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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tormenet" data-source="post: 1647216" data-attributes="member: 15690">In Shar JehnaLooking at the row of corpses, Cato asked, “Which one is it?”“Huh? No, boy, it’s not there,” the man replied. “They’ve taken it to his wife. All the Ionian notables have gone to his home.”Thanking the man, Cato briskly headed in the direction of Shar Jehna’s Ionian district.  His pace had Corum nearly jogging to keep up.They quickly passed through the town’s main gate, under the ceremonial kiosk where the local ruler, Ishfahan Hazar, could stand, see, and be seen.   Just inside the gate they glanced into the long one-room, one-story house that provided shelter for guests of the town.  It also served as a community house where men could socialize, share stories, and discuss business.  Today it was bustling with battered looking Duranni warriors boasting of their exploits during the night’s conflict.  They sat drinking chai in large circles on comfortable rugs, with various men seeking to talk louder than their comrades and thus be the center of attention. Shar Jehna’s simple one or two story mud brick buildings were built claustrophobically close to one another.  The walls of the town’s outer houses served double duty as a protective perimeter and were slightly thickened to better serve that purpose.  Functionally the main town was really three tribal compounds and the Ionian district.  Just to the south east was a second compound that was home to the Paree.  Cato and Corum were quickly consumed by a mass of men and woman going about any number of tasks along Shar Jehna’s main thoroughfare.  The street was barely wide enough for a cart. It wound its way from the main gate to the town’s gray stone Sanctum.  Passing the gate that gave access to the Nefrat compound, Cato felt immense frustrations at the tribal system. A couple of Nefrat warriors sat cross-legged drinking chai on a small rug to one side of the gate, their spears leaning on the gate’s frame. Duranni men had no interest in spit and polish. They were proud warriors, not show pieces.The entrance to the Ionian district lay close to the Sanctum and Cato eyed the spiritual structure, his home, as he turned toward the unguarded Ionian gate.       The place of worship was constructed of rock hewn from the mountains that towered around the town.  Its massive size, the Sanctum could hold five hundred worshippers at one time, was far beyond any other structure in the Darya River Valley.  It was a gift to the town from Draco himself, built by the engineers of his army as thanks to the residents of Shar Jehna for their hospitality.  Cato desperately wanted to go and aid his master, Sanctist Naraka, in tending to the many wounded from the previous night.  However, he felt it important to visit the home of Ixion, the slain Ionian leader.  Cato’s brother, Deinon, was sure to be there.  The streets became tighter as Corum and Cato plunged into the Ionian District.  However, Cato knew the route well and he deftly steered them to Ixion’s home.  The two-story structure was large and built around a private courtyard like most of the homes of Shar Jehna’s influential people.  However, the entranceway that gave access to the structure was blocked.  Two Ionian fighters stood watching Cato’s approach.  The town was small enough that they recognized one of the Sanctum’s students, though they did not know him personally.“What can we do for you?” one of the guards asked.“I wish to pay my respects to Ixion’s family,” Cato replied.“The family is in mourning and wishes for solitude,” the man said, “I will pass along your sentiments…”“…Cato,” the student filled in.  The man’s tone was delivering a polite, but clear message—go away. Taking the hint, Cato and Corum turned toward the Sanctum.  They were young and today the Ionian powers of Shar Jehna would begin competing for Ixion’s position.  There was no time for a minor servant of Avasara.The hand of Santist Naraka showed clearly at the Sanctum.  A chaotic influx of wounded warriors and concerned relatives was being sorted on the outer steps.  Entering the main pillared Great Hall, Cato could see neat rows of injured and his fellow students and reciters moving among them, wrapping wounds and applying poultices to some, transferring the grace of Avasara to others who were in more desperate need.  (DM's note: A reciter is someone who has memorized the entire text of the Recitiations of Arrousha, the Eternal Faith's revealed text.) Ajax and Volgar were moving along with Reciter Aeschylus, Cato’s direct mentor, following the healer’s instructions.  Another sign of Naraka at work.  The two had been sent to deliver the defiled body of the Tadu cleric to the Sanctist.  That job complete, the man had immediately drafted them.  Cato spotted Naraka immediately. Sanctist Naraka was the most scrupulous man Cato had ever met. He was also one of the most intelligent, though he could occasionally be quite intimidating.  Now was one of those times.“You send me odd presents, Cato,” he said.  Nearby lay the body of the Tadu cleric, vile black liquid soaking its clothes where blood should have been.Cato opened his mouth to answer, but Naraka had little interest.“Get to work, and have your friend help,” he snapped.  After a short while, Corum interrupted Cato’s ministrations.“Look, your doing a great job,” he said. “I’m going to leave and check on my mistress.”Taking Cato’s grunt as his assent, Corum, accompanied by Ajax who found tending to other’s wounds a little like actual work, quickly left the Sanctum and headed into the Hazar compound which, like the Ionian district, bordered the Sanctum’s grounds.  He wound his way through the narrow streets to the Hazar Gate and exited the town.  He felt relief as he saw the home of his teacher Catrika of Jehna.  It sat alone and he had feared that its vulnerable placement may have resulted in its being burned.  His fears were not born out.  Indeed, the little garden his mistress kept gave no sign of anyone stepping on her precious plants.  As always, several half-feral cats sat lazily around the house not bothering to show any interest in him.  Knocking, he received a quick response.“Corum! I’m glad to see your safe,” she called through the closed door.  “Come in.”Opening the door, Corum found his teacher seated at her table.  Scrolls were neatly stored all around the room and she had one pinned open on the table before her.  She leaned close to the document, candle light and strained eyesight making it difficult for her to see.  Though in the middle part of her life, she remained an object of interest to many of the town’s men.  She had no use for any of them other than as sources of information.  It was rumored that once a Duranni, a Nefrat if Corum recalled correctly, had boasted that he would kidnap her, according to time honored custom, and make her his wife.  A few days later, his body was found at the base of the town’s Pillar of Silence awaiting its death rites.  Some in the Hazar compound claimed they had heard much hissing of cats from the direction of her home the night before.“By the way,” she asked, “did you finish those equations I gave you last week?”Thrown, Corum answered without guile.  “Not yet.”She looked up from her scrolls, one eyebrow arching.  The only actual scholar living in the Darya River Valley, Catrika’s mathematical equations— particularly those pertaining to area— were respected in the Academies in civilized places like Bastiyaan and Sind.  Since Corum’s interests tended towards less dry subjects he found such assignments the hardest to complete.“Tomorrow,” he said.  He accompanied the word with a wide grin.The diplomatic gesture bounced right off the sage.“We’ll see,” she said.  Her eyes went back to the scroll.“Mistress…,” Corum started.“Ahh, now we get to the purpose of your visit,” she interrupted.  Looking up again, she sat up straight in her chair.  Corum was lax in his assignments, but she knew he would not interrupt her without purpose.Corum, with Ajax providing occasional details, outlined their encounter with the mysterious humanoid and the walking dead.As they finished their tale, she rolled up the scroll she had been reading.  Grabbing a bone stylus and a wax covered wooden writing tablet she had them sit and began asking questions.Two hours later, an exhausted Ajax stood outside the small home enjoying the feeling of fresh, cold mountain air in his lungs.  Who cares if there was mud on the stranger’s boots? he thought.  Catrika’s questioning had been both extensive and perceptive.  Unfortunately, she had provided no immediate knowledge to aid them.  It was passing midday and they had not slept now for more than a day, but Ajax and Corum decided to return to the Sanctum and meet up with Volgar and Cato.</blockquote>

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