Chapter 27

And so our intrepid adventurers march onwards to the capital, hereby officially named Shariz.

The disguises work well, especially when you don't stay in one city for too long. Cael is able to buy provisions for you all when you need them. Getting a place to stay can be difficult, though. The further you get from Ehosia's borders, the more suspiciously people treat you. More than once, a bedraggled but sincere streetcorner preacher tries to show you all "the Light of Eho" and exhorts Cael and his "devout wife" Gwenh to live as an example that you might all be saved from your heathen ways.

But when Cael produced the magic piece of paper he acquired in Sommayid, hostels and temples open to you, offering shelter and refreshment. Much of the food is strange to the northern tongue, in texture if not in flavor. There's still the staple "bland grain gruel," "cooked meat," and "fruit," but the grain mixture is likely to be rice or couscous rather than wheat or barley, the meat is likely oddly spiced, and the fruit is almost always a dried date. After nearly every meal, the kaff is served, strong, spiced, and hot, in tiny white cups. The ceremony that goes with serving it reminds Toshiro of the tea ceremonies of his homeland - though perhaps not quite so long (the objective here is to drink the kaffi while hot, not gain inner clarity).

People seem to live on rugs, carpets, and pillows. You take your meals seated on the floor on such cushions, taking food off of large plates placed on a low table. In some places, the hosts will politely try to split the group, since it is more proper for the sexes to eat and sleep apart.

The final ley gate leads to a busy travel nexus in Shabiz. Guards hustle you out of the way and into a square, as they are doing to everyone else, trying to make room for the next group coming through the gate.

The square is a riot. Newly arrived caravans haggle with officials over taxes to pay. Some merchants seem to have started selling their wares already. Some travelers, perhaps returning home, head straight off. Others, new to the splendor of Shariz, gaze about themselves, enraptured. Beggars sit in the dust, imploring passerby for a bit of coin. It's late afternoon. To the north, you can catch a glimpse of red-gold light: the sun glinting off of the golden onion-shaped dome of a pure white tower. Slightly to the west of that is a spot of shining silver; another such dome. Cael, Krissa and Kyriel all know the golden minaret belongs to the Mosque of Everlasting Light and Everburning Flame, the largest temple to Eho in the world. They also know the silver-topped towers are the Patriarch's fabled home.

Three burly men in light leather armor, emblazoned with sunbursts, make their way through the crowd. Their eyes flicker over the group before them. Toshiro, resplendant in his silks and with three bodyguards and several retainers, certainly looks in charge.

::Your business in the Pearl Kingdom, please?:: one inquires in Ehosian.

Slightly startled, Toshiro looks at the one who spoke and smiles. Here goes nothing... ::Greetings, Honorable Customs Agent. I am here on trade research. Pardon my incomplete Ehosian; please allow my guide to translate for me.:: he says as he motions for Cael to intersede while he gathers his wits. Idiot! woolgathering at a time like this...

The brows of the olive-skinned men furrow into frowns as they turn to Cael. As far as they can tell, they've just been called "honorable ettiquette guides," and they're trying to decide if this is an honest mistake or a joke at their expense.

Cael arches an eyebrow at Toshiro, but picks up the conversation, starting off in slow Ehosian that most of the party can follow. ::Forgive my esteemed employer, oh Bright Protectors of the Pearl.:: Cael then starts with rapidfire Ehosian, which means the party memebers unfamiliar with the language might pick up one word in three. ::He means well, but no one can expect an outsider, even one such as he, to understand the Bright God's language well. We come as requested by his most holy, the true Voice of the Sun, bringing gifts and goods to be presented.:: Cael brandishes the forged papers at the guards. ::I trust you will find everything in order.::

One of the guards takes the papers and scrutinizes them, then passes them to another guard for confirmation. ::Indeed! Please accept the Sunburst's poor hospitality while we sent word to the Silver Palace. Some of the Patriarch's (may the sun shine ever on him) own Flame-tails will surely come with all haste to escort you hence.::

He gestures to a white stucco building at the edge of the square, it's peaked door marked with a sunburst symbol like that on his armor. Cael looks apprehensively towards the the guardhouse for a moment before shrugging. ::Your hospitality knows no bounds.::

::We live but to serve,:: the guard replies to Cael.

The priest turns to the rest of the group and speaks in common, updating them as to what the guards had said. "... and we're to wait in the shade of the guardhouse while someone fetches us proper escort." As he finishes his paraphrased translation, Cael suddenly realises how poorly planned for this they are. No hand signals or something like that preplanned. How are we to talk without the guards overhearding? They might not speak common fluently, but they can recognise enough of it to get suspicious if we start making plans in the middle of their guardhouse. Shaking his head in resignation, Cael leads the others towards the guardhouse.

The group is brought into the cool shade of the stucco building. Its doors and windows are wide open, allowing a generous breeze to flow through. Carpets and pillows are brought forth into a waiting room, the hosts protesting the entire time that they aren't worthy of such an august and honorable visitor. A light repast of bread, dates, and wine is offered as well.

Several young boys in tunics embroidered with sunbursts stay on hand, kneeling off to one side, ready to bring more food or run errands for the guests. The guards leave a pair behind as an "honor guard" for the Patriarch's guests and the remainder return to their duties in the square.

Feeling much like it is his last meal, Cael chews on some of the dates and sips a a goblet of wine. If any of the others ignore the food, he'll whisper to them (on common) "Eat, even if it's just a date or two. It's impolite to turn down offered food."

Toshiro partakes of some of the foodstuffs and of the water, eschewing the wine to maintain a clear head. Observing their surroundings, he leans over to Cael. "Why do I think we are neck deep right now?" he whispers so only Cael can overhear.

Krissa, slouched over a pillow and eating dates, doodles idly on a scrap of parchment she pulled from somewhere.

"Uh, boss-san? Requests from your loyal troops this week." She passes the note to Toshiro.

It reads:

Extra gold
Wine
Dontgo
Figs
Tothe
Time off
Palaceor
Damnyourescrewed

Toshiro takes the note and reads it's message. Hhmmm... that has crossed my mind. "Yes..... I shall take your requests under advisement," he tells her as he takes the slip of parchment and places in his bag. Turning to Cael, he whispers, a touch louder this time. "I believe we should find lodging prior to any visit to the palace. Please relay this; wouldn't do to be disrespectful of our hosts..."

Cael's about to respond to Toshiro when he hears talking out front. A glance reveals that the palace guards have arrived; men, wearing scalet-dyed leather armor stand conversing with the Gate guardsmen. He turns back to Toshiro. "I think we're too late for that option. It seems our invitation to join the patriarch has just arrived."

Toshiro hears the arrival of the guards as well and mutters, "Shit. Well, if you cna try to persuade them that we need to see to lodging before entering his grace/Emininece/whatever's presence. It just wouldn't do, ya know?"

Krissa cocks her head again, listening to something and nodding. "Tosh, the palace would be our lodging. Turn it down and you're refusing the Patriarch's hospitality... the boss might have something. If we can keep most everybody out of the Holy Presence. Or we can run for it. Boss can definitely distract those guards and find you later."

Toshiro thinks for a second. "True- it would have to be that..... Any Ideas for preventing an incident? I am fresh out- didn't plan on this...." Boy am I out of practice on sneak stuff...

"Just two... keep most of our merry band as far away from anyone important as possible, or cause a bigger incident right now. 'Leaf can do number two, but we need to know right now."

"I thought you going to have something more substantial than that...." Toshiro muttered. Turning to Cael, he voiced a semblence of a plan. "Get them to take us to lodging first, if you can. There we can come up with something. Otherwise, it's plan two wherever Leaf thinks is a good spot. I don't like the idea but going straight to the Palace was nevered planned for... Agreed?" Toshiro reachs to the tie that fastened his katana shut and loosened it. I really do not want to get stupid now but things do not always happen the way one wants...

Cael looks quizically at Toshiro. "But I thought the plan was to go to the Palace. From there we were going to...."

"But we can't do plan two lat-..." Krissa starts and then her pupils dilate hugely as she inhales sharply. As she cuts off in mid sentence, Cael looks over suddenly.

"There is never time for a plan tw-" Toshiro hisses as a change comes over Krissa.

The guards are nearly done exchanging pleasantries and checking over forms. You can hear them stepping closer as Krissa's features thin and sharpen, she loses a few inches in height, and becomes Falling Leaf once again. The accumulated Taint rushed at her and she wanted to scream from the pain of performing a transformation without proper meditation. But there wasn't any time.

This is the first time Cael has actually seen 'Leaf's shapechanging 'trick,' and it almost nauseates him, for he gets a double vision of the transformation. To his eye, Krissa is suddenly overlaid in inky blackness that pushes and pulls at her to force her back to Falling Leaf.

Ancestors! Toshiro exclaimed inwardly as her form shifted. Within milliseconds, the change was complete and a spike was sailing though the air at Toshiro.

This is gonna hurt... he thought as the steel shaft hit his shoulder, burying halfway in. "Argh!" Toshiro clenched his teeth. That did hurt! Glad her aim is good...

Involuntarily, Cael starts to recite certain Ehosian prayers, supposed proof against demons, just watching and chanting as 'Leaf throws a blade at Toshiro then bails out through the window, the guardsmen hot on her trail.

The guards open the door in time to see an elven assassin throw a long, thin dagger at the Jade ambassador then, startled, hurl herself out the window into the street. With a shout, they crowd back out the door to pursue! All wish the glory of capturing one of the elusive elven assassins that have struck the heirarchy. It will be several moments before the Sunburst guards realize their error in leaving the ambassador unguarded but for his personal defenders. Chagrined, they quickly return to the guardhouse...

But the group has several minutes alone to escape if they wish, or to concoct a better story.

Once the guardsmen leaves, Cael snaps out of it somewhat. "Run. Now." He pushes at Toshiro, then grabs at Gwehn's sleeve and pulls her towards the door. The two drow are on their own. Hopefully, the guardsmen catch them. It'll give us others time to escape.

Taking Caels shove, Toshiro uses his good arm to grab his bag. "Right... time to leave."