FMB, rolled a 6 invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1815393/
Akoe will nod his head to Octavius. [color=indigo]"I agree it does not change our plans. But we should go in with our eyes as open as possible. If this man is a pirate and perhaps a leader among the desert people, maybe he is known among the...less respectable citizens. Friend ben David, do you know of any way we could inquire in those circles?"
[color=darkblue]"Friend Valerius, I would like to assist you in your summoning, at least as far as increasing the number of people outside the city walls, but I would urge you to wait for daylight. I have no interest in being in a foreign land with a small party after dark, especially given recent events."
[color=red]Yes I will wait until sunlight. I have no wish for trouble and I am no warrior mage. Have you studied the creatures of magic much? They fascinate me. We can schedule a early morning hunt for spirits, if you wish.
Akoe is able to recall and sketch the symbols he saw embroidered on the tents. Ben David recognizes them easily. [color=red]These he says, pointing, are written in arabic. [color=red]They are prayers, phrases from their holy book, the Quaran. Why they would be on the tent of a pirate is beyond my understanding.
[color=red]As for travelling outside of the city, it is safe enough, provided one does not stray too far from the walls. I cannot say how far this "dominion aura" extends - I have no skill with magic as you do. As for places of magic, well . . . he points to the map. [color=red] Such reputations are most often associated with old ruins, places where men no longer dwell.
Turning to Akoe, ben David adds Less respectable, you say? My friend, I am a Jew. Among these people, I am one of the less respectable. ben David laughs, waving his hand [color=red]no, no, I understand your meaning. The guide to which I shall introduce you, Hamid, he is one who might know the answer to this question. He has travelled in the desert, and knows its ways and people.
[color=blue]I'll give it another day for question and answer, and then move things along to the morning.
[color=darkblue]"Is it possible, then, that our assailant is not a pirate, at least to those outside Christendom? Are there any local orders here like the Knights Templar or Hospitaller, religious orders militant, or any who claim that title?"
[color=red]"Let's make sure we have all the water places listed on the map. Without water or knowing where to find water, people die." She might be immune to heat and flame but that doesn't mean the others are. [color=red]"Are there any Oasis not on the map that we should know about and who controls them?"
Sekhmet knows egypt but this is not the land of the Nile though perhaps her name would ring some bells if people heard it. [color=red]"The only order of wizards I knows is that of Hermes."
Akoe will listen to Claudius and Sekhemet. [color=indigo]"Perhaps it is possible we are dealing with some type of holy man. Saints from the Christian faith can work miracles. Some might see those miracles and call them magic. Perhaps that is what we have here."
To Sekhemet: [color=indigo]"That is a good point on water. What other dangers does your experience say the desert may present to us? Maybe we can think of ways ahead of time to anticipate our needs. Could you or Lady Sinmore use a Perdo Ignem application to help with the heat for example? I may be of use in dealing with our animals"
[color=red]"It should be possible to keep people cool but generally in desert, you travel early morning, late afternoon. Middle of the day you find shade and keep cool if you can." Sekhmet says softly, [color=red]"Nights get very cold as well so you will need to worry about keeping warm. Desert fighting is usually swift and mobile. Heavy armor is not used."
[color=red]As I said, Valerius points out. [color=red]I sure thinks that magical spirits can be controlled and give us good information about the land and its contents. Perhaps they know where the water lies.
[color=indigo]"I know so little about spirits. Would it be possible to capture a water spirit here, where there is water, and force it to find its companions in the desert?
Claudius will also press his question with Isaac Ben-David about holy orders militant.
[color=red]I am most positively sure about that and even a lesser desert or breeze spirit could give us information about where the water is. A desert spirit would know where he would not go. The fascination in Valerius voice is clearly heard when he speaks of the mystical creatures.
[color=indigo]The desert animals will know how to survive. I guess I could make inquiries at that end. Akoe grimaces and then shakes his head.
Sinmore looks bored again as the minutiae of survival is discussed. She drains her wine goblet in a gulp and rose to her full height (as much as the ceiling allows) and stretched.
"Surely we will have guides and porters, yes? This talk bores me. I'm going to find entertainments elsewhere. When we travel if something should stand in our way I'll blast it, or cleave it with my little sister." she said as she picks up her huge great sword.
"I'm going out, does anyone wish to go with me?"
Octavius looks up at Sinmore with intrest at the mentioning of going out, but then he hesitates and turns back to the map, interested in the discussion of spirits and thier intended excursion as well. Clearly torn between the possibilities, he takes some time to decide, looking back and forth at the different people proposing various endeavers and mumbling to himself. After quite a bit of hemming and hawing, he gives a decisive nod to himself and stands. Gathering up his few things, he turns to Sinmore.
"It would be my pleasure to accompany you, Lady."
Claudius looks regretful.
[color=darkblue]"I would join you, my friends, but I have one question which needs to be answered, and until then my revelry will be colored. Should you leave these grounds, kindly let a servant know your destination so I might join you later."
Sinmore gives a sigh.
"I can wait. I waited on the ship to get here, I can wait a bit longer."
She takes the pitcher of wine and refills her flagon.
[color=indigo]I'm afraid I have to decline as well. Drank some wine. Had a vision. Saw a man who tried to kill me. It's been a busy day.
I wish you all a good evening. ben David, thank you for your hospitality. Good night.
[color=red]"I would be more than happy to wander now that I made my points about water and supplies. I am at home here in the desert and I speak the language as this close to the land of my followers." Sekhmet looks happy to be in this land and more than willing to wander.
[color=red]I have to retire, Valerius yawns, [color=red]I will see some of you my soldaes in the morning. We go looking for spirits then. The one who doesn’t wish to join me can arrange with the mundane supplies and we meet later somewhere to start the planning of our journey. Where and when do we meet? Valerius begins to rise up.
The next moring, ben David has a servant and a few guards excourt the group to the grand souk of Sousse. Although not on the scale of some of the larger European markets, it retaints an exotic impact that leaves a definite impression. You find yourselves assailed by sights and smells never before experience, anda gain, a welter of languages. Hordes of children tug at your clothes, apparantly begging, and itererant peddlers constantly offer a range of goods from melons to brass trinkets to scraps of food you can't even identify. While ben David's guards keep the most agressive of these away, they can't discourage all of them, and the overall impression is of being plunged into a kaleidoscopic bath of humanity.
Your guide eventually leads you to a relatively open area of the souk, close to one of the city walls. A small table has been set up, covered by an awning, and a number of men sit around it, talking, doing casual business, and watching the passers by. A number of heavily armed and rather fierce looking guards stand around, and close to the wall, a couple of strange creatures, which Sekhmet identifies as "camels", take refuge from the sun.
Ben David's guide approaches the table, and singles out one of the men, who rises to greet you. He is introduced as Ali ibn Fasir, and he becons you to join him and his companions.
[color=red]Ah, my friends, he says, beaming a smil at you,[color=red] I hear you are in need of assistance. Guides, guards, and beasts of burden, all these I can provide. But where it is you wish to go?
[color=blue]OK, gang. I've "budgeted" the covenant as having sufficient resources for travel and upkeep, one shield grog apiece, and sufficient resources to establish a lab should you decide to settle somewhere. Logistical questions can be considered settled, within reason. The issue now is whether you want to hang around in Sousse, or begin exploring. If you decide to stay, what is it you want to do? If you decide to go, where do you want to start? Basic options are to travel up the coast road, and/or to cut out towards te ruins at some point. I will cook up a basic map tonight, to help int he decision making process.