to approach cultivating a relationship with the Mormaera, in a kind of custom "clock" in the vein of the recent "To Fete a Souffet" post. When rolling, know that a complication (see below) is called for when rolling 6-9 on the downtime dice.

Tick 1 – Make an Impression

You have been noticed by the Sorceress of the Azure Veil. This could be the beginning of a fruitful relationship for those of magical bent; many a magic-user covets the private arcane library that the Mormaera secrets in her well-appointed manor overlooking the harbor of Cothon.

Requirement: to catch the interest of the Mormaera, one must have a mask and costume devised for oneself, the more lavish or intricate (and integrated) the more likely to catch her attention. Spending at least 500 dinars on this ensemble will provide a +1 on this roll; it could be one that was devised for one of certain masquerades that have taken place (and will again) in the city.

Tick 2 – Invite to A Symposion

You have been invited to attend one of the symposia put on by the Mormaera, all while behind your mask and costume, of course. The Mormaera puts on no more than one symposion per month, and so only one attempt to advance to this level can be rolled each month. Anyone who has caught the interest of the Mormaera may attempt to finagle an invitation and distinguish themselves thereat with clever conversation and/or philosophizing.

• You have the pleasure of sometimes attending the symposia of the Mormaera, and engaging in interesting banter while there

• You may gain a free relationship tick with Stahlkor of Reywind, a Hansemann who is often seen at the Mormaera’s side

• If you attend six symposia while at this level (using a downtime action—and remember, only once per month) while wearing a new mask and costume each time of at least 250 dinars in value, you may automatically advance to the next relationship tick, though you must still roll the dice to see if there is a complication (6-9 on the 2d6)

Tick 3 – Learn a New Trick

The Mormaera has taken an interest in you and your magical aptitude. She wants to see if you interested in learning the kind of magic that she knows, as well as to see if you are indeed a trustworthy acquaintance. She will offer you a book out of her library, from which you may learn the spells within, but will also ask a question of you.

Requirement: You must be a magic-user.

• You gain access to one spellbook of the Mormaera’s, from which you may learn certain unique spells.

• You may ask small favors of the Mormaera, though they may come at a cost.

Tick 4 – Mentorship

You have demonstrated your magical skills and shown interest in what the Mormaera has to offer. She will take you on as a client to be mentored, and allow you access to more of her private library.

Requirement: You must be a magic-user capable of casting second level spells. You must have learned the spells offered to you at the former relationship level and have expressed interest in learning more. The Mormaera must also trust you in having access to her library.

• The Mormaera’s mentorship is invaluable; once per month you may spend a downtime to study with her and earn xp equal to 100 times your character level. This xp cannot advance you to the next level; you would be stopped at 1 xp fewer than the next level and must adventure or earn xp in some other way to advance your level at that point

• The Mormaera cannot tutor anyone who is of 8^th or higher level

• You are granted access to more of her private library of spells, both unique and not

• You may be asked to perform certain tasks for the Mormaera

• But you may also ask favors of her more readily; major favors may come at a cost

Tick 5 – Partners

You have gained the respect of the Mormaera with your skills and abilities. She no longer considers you a pupil to be mentored, but as something of an equal.

Requirement: You must be a magic-user capable of casting fifth level spells. You must demonstrate your abilities to the Mormaera by creating a new spell, and by devising a spellbook for yourself. By doing so, you prove your abilities to her.

• You have the respect of a powerful sorceress

• You may entreat the Mormaera’s assistance in major projects—perhaps sharing the cost of gold and the time spent researching for the development of new spells or the devising of new magic items (which you should be able to create at this level).

• You have the Mormaera’s confidence; she may share other more powerful spells with you, though do not expect her to share every secret—magic-users can be a jealous lot!

Complications in Courting a Sorceress' Attentions (d8)

1. You have said, thought, or felt something untoward and in a way that has unfortunately offended the Mormaera. Your relationship decreases by one tick and cannot be advanced again until amends are made. To make amends, you must (for example) prove that your relationship is not merely instrumental on your side. You might provide a thoughtful gift as proof—not of any particular cost, but something that actually piques the Mormaera’s interest or real gratitude.

2. You have been involved in a ritual brushing against or touching something beyond the ken of normal persons. Probably not a demon of the Fortress Moon, but perhaps something similar. It would leave any normal man shaken, and you must save v. paralysis or be shaken yourself (-1 to attack and to saves on your next adventure). If you are a magic user hoping to mentor with the Mormaera, you must prove yourself capable of withstanding this weirdness—you cannot mentor with her again until you make a save v. paralysis at a ritual with her, which may only be attempted once per month using a downtime action.

3. You have aroused the envy of another magic-user who wishes to involve him or herself with the Mormaera. They become your Rival and may attempt to sabotage you, your projects, or your relationship with the Mormaera. She, meanwhile, prefers to remain aloof from such feuds.

4. Someone has noted your closeness with the Mormaera—probably a rival enchanter or sorceress—and they will endeavor to use you for their own interests in her. They may bribe you to look into her library for them, or blackmail you for information. Getting caught between two powerful magic-users will no doubt be un unpleasant position.

5. Stahlkor of Reywind has taken a liking to you and invites you to carouse with him at the Kantor. You may take him up on this offer, and (only once per such invitation) spend up to 200 gold per level to earn xp in carousing. Doing so will likely involve rolling on a different carousing table (like Jeff’s “Party Like It’s 999”)

6. The Mormaera has entrusted you with a special mission, or perhaps asked that you come up with a special ingredient for one of her projects. This must be accomplished before you can advance your relationship any further with the Mormaera.

7. You find yourself embroiled in a magician's feud, deeper than merely having a Rival. Perhaps the Mormaera has named you a second for herself or her champion, or instead you have been directly challenged by a Rival rather than subtly thrown under the chlen-cart. Either way, you will be summoned to the Coreguyi Arena in due time to prosecute a wizard's duel in public view! Even if you are no magic-user, you may be called in as a bodyguard or merely a gladiatorial proxy for one.

8. Roll again on the table above, unless the Referee takes a personal hand in developing some other devilish complication

Session #92: Stirring the Pot

and the Demise of Riit Rakir

Following up on a recent call to arms, a company of barbarians gathered to take the new Souffets up on their offer of rewards for those willing to sneak their way into the Kzin Moot outside the Necropolis, and there learn what they may of the Red Cloud, the dispositions of the various Kzinti clans and their leaders, and perhaps even to capture some one for interrogation.

Bartholomew Pettibone and Iqtadar Sesel were eager to pursue this goal, joined just as eagerly by Avin, Durham, and Heijo. After signaling their intent to the Souffets, they received basic information about the proposed rewards: 250 dinars for rumors that could be followed up with, and 1000 dinars for any hard piece of evidence regarding the Red Cloud's plans, or a captive.

Finding the rewards agreeable, the company discussed just how to infiltrate the Moot for sometime, and finally agreed on the idea that they would hire Riit Rakir to pose as their "owner" and just have him, being a Kzin, lead them around the camp. Unfortunately, this proved more complicated than foreseen: Rakir was found drunk in a dive of a bar, hissing and spitting into his wine.

Upon being questioned, Rakir claimed that he should be a warleader amongst the Moot, but that he was an outcast, driven off after a failure to keep his position with a challenge of strength. Now Wtsai-Breaker was chief of the clan Rakir claimed should be his ... the company, being committed to their plan, invited Rakir to join them for a chance to seize the clan for himself. Drunk and angry, Rakir did the Kzin-thing and screamed and leapt at the chance ...

The group headed east out of the Gate of Mourners shortly thereafter:

• Heijo (magic-user 6)
  "hired" Riit Rakir (Kzin)
• Sesel (fighting-man 8)
  accompanied by Raoden (magic-user 5)
• Avin (magic-user 6)
• Bartholomew Pettibone (magic-user 9)
  accompanied by Gan ad-Din (fighting-man 6) and Hanaïs (companion)
• Durham (fighting-man 8)
  accompanied by Pako (renyu)

After a confusing night, the company eventually returned to Cothon-Gadeed, minus one Riit Rakir, but plus a different Kzin, later identified as Chanter-Khym. For this prisoner, the company was able to claim 1000 dinars in reward, and they were able to relate certain other rumors that fetch several hundred more gold pieces.

Pako was not with the company much of the time, sent as he was as a scout/spy through the huge camp, made invisible by a cloak of the mystical threads of magic. "Very smelly," he explains, wrinkling his canine nose over a mug of beer to those who plug him for the tale. "Many Kzin, all close, they stink, spray all over, claim this, reject that. Many men too, and many beasts, and all of them, eh ... make dung. Saw Kzin-Friend, he was in first camp. Not trust him. In next camp, Kzin hiss and yowl, and Rakir break into big ritual circle and challenge. He fight big Kzin there, get mauled, but keep getting up, mauled more. Injure big Kzin bad, but still he die. Later, I think we find friend lady-Kzinti, and they help kidnap 'Chanter' Kzin. I think they use magic, but I keep watch for Durham, not listen in too close."

Rumors brought back:

• Wtsai-Breaker is a new chieftain, so young that he hasn't earned even a half-name for himself; he won an uncertain challenge when his wtsai clove through the former chief's, and so he took the chieftaincy for himself; because of his uncertainty as a new chief, he has attached himself to the glory of the Red Cloud in a bid to ride on the rattail of success
• the Red Cloud is attempting to negotiate with certain Mrrshan, despite old enmities; Chanter-Khym himself is a disaffected Mrrshan warrior, not really Kzin
• there are divisions among the Kzin bands (as might be expected); Wtsai-Breaker and certain others are sympathetic to the Red Cloud; but more "conservative" Kzinti, like Sheerh-Han detest him and are looking for ways to be rid of the Red Cloud
• per above, the Red Cloud avoided the Moot, fearing challenge or assassination-attempts, and sent Chanter-Khym as his liaison
• (if there are others I don't remember proffering, feel free to comment below or on the Discord and the Scribes can edit this list)

The Lucre

• 2000 dinars (gp) for capturing a prisoner--doubled, because Chanter-Khym is of higher stature than the Souffets expected
• 1000 dinars for reporting four rumors (may be increased per note above, if other information was discovered but forgotten by the referee)

The Learning

• 500 xp to each player-character for infiltrating the Moot
• 400 xp for negotiating with the Kdaptists
• 451 xp for instigating the duel with Wtsai-Breaker
• 445 xp for the capture of Chanter-Khym

The Cut

• 500 dinars to each player-character
  250 dinars to Raoden, Gan, Hanaïs, and Pako
• 759 xp per player-character
  380 xp to Raoden and Gan

(player reports, art, etc. representing this session will earn a player-character 100 xp per level)

Session #91: There's Something in the Water

[Recap of a game I ran 8 October at the Vandal Gaming Con]

A pair of neophyte barbarians made their debut in Cothon-Gadeed, Promithius was initially interested in following up with a rumor that the Attine Klackons were looking for someone to investigate certain tunnels in their Spire, but after a need to follow up with an errand delayed him, he instead fell in with Eissa, who wanted to help the Was'go renyu with a different problem.

The renyu claimed that there was a monster dwelling in their watering hole, and were looking for someone to relieve them of its presence. Though baffled why they wouldn't just go to a different watering hole ("It's the only one that's really nearby," was the explanation), Promithius agreed to hire the Bulrathi bodyguard Kogus to assist in this. And so they were off, a pair of neophytes accompanied by the massive Kogus:

• Promithius (fighting-man 1)
  accompanied by Kogus the Bodyguard (Bulrathi 1)
• Eissa (fighting-woman 1)
  accompanied by Hasan ibn Hama (footman)
  guided by Rip, the renyu messenger

They went out by way of the stretch of beach beneath the Migdol of they Dyers and disappeared into the sea caves beyond. The company was gone for some time, and given their freshness, there certainly was questioning whether they would come back. Beast hunting can be a fatal occupation, after all!

After a while they did return, reporting no success but with a bit of an odd request. They wanted a hmelu and a dozen flasks of oil. With these now in their possession, they descended back into the caves. And in the end, the tetrad did indeed return, with Kogus carrying the head of a large haqel for his employer-at-the-moment. They were richer as well, with gold from the renyu (exactly where the renyu had come by dinars no one could quite tell).

With his share, Promithius declared that after a successful career as a beast hunter, he was going to retire. He paid a fair amount of his share of dinars for a decent shack in the harbor and nailed the haqel head up over the mantle, to show to curious guests. Perhaps he could be persuaded to be hired-on by other barbarian-adventurers in the future (as an "independent contractor" separate from hireling-list or Arwah al Safina?)

Paid off by Eissa, meanwhile, Hasan happily told of how they defeated the haqel, not by main force of arms, but by the cleverness of Promithius. For it was his plan, finally agreed on by the party, to stuff the hmelu with fused oil-flasks, primed and ready to explode, and to feed this explosive feast to the haqel for some serious indigestion. And by all the heroes and their luck, it worked just as Promithius had hoped! But it was a good thing Kogus was around, because otherwise Promithius would have surely drowned, as several cheshkeri arrived after to investigate the commotion, and charmed the poor fellow into the water. Only Kogus' great strength was able to fish Promithius out of the water, "While I, Hasan, fended the dreadful water-maidens away with my trust crossbow!"

The Lucre

• 90 dinars to Eissa; 66 dinars to Promithius
  10 dinars to Hasan; 33 dinars to Kogus
• a fearsome haqel head, claimed by Promithius

The Learning

• 324 xp for the haqel (300 +hp)
• 219 xp for 2 cheshkeri (100 +hp ea.)
• 200 xp ea. for investigating a new corner of the Ocean's Throat (including a Sakkra shrine)

The Cut

• 90 dinars to Eissa; 66 dinars to Promithius
  10 dinars to Hasan; 33 dinars to Kogus
• 471 xp to Eissa and Promithius
  236 xp to Kogus
• the fearsome haqel head

News and Rumors

[ I'm sorry to the regular players for my tardiness in updating much of the game. This year has been a bit of a challenge, between changing jobs, trying to write more (outside D&D), and ushering in a new family member. Life has presented a number of challenges to me in my maintenance of the game and its chronicles. Thanks to y'all for your patience--I really enjoy playing with everyone! 

With the birth of a new baby, I may not be able to game as regularly as once was, but I will try to have a game at least every couple weeks to keep things moving. ]

For everyone who has been in Cothon-Gadeed during the past few months, here is a list of news and rumors going about the cities. It is not exhaustive, but it is representative of the things that our barbarian heroes of the chronicle have been either engaged in directly, or poking around the edges.

The Scribes are hoping to expand the scope of the described world soon--not expansively, but with more information about the Ten Cities League and the Hanse at large, to allow for a wider perspective on things. It would also make overseas merchanting or adventuring easier.

News and Rumors

• new Souffets have been elected, namely Bayzadis al Othmani and Urodas al Arasquiy. They'll be replacing the old Souffets over the course of the next month, and will essentially rule the cities of Cothon and Gadeed, as well as the Ten Cities League for the next three lunar years
• concurrently, there is another set of Games to be held at the end of this month, before the new solar year begins--the Xoldasoteri Games, which will echo the Games of the past two years (Coreguyi and Tsamri-Hane)--it will be a time for those who like to gamble to see if they can bet on better gladiators
• the new solar year is about to begin, after a brief intercalary month at the end of December--this will be another time for feast and festival, much like the lunar new years, but on a different scale; the populace of the cities looks forward to this time, especially as it marks the beginning of the end of winter (remember, winter will last until about June 2023)
• the menace of the restless dead in Tsurr al Qadeem continues to grow. There are now reports of the winged undead vorodla leading contingents of mrur, as well as reports of stranger things, all per the Poor Brothers of the Dead and various mourner-societies brave enough to still traverse the road to the Necropolis.
• Telman of Tsipa has returned to Cothon! A "brightening star" of the Hanse, he has been away for most of the last two lunar years prosecuting a campaign against the Luwian pirates.
• ... and yet there are certain rumors that the return of Telman is seen as a kind of opportunity, an opportunity to be rid of one whose stardom is seen as threatening
• the Kzin warlord, the Red Cloud, continues gathering a force of extraordinary magnitude to be wielded against Cothon-Gadeed in a final victory of Kzinti over Men
• pursuant to this threat, the two new Souffets are rumored to be readying an army to field against the Red Cloud and his bands; this is a new development compared to the more hands-off approach of the last two Souffets (which seems to have facilitated the Red Cloud's meteoric rise--why were the Souffets so reluctant to move against the Kzinti??)
• other than his investigations into the Barcidae (which are not really as public as the chronicle might suggest), Durham is known to have been throwing himself into some great project at the Ringing Anvil, with the clamor of smithing and much activity constantly sounding around in the neighborhood
• Bartholomew Pettibone and his cohorts are apparently engaged in developing some kind of wondrous entertainment routine, including performance with the musician Anataynus and the dancing girls of the Kantor Kabljauhof
• bands of robbers from the undercity (Medina al Taht) have grown bolder in recent weeks, even to the point of openly robbing passersby on the street and breaking into shops and warehouses; meanwhile, the Bani Dawr have taken interest below, sending servitors of their house into the undercity, and Najm claims to have been approached by a messenger from the undercity asking for help for his mistress below--perhaps in relation to this increased banditry?
• The Banit Dawr are also said to be making money hand-over-fist by engaging with merchants that seem to be able to avoid the troubles of both winter weather and the roving bands of the Red Cloud; for those in the know, they are apparently able to get goods for low summer prices! Have the Bani Dawr made some deal with the demons of the Fortress Moon, or used some other magic to effect this wonder?
• the Attine Klackons, disturbed by the recent excesses of violence from Kzinti warbands, have opened negotiations with the Souffets and the Xolda Klackons of the cities, a move unprecedented in recent history, as they Attines have traditionally been isolationist

Banu Barraqi: the Barcidae

The Banu Barraqi, more colloquially called the Barcidae, are one of the great and influential tribes or houses of Cothon-Gadeed. They are the masters of the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish Fermenters on the shores overlooking the eastern coast of Cothon, as well as master smiths and armorers. They are also one of the few Bani-tribes of non-human origin, their family being instead come from the great ursine race of Bulrathi.

And they have been somewhat of a thorn in the side of our barbarian-heroes of these chronicles: attempting to tax passage of the strand beneath their fortress; suing the Survivors of the Tel for failure to pay this "tax"; and defeat of their suit in the Court of the Moon, and in the "Court of the Sword". As a house, they have not been making any great waves recently, but because of the past antagonism, one Durham of the Ringing Anvil, friend of the Survivors, has taken it upon himself to learn a little more about this tribe of mighty annoyances.

General Information and History

The Barcidae came to the southern shores of Dirac's Sea many centuries ago, a move that remains something of a mystery. Most Bulrathi prefer the northern climes of Ardha, but the Barcidae have remained obstinately tight-lipped for the reasons of their arrival. Instead, they invested a great deal in the initial development around Cothon, establishing themselves as valuable allies to cities long endangered by the roving bands of Kzinti.

The original tribe that came to the shores near Cothon was led by Barqa al Akbar, a group composed of his uncle, his own brothers, and nephews and cousins. His brother Koborg led the clan after Barqa's death, and so though their descent is actually mostly from Koborg, the tribe calls itself after Barqa.

One of the founder-heroes of the tribe was the great smith Goroborg One-Eye, armorer and lieutenant of Barqa, who helped stake out the area to lay the foundations of the Migdol that remains the major holding of the Barcidae even today. He did so in the face of numerous raids, most likely from Shen Sakkra come viking across the sea. As a founding-hero of the Banu, as well as of Cothon as a up-and-coming power, Goroborg is possessed of a great tomb in the Necropolis of the Tel, honored by both the Barcidae themselves, as well as by professional mourners from Cothon.

The construction of the Migdol fortress, and its stubborn defense along the eastern coast against invaders and raiders--be they Sakkra, Kzinti, or even chnelh hordes that once came down out of the northeast--said defense helped Cothon finally establish itself as the great port it could become, and gave the people of both cities the chance to finally gather their strength against their Kzin enemies.

Given this history, the Barcidae remain as one of the great houses of the cities, of ancient lineage. They have invested a great deal in Cothon in particular--unusual among the Bani, they have only limited estates in Gadeed itself. Their main holdings are as follows:

• the Migdol of the Dyers, a forbidding fortress on the eastern outskirts of Cothon; Urash ibn Tobrugh is the current master of the Migdol
  - defended by a full garrison of ghilman warriors and Bulrathi champions
  - the vats of the dyers and fish fermenters, where expensive dyes and garum are made
  - a great smithy and armory, run by a master armorer of the Barcidae
• suggested by their fermenting vats, the Barcidae have the controlling voice in the Guild of Dyers and Fishmongers; this puts them in direct rivalry with the Fischmarkt of the Kantor Kabljauhof and the Hanse that controls it
• beyond the Migdol, the Barcidae are responsible for garrisoning one tower each on the walls of Cothon and of Gadeed (the Lightning Tower and the Porphyrous Tower); Taborg ibn Urash is the current master of the towers
• they own a number of warehouses along the harbor front, where they store amphorae of garum and pots of various dyes for sale in the Souk, as well as to outgoing merchants; Elam the Steward oversees these warehouses and acts as liaison to the Guild of Dyers
• a modest estate in Gadeed, typically held by an elder member of the family who has earned time away from the more rigorous and clamorous life in the Migdol; Tobrugh currently holds this position

To parse out some of the information above, here are the chief personalities mentioned:

• Urash ibn Tobrugh is the current clan head and master of the Migdol
• his father Tobrugh lives in comfort in Gadeed
• Urash's son Taborg is the current heir and master of the two towers the Barcidae are responsible for
• Elam the Steward, a human of the house, oversees the warehouses in Cothon and acts as liaison with the Guild of Dyers (and other guilds)
• Kobur ibn Tambor is a champion of the house and leader of the garrison (not mentioned above, but he was the defeated champion of the Barcidae in the "Court of the Sword")
• Tambor is the current master armorer of the Migdol (not mentioned above); the Barcidae smiths have little to do with the Guild in the Dual-Cities, preferring to keep their secrets

Durham's Investigations -- Preliminaries

In the past year, Durham has looked into the Barcidae with subtle investigations, trying to learn more about what they've been up to in the city. For it seems to him that the Barcidae were involved with the pirate-nest in the Ocean's Throat sea-caves. Though the pirates have been cleared out, and replaced with loyal Was'go renyu and hired men-at-arms, the involvement of the Barcidae looms, as yet unknown.

Though much of the information Durham has learned is private to Durham himself at the moment, one thing that he learns is generally publicly known--that the Barcidae have been laying low recently, trying not to present themselves too much to the Cities in general after their humiliation in the Courts of the cities before the Survivors. It does not seem that they have been reduced in strength in any real way, or even really persecuted, but that they seem to be trying to let public interest pass away from them for the time.

Indeed, it may be that they are husbanding their strength, seeking some other way to press against their rivals in the cities.

Hamdi the Voyager

 Certain characters have recently had occasion to require more familiarity with the legendary Hamdi the Voyager, and so the Scribes now endeavor to give a short account of the man--no secret knowledge or mysteries, but the kind of legends a man on the street might remember having been told by the hearth when young, or as others might tell around the bar at the tavern.

HAMDI THE VOYAGER

Hamdi was a legendary sea-captain and leader of great expeditions of exploration to the far reaches of Dirac's Sea and beyond. Like certain other legendary—one might say mythic—voyagers, he is popularly understood to have taken seven great voyages, though legends and scant historic records do not agree so readily with this modern popular notion.

In fact, despite many efforts, scholars and poets have not been able to establish any kind of coherent single legend or history of Hamdi. Traditional stories are happy to mix elements anachronistically and with total abandon. Sometimes Hamdi is accounted a Tsurrian, sometimes a Denyan, or sometimes subservient to the early Souffets of Gadeed. There are even other tales that name him a native of Nous, or even of a northern city.

This confusion affords poets quite a bit of freedom when composing accounts of Hamdi for entertainment, but it makes it difficult to put together any kind of coherent account of his life. Some scholars even argue that there is obviously no one Hamdi, but many, separated by time but all called to the same love of the sea and of adventure. A few even maintain that “Hamdi” must be some kind of title of an especially secretive mystery cult, referencing the way certain Alkari tribes maintain a tradition of Hamdi hero-worship and insist that he will return. Other prophesies of heroic reincarnation or return can be seen in the myths of Saint Nerevar of the North, or of Samrahad Kaa of the ancient Viïs Empire.

What's more certain is that Hamdi is always said to be captain of the blue-painted galley 'Zourqa and accompanied by the golden kyni-falcon Nassr. He is always counted a friend of the Alkari, such that at least one such individual always joined his crew, and that he was romantically involved with Altayra bint Morwe, daughter of an island sorceress; and after her death, that he came into the company of another woman, of strange red-haired and blue-eyed beauty called Hanaïs. Some say that Hanaïs was magically formed for him by a powerful sorcerer-smith.

He is predominantly said to have sailed west, and both northwest and southwest along the distant coasts. Some stories also place him on the voyage into the great western ocean with Sinaboor, though some consider those tales to be spurious admixtures of separate legendaria.

NASSR

No story of Hamdi is complete without mention of his companion, the golden kyni Nassr. Though not all stories agree that Nassr is some kind of bird-ru'un, all stories agree that he is Hamdi's constant companion, and the reason for many of Hamdi's escapes from what could otherwise have been disastrous scrapes. Nassr is said to be an excellent scout, with eyes so keen he could fly miles high and then provide Hamdi with accurate estimations of coasts and reefs ahead.

Certain tales also associate Nassr with a ritual to summon up wraiths and images of the dead, as well as images of smoke provided by the dead. On the one hand, this seems morbid for a popular hero to engage in necromancy; on the other hand, such rituals are certainly well within the capability of modern magicians of power.

ALTAYRA BINT MORWE

According to legends, she was the daughter of Morwe, a magician who had hidden himself away on a secret island. Hamdi “found” the island only because the 'Zourqa was driven to its shores by a tempest, and that Hamdi and Altayra fell in love while Hamdi's crew was repairing their ship. Altayra escaped from her father's overbearing watch with Hamdi, and accompanied the Voyager on subsequent expeditions of exploration. She was later killed—it is generally agreed that this was inside the Tel al Safina—and that Hamdi grieved a long time after that.

Hamdi and Altayra departing

Much as Hamdi was accompanied by the loyal Nassr, Altayra was always accompanied by a strange familiar spirit called Imfawr. It was generally considered to be an invisible demon, like the qum'qum, and many storytellers simply describe it as one such demon caught and bound to service by the powerful Morwe. Though of inestimable use, due to both its invisibility and its strength, Imfawr was of course lost when Altayra was killed.

Imfawr

Many tales attest the friendship between Hamdi and the Alkari as originating from Altayra's own especial relationship with that avian people. Though many tales take Hamdi's friendship with the Alkari as a given, stories including Altayra almost universally acknowledge her influence on this relationship.

HANAÏS

Generally accepted as a “replacement” for Altayra, Hanaïs is treated differently according to the intent of the poet. Some regard her simply as another beauty for Hamdi to court after the tragic death of Altayra; some suppress Altayra in order to glorify the tales of Hamdi and Hanaïs; some call her a jealous rival who facilitated the events leading to the death of Altayra so that she might win Hamdi's attention to herself.

Regardless of the particulars of the timeline, many tales agree that Hanaïs was formed by magic. She is often counted as having skin enchanted to withstand the blows of swords, and to be preternaturally good at swordplay—as well, of course, as being enchantingly though foreignly beautiful, with hair of red and eyes of blue. Details differ—was she constructed by Morwe in an attempt to displace his daughter in Hamdi's affections, in a tragic bid to reel her back to his side? Some stories suggest it. Others tell that Hamdi was so distraught by the death of Altayra that his only solace was in his introduction to Hanaïs, who had been formed for him by his great friend Nguien Hua.

KIR-REIS

Sometimes considered a stock character—the Alkari chief of the season to join Hamdi's latest expedition—and sometimes written as a single recurring character, and Hamdi's trusted scout and navigator, Kir-Reis is the name generally given to the Alkari aboard Hamdi's galley 'Zourqa. He typically plays a role of adviser to the Voyager, as well as a dramatic foil when he can descend suddenly from the air on unsuspecting pirates or in other such scenes.

Regardless of the specifics of the saga, Kir-Reis is always counted an Alkari of the Denyan Islands, which is part of what grounds the Hamdi legends in the vicinity of said isles, and of Old Tsurr and early Gadeed. He is often picked up in the opening scenes of an epic, setting the stage for an exchange between himself and Hamdi to inform the listener (or reader) of the argument of the forthcoming tale.

HAMDI THE VOYAGER – A TALE

There was a certain woman who was cousin to the king of Tsurr where it lay in the shadow of the Tel al Safina, and she was heavy with child. But when the time came for her labor, the child would not come. For weeks she waited; finally, in desperation, she boarded a felucca bound for the isles of the Alkari where a great soothsayer lived, who might help her with her troubles. But she needed no soothsayer, for as soon as the felucca sailed out onto the broad waves, the child moved in her, and she was delivered of a fine son aboard ship.

She called him Hamdullilah—‘Thanks be to God!’ which is also ‘Ebxhariste’ in another tongue in which the Voyager is known—or ‘Hamdi’. This child had known, even in the womb, that those born aboard ship are destined for a life at sea, and he had heard the song of the ocean, and knew that fate must call him there.

So it was that he grew to be a fine lad who served aboard many a ship faring in the waters north of Gadeed, and when he had grown into manhood, he easily came into possession of a ship with the patronage of his royal cousin. Though he went on many trading jaunts along the near coast and to the Denyan Isles, he craved adventure and the unknown, and prayed the Lords of the Sea for a chance to prove his mettle. But when it came, it almost proved his match.

Sailing his blue galley, the Zourqa’ up into the Denyan Isles and going farther than his wont, his ship was set upon by a galley of fierce Shen Sakkra. The armored hides of the Shen, and their ability to swim across the gap to board the Zourqa’ almost allowed them to capture the ship, but before they could finish the job, a great storm welled up and drove both ships close against the islands. And a mist arose with the storm, so that none could see whither they were sped; and Hamdi’s Zourqa’ was beached on an unknown island when the storm finally cleared. What had become of the Shen, no one knows.

As the crew of the Zourqa’ assessed the damage to the ship, lookouts saw that they were being spied upon—but the spy turned out only to be a beautiful young woman. She warned them against doing any violence to her person, for fear of her invisible bodyguard Imfawr. Presenting herself to Hamdi after being discovered, she named herself Altayra and explained that this was a secret island, held invisible by the powers of her magician father Morwe—and that he would no doubt be displeased with the intrusion.

Having taken a liking to Hamdi, Altayra suggested a way to soften her father’s inevitable anger. He should first obtain a certain secret herb that Altayra knew about that would make him immune to the mental dominations of her father. He should then also set out to befriend the Alkari refugee Reis who was a friend of Altayra’s and allowed to dwell on the island’s mountain in seclusion.

When Morwe arrives at the Zourqa’ then, Hamdi should flatter him, but challenge him to a duel of wizards for the right to remain and repair his vessel. The herb will render Hamdi immune to her father’s psychical powers, while Reis holds an amulet that will allow the Alkari to banish demons, so that when Morwe summons such creatures, the Alkari can send them away again.

All played out as Altayra had foreseen, and Morwe allowed Hamdi to remain—‘For the time it takes you to make seaworthy your vessel, and not a moment longer! And be ware that you touch not nor speak to my daughter, for she is more precious to me than all the wealth of Zalkyria!’ And with that, Morwe returned to his fortress of solitude. But he did not know, or suspect, that Altayra had already spoken at length with Hamdi, and had fallen in love.

All the while that Hamdi’s crew repaired his ship, Altayra slipped away from her father’s house to spend time with Hamdi and his men; and Reis too helped with the repairs, eager to be away from the island at last. Now, Hamdi had been wary of Altayra’s growing feelings for him, afraid of angering a powerful magician. But he couldn’t deny that he too felt a growing affection for her. Therefore, when it came time to cast off, he had her hidden in the bow of the ship.

But Morwe had guessed at all this in his secret heart, and he went to see the departure of the ship, and sensed his daughter’s presence aboard the fleeing vessel. He reached out with spells of wind and lightning to call the ship back; but because his daughter was aboard, he had little heart in damaging the galley, and with every spell he flung, his daughter answered with a word of power that further broke the magic. So Hamdi escaped from the secret island of Morwe, having stolen away his daughter Altayra, and they were guided back through the belt of mists by the keen senses of Reis.

They had many other adventures after this, for the storm that had driven Hamdi to the island had also driven him far off course into waters uncharted by him or the men of Tsurr at that time. They encountered an island with a tribe of flesh-eating dzor giants; drove off an akho with extract of the tsi’il’s glands; were feasted in the halls of Mn the Ancient, hidden deep within the fire mountain of an island with strange beasts; and many other such tales.

But suffice it to say that they did eventually return to the south. And when they did return, they found the land much changed! For Tsurr had been sacked (though not yet razed) by the armies of the Kzinti, and a New City was being built by a man calling himself Souffet—but the line of kings had been wiped out. As a cousin of the old king, the Souffet saw Hamdi as a rival and feared him. He would eventually send him away on a quest for a glittering cloak, far to the west, as a pretense to see this potential rival into exile, perhaps to be killed along the way. But that is yet another tale for another day. For now, let it be said that Hamdi and Altayra lived together happily in Gadeed for a time, before setting out once more on another fantastical voyage.