Dipur! Of Gilded Decadence...

[Tamerlaine]

This where the game starts IC. Feel free to jump in and test the waters. Because this is PbP, let's assume all of you know each other by whatever circumstance of fate that brought you together. Back stories, by-stories, all are welcome here. Feel free to add to the world around you (as long as it's within the flavor of the setting and of S&S itself).

[FlightlessScotsman]

The fat eunuch Mulazir sits uncomfortably on a short stool in the back of the dingy, local watering hole The Brass Eel waiting for his newly met compatriots to materialize.

His gaze flits from one ruffian to the next without ever settling long enough to be interpreted as an insult. "Why me?" Mulazir thinks drearily. What possible use could this Thoragian barbarian and Khoran street-thief have with a scribe and linguist?

[Griffith]

Ustaim stood outside the tavern looking up at the wooden placard that hung above the entrance. He could not read the words that were painted on the placard, but above the words there was painted the likeness of some sort of gold serpent. The image was somewhat faded and to Ustaim it looked like a yellow worm.

Ustaim remained outside for a few moments eyeing the interior of the saloon. The Yellow Worm, he thought, seems a fitting name for such a dungheap.

Still, he heard the clanking of tankards, so there must be spirits available. And though it smelled of sweat and smoke, Ustaim could also smell meat roasting and bread baking. There was laughter too, laughter of women, the scantily clad serving wenches. The barbarian grinned, The Yellow Worm was not all bad. Ustaim strode inside.

Later his friends would inform him that the actual name of the tavern was The Brass Eel. But Ustaim would ever after consider it The Yellow Worm.

Ustaim found a pretty maid and purchased a bottle of wine. He spotted the rotund sorcerer at the back of the house and made his way there. He took a seat at the table.

Ustaim uncorked the wine. “You look fidgety, Mulazir. Here have a swig of this.” He slid the bottle towards the sorcerer.

[Tamerlaine]

She appeared at the top of the worn stairway that curved along one wall of the common room. Raven-haired as most most Zadjites are wont to be, this swarthy skinned beauty went by the name Seleya. Rumor has it, and Dipur is full of rumors, is that Seleya was once a harem-girl to one of the slave sultans of Al-Qazir. Not a nice man, this sultan later met his demise at the sword of the captain of his guard who fled the city on the swiftest horse in all of Zadj with Seleya in tow. Of the captain of the sultan’s guard, no one knows what happened to him yet Seleya entered Dipur many years ago along with her loyal Shona bodyguard and bought the Brass Eel with rubies said to have been prized from the sultan’s necklace.

Moving with the effortless grace of a panther, Seleya glided down the stairs, the gossamer fabrics doing little to hide the curves of her voluptuous body. When she smiled, her dazzling white teeth were perfect, the twin dark orbs of her eyes alight with a sensual fire. She was the adoring host as she moved from table to table, easy with the banter and quick to smile. Nearby, always nearby was the hulking brute that was Juzal, a Shona of imposing size. His skin was the color of obsidian and kept his scalp shaven with thick gold rings at his ears. At his thick girdle Juzal wore both a scimitar and a jeweled curved dagger.

Seleya approaches your table and smiles warmly while placing her slender hands against her shapely hips. “Malazir, Ustaim! You grace my establishment with your presence. Now what can I do for you two beyond drink and food? Malazir, should I ready a bed and a pipe of the white lotus in back? And you, man of Thule, what is your wish? Shall it be the feisty Zorabi,” she whispers in Ustaim’s ear while glancing up the stairs where the pleasure rooms are located, ‘or the meek Lamuran?”

OOC Please use the Dialog box to highlight your character's speech and the OOC for Out of Character text

[FlightlessScotsman]

Mulazir shifts his bulk uncomfortably and flashes a wry grin at the woman. "I'm afraid none for me just yet, Business first, but if you could send over one of those sweet-cakes . . . No! Make that three sweet-cakes! That would be divine."

He titters a bit and turns to the Thoragian curious to see what he does.

[ybn1197]

Watts skulks from shadow to shadow, avoiding contact with the throng of people sharing the causeway with him as he makes his way to the Brass Eel. Spying the sign, Watts looks around him making sure no one followed him (not that anyone was but paranoia is not a disease its a way of life) before tugging open the door and making his way into the smoke filled tap room. Inside, Watts eyes moved quickly from patron to patron, assessing the threats of those present and getting a feel for all avenues of escape. Satisfied he had covered all his bases, he made his way towards the table of Mulazir and Ustaim, trying very hard to not be noticed by Seleya.

[Griffith]

"To spend the night between the legs of some welcoming wench upstairs, eh?" The barbarian considered Seleya's offer, "No, I am here to add coins to my pocket, not lose them. I have so few left. As Mulazir says, business first. Maybe later I will have the coins for both the Zorabi and the Lamuran."

Ustaim notices Watts approaching. The thief seemed to be trying to stay out of Seleya's line of sight. Ustaim attempts to divert her attention and points at a platter of meat and bread a barmaid is carrying to another table. "I do have enough coins for one of those. Have a girl bring us meat and bread, and another bottle of wine, please."

[Tamerlaine]

"Ah, business I can understand," purrs the dusky-skinned Zadjite. "And business always comes before pleasure. Your fortunes will always be to my benefit, so do not let me hinder you." As Watts skulks along the shadows, Seleya seems to pause and almost turns her head. But she just smiles, her black eyes glittering in the lamp light. "If your business plans don't work out, I'm sure I might have something that will be of mutual benefit to us all. Just ask Lastel at the bar if you're interested. Please let your other...partner...know as well. I know when two of you are around, the third is sure to be nearby..."

Turning away, Seleya saunters off, curves swaying as she snaps her fingers. Standing nearby with his massive arms crossed, Jazul grunts and gives all three a 'f*** you' look before stepping in behind his boss.

[ybn1197]

Watts takes his seat at the table, a smug look on his face from avoiding Seleya's notice. "Many thanks my be-muscled friend. That woman could drive a celibate monk crazy with desire and I care not to ever be in her debt."

Watts grabs a cup and pores himself some of the wine from the bottle on the table. "So," he says wiping some of he wine from his mouth with the back of his hand. "What have we in store to line our purses with clinking of coins?"

[FlightlessScotsman]

Mulazir spreads his hands imploringly, "You tell me. It was you two who sought out a man of the arts I thought. I was under the impression you had brought me into your confidence for my very particular talents. Wait? Are you telling me you don't have a 'plan?' I assumed you had me meet you here to discuss your venture?"

He starts to raise his massive bulk.

[Griffith]

"Hold on, Mulazir. Please be seated. I will explain all in just a moment." Ustaim waits until Seleya and Jazul are far from the table. Once Ustaim feels they are safe from prying ears, he begins. "We do indeed have employment if the two of you are interested. I have a friend of a friend by the name of Nazim. Nazim has given me a map, a map showing the whereabouts of a certain tomb. This tomb is the resting place of an ancient witch king. Nazim assumes that grave-robbers have long since stripped this tomb of most of its treasures, but... perhaps... he is hopeful there is still something of value to be found. This is where we come in. We are to travel to this tomb and plunder whatever is still there, if anything."

Ustaim scans the room with narrowed eyes to see if they are still safe from any unwanted attention and then continues. "By providing us with this map," He taps the ivory scroll-case tucked inside his ringmail doublet. "And its meager history, Nazim's cut will be 30 percent."

Ustaim takes a long drink of wine. He looks first at Mulazir, then Watts. He grins. "Well, are you two up for an adventure?"

[FlightlessScotsman]

Mulazir settles his ample rear end back on the groaning stool and listens, doing a poor job of masking his interest. "Ah . . . Then you need me to interpret the map and decipher any curses laid on the tomb?" He pauses and strokes his chin thoughtfully before leaning in and speaking in a hushed, conspiratorial manner, "But you say this tomb has already been looted, what then do you believe remains behind?"

[ybn1197]

30 percent ??!!, Watts could barely control the tone of his voice. I fear my friend that you have been bamboozled by this Nazim. An equal share would have been 25 percent and that would have given him 0 percent share of the risk. Can we go back and renegotiate this deal? Something a little more equatable for those of us partaking in the entire share of the danger."

[Griffith]

"All I know about the tomb is what my friend Nazim told me. Nazim believes that the tomb has little left to find. But he is hopeful that there is a chance that other tomb-robbers missed something and that we will find it." Ustaim hands the scroll-case containing the map to Mulazir. "If there is anything of value left for us to find, it is probably well protected. Then, yes, it may take all of our talents to make away with it."

To Watts, "Nazim is not all that good of a friend. He is a merchant of sorts, a fixer. He has hired me previously as a strong-arm in some risky dealings. He has some influence among some dodgy criminal types. Nazim is physically not much of a threat, but he has friends that could cause us some serious trouble. I agree that 30% is too high. But if we are to face Nazim and demand better terms, I feel we will be in a better place to negotiate once we have possession of the treasure... if there is any."

[ybn1197]

"Negotiation from a position of strength. I like that idea."

[Tamerlaine]

I will assume Ustaim has taken out the map for the others to see. This a simplified image; imagine the map being yellowed with age, with tattered edges and unknown stains (is that old blood?). There is writing in an archaic language Mulazir recognizes as old Ptahaanan. The X on the map indicates the rough location of the tomb, a strange place for a so-called witch king to be entombed. The distance from Dipur to the X is judged at about 125 miles into some desolate hills. There appears to be be notations in the same language in and around the location, markers or landmarks perhaps?

Mulazir, you do know a place where you can translate the map, a library of the esoteric that will let you in and use their resources for a modest donation.

[FlightlessScotsman]

I will assume Ustaim has taken out the map for the others to see. This a simplified image; imagine the map being yellowed with age, with tattered edges and unknown stains (is that old blood?). There is writing in an archaic language Mulazir recognizes as old Ptahaanan. The X on the map indicates the rough location of the tomb, a strange place for a so-called witch king to be entombed. The distance from Dipur to the X is judged at about 125 miles into some desolate hills. There appears to be be notations in the same language in and around the location, markers or landmarks perhaps?

Mulazir, you do know a place where you can translate the map, a library of the esoteric that will let you in and use their resources for a modest donation.

Mulazir has the spell "read languages." I assume I can prepare that spell and skip the library no?

[Tamerlaine]

I will assume Ustaim has taken out the map for the others to see. This a simplified image; imagine the map being yellowed with age, with tattered edges and unknown stains (is that old blood?). There is writing in an archaic language Mulazir recognizes as old Ptahaanan. The X on the map indicates the rough location of the tomb, a strange place for a so-called witch king to be entombed. The distance from Dipur to the X is judged at about 125 miles into some desolate hills. There appears to be be notations in the same language in and around the location, markers or landmarks perhaps?

Mulazir, you do know a place where you can translate the map, a library of the esoteric that will let you in and use their resources for a modest donation.

Mulazir has the spell "read languages." I assume I can prepare that spell and skip the library no?

If you wish.

[FlightlessScotsman]

Comprehend languages roll [1d100] = 95 vs (25%)

Mulazir leans in and speaks low to his compatriots "Look here friends, Assuming we can even get to so remote a spot -- 120 or more miles away is farther than I'm willing to walk, and we'll certainly need porters, guards etc. -- Unless this Nazim of yours is willing to fund this expedition, we're going to need some considerable coin to undertake such a journey.

However, I don't assay I'll have any difficulty with the text on the map. I recognize the shape of the sigils and runes as old Ptahaanan I think? Anyway given enough time, I can decipher the script, but I'll need you to ensure I'm not interrupted. I suggest we rent a room where I can make preparations away from listening ears and prying eyes."

He sits back and smiles broadly, trying to appear at ease and motions to the serving girl, "Yoohoo! Young miss! Yes, just so. My companions and I will require a flagon of wine and private quarters. How much?"

[Tamerlaine]

OOC: Rooms per day are as thus; A private room with single bed and table 1 gp, a bed in the common room (10 beds) 2 sp (some split the silver and sleep two to a bed - quite a snug fit)