Episode 2

The group of seven makes it onto the launch beach. There are a few questions from the monitors at the transportation point, but Ra u nak is able to paper over with the excuses.

Everyone boards up long river boats that ferry them away from the peninsula on which the Garden Palace sits, and back to the plaza ports in the heart of the city.

It was a long night. Everyone is tired and spent, either from being exposed to the smokes and incense of the upper chambers or from fighting and running in the lower hallways, or both.

The night sky is clear. The stars reflect down on the water. It is a beautiful summer night. The setting would be so serene and beautiful, if not for the backdrop of danger and deception that was just experienced.

Once back at the main section of the city, the groups split up for the night.

Ra u nak and Trece return to the tea shop and their connected living quarters. Ra u nak treats Trece's wounds with soap, water followed by salves, bandages as necessary.

Bryn, Kray, Ivor, Thorn go back to Imin Bash's.

Sizhen makes his way back to his room at Shalamum's.

It is well after midnight by now. Everyone is beat and sleep comes quickly once everyone gets still.

End of Day.
Mechanics: Long Rest (counting it this way, although it is less than 8 hours. We're going with it).

It is not long though before servants are stirring through the houses and calling everyone to wake at the orders of the masters.

Ra u nak does let Trece rest later into the morning, but Trece gets up fairly early still to see Ra u nak already preparing the shop for the day. He is also setting up a small room in the back with tables and chairs. It is a private room that is not normally opened for use. Baqi and Jattab, the Bishtu workers, are back on the job as well.

Everyone is getting ready for the observances of Ruet, the first day of Shuvael.

There is no direct translation for Ruet in Zutaran nor Yuoric, but some native speakers explain it as being related to ideas of "repentance" or "regret with recommitment". Others say it is more like "sorrow" or "despair".

Kray and Thorn find that Gibon did make it back with Balanser and his team of attendants. But the translator is not so chatty as his usual demeanor. He seems to have been overtaken by the smoke and drink during the event, so this morning he is quite groggy and hung over. Magistrate Balanser and Manager Hasa are in the house but are not yet available to give more detail, but Gibon is accounted for now.

Amit is also available and has been attending to equipment and working with Balanser's and Bash's servants to secure observance garbs and masks for his employers. He brings these outfittings to Kray, Thorn, Ivor, Bryn. Maeriks already has his. Maeriks has been working closely with Magistrate Balanser's staff and has learned that on this day of Ruet everyone has to wear black robes and wraps and also wear a mask.

There will be a grand ceremony of sacrifice at the main square at the Palace District near the Temple.

Meanwhile, servants of Shalanum lay out black garbs and mask for Sizhen as well. Sizhen has had an understanding somewhat in advance that the first day of Shuvael is a day of religious observance for the religion of Goldna ad Dasnish. The day features sacrifices, public ritual and ceremony led by the Dasnishi, an adjustment on all market and labor allowances, and everyone in public dressed in gray and black robes, with solemn masks of clay, metal, or sack cloth hiding their faces.

Examples of the melancholy masks of Ruet. These are expected to be worn by anyone who goes out in public, along with the wearing of simple black or dark gray garments.

Shalanum meets with Sizhen and says that attendance to the First Observance is required. It will be held mid-morning at Baqqanum Square, there before the temple.

Master Shalanum asks Sizhen to be a part of his house procession for that. After the sacrifices are over, Sizhen can take his leave as he will. But Shalanum says that the day is a very sacred one for the Heshbaan people and the city. Sizhen must remain "in observance" throughout the day.And everyone in the city is expected to be indoors by sundown. No one is supposed to be on the streets nor in the fields nor on the river tonight unless they are Holy Gilded Armsmen or other approved servants of the Sar.

Shalanum knows that Sizhen has his own religion that is not the same as the people of Gelshemish, but he hopes it might be a day of self-reflection. He says too that Goldna ad Dasnish has right to judge all men who are in the city, even those who do not give sacrifice to him.

Hasa approaches the guests at the House of Imin Bash and delivers Honorable Balanser's request that all join in his procession to the temple, in full observance, to attend the Dasnishi Rituals of Ruet.

At midday, all can go about their own business, but everyone is expected to remain "in observance" throughout the day if they are traveling the city and no one has his blessing to be out in public after sunset and before next sunrise.

Hasa says little about religion, but is clear on the parameters of the expectations. He gives the rally point and time where everyone should gather to move to the temple for First Observance.

Kray, Maeriks, Ivor, Thorn, and Bryn suit up in the mask and robes and join the group led by Magistrate Balanser.

Sizhen accompanies the family and workers of Shalanum's merchant house.

Everyone makes way to Baqqaunum Square. All of the people of the city are dressed in the sad and eerie black robes and masks. The slow silent movement of droves and droves of people, all hidden behind either metal or plaster masks or heads covered in black sacks with stitching of frowns at the mouth - it is a rather shocking scene. Somber and woeful on a mass scale. The entire setting is completely transformed, a community alive and mobile, but appearing as ghosts or the dead lumbering about in the streets, all set on one purpose.

In front of the great temple, the Dasnishiat run animal sacrifices on one major raised platform and several others off to the side. The smell of burnt and cooking flesh fills the air. Columns of smoke rise from the full carcasses of burning pulls and rams.



Only the Dasnishi are unmasked. They are dressed in their full ceremonial garb as they manage the ceremonies and ritual chanting.

Covered in the masks and robes, it becomes quite strange to remain so anonymous, and also be surrounded by so many others who are anonymous as well. The look of the crowd is block of sadness and silence. There is no individuality. No one's identity is known, except for the rare few who identified themselves to one another before departure, and even then it is a challenge to maintain clarity of who is who after an extended time of moving and standing in a large crowd that is constantly shifting and swelling.

The Dannein and Yuoric team manages to stay together, but it takes some effort.

After a couple of hours of silently watching and listening to the rituals, and after the entire crowd is splattered with small drops of blood cast from straw brushes, the sacrifices come to an end. Just as silently as it formed, the crowd turns and disperses gradually.

The flow of ghost-like droning walkers pours through the city, as if water seeping out through a draining system.

Upon return to their benefactors' respective compounds, the foreigners are greeted briefly by their sponsors.

Magistrate Balanser and Master Shalanum both warn their guests again the important of staying in observance throughout the day. They can patronize merchants who are open, but should not bother any merchants who are closed. They also should not consume too much hard drink today either; it is forbidden to be overtaken by wine and liquor today during Ruet.

And lastly, they should be indoors before sunset. Preferably here, but if not here then stay somewhere that can provide housing for the entire night.

The Meeting at the Mountains of the Moon

Under the cover of the heavy black robes and bland masks of Ruet, the group makes its way through town to the Tea Shop, the Mountains of the Moon.

Ra u nak and Trece are there. There are only two other tables with customers: a group of three Sarcerans, and a pair of Doresh Mensha Heshbaan traders. Both groups have robes and masks hung on tall racks sitting next to their tables.

Sizhen arrives early and is escorted a back room, still wearing his observance cover.

The same for the rest of the team - the Yuorics and Danneins are taken back as a group, their identity never revealed until everyone is closed away in the secret meeting room in the back.

When everyone is out of their covers, attendees are:

Ra u nak
Palla Ba
Lok

Trece
Sizhen
Bryn
Ivor
Kray
Maeriks
Thorn