Next Time, Take the Chlen Dung!
"She looks down at her stew."
"It looks up at her!"
Session Summary, June 14, 1996
[Dlarku's player absent]
When we last left our most excellent Tsolyani, night had draped its
humid arms over Penom and they were preparing for bed when Lo! visitors
for Shekkara arrived unexpectedly at the Might of Ganga clanhouse.
While Akhan and the Might of Ganga Clanmaster plan
the party's escape, Akhan receives a summons from Shekkara. She wants
to know about her visitors. Akhan takes her to talk to the
clanmaster, from whom they learn that Kerdu Arkutu hiKurodu would like
to add Shekkara to his collection of beautiful women. Fortunately, or
unfortunately--they aren't really sure which--Arkutu has taken the
Legion of the Armoured Vision of Death north along the Sakbe road to Urmish.
Speculation is that he may be heading toward Jakalla.
Ngaya dreams of water, water, and more water. Water all around
her, stretching out to the horizon in every direction. A breeze rocks
the ship...
After talking with the clanmaster, Shekkara hastens to make herself presentable
for her visitors. One hour and fifty minutes later,
she graces them with her presence, taking with her Akhan as witness.
The Dark Fear clan and Temple of Sarku have sent a most impressive and
honorable delegation to represent the interests of Mriyan and Kerdu
Arkutu hiKurodu. There are, awaiting her pleasure, one high ranked
priest of Sarku, one young man Arjai hiKurodu from Dark Fear, and
Molkar Nikuma hiShauru of the Legion of the Armoured Vision of Death.
They are attended by temple guards armored in Sarku's most sacred copper
armor and soldiers of the Legion of the Armoured Vision of Death. Lo!
See how far Arkutu's influence reaches! Witness the extent of his
resources! What young women of respectible clan and lineage would
not flee from^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hkill at the chance to be his wife?
They present with her a token of the Kerdu's favor--jewelery worth
hundreds, nay! thousands--one might even say five thousand kaitars
of amber and emeralds and copper designed specifically to adorn
Shekkara's fair limbs. Lo! Little could they know that she does
not like copper!
...and the ship sways from port to starboad, port to starboard, rigging
clanking and clashing in the growing wind. Ngaya wakes, her lone thought
a heartfelt "where is the latrine?", only to see a pair of clanhouse guards
struggling to free a slave from the attentions of Penom's affectionate
native life.
Shekkara receives the gift with about as much grace and charm as a Chlen
beast ambling through a flower garden and agrees to attend a party that
the Dark Fear clan desires to throw in her honor. Their mission
complete, her visitors take their leave and Akhan shows them out.
...the parting between slave and Penom native life was brutal and
bitter, and the guards must put the slave to death, leaving a messy
puddle of blood and insect gore in Ngaya's room. One wonders how
much the clan spends per year replacing slaves?
Akhan and Shekkara entertain the nearby slaves by arguing vehemently
over Shekkara's willingness to attend the party. Private entertainment
quickly follows. In the morning, upon waking, they resume their
fighting. One might think that Akhan is perhaps jealous of Arkutu?
Certainly he cannot be upset at the delay of their departure by a
single day, especially when the Dark Fear clan is so generously
providing a party for their pleasure and entertainment.
Meanwhile, Mikusa hiNashomai of the Jade Diadem clan settles the final
details of her caravan. Soon, yea! one might even say tomorrow, she
will leave behind her this pisspot of the gods. Perhaps, if she is
lucky, her quest for ever greater fortunes will never lead her back
to Penom. She receives a summons from the clanmaster of the Might of
Ganga. Why would such an exalted person wish to speak with her? Is
he withdrawing his goods from her caravan? Or perhaps he wishes to
add 50 tons of Chlen dung to be shipped north for fertilizer.
Such tidings would be unwished for. But no, the clansmaster tells her
that he is very pleased with the relationship his clanhouse has with
her caravan, and he looks forward to further partnerships between the
clans of Might of Ganga and Jade Diadem. Mikusa agrees that this is
most desirable, inwardly pleased. He has but a few additional things
requiring transport, only a handful of people, that need expedient yet
anonymous travel out of Penom.
The Might of Ganga clanmaster arranges for Mikusa to meet her secret
travel companions. There she lays eyes upon Tirrikamu Akhan hiKetkolel
and Priestess Ngaya hiChaishyani, both from very high clans like herself,
then upon Shekkara Tlakotani, who she last saw writhing in rapturous
ecstacy upon the altar of Lady Dlamelish in Jakalla and who she never thought to
see in such close proximity. These are her secret travelers requiring
expedient travel out of Penom? What have they done that they require
such a thing? Is Shekkara fleeing from her uncle, the Most Excellent
Prince Rereshqala? Or perhaps she is on a mission for him? And this
Tirrikamu of the Legion of Ever-Present Glory. What brings him to
Penom? And what nefarious role does the Temple of Chegarra play in
all of this? Cha! Such things can be the downfall of an honest merchant.
The Chlen dung would have been preferable.
Lo! Wrote this, Lisa Leutheuser, horse of The Most Beautiful
Shekkara Tlakotani, on this 17th day of June, 1996 Anno Domini.
