Ismael al-Tahir of the Awaliq, 1st level Lawful Alasiyani Ranger
Shoulder length black hair with dark eyes, the tanned ranger dreamt of living the life of a corsair. His sinewy physique wears a plain grey thawb and black sirwal covered by a mail shirt. Ismael frequently carries a spear and shield.
S 13 (+1 / 3:6 / +5%) I 08 W 10 D 09 C 12 C 11 (4 retainers / 7 loyalty)
AB +0 (+1 / +0) AC +5 / +4 without shield HP 6 / 6 MV 60' / 20'
Saves : D 12 W 13 P 14 B 15 S 16
Abilities : Awareness, Foraging and Hunting, Pursuit, Surprise Attack, Tracking (20%)
Languages : Common and Neutral
Gear (744 coins weight) : axes (2), backpack, chain armor, gems worth 50 dinar (15), gem worth 100 dinar, jewelry worth 1950 dinar (2), lantern, oil flask (5), potion of healing (2), potion of invisibility, riding horse with saddlebags (carries jewelry (2, estimated 1950 dinar), 200 dinar, 220 coins weight), shield, short bow with quiver of arrows (20), small sack (2), spear, standard rations (9), tinderbox, torches (6), waterskin (1 carried, 2 on horse), 72 dinar, 3 dirham, 0 fal
1,215 experience
... And the Value of Greed.
[E Muzeki, The Kiss]
"Just Lakos is fine," the stranger said, waving his hand dismissively.
"And what did you discover?" asked Ahmad.
"This backpack," replied Ismael, displaying the weathered leather pack. "This is what was calling to me. The boy asked me to take it or destroy it, and he would be free."
"May I take a closer look?" Ismael handed the pack to Ahmad, and, as before, he uttered strange words and made the gestures associated with casting a spell. "Yes, yes, I think this is an Anchor. Powerless, most likely, after being taken from its Lair. Worthless to you, Ismael, but I could find a buyer..." He began to mutter calculations audibly to himself, "Ask for one thousand, he'll haggle, of course, five hundred. Counter. Maybe seven, eight. I can give you three hundred dinars if you like."
Three hundred. For a bag? "Of course, Ahmad, bu-"
Lakos chimed in, "Probably one of the Horizon wizards. Tell us, Ismael, what creatures did you find?"
Ismael told the story of his adventure, finding emaciated orcs and the spirit of a man that looked like a boy. How an orc fled and brought Taaj back with it. Taaj, the sickly ogre. Then the conversation with the boy about the backpack.
"I think Ahmad's instincts are right about you," Lakos said, causing Ismael's gaze to flicker toward the calculating Ahmad. "The Lost Horizon is always looking for new members; our numbers are very few. Ahmad mentioned you were heading east?"
Ismael nodded, mind racing, trying to consider the weight of what Lakos was saying.
"A corsair, eh? A swashbuckling rogue, perhaps? Perhaps when you've experienced more of this world you'll want to defend it." Lakos handed him a wooden token on a leather strip; burned into the face was an crescent, points downward, with three stars above. "When that time comes, burn this pendant and a Horizon Walker will find you on the third rise of the moon." Without another word, Lakos waved at Ahmad and walked out.
Ahmad pressed three gems into Ismael's hand and smiled. "A token? Lakos sees promise in you, then." He leaned closer, "You know, there's been sightings of a mysterious house a day's ride north. You could, maybe..."
"Discover another, what was it you called it, Anchor?"
"Or you could continue east, and I would remain ready to purchase interesting items you will undoubtedly come across."
Ismael smiled and shook his head. "Fine, one day ride north."
Hibah and Ismael traveled through the desert the next morning. The burning desert was barren and provided nothing to forage. This time, Ismael tracked the sun's course to keep their bearing northward. In the light of the setting sun, a sandstone building lined with red wood shimmered in the distance.
"We'll rest first then see what this palace has to offer," Ismael muttered, patting Hibah's neck.
[DM Turn 1 : rolls 6 for room content, trap. Flash of Blinding Light placed on silver coins.]
At sunrise, Ismael approached and inspected the walls of the building. They were almost three times his height. An arch greeted him, displaying a small courtyard lined with green plants and a pair of trees. A small pool filled with clear water rested in the center, silver dirham scattered beneath. Beyond, the sandstone extended from the wall into a modest home lined with arches on the ground level. Beneath the overhanging ceiling, a lone red wood door waited, a pair of shuttered windows to either side of it.
Encumbered, Ismael padded quietly past the pool of silver and listened at the door. He heard nothing beyond. He pulled at the door and felt it was barred from the other side. Ismael measured the width of the windows then decided a course of action. He would break the shutters and enter through a window. While he lacked the skills of a thief, these windows were low enough he could struggle through.
[Ability Check : 1d6 vs. 3 in 6 open doors. Result : 4]
Ismael slammed his shoulder into the shuttered window with a loud thump. It refused to give. "Even the windows seem to be barred," he grumbled, pulling an axe free. "Well, if it's made of wood..." The wood was strong. Whoever built this took great pains to keep people out. Minutes passed by as the axe bit into the wood multiple times before enough splintered away to allow Ismael access.
[DM Turn 2 : No wandering monsters. Empty room. No treasure.]
It seemed to be a waiting room of some sort. A rug on the floor with pillows to sit on strewn about. A low table the length of a person to hold plates and cups when visitors were greeted. A door to Ismael's right and an open arch to his left which led back to the front door. He crept to the open arch and peeked beyond. A flight of stairs heading upstairs and a room similar to this one across the way.
[DM checks room contents : slide trap, no treasure]
The room across the way seemed clear, Ismael crossed to the other side and listened at the closed door. He heard nothing beyond the door and opened the way to the next room.
[DM Turn 3 : No wandering monsters, 2 acolytes. Monster reaction : Neutral.]
[Surprise Check : 1d6 vs. 1d6. Result : Ismael, 4; acolytes, 1. Acolytes surprised.]
Ismael stopped short, axe held awkwardly at his side. "Peace be upon you," he said.
The acolytes looked at Ismael's axe, one of them swallowed heavily before responding, "And upon you peace." The talkative one swallowed nervously once again, then, "How did you get in here?"
Ismael's gaze fell to his axe, "I... tried the door," he explained.
The two acolytes were dressed in floor length dark robes edged in red. Neither seemed well armed. The room looked like a den, a desk centered near the east wall; the eastern window open to allow the morning sun to light the room's red carpet. A plain wooden bookcase on either side of the room holding a few books that Ismael could probably barely decipher. The only exit was through Ismael.
"We only joined to help maintain part of the house," the one acolyte said. "Here..." He produced a key from a necklace and used it to unlock the larger drawer.
"What are you doing?" hissed the quiet one.
"He has an axe!" the other hoarsely whispered. "I-If you'll excuse us...?"
Ismael stepped aside and allowed them to pass. Unlike the orcs, he felt more comfortable thinking the two would actually flee the house instead of warning anybody. Walking over to the desk, his eyes were attracted to the strange coins held within the drawer. The copper fal he ignored; he knew those. But the others : over half of them were a strange green yellow, minted with some foreign stamp. The lesser half resembled the silver dirham but were brighter and also bore foreign stamps. He placed the foreign coins into the sack reserved for coinage.
[DM Turn 4 : No wandering monsters.]
[Trap Check : 1d6 vs. 2 in 6. Result : 6.]
Ignoring the stairs leading upward for the time being, Ismael walks into the other sitting room. It mirrors the first, rug and pillows across the floor, with another opening off to the right. A curtain provides a barrier between the sitting room and the room beyond. He walks to the curtain and listens, peering through the gap between the fabric and the wall.
[DM checks room contents : 8 acolytes.]
The faint tinkling of glass and metal greets him. His eyes catch a glimpse of a kitchen beyond, a small group of people dressed in the same dark robes as the other two cleaning dishes. Ismael puts his axe away and wagers on talking to them first; it worked with the other two. He steps beyond the curtain, seeing the steps leading down into a cellar. Six acolytes work diligently and barely look up at his entrance.
[Monster Reaction : Uninterested.]
As the acolytes seemed uninterested about his intrusion, Ismael shrugs slightly and walks down the stairs into the cellar. Two more acolytes are busy taking inventory and checking supplies. Then he feels the familiar tapping against his chest. The heartbeat of what Ahmad had said was an Anchor. It pulls him toward a portion of masonry between two shelves.
Ismael presses his hands against the sandstone and feels one give under the pressure. An audible click. A door slowly opens. Beyond the door was darkness. A darkness made darker by the swirling particles of amethyst light that moved as if stuck in a vortex.
This was not a backpack...
[E Muzeki, Kashmir]
Ismael al-Tahir of the Awaliq, 1st level Lawful Alasiyani Ranger
Shoulder length black hair with dark eyes, the tanned ranger dreamt of living the life of a corsair. His sinewy physique wears a plain grey thawb and black sirwal covered by a mail shirt. Ismael frequently carries a spear and shield.
S 13 (+1 / 3:6 / +5%) I 08 W 10 D 09 C 12 C 11 (4 retainers / 7 loyalty)
AB +0 (+1 / +0) AC +5 / +4 without shield HP 6 / 6 MV 60' / 20'
Saves : D 12 W 13 P 14 B 15 S 16
Abilities : Awareness, Foraging and Hunting, Pursuit, Surprise Attack, Tracking (20%)
Languages : Common and Neutral
Gear (907 coins weight) : axes (2), backpack, chain armor, gems worth 50 dinar (15), gems worth 100 dinar (4), horizon walker token, jewelry worth 1950 dinar (2), lantern, oil flask (5), potion of healing (2), potion of invisibility, riding horse with saddlebags (carries jewelry (2, estimated 1950 dinar), 200 dinar, 220 coins weight), shield, short bow with quiver of arrows (20), small sack (2), spear, standard rations (8), tinderbox, torches (6), waterskin (1 carried, 2 on horse), 70 dinar, 3 dirham, 0 fal, 87 electrum, 73 platinum
1,341 experience
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