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10/01/2002 - date gamed
(372yp)
It is the 10th of spring. The nights are dark now. We are heading back from the Broken Horse tavern on the Isle of the Dead. We are talking aloud and planning in a gondola heading upriver. After mentioning the name of the Doctor Milizaro, we realize the gondoleer does not make a good audience so we exit. We wander towards home up New Market Island, #12. We make our way up the road towards the new market. Afalar tries to look touristy as he cranes his neck this way and that.
As we approach the market, we see many taverns. The smells of roasted nuts, meats stewing, and ales reach our senses. The new market is characterized by the abundance of cloth roofs. Tents abound with hawkers showing their wares. We decide a drink and a meal are in order and enter an eatery for a sit-down meal. Zali orders a huge slab of spiced lamb; Afalar orders the eel; Sjer sticks with the liquid lunch. Three tankards get plunked down in front of us along with dates, nuts, and breads. Afalar notices that the barkeep has a scar on his upper torso in the shape of a sword with a wavy blade. Zali notices two women enter the tavern. Sjer notices his tankard is getting empty. The music seems quite dramatic for a small inn. The swell of the symphony cries out for hard action and drama. As we are eating a small boy runs out from the back and out through the front door. There is a steady trade of customers. It appears many people come here for more than just food and drink. Zali follows the women with his eyes as they sit at a table not far from ours. One appears very well off, the other as the first's bodyguard.
The barkeep approaches and Afalar asks him to recommend a good doctor, an excellent doctor. The barkeep gives a spiel about many doctors but eventually names Miral, a local talent. The barkeep gives us directions east then to walk up Fountain Road. His sign is a large M with a mortar and pestle on a blue field. Zali'haro notices that the slave girl is a trained fighter. Zali gallantly refrains from attacking the girl. A large water pipe is brought to their table and Zali orders one for us. We steadily dull our senses with many tankards and some pipe. At one point the lady compliments us by buying us a round of drinks. We acknolwege the compliment and eye the women even more. Afalar, drunk and stoned, approaches the women. The slave girl moves to one side and allows Afalar to sit down at the woman's table. Afalar says, "I am part of the Alm Sru'haro's house. I am new in the city and am very proud to serve the new Alm." The woman comments on the changes since the old Alm died.
"It has been a while since I talked to the new Alm, how is he doing?"
Afalar enters into smalltalk with the woman about the Alm. She seems to have a way of asking questions that has Afalar talking in detail about his capacity with the Alm and his duties.
He spills his guts about the how long he has been there and what his position in the household is.
That is as much information as we get from them as Sjer and Zali quickly fall under the woman's spell. And might I say that she was an amazing specimen. Why, her eyes were ... Well, I can't quite seem to remember her eyes. But the woman's background was impeccable ... Well, I can't remember that either.
I do remember her listing all of the wonderful parts of the city, like the palace, the gardens, and the racetrack and asking if we had been there. Zali perked up at the mention of the racetrack. The woman claimed little knowledge of horses herself, but soon had Zali telling her slave, La'ila all he knew about those at the track.
She then asked if we had ever been to the White Market. Well, Sjer could not resist talking about his beloved wines to this enchanting creature.
The woman supplied that Mishalia is one of the best wine merchants. She then displayed a bottle of very nice dessert wine that is hard to get. Sjer quickly jumped in to impress the woman with his day at the market. All the various characters and wines including I am sure a mention of Pract'la wines.
She displays a clear knowledge of Sru'haro doings by asking Sjer if he plans on following in L'talas's footsteps.
Sjer says, "I only hope I can fill all of L'talas's positions."
The woman then turned her attentions back to Zali, attempting to get him talking explicitly of all the amazing adventures he has had since arriving.
Smacking both his comrades on the ears he announces that they must be off.
After exiting we see the Braid in the new market. Resisting that one more suicidal impulse we make it back home towards the late, late afternoon. We stumble into our rooms to sleep it off.
The next morning, Spring 11, we meet to discuss plans. Wow, do our heads hurt. It seems the woman must have been some kind of Enchantress as we all fell under her spell. Well, we talk about the previous night, but it was a lost outing.
I meet with L'talas and ask for a list of wines to procure for Sru'haro. He gives me a list of 6 wines to get with 4 rods worth of money.
We then decide to spend a full day getting to know the white market. the market has a 10 foot wall that surrounds the whole market. There is an open area for caravans, but there is a building that houses the market proper. The building is a two storey building 25 feet tall with a second storey of 15 feet in height inset so that there is a low roof that girdles the building.
There are patrolling guards in the market, one of which had a dog. The building has older walls that are a bit crumbly but look hard to climb. Sjer managed to get all four rods given to him by L'talas stolen by a pick-pocket. Zali's purse is also taken, but a guard saw the pick-pocket take it and rescued it for him.
Zali is told by Zi'aff that Haik is part of the guild of swords. To be part of that guild you have to take oaths and prove your expertise with your weapon. You have to take a test of skill to prove that you are competent. Then you pay dues and can carry weapons freely within the city.
Arriff, The eye, is the head of security in the White Market. There are stocks where criminals are flogged for each offence, held overnight, then let go in the morning.
There is obviously a storage area in Haij's shop. The outside door is three shop's over from his.
We meet back at the house and discuss our plans. We decide our best chance of success with the least amount of exposure is to go during the day tomorrow. Sjer will put Haij to sleep and signal Afalar who will go to the back room. Once he is there Sjer will rouse Haij and engage him in talk. After ten minutes Sjer will put the man back to sleep again and get Afalar out.
We shall see how it all plays out tomorrow.
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