The Zihuitlani Games

Almost a lunar year ago, Gan ad-Din and the Chroniclers went on a short tour outside the Dual Cities and up the western coast to Ittiyqa and the port of Baldashmun on the island across a short strait before returning to Cothon-Gadeed.

The time coincided with the solar new year and the Eid of the New Sun, when sacrifices are made in honor of the sun and with the intent to strengthen it and rejuvenate it for the next year.

This time is especially important in the city of Ittiyqa. Rather than simply making citywide sacrifices and donating excess meat to the poor and needy throughout the city, the Ittiyqans especially revere their founder hero Zihuitle, who was a fire bearer and so a kind of cognate with the sun and its need of rejuvenation.

To this end, the traditional sacrifices have been transformed into the Zihuitlani Games, which encompass both sacrifices and games--and specifically, the mix of the two that is gladiatorial combat (which is thus given a double meaning of funereal sacrifice and regenerative sacrifice with the spilling of the blood of the gladiators).

Gan ad-Din has been noted expressing interest in taking part in such games as a gladiator and champion himself--not only the Zihuitlani Games, but also the tripartite games of Cothon-Gadeed (Coreguyi, shortly upcoming, Tsamri-Hane, and Xoldasoteri).

For those who are aspiring, but less sure of themselves, the games include a tourney, the winner of which is granted "champion" status and then allowed to participate in the real gladiatorial challenges of the Games. To participate, one pays a 60 dinar fee to the administrators of the Games, and then participate in one-on-one duels until losing or becoming the ultimate champion, who wins 400 dinars and the title of Champion, with which one may enter the real to-the-death gladiatorial combats of the Arena.

The Champion portions of the Games are where the real glory is to be won, however, before the entire audience of the great Arena. First, there are a series of one-on-one or two-on-two (or rarely more) bouts between evenly matched fighters--these serve as the bulk of the real gladiatorial entertainment. Then, with the climax of the Games, there is some staged combat between teams, made elaborate with set pieces, monsters, and higher objectives than simply slaying one's opponents.

This year, the rumored staged combat is to represent a rekindling of the sun by one team needing to capture coals or brands away from another defending team and thus to light their own bonfire. The particular circumstances will only be revealed at the time of the Games, of course--the gamesmasters don't want to let the surprise be ruined!

Each combat in the Champion portions of the Games are affairs to the death (though individual gladiators, or those following the whim of the crowd, may strike false blows to yielding opponents, rather than actually killing them). Losers' bodies are ransomed back to their families, friends, or fighting-society, while their arms and armor are kept by the winner as his prize. It is known that the especially wealthy and magically connected may keep different panoplies ready in case of death or defeat, and in case of death may even be supernaturally called back to their bodies by those knowledgeable enough in the deep philosophies.

The Idea

As of writing this call to adventure in the Arena of Ittiyqa, these are my thoughts on the nature of the game:

• it is retroactive, i.e. it has already happened in the past within the fiction (IF a player-character dies an ultimate death--which the scribes find unlikely, given the magic the players have access to--that PC would have to cease being played, being dead, with the reasoning being that they didn't recover properly after the Games, but got a year of "extra" life before succumbing; and that's a pretty big IF, like I said, but risk is a part of the game)
• any player/character wishing to participate need only pay some fee chartering a ship (or transport by other means), and they'll be present; we're not going to worry about logistics at this hour
• depending on the number of players who wish to be directly involved, there will be a bout with Gan alone, or perhaps with a "squire" to aid him, and other players may take antagonistic roles, or play the crowd
• there will also be a larger staged bout as described including everyone who wishes to participate and (presumably, assuming he wins) Gan ad-Din as captain of one of the gladiatorial teams
• given their foreign status (coming from another city of the League), player-characters involved in fighting will have to pay a 5000 dinar fee to the gamemasters to get their team into the big staged combat; this is unique to circumstances now, and will almost certainly be different with subsequent Games (remember, winners get ransom money and losers' arms and armor)
• player-characters may of course attend the Games without participating other than to bet on the outcome--if anyone chooses to do this, I'll have to work up some odds, but for the moment I'd rather hear that there is interest before I do so

Good Hap to the Lunar New Year!

 and the Feasts of Investiture

With the close of Urodas-Bayzadis 1 and the beginning of the new lunar year, it a time for feasting and celebrations. The clash of timbrels and the winding of horns at sundown at the end of the lunar year herald the coming of the new year, and denote the beginning of a night of feasts Cities-wide.

At the top of society, the Souffets feast in their palace and re-invest their officers in the offices they have held for the past year--or choose to invest others in their place, as the case may be. They dine on fine dejeja meat, delectably roasted in butter and stuffed with dates; and eat pickled ninyelu, and rice pudding, and drink lassi, spiced or sweet, and fine wines.

Among the houses of Gadeed, the feasts are no less sumptuous, and mirror rituals of investiture are performed for the various officers of the banu houses. But even in humble households of Gadeed, or even of Cothon, feasts are still held--families take mowaj haunches from the markets for great roasts, or slaughter hmelu for themselves, and even they repeat the ritual for their humble servants of investing them with their responsibility within the household.

For player-characters:

Those who wish to partake in the festivities may spend 100 dinars (gp) per level to participate in a feast, as sumptuous as their means allow--and thus earn experience points equal to the gold they spend.

If they describe their festivities in detail, either below in the comments or on our Discord server, the experience they earn will be increased by 10%.

For Iqtadar Sesel:

In addition to the option above, Sesel, as a citizen, may also be called to perform some further office, into which he would be invested, if selected in particular, or if selected by lot. 

Let Sesel roll a d100 and consult the following table:

1 - called to serve as one of the Thalatheen (a panel of judges)
2-3 - called to serve on the Bem (the popular assembly)
4-10 – no office
11 - Katib to the Harbor
12 - Katib to the Knights Pylaea
13 - Katib to the Censors
14 - Katib to the Poor Brothers
15 - Katib to the Migdol of the Dyers
16-29 - no office
30 - Katib to the Court of the Moon
31 - Katib to the Court of the Mount
32 - Katib to the Souffets
34 - Katib to the Armory
35-49 - no office
50-51 - Hamladdir to the Mahanet (General)
52-63 - no office
64-70 - called to serve the army
71-92 - no office
93 - Katib to Alagadrein
94 - Katib to al Zaytun
95-98 - envoy to the Xolda Princess
99-00 - envoy to the Attine Spire

Thalatheen – the Thirty
A panel of thirty judges who review the conduct of civil and military officers. A citizen selected for this office should roll 1d6 at the beginning of each month; a 1 indicates a review is afoot, details to be generated by the referee

Bem – the Popular Assembly
The Bem is responsible for voting on certain proposals of the Souffets. If the Bem is summoned, the player-character must spend their downtime for that week attending the assembly to listen to debate and vote on the proposal

Katib – Scribe
A minor official assigned to a variety of offices to assist operations. Very much like the quaestors of ancient Rome, the Kataba's chief function is as auditors and assistants. A player-character performing such duties must spend one downtime per month attending to said duties; on the upside, this will entail some familiarity with the officer they are assigned to, and to the arena they are engaged in

Hamladdir – Shieldbearer
No longer literally the shieldbearers/bodyguards of the Mahanet (General), this is a junior military officer who acts as an aide de camp or sometimes a quartermaster. A player-character chosen for this office must either attend the Mahanet in person, or supply a person of character and skill in their stead (e.g. a son, a trusted servant, or perhaps a cousin, &c.). While the Mahanet is in the city it requires only one downtime per month to fulfill this duty, but if the Mahanet marches forth, then his Hamladdir must perforce go wither he goes

Army Service
A player-character called to serve the army as a citizen must supply armsmen to the army according to his rank and wealth. This does not necessarily mean personally serving (many nobles outfit their own Gilmani or men-at-arms to serve), though citizens of lesser means are expected to outfit themselves with arms and serve in the heavy infantry.
An iqtadar of a smaller holding might be expected to send a heavily armed infantryman and his shieldbearer, plus ten archers/skirmishers, and a slave or servant or two to serve their camp.

Envoy to Klackons
An unusual post, but Sesel's reputation precedes him enough that he is in consideration. He helped spearhead the crusade against the creatures haunting the Sixth House in the Spire of the Attines, after all. This post would entail service similar to that as a Kitab, although with the additional responsibility to act as a liaison between Souffets and Klackons under extraordinary circumstances (details to be determined by the referee)

Session #105: Return to the Denyan Isles

[this session happened on 9 September, taking about two weeks from then to be completed. The Scribes have been remiss, busy writing other things ...]

There was talk among the crowd of now-familiar barbarians of taking a return to the Denyan Isles, northeast of Cothon-Gadeed across the Sea of Dirac.

Fortunately, they knew a certain individual with a ship, which he has offered to be chartered by those who need a ride across the waves--Najm ibn Marwan and his ship, Saint Iskameen.

Supplies were laid in; trade goods were purchased in the Souk, to provide trading clout in dealings with the Denyans. In the end, it was Sesel, Gan ad-Din, Fa Min, and Demitrytus who took ship with Najm; though on their return, it seems that others were indeed involved.

To whit:

• Sesel (fighting-man)
  accompanied by Raoden (magic-user)
  and Ord (grey psionicist)
• Bartholomew Pettibone (magic-user)
  accompanied by Gan ad-Din (fighting-man)
  and Hanaïs (weird woman)
• Heijo (magic-user)
• Fa Min (elementalist)
  accompanied by Demitrytus (fighting-man)

As mentioned, the entire trip took just over two weeks. The Saint Iskameen returned to the harbor and offloaded new goods destined for the market--good wools, sea sponges, and some fine corals fit for carving into jewelry.

Meanwhile, the adventurers were seen talking excitedly to each other in their haunt of the private drinking-room of the tavern Cothon-Under-Star, and quietly talking about some personage called Kirsis, and someone else called Srilorian.

The Lucre

• net profit of 1196 dinars (gp) from sale of goods in the Souk on return
• a hold with fuel for Bob for the next year
• any dindin parts a player-character may have retained after the barbecue

The Learning

• 441 xp from a larger dindin that was ultimately barbecued (400 + hp)
• 229 xp from a mid-sized dindin that fled rather than being barbecued (200 + hp)
• 500 xp to each player-character for exploration

The Cut

• 199 dinars (gp), 3 dirhams, and 3 fals to each player-character
  99 dinars, 6 dirhams, and 6 fals to Raoden, Ord, Gan, and Demitrytus
• 668 xp to each player-character
  334 xp to Raoden, Ord, Gan, and Demitrytus
• enough fuel for Bob for one lunar year
• any dindin parts people may have saved

[as always, in-character reports, art, or maps will earn a character 100 xp per level; the Scribes would be grateful if anyone with clearer memory of this voyage would provide a report]

Tax Time & Other News

Indeed, it is that time of the lunar year again, and the first tax season under the new Souffets, Urodas al Arasqiy and Bayzadis al Othmani. Normally, this is a time for barbarian adventurers to pay their fair share into the coffers of the Cities.

But not this year!

Rejoice o! barbarians and denizens and adventurers. For this year, a reprieve has been granted--a tax jubilee--in recognition of bold deeds done in service to the Dual Cities, and for the capture of Fort Bugeater from the Red Cloud's forces and the removal of that stronghold as a threat to the Cities.

No player-characters owe any taxes this year.

The Company's Decision

Following their reported successes at Fort Bugeater, the company of that expedition was called to the Court of the Moon to report to the Souffets. Taking in all the information provided, the Souffets came to a decision regarding the reward of 150,000 dinars (gp) that they had offered for its capture. This reward was divided into three parts:

1. Eighty thousand (80,000) dinars would be awarded to the company of the expedition for personal rewards. Divided into shares, full shares to leaders and half-shares to retainers, this comes out to:
   11,428 dinars each to Sesel, Durham, Heijo, Fa Min, and Najm
   5,715 dinars each to Raoden, Pako, Demitrytus, and Fa Mei
2. Iqtadar Sesel would expand his holdings, taking up the office of mridha (castellan) of the Fort. It was requested by the company that the fort be renamed, given that "Bugeater" was the name of the Kzin who commanded it formerly. As mridha, Sesel receives thirty-five thousand (35,000) dinars for maintenance and upgrades to the fort. A force of at least 120 fighting-men must be hired and supplied, including support staff such as armorers and blacksmiths (it is suggested that perhaps Durham's Ringing Anvil get first refusal to take up this opportunity?). Sesel will hold this post for at least one solar year, with the chance to be reinvested with this authority with the accession of the next two Souffets.
3. Pako would take up the mantle of censor of the land around the Fort, acting as overseer and tax-farmer and ensuring that the land is developed for the good of Cothon and Gadeed. He will receive thirty-five thousand (35,000) dinars for the development of the land, and hold the office of censor for one lunar year, or longer if renewed during the Feasts of Investiture next year. It is expected that the Was'go take up some of this work, though certain rumors suggest that they are also engaged in their own expansion in the sea caves of the Ocean's Throat. As part of taking office as censor, Pako will also take on the mantle of citizen of Gadeed.
   This last is very unusual--a renyu citizen?! It seems clear that this is, to some extant, a thumbing of the nose at the Souffets, a deliberate following of the letter of their decision, but twisting the spirit. Many suspect that Durham, foreigner and Hansemann that he is, put the company up to this unusual choice.
   Yet, there are many who are happy to see a renyu raised to such status--after all, why should they not be allowed such status, when Bulrathi and Klackons are granted the same? Is there really anything about a renyu that should bar them from citizenship?

Pako's new status as citizen will be covered in a separate post.

Furthermore, the Souffets also promised a triumph and feast for the successful adventurers, in part to buoy the morale of the Cities, so long assailed by fears and disasters stemming from the Red Cloud and his horde of Kzinti, and the Stygian and the undead horrors infesting Old Tsurr al Qadim. This too will be covered in a separate post.

Session #104: Battle at the Hastati Gate

 

Emboldened by their recent success in Tsurr al’Qadim and concerned by the undead’s seizing of the Hastati Gate, a company of adventurers raised a small military force to retake the Hastati Gate and marched forth toward Tsurr al'Qadim.

[This session was run by Max--thanks again for the game!]

Bart, magic-user 9
    Gan, fighter 7
Sesel, fighter 8
    Raoden, magic-user 7
Heijo, magic-user 7
Durham, fighter 8
    Pako, thief 5
Najm, magic-user 7
    Fa Mei, fighter 4
    Alianor, fighter 5

The force the company raised comprised of:

200 light foot/archers
70 human heavy foot (mail, shield, spear)
80 Klackon heavy foot (2 HD, shield, 2 spears each)
2 Knights Pyllaea (4 HD) -- Odafin ibn Amos and Uthman ibn Naissa
2 Klackon "Heroines" (4 HD, 2 attacks) -- Tzintle and Iska'ath
30 Barcidae human heavy foot (mail, shield, spear)
1 Barcidae Bulrathi (8 HD) +8 0 1 Injured 0 Dead -- Urgrosh al Barraqi
10 Bob Hall light foot/archers 10 Injured 0 Dead
5 Bob Hall heavy foot 0 Injured 0 Dead
1 Ra’it Rakir (Kzin mridha of Bob Hall)

The force returned carrying many dead and wounded, but they were victorious, having managed to defeat a force of around 300 undead soldiers. The entire undead force was defeated, while the company’s forces suffered:

101 injured, 37 dead light foot/archers
53 injured human heavy foot
19 injured, 7 dead Klackon heavy foot
1 injured Knights Pyllaea
30 dead Barcidae heavy foot
1 injured Barcidae Bulrathi
10 injured Bob Hall light foot/archers
1 injured Ra’it Rakir

The Lucre

400 dinars
560 dinars from gems -- Alexandrite (300 gp), Moonstone (70 gp), Red Spinel (150 gp), Sardonyx (40 gp)
Wand, fine wood with runic carvings
Sickle A (magic)
Sickle B (magic)
Corpsewing claws x6
Corpsewing eyes x2
Stygian ashes

The Learning (6,533 xp total)

Stygian 2,790 xp (2,700 + hp)
Cultist, Forgemaster 1,766 xp (1,750 + hp)
Cultist, Ritual Caster x5 731 xp (125 + hp ea)
Zombie x13 286 xp (20 + hp ea)
960 from treasure

The Cut

1,307 xp to Bart, Sesel, Durham, Heijo, & Najm
653 xp to Gan, Raoden, Pako, Alianor, Fa Mei
128 gp to Bart, Sesel, Durham, Heijo, & Najm
64 gp to Gan, Raoden, Pako, Alianor, Fa Mei
Wand, fine wood with runic carvings
Sickle A (magic)
Sickle B (magic)
Corpsewing claws x6
Corpsewing eyes x2
Stygian ashes

The Souffets' Decision

 

PROCLAMATION OF THE SOUFFETS

AT THE COURT OF THE MOON 

CONCERNING THE MATTERS OF FORT BUGEATER

The Souffets of these great cities have come to a consensus concerning the matter of Fort Bugeater and associated events pertaining to its recent liberation. The Souffets would like to take this moment to congratulate and give praise to these heroes who, through great courage and haste, have performed their charge to an exceptional degree. Let it be hereby noted that Iqtadar Sesel, Hansemann Durham, Najm the Fishmonger, Heijo the Dyer, and Fa Min the Elementalism are individuals deserving praise for their actions, and shall be duly rewarded. It is also to be noted that General Dalinar al Khalid, through assistance of these individuals in their quest, has shown to continue to be a valuable and trusted ally across this great land, for this much praise is deserved.

As just reward for victory undertaken by these individuals, they were promised 150,000 dinars as compensation. After deliberation and request, it has been decided to award 80,000 dinars directly, to be split amongst the group as they see fit.

A second portion, 35,000, will be put within the charge of the party as a trust to develop the land surrounding the fort for a term of one lunar year. Taxes collected from this development will be turned to split amongst themselves and regional council to continue development and bring prosperity to this land, so long stricken. One member of the party, excluding Hansemann Durham, must stand for this post as censor, and perforce also stand for citizenship; their term in the office will be reviewed and either renewed or revoked during the next season of investiture.

The final portion of 35,000 dinars will be used to recondition and maintain the captured Fort Bugeater as a resupply depot and trading hub. This reconstruction will be overseen by the party as they have shown interest in the security of the land. The fort will be under lease for a term of one solar year. During this term Fort Bugeater shall remain well provisioned and garrisoned, a respite for weary travelers and a stronghold for our great cities. From this boon, great strides towards a brighter future have been taken. Again, one member of the party, excluding Hansemann Durham, must stand for this post of mridha ("castellan"; one character may stand for both offices), and thenceforth also for citizenship; this term of office will be reviewed and renewed or revoked with the accession of the next Souffets, whoever they may be.

Let this be the beginning of a new age of prosperity and dominance for Gadeed and Cothon and the League of the Decapolis. And let us hold a triumph and feast for these intrepid denizens!

Past this point is not public:

The adventurers are asked to pursue an investigation on the “Shadow Figures” and to report any findings on the mystery of the clearing of Fort Bugeater. This is something to be kept close to the chest. Let the people celebrate a victory, they need it. A feast will be held at the expense of the Souffets, inviting the party as esteemed guests, and a parade through the cities as victors.

[written up by Logan, who took on the aspect of one of the Souffets, with only a few edits by the Scribes]