A Procession for a Princess

Some months ago, Iqtadar Sesel received a petition from the Mnor Klackons who make up a portion of the population of his iqta': in short, we demand a princess for ourselves, so that we may be fruitful and multiply--and if you do not, we will seize one!

Here are the arguments with which they put forth their petition, in short (not being the full presentation, but rumors of what was argued to Sesel):

• We are no longer outcasts and dregs barely surviving at the edge of society, but are now organized in the service of a Spire (i.e. Sesel's tower)

• We have provided good service to this Spire in helping to build its infrastructure and maintain its fields (however strange it is to eat the produce of the land, rather than eating the fungal fruits of the fruits of the land)

• We assist in the common defense of this Spire

• Yet we are left bereft, incapable of maintaining our population in service to this Spire! This injustice is injurious, both to ourselves and our lineage which is denied, as well as to the Spire itself, and to the City of which the Spire is only a part, like to a drone being part of the body politic of a Spire

• Therefore, we petition our Ersatz-Princess Sesel to acquire for us a true breeding princess, wherewith to begin replenishing our numbers and the health of our body politic

Hearing these arguments from the subjects dwelling on his iqta', Sesel ultimately ventured directly to the Attine Spire and requested an audience with the princess of the Fifth House (with whom he and others have had the most communication, during the affairs of the cleansing of the Sixth House).

Though many were aghast to hear of the possible intermixing of one of the blood of the Fifth House to intermix with Mnor outcasts, the translator Txach'achit warmed to Sesel's arguments for the mutual benefit of such an agreement and argued eloquently on behalf of his friend's request to his princess--and she, after much hedging and uncertainty, finally acquiesced to allow a junior cousin of her line to be taken by Sesel as a princess for his Mnor.

But not merely taken, of course--as is only proper, there must be a grand procession for such a union!

So, in order to effect this union, Sesel must organize the procession for his Mnor Klackons (and/or other subjects) to receive this princess into their company at the Attine Spire and then transmit her to his iqta', in a representation of a kind of faux-raptio (abduction), which the Attine Klackons observe as a ritual remembrance of their past as many separate spires having to abduct princesses from each other.

Sesel must, in addition to picking the date*:

1. Spend a minimum of 1000 dinars on trappings for this procession (and may earn xp equal to the gold spent above this minimum, to a max of 100 times his level)
2. Spend a minimum of 2500 dinars on a feast for the bride's reception to her new "Spire" (the iqta') (and may earn xp equal to the gold spent above this minimum, to a max of 100 times his level)
3. Describe the procession in a write-up to be posted to this chronicle. Necessary trappings are:
1. a suitable gift for the princess (300-1800 dinars would be suitable; if Sesel spends in excess of 1800, he may earn extra xp as above)
2. fungal lightbearers to lead the way
3. armed guards for the protection of the princess (pay a special wage for the procession, i.e. a full month's pay for mercenaries per the table from the book; pay humans as normal, but pay for any Klackons, e.g. the Mnor, as if they are Elves--and once again, any money spent here will earn Sesel xp up to 100 times his level)
4. optionally, if Sesel invites leveled friends, he may pay them as special guards at 100 gold per level, and earn xp equal to that for each one involved)

*a note on the date--it would be considered bad form in Cothon-Gadeed to pick the week ending 27 January for this procession, as that is the week of Stillest Night when it's evil luck to start anything new

The guards may seem at first blush to be ceremonial, and they certainly are--but let it be noted that they may also be necessary, as they once were. One mere fact is that a procession overland from the Spire to the iqta' has the chance of running into some dangerous beast from which the princess will need to be protected. More realistically, however, there are definitely interests against the union of a Fifth House princess to a colony of outcast Mnor. It may be that such ill feeling toward this union could instigate a counter-raptio, in which Klackons from the Spire would rush forth to attempt to seize the princess and return her to the Fifth House--a coup which would no doubt end any possibility of such a union being successful in the future.

So the guards may be necessary as they were in the old ritual, as insurance against a counter-raid against the procession. It's up to Sesel to determine how seriously he wishes to take this concern--and therefore how many guards to hire and how well to arm them.

This will be a downtime action taken by Sesel (or by Zaida if he can convince her with a 7+ on two dice). Anyone else involved does not need to spend a downtime to participate, as they're not really planning anything, just taking a day out for a procession and feast.

The Wedding Feast of Sesel and Zaida al Rashid

[rules for participation are in bold immediately following the bullet-list of gifts]

The procession begins in the harbor of Cothon, at the great tavern Cothon-Under-Star which is housed under the immense shell of a mother whelk. Drums are beaten, and tamburs clashed, and men with two-handed longswords held aloft and flaming with pitch cry out, "Sesel, Voice of the Survivors! Come forth as one dead to your life before, but alive to the new life ahead of you!"

Sesel, Voice of the Survivors, comes forth from the tavern door, accompanied by his closest companions, and submits to the procession of men wearing the sign of the Banu al Rashid, who come bearing flaming swords and clashing timbrels. And the men announce to city, in the failing light of the evening, "This one is promised to Zaida al Rashid--and as was promised, so shall be done, and we take him now to Bayt al Rashid! All those who wish well to the bride and groom may join!"

And with a cry, and another clash, the procession sets out into the night, making a great tumult through the streets of Cothon. Such things are heard now and again--carousing for this reason, or that--but tonight holds an especial place for the barbarian-adventurers who have come to Cothon-Gadeed seeking riches in the underworld of the Tel al Safina, for Sesel is one of them, and many have adventured with him, and know of his recent accession to citizenship in Gadeed, Mother of Cities. And now this wedding to one of the great tribes of that very city, mistress of the Ten-Cities League! Is this not the very apotheosis of the barbarian's dreams of wealth and glory, a shining testament to the success-that-can-be?

As this is a public wedding, all those who hear are welcome to join the procession--which is to say, all those to whom Sesel is known have reason enough to join the festivities of the wedding-feast, to offer the bride and groom a fine gift for the start of their new life, and to feast and make merry. By nature of the public procession, the Processional Way between the Long Walls that connect Cothon to Gadeed are open to those who march alongside (where otherwise the gates are blocked to those who are not citizens, or who have no proper invitation by a citizen).

All of which is a long way of saying--readers of these chronicles, whose player-characters are active in the city, feel free to join in the celebrations!

The procession takes Sesel and his companions to the manor-complex of the al Rashids, a veritable palace built around a central courtyard in the midst of Gadeed, with rooftop gardens especially festooned for the nighttime celebrations with multicolored lamps of various shades, all hung with flowers of effervescent or delightfully-spiced bouquets (More traditionally, Zaida might have had a procession to Sesel's tribe-house; but the circumstances being what they are, and Sesel marrying into the Banu al Rashid, this is the nature of the night). Tables are set out with all manner of food--cheeses, skewers of the slow-roasted or fire-grilled meats of hma, hmela, or dejaja; whole fish baked in pastry, or fried in oil; grilled, smoked, or pickled ninenyelu and other fodder of the ocean; iced and cut fruits of all varieties; and wine, and beer, and palm-wine, and skooma, and liquors of all varieties!

A dais stands in the central court, upon which are set Sesel, groom and honor-guest, and his bride Zaida al Rashid, painted with henna even more extravagant and elegant than what she usually wears, dressed in the finest Klackon silks. These two preside, as "emir wa emira" for the night, lofty even above their highest ranked guests out of courtesy for the occasion.

Musicians play according to the whim of the emir wa emira, and dancers of the traditional dabke perform alternately with skillful belly-dancing by women and girls. A sword-dance is an indispensable tradition, in which two lines of dancers face off, with a belly-dancer between, and then exchange challenges of high- or folk-poetry for her affections, all of which ultimately coalesces into a mock dance-battle of men wielding walking sticks like swords. When sent aside by bride and groom, these musicians or dancers perform more privately throughout the gardens to delight guests here and there in the perfumed night.

All who come--great or small--must, of course, pay homage to the emir wa emira at least once during the night, and present to them a gift according to their means. From the lowly, a wreath of flowers is acceptable, or promise of first choice from next week's catch (from a fisherman, say). But for those of means, it is dishonorable to stint with a mean gift, especially for a wedding of such a tribe as al Rashid.

For instance, here are the gifts offered by several of the representatives of the other great tribes of Gadeed:

• the merchant tribe Banu al Luz (not forgetting their debt) offer the first fruits of their harvest of tree-nuts and other fruit, to the total value of some 2500 gold; but the giver also points out that the botanists of his tribe would be happy to assist the couple in "reinvesting" some of that value into the soil itself, to produce new orchards ...
• human servitor al Ghazali of the Bulrathi Banu Barraqi (of recent court fame) presents a pair of fine kyni-falcons, trained at the rookery in distant Nous--"Descendants of Aeon the Dread, a prince of the kyni race. May they serve you well in any hunt or venture."
• Qiyrdun the Shipwright of Banu Munqidh gifts the happy couple a fine riverboat from the tribe's holdings, the Silver Qaqtla
• Banu Urdos provides a promissory note of twenty head of hma and five of chlen-beasts
• another merchant tribe, Banu Hanbal, gifts the couple with one silver key representing the metaphorical shackles of a majordomo slave, as well as five iron keys representing same for five laborers
• Ishna of Banu al Dawr presents a fine wardrobe of Klackon silks and true-dyed textiles for the new Lady Zaida, valued at some 2000 dinars; a clever eye might notice that one of the wraps appears to be quite similar to a Klackon khipu
• Adolin ibn Dalinar, accompanied by Teleb the Bowman, both of Banu al Khalid presents the arms, armor, and accoutrements to equip 10 men-at-arms, all of superior make from the well-known armorers of their own clan
• Meridas of Banu al Saddiyas gives eighty-one head of fine hmela ("Seeing that the groom has no land or real wealth for mahr"), less the one that he brought to be sacrificed and roasted this very evening in celebration
• Txach'achit of the Fifth House of the Attine Klackons of the Great Spire arrives in the later evening leading a pomp of pale-carapaced dores and their dark-carapaced escorts bearing  black dklakolel-chitin shields; these Klackons bring greetings on behalf of the entire Spire, and offer a boon of the service of a dore-architect--"Your human assistance with the cleansing of the Sixth House was unlooked for, but appreciated. Perhaps this can lay the groundwork for a new--a separate--Accord."

As to any gifts from player-characters--those who provide gifts at the feast will receive xp equal to the gp amount spent on such a gift, up to twice the level of the player-character. Such gifts as are commissioned, but require time to produce, will provide the xp assuming that the "receipt" is provided as the "gift" now, and the bride and groom receive it in full due when it is finished; also, though it is considered gauche in our society to declare volubly the "monetary value" of a gift, in this society of Cothon-Gadeed, the greater a gift's price/value, the greater the honor of the giver (and also, how else are the scribes to value it for xp??), so only be secretive with the value if you desire neither honor, nor xp.

But there is one gift that supersedes all others, and it is granted around midnight, after most gifts have already been given. Khusra al Arasqiy, the second Souffet herself is a guest (her counterpart, unfortunately, was detained elsewhere by City-business), and as the night draws on she approaches to offer both bride and groom horns of wine. But before they drink, she forestalls them, and says, "These cups hold not merely wine, but also obligation. I gift them to you, but you are free to take them up, and drink of both--OR pour them out, and let the wine and the land lie fallow, and I will furnish as gift the rest of the barrel of wine, and other such fruits. But if you drink and accept, the Iqta' of the North Cliffs is yours, with all its wants, and all its provisions. It is a gift; take it up, or not, as you will."

There is a great hurrah from the crowd. The mothers, cousins, &c. of al Rashid look on expectantly, seeing their hard bargaining with the Souffets so close to fruition. And the celebrations will continue into the next day, regardless of the couple's choice. It is assumed the outcome ... Zaida herself touches horn to lips, ready to drink, looking deeply into her groom's eyes ... but it is not the place the of scribes to ascribe choices to what is chronicled here, only to record, and so we will let Sesel respond as he will, while the festivities continue joyously around him. In either case, truly, great wealth is coming to him; and in both also, great cares and responsibilities!

But enough of such worries! Drink now, and be merry!

Marriage Party!

 Rumors of a coming wedding between newly minted citizen Sesel, Voice of the Survivors, and a daughter of the Bani al Rashid were apparently quite true, as it is announced this week:

In the next week, Sesel will join hands in marriage with Zaida al Rashid!

A great public feast is being prepared for the happy day (and those who wish might start thinking now if they wish to provide any kind of gift to the couple for their wedding); but in the meantime, Sesel has organized a more private bash to celebrate with his friends during his final week as a single, unattached barbarian.

And so he has prepared this event:

(those who attend this celebration and carouse on the presented table will receive 50 bonus xp per character level, plus an equal 1:1 amount of xp according to any gold spent on provisions to assist in the festivities)

Invitees:

• Note: this is not restricted to men

• Survivors (Including Gan ah Din)

• Durham

• Tki’it and Althalos (barkeeps of Cothon-Under-Star)

• Agon Raffa (a captain of the Poor Brothers of the Dead)

• The above, plus pretty much anyone Sesel has adventured with, or is otherwise an adventurer who would like to come celebrate! Specifically, additionally invited though:

  • Barabajagal (a hireling)

  • Arwah members

  • others, as above

Knowing that these things tend to get out of hand, especially with a bunch of barbarian adventurers invited, but also wanting to include his new family in such a celebration, Sesel is going to spend 300 dinars (and hope that perhaps some of the family will help with expenses) for supplies, and brings in his friend Gan (not ad-Din), as well as perhaps a few others of his friends (Barabajagle, Agon, perhaps some servants from Zendaya?) for the labor ...

He’ll also use some of the 300 dinars to hire a handful of al Rashid footmen to act as guards (and bouncers, if needed), and station them around the party area.

He also asks Tki’it and Althalos if he could borrow some of the epics from the Cothon library, which they graciously provide--a number of fine epics, heroic romances, and various lyrics and elegies of note (none of the truly expensive works, but just some of the more common tales, with many copied manuscripts)

Attendees, coming to the party's locale, are then presented with this:

As you approach the place on the invite you find yourself in a rather run down section of Cothon. However, before you sits a small house. While the external facade of the structure is obviously worn and in need of maintenance, once inside it is clear that the place has seen some recent improvements. The various rooms of the small structure have clearly been repurposed from their original intents, and now offer various activities, primarily revolving around food and drink. The layout has one walking through a couple different rooms to collect your plate of food and to get an initial fill of drink before ultimately descending stone steps into the basement of the structure.

After a moment on the steps, longer than you might expect to simply access a basement level, the stairwell opens up to a grand scene. Below you is a large open cavern like area. In the center is an ornate green throne where Sesel is often seen sitting, though when not present others are often seen sneaking a moment to sit. Hung from the ceiling are alternating strings of Klackon khipu and strings of candles (working with Durham and al Rashid craftsmen to construct these, they are basically a simple rope split a number of times to have really small ‘lanterns’ like the below sketch).

Scattered about the ‘cavern’ are tables, chairs, a handful of various games of chance, as well as a number of large casks for drinks. At the edges of the space you see a handful of footmen near places that clearly lead deeper into the system of tunnels beneath the city.

Let’s Party!

Friends of Sesel! Join me in celebration for my upcoming wedding to Zaida al Rashid! Simple participation is free, and food and drink are provided! Though bonuses can be had by bringing something to the party. Joining in the celebration will count as carousing, but does not require a downtime. Like normal carousing, roll a save vs poison AND a straight d12.

Bonuses can be granted to your save and the second d12 roll by spending gold to bring things to the party, per this table:

Dinars Spent	d12 Plus	Suggested Provisions
25 gp	+1	Bring a bottle of wine; a tray of appetizers; etc
50 gp	+2	Bring a full wine cask; food for 10; pay the wages of a guard; etc
100 gp	+3	Sponsor one of the games of chance; pay the wages of some staff; etc

Then, applying that bonus (if any), one rolls a d12 and consults the next table:

d12	Partying Result
1	Made a drunken fool of yourself, gain no xp; on a failed save, you also pick a fight with someone on the hireling table, and can no longer hire that individual
2	"You look like hell!" The whiskey's holding down your head, act at -1 initiative next session, and on a failed save also roll attacks at -1
3	What a night! Wine flowed, laughter rang to the rafters, and everyone had a good time
4	You play a hand of tonk or two or three. Roll 1d100 x level, on a failed save you lose that much additional money gambling, on a success that's your winnings!
5	You found yourself the life of the party, buying rounds again and again. On a failed save you damaged some of the party supplies and pay an additional 100gp to replace them, on a success you either make a new friend, or better a relationship with an NPC.
6	"Wine makes glad the heart of man!" Letting loose was just what you needed, add +1 hp/hit die during your next session; on a success, also add +1 hp until you level up
7	"In vino, veritas." You share the bartop with someone willing to let you in on a little secret; gain a rumor or a map leading to a treasure worth 1000 gp/level
8	New tattoo! On a failed save, your friends talked you into it (or the referee decides on something terrible); on a success it's actually your idea
9	Sneak past the guards to the South. On a failed save you ran screaming back to the party after seeing a ghost, -1 on saves for your next session; on a success you found your way to the ‘Lonely Cat’ a strange tavern in the Under City and got some of the beer they offer (makes your stress and anxiety melt away), you have 1 ‘dose’ of the beer left.
10	Sneak past the guards to the East. On a failed save your mind gets a little foggy and you get somewhat lost, for your next session you are at -1 to hit; on a successful save, you found your way to a gambling den and win 1d100 x level in gold!
11	Sneak past the guards to the North. On a failed save you stumbled into a group of bandits and they beat you up, start the next session at -1 HP; on a successful save you instead manage to eavesdrop on the bandit’s conversation and learn of the location to a treasure worth 1000gp / level
12 13+	Sneak past the guards to the West. On a failed save you wandered into a recently vacated and strongly stinking battle site, the stink sticks to you and you are at -1 reactions for your next session; on a successful save you find yourself seated in the court of Farhat discussing current events in Cothon and you have an open invitation to return. You spent some time admiring the oddly intricate columns that support the large pathways out from the 'cavern', sneaking out past some of the guards at one point to see if the archways continue further away. There you found yourself a new friend. On a successful save a wild renyu assisted you in finding your way back to the party; on a failed save it was a sekeker instead. Either way, the creature knows your scent and perhaps could be coaxed out to aid you in the future.

By way of example, Najm, the referee's player-character, has been acquainted with Sesel on two occasions: first, in being shown this very spot in the Under City, which Najm (and some others) then went on to explore beyond; and secondly, on a recent (unposted) second expedition to "the Facility" of the Bani al Dawr.

So, per the invitations, Najm intends to join and wish his adventuring acquaintance a good marriage! He spends 50 gold on purchases from the Fischmarkt, first eel-like ninenyelu filleted and pickled in the tradition of his village, and the thin fillets rolled around pickled onions. He also provides smoked molluscs and grilled sea-cholokh tentacles smothered in herb-butter.

With that, he will get a +2 on his d12 roll ... so he rolls that and gets a 10, +2 for 12 altogether. He sneaked out west; unfortunately, he failed his save v. poison, and so ends up smelling somewhat of death, which will leave him at -1 on reactions the next time he adventures.

Altogether, being level 4, Najm earns 200 bonus xp, plus an additional 50 for the provisions, coming out to 250 total xp.