SESSION FORTY-SEVEN
The Fated had decided that they would seize Khaibar. This southern city was isolated from Alakyrum, but close to their allies at the Oasis of the White Palm; it was also relatively under-populated, but with high walls from its ancient prime. Moreover they knew that Abdallah al-Rassan had intended for them to rule it, so there would be no opposed leader, ideally.
Zoya arrived first, by flying carpet, and immediately began to gather information about Khaibar at the Djinn of the Green Fez, a watering hole for ruffians and carousers. The town’s Pasha was called Arjenus, a ruthless Auran legate and minion of the Butcher. Arjenus’s military forces consisted of around 120 Auran legionaries as well as 60 Kemeshi mamelukes under the command of the Great Mufti Farouk. Early in his term, Arjenus had crucified the head of the local thieves’ guild, and retained the former guild lieutenant, Vahtak Bey, as his personal vassal; Bey’s loyalty was assured through a poison which only Arjenus could cure. Zoya heard that Leila at the Dropping Djellebah, a brothel, might secure one a meeting with Vahtak Bey.
The rest of the group arrived on the 7th of Genelen. Suad’s carpet and Shikra’s invisibility spell made avoiding the Auran legionaries at the gate easy. Once inside, they headed to the Mosque of the Great Holy One, where Achmed Raisul was imam. They brought with them the rebellion’s erstwhile leader, Abdallah al-Rassan. Achmed instantly recognized him, and spoke of his readiness to strike to revenge the Patriarch. Poor Abdallah played along as best he could. It was clear that Achmed Raisul was pro-rebellion.
Zoya, Ethlyn, Senef, Bellona, and Shikra now left the mosque to seek out the Dropping Djellebah. The group travelled under the cover of an invisibility spell and hoped to avoid trouble. En route, the calmness of Khaibar was disrupted by a sudden explosion that tore apart a nearby mudbrick building. Zoya raced behind the rubbled building, hoping to catch the unseen perpetrator. No one was there, but in the grill work of a high metal fence she found a torn belt-sash with a jambiya still scabbarded in it; the dagger’s hilt was shaped like a howling dog.
Senef extinguished the fires with his shamanic powers, a gesture that was rewarded with an accusation of sorcery by the Auran guards that rushed to the scene. When the guards tried to disarm and arrest Senef, Shikra unleashed a hypnotic pattern and Bellona intimidated everyone with her empty wand of detecting traps. Ethlyn then claimed to be a high-ranking Auran noble and demanded an apology from the Auran centurion in charge for hassling her men while they were doing “your jobs for you!”
Their bravado worked and the guards meekly retreated. Zoya and Senef made their way into the Dropping Djellebah. Zoya quickly found Leila and began to talk business. To ensure their privacy, Senef dropped a large quantity of gold and hired all of the extent houri in the brothel. Zoya and Leila could hear the girls in the next room, loudly discussing the size of the shaman’s snake.
Back at the Mosque, Achmed Raisul explained to Mahmud, Rakh, and Suad that the explosion was doubtless the work of “The Mad Dog of the Desert”, a fundamentalist assassin who opposed any cooperation or commerce with Aura. The three decided to re-unit with their comrades. They found Bellona, Shikra, and Ethlyn in the alleyways behind the brothel, and headed over to Ibrahim’s Mint Parlor, a tavern catering to off-duty mamelukes and guards. As Fate would have it, the Great Mufti Farouk had decided to take his mint tea at the parlor that afternoon, and Mahmud was able to arrange a formal audience with him on the next day.
While these preparations were underway, Zoya and Leila had concluded their business, with Leila agreeing to arrange for a private meeting between Zoya and Vahtak Bey. As she left with Senef, Zoya could hear the houri whispering, “They call him the Desert Wind…” Senef, for once, had no wisdom to impart.
Most of the Fated were ready to retire for the night, but Suad decided to visit the local Tower of Knowledge. His trip was interrupted by an annoying call to prayer celebrating a holy feast day in which Al-Sindor had caused date palms to bloom in the desert. This seemed so coincidental as to make the sorcerer suspicious, but consultation with local religious authorities revealed this was an annual festival. Sometimes a date palm is just a date palm.
Once the prayer ended, Suad befriended three junior mages in the Tower. Epaphras, Parthalan, and Wadi explained that the Tower’s regis, Soraya, also known as the Crescent Witch, was disliked by the pasha, and rarely left the Tower. From their conversation, Suad surmised that Soraya was moderately more powerful than himself, but not an archmage or wizard. Feeling comfortable that there would be no unexpected danger from the Tower, he rejoined the Fated at the Casbah of the Rising Camel, the inn where they were residing for the night.
Zoya had bribed the innkeeper to alert them if there were any problems, and this proved a judicious bribe. He gave them warning that a group of guardsmen were coming to carry away Ethlyn for forcible introduction to the pasha’s harem. Ethlyn hid herself away in an empty room and the guardsmen went back to the palace empty-handed.
The next day, 8th Genelen, Mahmud went to entreat with the Grand Mufti Farouk. He brought Rakh along, posing as a slave. Mahmud tried to feel out Farouk’s loyalties to the Pasha and to the Empire, while Farouk discretely inquired as to Mahmud’s purposes in Khaibar. Mahmud left the meeting certain that Farouk knew about the planned rebellion, but uncertain of his intentions or position. Outside the meeting, Rakh was “freed” by some benevolent Auran guardsmen, who informed him that slavery was illegal in the Empire and sent him packing with some copper coins. “You’re a free lizard! Go on, boy. Go!”
Senef decided to ask the spirits for guidance about who might be the best allies. This communion revealed that Farouk agreed with the rebellion; that the Mad Dog worshipped the chthonic gods; and that Vahtak Bey was in fact being poisoned by Arjenus.
That night, Senef and Zoya headed back to the Dropping Djellebah to meet with Vahtak Bey. The rest of the Fated were hidden invisibly nearby. Vahtak Bey had an easy smile but dead eyes and Zoya felt he’d as sooner kill her as sleep with her. Senef decided that bluntness was the wisest course. “Rebels are planning to slay all of the Auran leadership in Khaibar. You are not Auran so there might be a place for you after the rebellion. Where would you stand should such a thing occur?” Vahtak Bey was taken aback by this display of forthrightness, but quickly recovered. “I have no love for the Aurans, it is true. Should certain problems I have be resolved, I would be open to a change in regime.”
Since these forthright tactics proved effective, the Fated decided to re-visit Farouk at the palace. Mahmud met the Great Mufti on the 9th over mint tea and iced sherbet. “What returns you to the Palace to meet with me?” asked Farouk. “A storm is coming, and I want to ask where you will stand when the desert winds blow,” said Mahmud. “That very much depends who is doing the blowing,” said Farouk. “I am. When the rebellion ends, I will rule Khaibar, and I will give freedom to you and your slave-soldiers.” “You give me much to think on,” said Farouk. The two warriors ended their meeting, each bearing his face in stoic inscrutability.
On the 10th, the situation in the city got even more complex. A caravan of traders arrived and set up a bazaar not far from the palace. The guards on the walls and gates had doubled and frequent patrols seemed to be on the look- out for perpetrators. The Mad Dog’s bombs continued to go off in Khaibar. To avoid trouble, the Fated traveled everywhere under the protection of invisibility magic.
Suad had by now secured an audience with Soraya, the Crescent Witch. He brought the handsome Mahmud with him, and the green-eyed Soraya was instantly smitten by the paladin. “I will be very frank with you,” said Suad. “In a few days time there will be a rebellion. Mahmud will be in charge.” “I’m sure that will be just fine,” said the smitten sorceress.
Zoya had been working studiously to create a network of carousers and spies within Khaibar and these efforts had begun to pay off. One of her ruffians reported a rumor that the wealth of the Pasha was kept behind a door with a Lion’s Head. Her spy, Yaghoub, reported that a secret passage runs between the Pasha’s harem and his bedchambers.
It was now the 11th of Genelen. The Night of the Crescent was fast approaching, so the Fated began to put last minute preparations in place…