The Al-Qadim Game 2

Game Master: Andrew
Game Edition: 2nd Ed. AD&D
Players: Jeff, Dave, Elijah
Starting Level: 1 
Current Level: 1

Quote of the Evening:
"Did you even ask him if he wants to go to a Brothel?"
-Husam asking his Brother about their plans to treat Aziz

Introduction

We left our party outside the Scimitar Taverna in the slums of the city of Qudra. The Sha'ir brothers, Nyrexes Ibn Tamir (Jeff) and Husam Ibn Tamir (Elijah) along with the Gnome Desert Raider Zubayr Ibn Nijad had just spoken to the thief Nefir. He was surrounded by body guards, and it was only because of Nyrexes and Husam's station that he gave them an audience. 

Their main line of inquiry with him was about a rumour they had heard from their Brother Imad, that a Werelion was in the slums. Nefir said little about the creature that supposedly stalked the slums at night, and quickly changed the subject to a business opportunity the Brothers had proposed. 

Nefir offered to pay them handsomely for any magic items they might encounter. With that he dismissed them, and the party found themselves at a loss as to what to do next. 

Scene 1 Outside the Scimitar Taverna

The three had considered trying to trick Nefir with faked magical artifacts, but that seemed a little risky.

Nyrexes wanted to investigate the Werelion and decided that the best course of action would be to wait here and observe the Scimitar. He assumed that the Werelion would return to it's master, Nefir.  Zubayr, on the other hand, wished to return to the desert and begin the journey to Hafayah that they had discussed earlier. He managed to convince Husam that this course of action was best, and the two headed off towards the bazaar.

Nyrexes was busy finding a place to hide when the two left, and didn't even notice they were gone until he turned to tell them that he had found a perfect spot.  Seeing that he was a lone, he leaned against a wall and watched the patrons of the Scimitar Taverna drift in and out.  A group of men at one of the tables outside saw Nyrexes observing them, but decided to do nothing and returned to their drinks.

Scene 2 The Thieves. The Werelion

Zubayr and Husam were winding their way through the slums discussing how much gold Zubayr would need to get supplies. Just as Husam tossed him a purse of 15 gold pieces, three men came out of the shadows, each holding a scimitar.

"Your money or your life!" They said. Pointing their saber's towards the two.

Zubayr, who was still riding his Bengal tiger, charged at the first thug trying to stick him with his lance.  The Bandit caught the lance under his arm and slashed Zubayr across the chest. The wound was deep and he yelped in pain. Husam was not fairing much better. He struck the head of his attacker with his quarter staff, but that only served to enrage him. The bandit slashed his scimitar, and the tip bit deeply into Husam's forehead. The third attacker lunged at Zubayr, but a pounce from the tiger knocked him of balance, and he swung wide of the gnome.

Death seemed certain, and in a last desperate attempt, to save both of their lives, Husam and Zubayr tossed their coin purses at the bandits.  The thugs laughed and sheathed their swords.

"That was easier now wasn't it?" they said mocking the two. But as the words left the thieves lips, a Werelion leapt from the shadows, tackling the man and ripping his throat out with its jaws. One of the thieves drew his sword and attacked the creature, while his comrade ran for his life screaming at the top of his lungs.

The scream reached the ears of Nyrexes, who had been observing the Taverna for 20 minutes without any sign of a Werelion. Deciding this shout might be the sign he was looking for, he left his post and ran into the slums looking for it's source.

The Werelion easily defeated it's attacker and then proceeded to eat the remains. Husam and Zubayr had stepped back from this horrendous assault, and now watched with morbid fascination as the Werelion consumed the flesh of its fallen prey. They attempted to approach the creature but, it grabbed it's kill and ran off into the dark streets.

Just as it left, Nyrexes arrived finding Husam and Zubayr injured, but willing to give chase to the beast!

Scene 3 Chasing the Werelion

The creature was easy to follow, and the dark patches of blood allowed even a layman to track it through the sand coloured streets. The trail twisted and turned through the slums until it reached a building where the drips of blood stained the wall leading up to the roof. All three of them rushed inside, with Zubayr leaving his tiger with two awed children who were playing on the steps.

The inside of the building was perhaps more rough and disheveled than the outside. Mouldy and tattered cloth covered the entrance to each apartment, and debris lay scattered around the floor. An old woman poked her head from behind one of the coverings, only to quickly dart back inside when she saw the armed trio.  Questioning her revealed that she was quite mad, and could barely remember where she was, let alone tell them any useful information about the Werelion.

The second floor of the apartment building was equally disheveled, and the people there knew nothing of the Werelion, but were again feeling scared and threatened by the armed and insistent companions. Zubayr and Husam decided to climb a rickety looking ladder up to the roof, while Nyrexes, fed up with the place, decided to investigate outside. Walking to the far side of the building he saw a trail of blood that continued down the wall, and off into the street. He called up to his companions before dashing into the dark slum streets.

Zubayr and Husam stood on the roof of the building observing the sea of slum apartments and houses before them. Nyrexes shout echoed up to them and they ran down the stairs, collected the tiger and followed the blood trails on the far side of the building.

Scene 4 The Werelion's Den

The trail of blood ended at a pile of garbage against the city walls in the very depths of the slums. The sounds of gnawing and a soft growling were heard from a cave like opening in the pile.  There was some discussion as what to do next. Nyrexes and Zubayr favored attacking the creature, and Zubayr approached the cave opening and plunged his lance into it. He felt a jerk as the tip was grabbed, and as he pulled it out of the opening, he felt the pressure of flesh slice against the blade. The creature growled, and its glowing eyes peered out of the cave.

Husam decided to take a different approach. But not before admitting to his companions that he was going out on a limb, and that they should be ready to attack if things went poorly.

He approached the opening and said "You have nothing to fear, we are here to help you." The Werelion exited his cave, standing his full height before the party. It was a tense moment until the Werelion spoke with a rough voice.

"You have nothing to fear from me either. I have eaten now. You say you can help me?"

The party replied in the affirmative, and Werelion told them his tale.

"I was an Askar of a small village by an oasis in the high desert. One night, long ago, my village was attacked by raiders. I was knocked down by the the hooves of a horse and when I awoke, I found myself in a dimly lit laboratory. For years Nefir and his Sorcerer experimented on me, trying to turn me into an human animal hybrid using a Polymorph Other spell. As you can see they succeeded. He permanently turned me into this monstrous form. But they did not predict the strength it would bring me. I over powered my captors and fled into the slums of this city. That was four days ago. Since then I have hungered for flesh. Please help return to my human form and gain vengeance against Nefir and his Sorcerer!"

The party agreed to help him, learning that his name was Aziz Ibn Khalim.

Scene 5 The Miraculous Polymorph

Husam and Nyrexes asked their Gens to seek out the Polymorph Other spell. It was a long shot having only a 15% chance of success. But the brothers truly felt pity for Aziz and vowed to do anything they could for him. Their Gens faded back into the elemental plains from which they came, not returning for more then Hour.

Around 8:30 both of the Gens returned. Nyrexes' Earth Gen, returned sheepishly with nothing to show for his search. Nyrexes scolded his Gen, and a slow rift began to grow between them. Husam's Water Gen on the other hand returned holding the glowing orb of a spell.  Husam gave it praise, stroking its head. He cast the spell and slowly Aziz returned to his human form. 

He was half naked and reeked of rotting meat and garbage, but he did not care, Aziz jumped for joy thanking the party profusely! But he asked them one more favour; Would they help him gain his vengeance against Nefir? Everyone agreed that whatever Nefir was doing, he needed to be stopped. But first, something needed to be done about Aziz's pungent aroma.

Scene 6 Bathing at the Mosque

They made their way to the mosque in the slums. Husam and Nyrexes had never been in this mosque before, as it was normally frequented by those of a lesser station, but with a few gold coins, they arranged for Aziz to be given a bath and a fresh set of clothing. The priests were delighted at the Brother's generosity, and showered them with food, and gave them a comfortable place to rest.

As the party ate, the priests attended to Husam's and Zubayr's wounds, healing them completely with their divine magic. After the meal, Nyrexes and Husam took the time to pray to their god Zann the Learned. Zubayr considered praying, but decided that Haku, Master of the Desert Winds could not be properly honored from within the stone walls of the mosque.

After their prayers were completed, Aziz returned from his bath looking refreshed and smelling of flowers. Before the group left, the High Priest of the temple approached Nyrexes, asking if he and his brother would honour them with their return to their humble mosque. Nyrexes promised they would return and left the mosque to go treat Aziz to a night on the town.

Scene 7 The Dancing Girl Harem. Aziz is Missing. The Amber Camel.

Nyrexes wanted to take Aziz to the Dancing Girl Harem. And this is where our quote of the evening came from when Husam asked, "Did you even ask him if he wants to go to a Brothel?" Nyrexes admitted that he had not and turned to inquire. Aziz was more interested in vengeance then he was in partying with the brothers, but he felt honour bound and agreed to join them.

The Dancing Girl Harem lay in the same square that the Brother's family resided. Not wanting to be spotted by anyone familiar, they each pulled their hoods over their faces as they approached the place, arriving around 10:00. A large bodyguard stood out front, but let them enter when they explained their intention to procure some entertainment. Husam decided to wait outside, while Nyrexes treated Aziz to 5 entertainers, paid Zubayr's daily wage of 7 gold in an entertainer, and them procured the house's finest for himself. The Madame of the house acquiesced and the three disappeared into the back rooms.

A half an hour later, Nyrexes and Zubayr emerged, but Aziz was no where to be found. They asked the Madame, and she lied to them claiming he already left. Neither of them believed her and angrily demanded to know where he was.  The Madame called for her body guard who stood out front, and Husam quietly followed him. The Madame demanded they leave, and the cracking of the body guards knuckles hastened their departure.

Outside, the group stormed around the Dancing Girl Harem looking for another way in, but aside from some windows on the second story, no entrance revealed itself. Nyrexes decided to ask his Gen to find  the spell Spider Climb. Within minutes his Gen returned, holding the spell in his claws. Nyrexes cast it on himself and climbed the wall to peer in the windows. In the first window, he saw three large, armed men sitting around a table drinking and gambling. A fourth man was bound and tied in a corner, but he couldn't make out his face. He moved along the wall and looked into a second room which seemed to be a sort of office, though it was too dark to make out any details. He returned to the ground, and told Husam and Zubayr what he had seen. Zubayr volunteered to go investigate the office, and again Nyrexes asked his Gen to seek out the spell Spider Climb. The Gen returned successful and he cast it on Zubayr. 

The gnome climbed up the side of the building and opened the window into the office. It was dark, but he was able to find a desk covered in papers. It was too dark to make anything out, so he stuffed a handful into his pocket and began to investigate the desk. All of the drawers were locked, but under the desk, he did find a small switch which opened a hidden panel. Inside he found a small Amber Camel. He put it in his robes, and climbed out the window just as the Madame entered.

He climbed down to the street and gave the papers to Husam, not mentioning the amber camel he had found. Husam studied the pages and found them all to be receipts for large quantities of food. Puzzled by this, but too tired to do anything about it this night, the three retired agreeing to meet in the market square the following morning.

Husam and Nyrexes went to their brothers inn, and Nyrexes rented a room for the night. Husam decided to sleep on one of the couches. Zubayr returned to his tent, pushing the chest of pepper out and beside his tent.  Just before he retired, a group of Desert Nomads entered the city, heading towards the Palace. He took note of it and then climbed into his tent to rest.

Scene 8  Shopping in the Market. Assault on the Dancing Girl Harem. Our Friend the Madame.

The next morning the brothers woke up, summoned their Gens and started to probe around the Dancing Girl Harem.  Zubayr awoke and headed over to the fountain in the square where they were supposed to meet.  He watched the twins search around the building without noticing him for sometime before the growling of his stomach got the better of him and he headed off towards the Bazaar to get something to eat and buy the supplies for the journey to Hafayah.

He spent an hour or so wandering among the store fronts seeking the best deals on the items he needed, including a light breakfast of fruit and some bread. While Zubayr was shopping Husam and Nyrexes were getting themselves into quite a bit of trouble.

Husam asked his Gen to prepare Magic Missile for him, while Nyrexes asked his Gen to find Spider Climb yet again. Nyrexes Gen quickly returned and he cast Spider Climb on Husam who climbed up the wall into the room where the thugs were with their tied up man. Only two of the men remained and both had passed out on the table where they were gambling the night before.

Husam walked quietly over to the table, drew his knife, and slit the throat of one of the sleeping thugs. He moved over to the second thug and was about to run the blade along his gullet when he awoke swinging wildly.  At this time, Husam's Gen returned holding the orb for a Magic Missile. Husam cast it at his attacker. The bolt borrowed into his chest leaving a deep and painful looking burn, but that only enraged him, the thug pushed the table at him, knocking him to the ground. Husam returned to his feet and asked his Gen to go and find him another Magic Missile Spell. The thug charged at him, but tripped over his own feet and crashed to the ground. Husam drew his quarter staff and jabbed it at the fallen man, rolling a 20 and completely smashing the mans skull in.*

*(Just a DM's note here: Elijah this was technically murder. These guys did not provoke you. You broke into their room and proceeded to kill them. However, it is only a problem if you get accused of murder, so be mindful about how you spin this to the authorities.)

Nyrexes used Spider Climb for a fourth and final time, and climbed to join his brother in the room. Just as he entered the Madame burst into the room demanding to know what all the commotion was about. The two brother's froze, not knowing what to say, when Husam's Gen returned with the Magic Missile spell. On the threat of violence the two demanded that the Madame tell them where they to find Aziz. Scared, she led them down to the basement. Along the way Nyrexes asked his Gen to find the Charm Person Spell.

As they reached the basement, the Magic Missile expired, but the Madame was still frightened, and showed them a trap door on the floor.  She said that Aziz had been taken down there, and that they would be fools to meddle in what was happening. Nyrexes' Gen then returned with the Charm Person and he cast it on the Madame in the hopes of getting more information.

The spell worked, and she looked at the companions with kindness and friendship. They asked her what was happening and she explained everything. Nefir's men would kidnap people who wouldn't be missed and lock them in the basement. They would be removed during the night, though she didn't know how or to where. Nefir and his men had threatened her and her girls if they didn't cooperate. She didn't know what else to do. She begged the brothers not to go down there saying that their lives would be in grave danger.

Scene 9 Nefir's Slave Trade. Nyrexes' Gen Gets Lost. The Mamluks Must be Told!

Nyrexes and Husam learned from the Madame that there were four guards down stairs, and Nyrexes continued to pay for Girls to go down and entertain them until he had racked up a bill of 16 gold pieces. This plan failed to exhaust the guards, and Husam and Nyrexes agreed that the only thing left to do was go down into the cellar and look for themselves. But before they went down, Nyrexes had his Gen go and look for a Hypnotism spell. They waited for its return before passing through the trap door. As they entered, Husam called out to the thugs, and all four of them approached the stairs, wondering who these intruders were. Nyrexes cast his Hypnotism Spell, but two of the thugs were able to shake off the effect. Nyrexes and Husam seemed to have two different ideas of what to do next. Husam shouted out "Attack!" while Nyrexes told them to ask the others to join them. So the two thugs turned and began fighting the two unaffected thugs all the while shouting "We don't want to fight! Join us!" Neither of the brothers noticed, that Husam was able to command one of Nyrexes spells. This should not be possible.

The hypnotized thugs were quickly slain by their unaffected comrades, who then turned to the brothers. They called out to more thugs who supposedly dwelt upstairs, and again Nyrexes tried to summon a Hypnotism Spell, but his Gen got lost becoming trapped in the elemental planes for more than an hour! Out of ideas, the two fled out of the building into the street to find the nearest Mamluk and inform him of the illegal slave trade they had discovered. Zubayr had just returned from the market as they ran out of the building and joined them, learning what had happened as they explained their tale to the guard.

The Mamluk asked them to come with him to the barracks to speak with his commander. The party began to follow him and that was where we left off. 

Conclusion

Everyone got right into the role play this game. Jeff hospitality is an important part of this culture, and your generosity to those less fortunate than you was some great role play. Elijah your constant use of your Gen was definitely what a Sha'ir would do. Dave you made sure you got paid as any fighter should, and you were constantly referring to a longing for the desert that only a desert rider can have!

You guys also completed a quest and cured Aziz of his Werelionism! That was amazing! To bad he got captured and sold back into slavery. Looks like you guys have a bone to pick with Nefir. The Mamluks rule Qudra, and the Emir is the Commander of all of the Mamluk society living in the city. So going to these guys was a good choice.