Episode 2

Thorn keeps eyes peeled for the N'Hanum (as Oram referenced him), but never sees him. That guy walked out during the night, right after he returned the lost woodsmen. Thorn is convinced that he has not reunited with the convoy, unless he is making some exceptional effort to remain unseen in the crowd.

The convoy gets underway, westward bound, stepping out on the trail soon after sunrise.

Late in the morning, the group breaks abruptly onto another azimuth. Moving roughly southbound for a time, the convoy marches through a dense region of the forest for more than an hour. Later the trees thin out a bit and the ground tends towards a gradual downhill slope as the convoy presses on.

After another hour or so, the forest opens up into fields. The convoy marches across a stretch of tall grass for about 300 meters and reaches a road. Turning to the right, the convoy has planted its feet on firm ground. There is audible elation from the crowd; the chatter rises and everyone is clearly happy. You are almost there.

Marching up the road, you crest a hill and finally get the first glimpse of Gelshemish, the Hidden City, the City of Secrets. It is different than any other city than you have ever seen. In this age of men, it is magnificent.

Arrival and the ordeal with the Magistrates

Upon arrival in Gelshemish, the convoy is broken up into types of travelers and directed on their way appropriately depending on their passage terms. Most are laborers, so they are ushered off quickly to project directors. Others are craftsmen and merchants, so they are pulled away to the various trade groups, merchant houses, and market factions. Slaves are sent directly to the distribution market, either to be delivered to their purchasers or to the auction block.

There are three visiting nobles and their entourages, coming to Gelshemish on terms of "Exchange Among Nobility":
1) Sostias Medios, Kurios of Lepidon (you know some about him through interaction)
2) old Don Artemona from Kortella (don't know much about him, but he is the guy who had the Arkaddi slaves carrying him in the shoulder carriage through the whole trip)
3) you guys

These three are to be assigned to City Magistrates that work for Sar Yakud. The Magistrates are meant to be a liaison between the foreign noble groups and the Sar and his Nasi (highest governors).

Medios bids Kray farewell as he goes directly to his magistrate, whom he already knows from past dealings.

Don Artemona is seen being introduced to his magistrate, to much pomp and circumstance.

Following the crowd of servants and directors at the reception site, Kray is brought to a Yuoric translator and invited to come and meet the Honorable Magistrate to whom he is assigned.

The Magistrate is identified by the translator in advance as Honorable Zuri Tzofar. The translator points him out, sitting in a shaded are of comfort and luxury, being fanned by an Arkaddi (African equivalent) slave and attended by a pair of female slaves who appear to be Bishtus (Arab equivalent).


Magistrate Zuri Tzofar

Kray is briefed on a few matters of protocol and etiquette, and then is about to be taken across the courtyard to meet Honorable Zuri Tzofar, but then....

The servant is Aeuli, manager for the Honorable Zuri Tzofar. He speaks sharp Heshbaan to the translator and to Ron Oram, and has a hard look of concern on his face. He then lightens his expression and speaks to Kray. Perfect Yuouric, hardly a hint of accent.

"Noble Lukrayides Lord Mercon, on behalf of the Honorable Zuri Tzofar, I welcome you to the City at the Center of the World. We are blessed by your presence and the goodwill of our treasured neighbor of Jeres. Hail to King Darian and hail to House Mercon. May the light and wisdom of the gods remain in the heart of the exceptional Habbiacus Lord Mercon and all of his sons."

Aeuli bows extravagantly with courtly grace.

"I would ask that you and your valiant men-at-arms accompany me on this short walk across Maritime Plaza so that I might formally introduce you to my master, the humble servant of Enlightened Yokud our Blessed Sar."

Magistrate Zuri Tzofar waves from across the way.

Required Action:

Choose One:
1) Go with Aeuli to assignment with Magistrate Zuri Tzofar
2) Go with Oram to assignment with Magistrate Balanser

I'm for going with Oram. Throwing another Persuasion out there for Kray to be all noble like and soften the rejection for Zuri. Of course if you guys would rather go with Zuri, I'm open to that as well.

The shouting dissidents

The group leaves with Oram. Kray smooths it over as best as he can with Aeuli. Zuri still looks surprised and then mad.

Walking through the streets of Gelshemish, everyone takes in the sights. This city is hustling and bustling. The market is amazing. Mostly Heshbaans for sure, but of all different sorts -- rich, poor, stylish, prudish, desperate, extravagant. There are also some people from outside regions: Bishtu (Arabian) mostly. But also Kortellans (Italians), Jbailians (Lebanese), Korsian (Algerian), Sarcerans (Persian) -- even some Sekeri (Sudan) and Otessite (scary Egyptian - yikes).

Oram is giving a running commentary to Bryn, explaining the layout of the city, where things are, how to move around, different districts.

Noise starts rising in the crowd. Eventually it clears up into an organized effort. Various men are in the crowd, crying out at the top of their lungs. Repetitive phrases. Announcements. Said again and again. The large milling mass of people start to quiet, except for these men. They yell out their messages, using their hands to cup around their mouths so that their voice carries, like village criers who make decrees.

These men have strange haircuts, part shaved and part long. They are dressed in the clothes of the poor and few have shoes. Most of them have dark hair and dark complexions.

Seven men yell out, seven different phrases, over and over. They shout in Heshbaan, but later Bryn translates their announcements:

"Beware the night."
"Resist. Agnon-Sami"
"Iz Jedriss Sees All. He is permitted."
"He will open the Gate"
"Who rules? The Devil or the Man?"
"The Devil is Among Us".
"Defy the Tyrant and his Lackey. Agnon-Sami."

The scene begins to get uneasy. The crowd gets nervous and gradually unruly. Tensions rise.
Some people cheer the criers and laugh, as if enjoying the fun and controversy.
Others seem to moan and heckle them, and even get angry. This reaction seems to come from the wealthy and the priestly.
Yet others, the poor mostly, seem afraid and move away.

The Gilded Armsmen burst onto the scene very quickly. They begin shoving through the crowd, trying to get to the criers. The criers are elusive, and they slip away, dodging into the crowd but continuing their shouts. The Armsmen pursue and the chase becomes a mix between a comedy and an intense showdown - people in the crowd react in different ways.

Oram has to step out to get involved. Bryn sees that he is telling the other Armsmen to catch the shouters, but he is also shouting orders not to beat them or kill them. The whole thing breaks out into chaos, but eventually the Holy Gilded Armsmen force law and order.

In the end, one shouter is capture. He is seen being taken away, his face set in quiet defiance and pride despite his rough treatment. He looks to Thorn as he passes by, makes eye contact, and says calmly, "Agnon-Sami."

The other six shouters escape. Blending into the crowd and running away into alley ways.

Oram regroups with your team after. He explains briefly - that group is Hechesi dissidents, called sometimes "the forest people". They are the poor and wish to shout out their grievances for their tough lot in life. He says he has sympathy for them, for they are poor, but they bring many of their own pain upon themselves because of their strange religious practices and folklore. It will become inevitable that they must all be killed. Their speech against the Sar is dangerous and will be their doom.

After these quick words, it is clear that Oram wants this concise recount to suffice; he does not want to talk about it any further.

A different sort of Magistrate

Oram brings everyone to the villa of the Magistrate he wishes you to be assigned to, Honorable Balanser.

The villa is nice, has a sizable interior courtyard. You first meet Magistrate Balanser practicing archery with his burly guards. They seem to be a pretty squared-away crew. Also apparent, Balanser is an expert archer!


The Honorable Balanser and his shield-bearer/guard Avikam

Balanser accepts as your sponsor and invites everyone to a late tea and lunch, including Ron Oram. He and Oram seem to be old friends, and there is little appearance of rank or authority tension between the two.

Balanser says that he will get you set up in a good lodging with an associate, and will get you free passage through all of the districts in the Flats. Balanser's director, Hasa, will handle everything that you need. Balanser wants to have dinners with Kray every three or four days so that he can be updated on all that is transpiring in your stay, anything you need to speak with him about and also to keep him informed of your exchange.

Right away, one thing on the schedule is that you will go with him to the Hall of the Nasi for a social event on the morrow night.

Also, he will be having a feast here at the villa just before "the next shuvael," which is four days away. And that evening, you will accompany him and his family to the Garden Palace to attend an observance gala hosted by Sar Yakud. After a fine afternoon with wine and cheese, Ron Oram bids farewell as does Balanser. Director Hasa escorts the group through the wealthy neighborhood to their lodging.

The Home Base

You are set up to stay at the nice property of a wealthy friend of Balaser. The House of Imin Bash becomes your base accommodation that you are expected to stay at in the city.

It is completely pimped out. Luxury beds and sitting areas. Clean privies. A running spigot and wash room. Servants.

Imin Bash is a nice fellow. Quite old and seems sleepy, but very kind. He has one servant who speaks Yuoric, a female director of all of the girl servants. She is a Heshbaan named Ranel. She is attractive, well spoken but business-like.

The Gleaming Market

It is a short walk from the House of Imin Bash back to the vast market area. You saw only a part of it before, but the sights and sounds and smells were truly fascinating, so everyone goes back to mill around on the next morning.

It is no wonder it is called "Gleaming". The colors of the clothes, the shine of the metal work and cheap jewelry, the glow of the open fires on raised cauldrons. It is quite a sight to see.

The marketeers are always trying to make a sale. It is great to find that many of them speak Yuoric, and they switch to it quickly once they get eyes on your team. A few of them even call out greetings in Dannein. They try, but none seem to fully understand that language, but they make the effort anyway to make a connection, but are glad to switch to Yuoric and talk back and forth fluently, or at least fluently enough to talk about the product and making a sale.

All the while, the market is not a vision of chaos. It is busy, active, engaging - but not out of control. It is still orderly. The merchants seem to be staying in a system of stalls or plots that they have been allotted. The streets are generally clean, thanks to public workers who are sweeping and picking up trash. The Gilded Armsmen, though not overbearing, are always nearby, sometimes riding through on their horses, the only horses you have seen in the city. These guards do seem to keep a blanket of calm and security over all of the area, even though the flurry of the market is unleashed and carries great energy.

City Layout and the Accessible Districts

After breakfast in the market, everyone tours the city, led by Hasa, Balanser's manager, who speaks Yuoric.

The Jasher River is the major waterway that sits amidst the city. The widest berth of the waterway stretches along the north side of the city. The river runs from the west to the east. The city is built up along both sides of it, but the largest and primary structures are on the south bank.

The Gleaming Market is in The Plaza, along with several high end town houses and all sorts of restaurants and shops.

The area of your lodging is called Brick District. It is mostly houses for the wealthy, doesn't have many shops.

There is a section of the city that has canals cutting through it in managed water lines. These canals are wide enough for a couple of small boats to pass one another. They have many bridges and walkways built over them. The housing and shops are integrated at the water's edges on both sides, with bricked streets edging off the borders. This area of town is called the The Canals. It is sort of a middle level affluent section, with many fine shops and nice small stacked homes.

The main two areas with the largest structures at the center to slightly eastern mass of the city are the Regent District and the Shrine District. These sort of blend together. Buildings here are unbelievable. Noteworthy, the Red Bastion of Midrad is off to a rather unpopulated section of the Shrine District. It seems to be in an area that has been left somewhat unattended. Not quite abandoned perhaps, but quite neglected.

Collectively the areas on the south bank (Plaza, Brick, Canal, Regent, Shrine) are called "The Flats."

An area of poor housing and structure is built on the north bank, on the west most stretch of the city, the furthest away from the elaborate and magnificent city center. This is generally a slum area, with mostly wooden and thatch structures, along with some shanties made from riff-raff limbs. This area is called The Swamp, surely because so much of it is a low ground bog and it has man low pools of water grass and cattails and lily pads. This area is across the river from where your group is staying. It is spoken of as mostly inhabited by laborers, including a large block of the Hechesi, or forest people.

The other section of town on the north bank of the river is called Haran. It is mostly grain houses and farming equipment storage. The fields are right nearby. There are also some soldier barracks in this area, though they are not the only ones. This is the area through which you passed upon arrival from Jara Hili, when you were still north of the Jasher River.

The Rise

On the eastern most stretch of the southern river bank the ground rises to a bit of higher ground. The stones have all been flattened though and a beautiful, truly magnificent section of the city rises up to overlook the Jasher River. These buildings are stunning and absolutely beautiful.

This area is called Sarcoma, translates roughly to "Home of the King/Home of the Sar". Sometimes it is referred to as Na Mosuua, which means "The Rise." The whole area is walled off and not normally accessible without approved passage. There is, however, a fair amount of flow to and from, in the form of servants, religious, military, craftsmen, project directors and their laborers.