Episode 2

Sizhen is able to communicate well enough to the guardsmen, using his own intermediate Heshbaan and getting a few clarifications from Yasheb.

Ron Nahid, the field leader Armsman who seems to know Yasheb, wonders if Sizhen is asking about the body of the assassin or the legionnaire who was led away.

The assassin's body will be carried off and dumped in a ditch, left to be eaten by the wild animals and carrion birds, the sentence of a slain assassin.

As for the Korvaran soldier, Ron Nahid is not sure. He does not know if the soldier did anything wrong to warrant punishment. If so, he might be punished by his superiors, the Korvaran field commanders. He might be assigned a hard duty for a few days. Maybe he will not get punished. Korvarans do not seem to be punished often; they are favored by the Sar and his rulers on The Rise.

Kray talks and Bryn assists on translation as necessary.

Manshesh, the man says, is not here. He is the owner and is away on business.

He wonders what you might need to buy, they have many fine cabinets and boxes. He asks where you are from. Some of the other guys in the store keep a watchful eye during the interchange. One of the big workers in the back comes forward and checks things out as he gets some tools.

Agree on OOCing this.

Kray wants to meet Manshesh and has a business proposition (truth... Kray is looking for local underground/organized crime connections due to their many uses and attached organizational connections). If pressed, Kray would insist that he will only speak with Manshesh and would ask for a meet to be arranged (Persuasion).

If that fails, Kray will Intimidate the shopkeeper for Manshesh's whereabouts.

Rolls below as needed. May use Lucky.

The shop manager hears Kray out, with Bryn running translation. He looks Kray and the crew over, and gradually starts nodding his head a bit, showing that he might consider the idea.

He asks, "You are the Jeresians who came in the last convoy? The big Danneins with you, right?"

If that is conceded, he agrees. He says come back on Turmin. Manshesh should be back then. He will try to get a meeting set up. The store will not be open. Come around back to the workshop.Last question from him on the way out, "You are not in league with the Korvarans, are you?"

When Sizhen returns eventually to his base at Shalanum's house, the merchant lord says that he has already heard that Sizhen intervened to catch Honorable Eannautum's murderer today. Even Nasi Talel sent one of his messengers to say that Sizhen was said to be the one who foiled the assassin's escape.

Shalanum is well pleased and says that Sizhen is to accompany him as a guest to the King's Gala at the Palace Garden, tomorrow night.

The last day before Shuvael is called Dres Moshe. Translation from "Late Moshe", and Moshe being the last day of the third of three ten-day cycles that mark ordinary work time between Shuvael observances for the Heshbaan calendar.

As mentioned before, it is a festive day as everyone prepares for the change to the "purification" of the city and its people tomorrow on Ruet, the first day of Shuvael.

Chariot Race
(early morning prep and gathering, mid-morning race)

Cedrio tells Ivor at the last minute that he just cannot go. He hates it - he has been trying to prepare in advance to sneak away for a few hours. But now there are problems with some of the equipment, some of the dwarves got in fights last night and are refusing to perform, a couple of the lions are sick. He just has too much to do. He gives Ivor his two luxury box tickets and also says that he set him up with that art merchant's daughter Amarsin. If he wants to go get her, she'll go and her father will let her if you buy one of his carvings or paintings that he has in the front display room. She'll have a silk dress, jewelry, perfume - everything.The walk across the north bridge is among quite a crowd headed in the same direction, all making their way to the open fields of Haran. As usual, the frequency of horses and chariots is very minimal since only those with permission from the Sar himself can ride in the city, which means only the Nasi and Magistrates and perhaps a few of the very wealthy.

Nasi Ariav Talel owns the land around the track and the track itself. Many locals have cloth insignia pinned on their shoulders to show their support for the Nasi during this event. He seems to be a ruler who enjoys considerable favor among the people.

The track is a great structure and design. It has fencing around the perimeter, a large seating and awning structure on the south side for moderate and high class seating, and a high hill rise on the north side where the lower class can sit on the ground.

On the east side of the facilities, at the main entrance, is a stable house and chariot garage which is absolutely immaculate. All of the chariots are truly impressive, gleaming is high polished wood, bronze, and nickel. The horses are groomed and bridled with much flair. The drivers look like hero legends of old songs, dressed in retro light armor that is elaborate in all of its detail and fine workmanship.

There are a few preliminary events, mostly horse and horsemanship displays, but also some expositions for some of the latest technology in chariot, cart, and carriage design. It is certainly true that Gelshemish carriage design is truly remarkable. Maybe it is understandable why these items are so expensive and sought after as one of the few exports to Kortella and Pylos, and even the Markelands.

There is a masterful oratory who delivers a swagger and posh commentary to the event, using a large bronze speaker apparatus that amplifies his voice. Host Nasi Talel is hailed throughout, with much fanfare from the crowd.

There is one fast horse race of two laps. It builds up to with much anticipation and then launches. The crowd is electrified. The winner is Cosmel, the Bishtu Tan owned by a Magistrate named Puzar-Allala. The jockey is an unnamed servant.

Finally, the much anticipated chariot race! Everyone in the stadium is on their feet. The cheers and shouts roll up together in a thunderous roar.

Five laps to glory and the winner is Hosco, a favorite son of the city who comes from a family of chariot builders. His horse, Dirga Nagiru ("Glowing Herald"), is unbridled and runs a victory lap on his own. After that Hosco mounts him with no saddle and passes by with a high-step trot that the brings the greatest cheers of all.

The victors are given woven olive wreath crowns and purple sashes over their shoulder when they are elevated on the champions' stand.

During the afternoon, evening, and next day...

Further investigation of Dug-Nuna's body
There is a tattoo on Dug-nuna's arm. It is a religious tattoo, old Archalasian symbols (the predecessor to modern Heshbaan writing). They are relatively common symbols that mean roughly "Goldna Protects His Faithful People"
So evidence does suggest that though Dug-nuna was a Hechesi, he seems to be one faithful to the dominant religion of the city and the entire Heshbaan land, instead of being a part of the minority religion that many Hechesi are associated with.

Further interview from Ron Nahid
Nahid says that this is the first Stabber attack in about two months. He says that judging by the accounts of witnesses to Stabber assaults and assassination, not all of the Stabbers are Hechesi, but all seem like they are Heshbaans. There have been no known foreign Stabbers. Most have said that the Hileli, the Marduk cult that acts in secrecy mostly in The Swamp and out from the forest camps, have been behind the Stabbers. Ron Nahid has never thought so, and thinks so now even less. Nahid cannot believe that Dug-nuna chose one of the only Magistrates who uses Korvarans as bodyguards as his target. Eannatum, Nahid thinks, would have been among the most difficult Magistrates to approach and strike. That did not prove to be true today though. Dug-nuna paid for it with his life, but it was a bold strike. Yashub thinks he detects some dislike of the Korvarans from Nahid's way of speaking - for a moment at least, until the Armsman field leader shifts to cover against speaking of his own opinions.

Around town listening to latest rumors on The Stabbers
Yashub leads the way with Sizhen accompanying. The local Gelshemish resident speaks with several people that he uses as informants and rumor-millers. The word is out quickly that the Stabbers were successful again. Some say that Eannautum had it coming because of some big deal he made with the Korvarans. No one seems to know what the deal was, but a couple of people say that it was lucrative and that Eannautum was a Magistrate pressing for Heshbaan recruiting for wars to be fought in the Markelands among the Yuorics. Others say the Stabbers, the Hilleli, and Agnon-Sami are all working together to bring discord and eventual unrest in the city, to clear the way for the Forest People barbarians to come in from the Old Camps in Jara Hili and kill all of the Armsmen and the Magistrates.

Around town listening to latest rumors on Iz Jeddriss
Word is out now that Iz Jeddriss was out in the Jara Hili recently and launched a direct assault on the latest convoy incoming from the north. The devil killed about 10 Armsmen, strung up and skinned 13 laborers in the forest, unleashed a black fog that choked a group of wealthy Kortellans to death.They say Iz Jeddriss was also seen near the Sealed Citadel with a giant snake as a servant and that he is now working with the giant Humbaba, who has joined forces with the Devil in exchange for a constant supply of slaves to eat. Iz Jeddriss has also become more powerful, walking effortlessly through shadows through the city in his black magic robes, now traveling great distances, now even going outside of the city into the old darknesses hidden in Jara Hili. Iz Jeddriss now it seems has called up the Hounds of Hell from the depths. These deadly creatures are the size of small horses and they breathe fire like dragons of legend. Maybe it is getting closer, just as the Agnon-Sami shouters proclaim: "He will open the gate".

Exchange notes about the Sealed Citadel aka the Red Bastion of Midrad
Yashub says that the Citadel has been sealed for as long as anyone can remember. There are no known entrances, even though everyone still claims that the Devil (really a half-devil they say, though now he is referred to as "The Devil") Iz Jeddriss goes into and out of the structure using his magic to step through shadows. Yashub knows of a ruined shrine near the Old Villa. It is called the Suffering Devotion of the Small Irons, an old stone structure not well understood but apparently a religious site from the earliest days of when Gelshemish was founded. Yashub says that he has heard that the shrine has a secret entrance into the Sealed Citadel, going deep into the earth in a tunnel. Yashub has investigated it thoroughly though. The stones have many old notches, cut outs, and old brackets, but he can find no entrance door or cover that hides any underground passage. The abandoned Shrine, like the Old Villa and the Sealed Citadel itself, are located in the old section of the Temple District that is officially off limits to the city populace, an area patrolled by the Holy Gilded Armsmen for trespassers. The area around the Old Villa is said to be cursed and filled with ghosts.

On the King's Gala at the Garden Palace
Sizhen and Yashub confirm with each other that they are both going to the social gathering tonight at the Sar's palace, as guests of their influential sponsors (wealthy Market House Headmaster Shalanum and Nasi Ariav Talel respectively).