The Master Of Zooz

[phawk69]

T'skar looks at the two following them and asks politely “Can we do something for you?”

[Malchik]

Another burst of laughter follows this, and the young man smiles at T'skar disarmingly. He babbles almost incoherenly about 'taking the air'. And yet they are the only two people on the streets besides yourselves. It has to be a social blunder to miss the finale of the festival.

 

It occurs to T'skar as the boy goes on and on that he is not as foolish as he is pretending to be and that it would be easy to underestimate both him and Ayala.

 

If what Ayala said was true she must really want to find Zarim Bembolia pretty badly. Since Baba-John and the party was intending to find him it would be logical to send someone with them or follow them. But of course there was a good chance (surely from Ayala's point of view) that Baba-John would try to shake off anyone following them.

 

These two, playing at being idiots had made no attempt to conceal what they were doing. Perhaps they were no more than a decoy. And yet if as seemed probable they were acting under orders how had they got those orders?

 

As you think back over your conversation with Ayala you realise there was a way she could have passed on these instructions right under your very noses. The fan was being used as a signal. Suddenly the Golconaran's seem far more devious than first appeared.

[phawk69]

"Oh my, what time is it?" T'skar looks at the two 'spies' and says "Have we missed the final program yet? I was so looking forward to who had won!" With that she turns and heads back toward where the festival is wrapping up. Taking the two by an arm each, she says "Would you please escort me, and explain the judging? It is so nice to have such helpful tour guides." Smiling brightly, and expectantly, she drags on the arms in her hands.

 

ooc> if they come along, T'skar will try to watch very closely to see if she can see who these two are signalling to when they get back to the festival.

[karkarinus]

Kalmer has been going over recent events in his mind, and decides to go with the flow of the evening, visiting the Grand Finale or whatever the group decides, until they later get back to their lodgings, where he will present some ideas and elicit others from his companions. They have overlooked something, and it is time to find out what........

[Baba-John]

OOC>Baba, has a problem communicating at the moment, as he seems to have picked up a virus.

 

People have always bothered him, and much like Gnaag he’d rather face the problem, head on, than have it come to him.

 

We don’t want to offend anyone yet so take it easy people…………………………….. :(

 

Baba turns to the two and asks,"Would you like to join us in watching the finale?" :D

[Malchik]

The two nod and smile at Baba-John and simply tag along with you whatever you do. It is impossible to tell if they see themselves as spies, minders, helpers or are simply bored and fancy some new company. The interesting thing is that they are able to shield themselves against any attempt to probe their minds and give nothing away in body language.

 

They dine at a table near yours and attend the finale with you. Whether you derive pleasure from this depends on your view of massed orchestral and choral works of a classical nature. (OOC think Mahler symphony No.8.) They follow you back to your lodging and make themselves comfortable in the entrance hall as and when you retire to your rooms. They do not follow you upstairs.

 

Each of the rooms is large enough to host a small reception so you follow Kalmer's request and all meet up in his room to work out what it is you have overlooked. Later that day you can get to the main city but what will be the plan of campaign? There is no sword in Golconar only the elusive Zarim Bembolia. Somehow you will have to find him.

[phawk69]

"What now? It seems we have two new 'members' to our company, but I don't think they will add anything useful to our quest, in fact it might be best to dump them at the first opportunity if we can. A sharp blow to the side of the head, a couple feet of rope to tie them and a gag, and then a little conceal magic and we should be free of them, but not on the Diamond. I do think we need to go to the other side, and maybe the post office would be the best place to start" T'skar wonders, "Hey, maybe we could all be concealed on the ferry, after we get on, and then re-appear after we get off. Wouldn't that cause a bit of a stir? But we need to be on the first ferry out, and to the post office as soon as possible, so that Ayala doesn't have time to send a message to expect us, though the way these Golconarans work, she has likely already sent a message, and we will be followed once we reach the other side as well." Musing more to herself than to anyone else she says "A concealed hand to the back when they were by the railing of the ferry would also work, if worse came to worse; they can likely swim," she grins cruelly. Returning to the topic at hand she continues "And then maybe we should look for an Immobile Bazar, no? I would think there must be something like that in the slums south of the city. That may be the best place to lose our tail as well." Shrugging, she looks at the each of the others for better ideas.

[karkarinus]

Kalmer invites everybody to make themselves comfortable in his suite. He sits down himself the last, and listens as T'Skar makes her points. He then takes out his copy of the Map of Bashkher, and the City Guide to Golconar.

 

"You are almost certainly right about having to look towards the south of the city, T'Skar, but I am myself doubting my ideas about an 'immobile bazar'. I have a feeling this enigma has already been solved for us, but we can't see the plains for the sand, as we say on Tagfier." He lays out the map on the table for all to see, and gestures for them to gather round. "Somewhere around this area," he says, circling Golconar with his finger, "Lies the answer. Let us once again go over the City Guide, and Mandrake - you as scribe should give us a summary of any information that has been given to us since we arrived here. For example, what has Lady Ayala told us of Golconar and its surrounding areas? We must endeavour to find something that may be an anagram of Zarim Bembolia."

 

 

 

After the summary from Mandrake, and quite some deliberation, noone seems to have come up with the answer, so Kalmer turns to Baba and says, "Well, Shaman, what say we just head on down to the South Side and see what crops up? Tomrrow at dawn?"

[gnaag]

"I thought a bit" started Gnaag diffidently "Maybe we should ask Zarim directly whether he wants to speak to us. Yes, I know it may sound strange to you, but what about making an advertisement in local newspapers?"

 

Gnaag looked at his companions with the question written upon his eyes. "If it doesn't force Zarim Bembolia to meet us, some reward can make somebody to talk..."

[Malchik]

Following gnaag's sensible suggestion a thought occurs to you. If such a publication existed exactly what catchment area would it cover? There has been no suggestion of surrounding towns and villages. Yet Ayala had implied the man did not live in the city as if there were other places he could live. Only one other landmark is shown as anywhere near Golconar. It has transport connections to Golconar, so there could be something there. And perhaps there are other places not shown on the small map. Perhaps the night staff or even your minders might know that?