sniffles
First Post
A Question of Faith
When I returned from our short journey to Yalasch, I was reminded that I do not care for this city of Calimport. It will be a relief to get shut of it. It is not only the heat nor the lack of greenery that makes this city unwelcoming to me, nor even the scarcity of Tel'Quessir in this land. It is the lack of value these Calishites place on life.
As my friends and I made our way back to the temple of Lathanul from the house of the wizard Abatu, we came upon an auction of various armor and weaponry. This items, I learned, had been taken from persons captured and sold as slaves. Slavery is an alien concept to me and one that appears to me to be the most painful of fates. Nekaya finds slavery less offensive than most of my other friends, for she proclaims that in her native land it is commonplace, but there all slaves are property of the temples of the gods and there are stringent laws regarding care and treatment of slaves. No such laws appear to exist here in Calimshan.
I should have merely passed by without interest, but an item the auctioneers where displaying to the crowd caught my eye: a finely-crafted suit of armor of elven design. My curiosity was aroused and I approached and asked if I might examine it. The auctioneers courteously paused their activities to permit me to look at the armor more closely. Rock confirmed my thought that the armor was of very high quality. In addition to the armor I saw that the auctioneers intended to sell a handsome longsword of ancient design and a cloak of a type I recognized, often worn by foresters to disguise themselves amongst the trees.
Bidding on the suit of armor had already begun and had reached a considerable sum. But I realized that my past frugality had left me with sufficient funds to surpass that amount. Though I was uncomfortable with the source of the armor, I felt compelled to attempt to obtain it. I am not one to object to those of another race using the crafts of my people, but the circumstances under which this armor had been obtained caused me to feel that it should not fall into the hands of some unappreciative Calishite.
Corellon was with me, and though I was obliged to expend the majority of my funds, I successfully acquired the armor. It is beautiful, and enchanted as well as of expert craftsmanship. When I made arrangements to submit payment I took the opportunity to ask one of the men organizing the auction what had become of the armor's original owner. I was told that he was indeed one my kindred, and that he had been taken in slavery by desert tribesmen and sold at auction to a person known as Synvar the Bloodied, who often purchases slaves for combat in the coliseum.
To my regret my funds were not sufficient to permit me to also acquire the ancient sword. I must seek what became of it. In the meanwhile I have asked the folk of Covenant House if they will learn more of the armor's original owner. I wish to speak with him and aid him in regaining his freedom if I can. Having seen what can occur here if one is a foreigner without family, I am now inclined to be far more cautious in my movements about the city. I have recommended to my friends that we should not travel alone.
My desire to depart from Calimport has been further increased by Liadan's recent experience. The temple of Lathanul often sends priests to the slave pens to minister to the ills of those poor unfortunates, and Liadan offered to perform this duty. She was so shaken by that experience that she could scarcely speak of it. I would that I could do more to convince the people of Calimshan of the worth of each life, but at present I do not see how to manage such a daunting task.
While I joined Rock at the temple of Elishar to continue repairs, Erim was visited at the temple of Lathanul by a youth called Khai, who bore a letter of introduction from Madu el Barake. Erim arranged for our party to meet with Khai and his father to discuss acquiring their services as guides into the desert.
On the following morning after dawn services at the temple, we met Khai and is father Jibade in the courtyard. They are obviously people of the desert wastes, and Jibade is a man whose calm and confident demeanor encourages me. Though I cannot shake from my thoughts my dismay that other such desert folk will seize upon travelers and bind them captive for sale in the slave markets.
Jibade is willing to serve as our guide to the Pillars of Fire, the abode of the efreet Phaeretimm. Though Jibade did not speak himself, the message was conveyed to us that we must anticipate great hardships during our journey into the desert. The heat of the Great Waste is such that there may be occasions when our weapons will become too hot to hold. There are zones in which no magic will function. Huge and deadly beasts populate much of the land. Jibade requested a curious addition to the price of 500 gold pieces per person he asked for his services: He wishes to have first pick of trophies or other portions of any monsters we encounter. Evidently he wished to take such items as can be sold for use in crafting magical equipment.
We will be obliged to leave our horses here in the city, for they are too delicate of nature to withstand the heat and limited water supply in the desert. Though Liadan still carries the rune of water, we concluded that other difficulties would make horses a liability. I am reluctant to leave Aratan for fear that we may be unable to return immediately to Calimport, but I would not risk his life.
Tomorrow Khai and Jibade will assist us in purchasing appropriate attire and equipment for our trip. I think that Jibade believes our journey to be a futile one and that we will become prisoners in the efreet's dungeon. I will place my faith in Corellon Larethian that though we may indeed be subject to imprisonment, we will prevail in speaking to Osaze Mumbai and regaining our freedom to pursue Covenant's quest. Perhaps I should no longer refer to this quest as Covenant's quest. It is now our quest.
When I returned from our short journey to Yalasch, I was reminded that I do not care for this city of Calimport. It will be a relief to get shut of it. It is not only the heat nor the lack of greenery that makes this city unwelcoming to me, nor even the scarcity of Tel'Quessir in this land. It is the lack of value these Calishites place on life.
As my friends and I made our way back to the temple of Lathanul from the house of the wizard Abatu, we came upon an auction of various armor and weaponry. This items, I learned, had been taken from persons captured and sold as slaves. Slavery is an alien concept to me and one that appears to me to be the most painful of fates. Nekaya finds slavery less offensive than most of my other friends, for she proclaims that in her native land it is commonplace, but there all slaves are property of the temples of the gods and there are stringent laws regarding care and treatment of slaves. No such laws appear to exist here in Calimshan.
I should have merely passed by without interest, but an item the auctioneers where displaying to the crowd caught my eye: a finely-crafted suit of armor of elven design. My curiosity was aroused and I approached and asked if I might examine it. The auctioneers courteously paused their activities to permit me to look at the armor more closely. Rock confirmed my thought that the armor was of very high quality. In addition to the armor I saw that the auctioneers intended to sell a handsome longsword of ancient design and a cloak of a type I recognized, often worn by foresters to disguise themselves amongst the trees.
Bidding on the suit of armor had already begun and had reached a considerable sum. But I realized that my past frugality had left me with sufficient funds to surpass that amount. Though I was uncomfortable with the source of the armor, I felt compelled to attempt to obtain it. I am not one to object to those of another race using the crafts of my people, but the circumstances under which this armor had been obtained caused me to feel that it should not fall into the hands of some unappreciative Calishite.
Corellon was with me, and though I was obliged to expend the majority of my funds, I successfully acquired the armor. It is beautiful, and enchanted as well as of expert craftsmanship. When I made arrangements to submit payment I took the opportunity to ask one of the men organizing the auction what had become of the armor's original owner. I was told that he was indeed one my kindred, and that he had been taken in slavery by desert tribesmen and sold at auction to a person known as Synvar the Bloodied, who often purchases slaves for combat in the coliseum.
To my regret my funds were not sufficient to permit me to also acquire the ancient sword. I must seek what became of it. In the meanwhile I have asked the folk of Covenant House if they will learn more of the armor's original owner. I wish to speak with him and aid him in regaining his freedom if I can. Having seen what can occur here if one is a foreigner without family, I am now inclined to be far more cautious in my movements about the city. I have recommended to my friends that we should not travel alone.
My desire to depart from Calimport has been further increased by Liadan's recent experience. The temple of Lathanul often sends priests to the slave pens to minister to the ills of those poor unfortunates, and Liadan offered to perform this duty. She was so shaken by that experience that she could scarcely speak of it. I would that I could do more to convince the people of Calimshan of the worth of each life, but at present I do not see how to manage such a daunting task.
While I joined Rock at the temple of Elishar to continue repairs, Erim was visited at the temple of Lathanul by a youth called Khai, who bore a letter of introduction from Madu el Barake. Erim arranged for our party to meet with Khai and his father to discuss acquiring their services as guides into the desert.
On the following morning after dawn services at the temple, we met Khai and is father Jibade in the courtyard. They are obviously people of the desert wastes, and Jibade is a man whose calm and confident demeanor encourages me. Though I cannot shake from my thoughts my dismay that other such desert folk will seize upon travelers and bind them captive for sale in the slave markets.
Jibade is willing to serve as our guide to the Pillars of Fire, the abode of the efreet Phaeretimm. Though Jibade did not speak himself, the message was conveyed to us that we must anticipate great hardships during our journey into the desert. The heat of the Great Waste is such that there may be occasions when our weapons will become too hot to hold. There are zones in which no magic will function. Huge and deadly beasts populate much of the land. Jibade requested a curious addition to the price of 500 gold pieces per person he asked for his services: He wishes to have first pick of trophies or other portions of any monsters we encounter. Evidently he wished to take such items as can be sold for use in crafting magical equipment.
We will be obliged to leave our horses here in the city, for they are too delicate of nature to withstand the heat and limited water supply in the desert. Though Liadan still carries the rune of water, we concluded that other difficulties would make horses a liability. I am reluctant to leave Aratan for fear that we may be unable to return immediately to Calimport, but I would not risk his life.
Tomorrow Khai and Jibade will assist us in purchasing appropriate attire and equipment for our trip. I think that Jibade believes our journey to be a futile one and that we will become prisoners in the efreet's dungeon. I will place my faith in Corellon Larethian that though we may indeed be subject to imprisonment, we will prevail in speaking to Osaze Mumbai and regaining our freedom to pursue Covenant's quest. Perhaps I should no longer refer to this quest as Covenant's quest. It is now our quest.