The Pleasure Prison of the B'thuvian Demon

[Insight]

Thinking better of any fierceness directed at the gnome, Rowinna instead arranges a smile on her face and begins to slowly unwind a long red cloth from her upper torso. So long is the shawl that by the time Rowinna finishes unbinding herself from it, there is little left to cover the flesh of her chest. Handing the red cloth to Lilandra, Rowinna says in a low triumphant whisper--with a glare at Mellisande--"It's the slavers at Uz-Kala you want. Make a turban of this cloth and offer 100 gp to the market guard Eslamshar and he'll do business with you."

Lilandra smiles curtly as she takes the red shawl. "I'm not sure I can make a... turban?" She starts to fuss with the material. "100 gold, you say?"

OOC: Knowledge - Local check.

"I've had dealings with those of Uz-Kala. I hazard to suggest that we'd best take care in our dealings there. The guards do take bribes. Of that, I am certain. But that works both ways. Someone could just as easily bribe the guards to look the other way as they ambush us."

 

[Shayuri]

Mellisande caught Rowinna's glare and grinned a naughty grin.

"This is so exciting! We're going to bribe slavers and make turbans out of her clothes...here give me that. Turbans are easy to make. You just wind it around..."

She holds out her hands to Lilandra and flexes her fingers in grabby motions.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[sblock=Lilandra]If you're not Insight, maybe you better not be reading this, eh?[sblock=Knowledge (local) result]The Blood Tower is known throughout the area as the best location to purchase slaves. The Uz-Kala (both the name of the tower and the name of the brotherhood of slavers who run the tower) are treacherous, lecherous, and always willing to ply their trade upon the unsuspecting. Most merchants pay a passage fee to the Uz-Kala and their red sandstone fortress to insure safer passage through the nearby lands, but some merchants find it more profitable to hire additional guards for protection.

Individuals wishing to speak with, bargain with, or purchase a slave from the Uz-Kala must wear a bright red turban when approaching the Blood Tower. The personal safety of red-turban wearers is sacred to the Uz-Kala. Anyone found injuring a red-turbaned individual within sight of the Blood Tower will be subject to a painful death, their blood used as redwash upon the sandstone tower.[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Rhun]

Vanessa frowns. "Damn slavers," she says. "I'd just as soon introduce them all to my blade as bribe them..."

 

[jackslate45]

Vanessa frowns. "Damn slavers," she says. "I'd just as soon introduce them all to my blade as bribe them..."

Lune laughs and says "I quite agree. Well then, shall we get going? I feel time is of the essence."

Standing up to go, and dropping a few coins for the entire party's tab, Lune grabs her gear and starts heading towards the door.

 

[Insight]

Mellisande caught Rowinna's glare and grinned a naughty grin.

"This is so exciting! We're going to bribe slavers and make turbans out of her clothes...here give me that. Turbans are easy to make. You just wind it around..."

She holds out her hands to Lilandra and flexes her fingers in grabby motions.

Lilandra gladly hands over the material to Mellisande. "Yes, please. And make it look good. Wearing this turban should provide us a measure of protection. Perhaps I'll be the one to wear it and the lot of you can be my... guards."

 

[Shayuri]

"I don't know if anyone would believe I'm a guard!" With a laugh, Mellisande snatches the red length of cloth and clambers up onto the table proper, pushing cups and plates out of the way so she can walk on her knees over to Lilandra. "All right, first turn around so you face away from me," she directs, spinning a hand in the air.

She then began winding the cloth around Lilandra's head...with the first loop fitting very comfortably directly over her eyes, and then spiraling up from there.

 

[Rhun]

Vanessa stands slowly, and begins to gather her gear. She smiles at Lilandra. "Nice hat."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

OOC: The group leaves Anguran in the morning on horses, camels, or a pony--for those short of stature. You can assume you purchased any desired gear before leaving town, just be sure to pay for your purchases, update your character sheet accordingly, and mention what you bought here in a post. Horse, light 75 gp Pony 30 gp Camel 150 gp If you think you can barter down the price with a skill check or successful rp, PM me or post here.

A hard and thirsty ride on horseflesh puts the last rays of the sun hard against the rumps of the horseflesh ridden by the group. Against whorls of grit and sand stirred by early evening winds, a red standstone tower ripples into view at the edge of the far horizon. The heat rising from the ground makes the tower's base wave as if an illusion just conjured at the hand of a sapling wizard. Uz-Kala--both the name of the tower and the brotherhood of slavers who live and market their wares at the fortress--lies ahead, treacherous, lecherous, and always willing to ply its trade upon the unsuspecting.

Moving at last through the massive gates along with a few straggling caravans, a large scale courtyard opens to a bleating serenade of spitting cockroaches, camels, and men newly drunk on date wine. The auction block, an elevated bit of packed earth at the left side of the square, sits empty now at the close of the sun's best light, but all around the stench of slaves and those who deal in constrained flesh lies thick on the air.

As the group turns their horses to the large caravanserais located near the far corner of the courtyard square, an Uz-Kala approaches and hails the group. "My lovelies, what is your pleasure this late hour? The bartering is done. Or have you come for something else?" The man's eyes linger hungrily on Mellisande.

 

[Rhun]

OOC: Did anyone else get the "entering Jabba the Hutt's palace feeling?


Vanessa already didn't like this place, and she didn't like the Uz-Kala either. Still, plunging her sword through the man's chest was unlikely to get them anywhere. So the warrior woman decided to be diplomatic, at least for now. "We're looking for a friend, actually. Eslamshar? Perhaps you could tell us where to find him?" She smiles suggestively at the man. "We'd be most grateful for any help you could provide."