The Master Of Zooz

[Baba-John]

“Gnaag, Ara, a word if you don’t mind?” Baba said when they entered the Honeycomb Heaven.

 

Entering his room he sat down heavily on his cot and looked at them both, forlornly.

 

 

 

“We have come to this city in search of help with our quest.” “And just because people haven’t helped us, we judge them................”

 

“We treat them as inferiors, we mock them,” looking at Gnaag, “we even threaten them with bodily harm.”

 

“Is this what we have become?.....................”

 

“I am no less guilty than any other in the group.” ”It saddens me to see, to what levels, we have sunken.”

 

 

 

Baba turns away to hide the tears that flow from his eyes..................

 

The other two leave realizing that the conversation is over. :(

[gnaag]

"Sand, sand, sand. All around us. Where the... is that damned beach?" swore Gnaag during the way to the 'Heaven'. Tiredness was great. Vision of bed was slowly disappearing with bigger and bigger quantity of sand flewing into his eyes. Fortunately Baba knew the way.

 

They finally got there. Gnaag was rushing to the place where he expected his bed. But Baba had some words for them. Gnaag felt really ashamed, when his foolishness about judgeing of local people was thrown into his face. I am sorry, but... That was just thing he was able to say. Baba turned out of him. No words could help it anymore. ...I will try.

[phawk69]

Taking a room, T'skar asks about an evening meal. When it comes, she eats listening to the sound of the rising wind, and a sound she grew up with - sand against wood. This storm seems worse than any I've seen on Tagfier she thinks. Finishing her meal, she heads to her room and prepares for the morrow as best she can, then lays down to sleep, comforted by the sounds of the desert on the move.

[Malchik]

It is hard to sleep as the wind howls and rages past your lodgings. Those of you in the main street feel it shaking the building as if it wanted to shatter it into pieces. In the Honeycomb it is more like being at the bottom of a well. The roar sounds muffled and ill-defined. But you can see sand falling past the room like a fine rain all night. Finally in the early hours just before dawn it stops. Every flat surface in the Honeycomb is buried beneath more than 12 inches of sand. In the main street it is less even, swept into small dunes against the sides of buildings but with little more than a light powdering on the road surface. The south gate is blocked from outside and you are pleased to discover the animals had all been brought inside. Youngsters are scaling the walls holding shovels. In the streets the populace from oldest to youngest is digging or sweeping.

 

Tiax and Mandrake find a six year old waiting for them ready to clear obstacles from their path.

 

"Just tell me where you want to go, boss," he says.

 

Only in their lodging is the ritual of breakfast proceeding with all the guests helping themselves to a buffet while their sweepers wait patiently beside them. Everywhere else even the proprietors are in the streets.

[tiaxanderson]

"First go and get 2 additional shovels...."

"I will not sit idle when someone else works hard for what I can do just fine."

"I am sure Mandrake feels the same."

"And...." Tiax whispers to the boy. "I think I might need your help with something else... Something we can not do.. Yes that would be more..."

"After the work is done.. We need you to get us some information. Is that fine with you young man?"

 

Tiax realises they will need all the help they can get.. Out of every corner they can find.

[Malchik]

The boy looks a bit affronted. "I can do me job, yer know!"

 

Then he sees that you actually mean to help.

 

"Well, I'm sure if you really want to...."

 

He runs off and comes back with two shovels. "I was just supposed to do the bit what you needed to walk on but we can do round the back. Then we can get the back door open."

 

As he takes you into the street you see others pushing carts or carrying pailfuls of sand to the Water Gate. You cannot see what happens after the loads have been winched down.

 

"Was only one old woman killed last night," the boy mutters as he takes you to a roof high dune behind the lodging. "She couldn't remember things see. Anyhow it wasn't as bad as before."

 

He then starts shovelling sand into a large metal bin with wheels attached.

[Arturius]

Sael wakes feeling unrested the howling storm kept him from sleep for most the night, though with his usual irepressible optimism - at least it sounds like noones been hurt.

 

Once dressed and ready he picks up a shovel and walks over to the barman *Friendly smile* "ok, i said i'd shovel so where do i start".

 

knocking on Baba john and T'Skar's doors "You guys coming?"

 

Assuming shovelling is to be done Sael will happily shovel away, humming(completely off key) as he shovels. The hummed tune will soon grate with those around him yet he remains completely oblivious to the fact.

[phawk69]

"Damn," T'skar milldly swears, "The drunk beat me up." Getting out of bed quickly, she dresses and hurries down stairs. Grabbing a shovel she heads out the front door to see what needs to be done.

 

When Sael's 'tune' wears enough, she finally says, voice dripping with sarcasm, "Thats a nice tune, can you teach it to me? When you hum, do you do it through your nose, or the top part of the roof of your mouth?"

[Baba-John]

@#%$&$@*# nudged Baba awake with his wet nose. “Almost forgot about you old friend”, he says, whilst rubbing the wolf’s ears. :D

 

Then he notices that the wind has stopped. It is early dawn outside. :huh:

 

He jumps out of bed, almost slipping in the fine sand lying almost to the level of his cot. He puts on his boots walks to the lobby, picks up a spade, goes back inside and starts clearing the sand from his room.

 

As time passes more and more people begin to help with the cleaning up. Very little is said, while they go about their shoveling. After what seems like an eternity his room and the walkway are clear.

 

Baba turns his attention to the adjacent rooms.........................................................

[Arturius]

*Sael still shoveling, and completely oblivious to the sarcasm*

"Why thanks, its one my mother used to sing to me when i was a baby. My father hired various singing teachers for me, they all quit on the second day, run of bad luck actually, one's aunt got ill she had to leave to look after her, one had a nervous breakdown, poor chap, very nervous disposition, the other said that he didn't think opera was my style which is fair enough and the last sent a letter saying he had a bronchial problem and couldn't leave the house".

 

"most unfortunate of them, of course i'll teach you it if you like though, i think its more the top of the mouth actually"....

 

*He starts to hum it through again a little slower for T'Skar and still off key.*