The Tale of the Robber and the Caliph
(from the Shadow of the Tyrant Rulebook)
Know this, oh mighty Caliph, that
when the troubles began, I was not in the city, but pursuing my trade.
Several leagues outside the city walls, there are many ruins of lost cities
from a time when the world was much younger than it is today. I was
in the ruins of such a city, having only just won a particularly fine prize
for my troubles, getting ready to make my way back to the city when I saw
the broken army. The dust from the catacombs I had scoured was still
in my eyes, and as I wiped them clean (and hid the small treasures I had
discovered), I saw that it was like no other army I had ever seen before
or since.
Their banners flapped weakly in
the wind and they looked as if they would collapse at any moment. Nearly
all of them were dressed in crimson and carried the sign of a scorpion, but
there were others, may of which I did not recognize. I could see from
my hiding spot that they were only days away from meeting Old Man Death,
and I thought I might meet with them and tell them they were only two days
ride from Medinat al-Salaam - but then the army of the Senpet appeared.
At first, I thought they were a
mirage as they charged from the dunes, unseen until it was far too late.
I instinctively fell deeper into the shadows of the cavern I had just escaped
and watched as the armies of the Scarab descended on the armies of the
Scorpion. Of course, what followed was no real battle, but the Scorpions
fought with a courage that is only found in the hearts of storybook
heroes.
But courage was not enough on that
day. They fell under the Senpet swords, feeding the desert with their
blood. The slaughter went on for only a few minutes before it suddenly
ceased. I recognized the man who rode up on his horse and held up his
hand to cease the bloodshed. His name was Abresax, and he was the High
General of the Senpet. Beside him rode the sahir Nepherus, Astrologer
and High Advisor to the Senpet Pharaoh, Hensatti.
Well, yes, great Caliph, I do know
much of the Senpet. But in my trade, such knowledge is not only helpful,
but it can save your life - if certain situations arise. One must always
be able to praise one's enemy, don't you agree? From your smile, I
see you understand my meaning. I shall continue then? Good!
I was forced to creep from my hiding
place to see what happened next. I agree, my curiosity will get m into
trouble one day. In fact, it did! But it was not this day.
Abresax and Nepherus were looking
over the quiet body of a beautiful woman. The sahir was doing something
with his hands and I watched as the air suddenly turned cooler and the lady
took a deep and what appeared to be painful breath. Then her eyes shot
wide open and the Senpet sighed great breaths of relief.
"It is she," said Nepherus.
"Are you certain?" asked
Abresax.
The sahir nodded. "Selqet,"
he whispered.
Abresax nodded. "Then she
will come with us." He pointed at the others. "The rest - to
the gold mines with them!"
The Scorpions screamed as their
"Selqet" was taken away. She looked at them with a deep sadness in
her eyes, and I could only imagine what she was thinking. Then, she
stood, her weak body trembling under the strain. She shouted something
to them in a tongue I did not understand, then she collapsed into Abresax's
arms and was silent again.
I beg your pardon, great and mighty
Caliph? Ah, is that what she shouted? I trust that if anyone
in the city would know, it would be you, she who is wisest of all.
I was forced to wait until nightfall
to make my way back to the city. I could not risk being seen by the
marching armies of the Senpet. I have spent some time in their Copper
Mines, I'll tell you. Why yes, I did escape, but I would never want
to have to do it again.
When I reached the city, I found
my old friend Wijdan and showed him the treasures I had acquired.
"Quite a find," he said as he looked
them over.
"Worth at least fifteen coppers,"
I told him.
He disagreed, we bartered and I
ended up with seven new coins to keep my empty purse company. He pulled
out a wine flask and we talked a little.
"What happened to Joseph's across
the street?" I asked as I whisked down a swallow from my glass and re-filled
it before he noticed.
"Ah, the Senpet," he said and spit
on the ground. "They bought him out." He poured himself another
drink and looked into the half-filled cup. "They own half the city
already. And soon, they will own every building, every street corner
- every soul."
"Why are they here?" I asked.
"What's here that they don't have there?"
"Don't you know? It's the
water! They've got no more water."
I nodded, even though it made little
sense to me. We had only a little water ourselves. What good
would just a little do? Oh! How stupid I was then. If only
I knew what I know now. But I suppose we all think that sometimes.
Except for yourself, mighty Caliph who rules all the falls under Lady Sun's
great sky!
When I was finished, I made my way
to Abdul-Rafi's and spent most of it on wine and the wheel. I talked
a while with a man who called himself Hisham, and I listned closely to his
half-drunk ranting.
"Curse the khadi and curse the Caliph!"
he cried out.
"Hush that tongue of yours, Hisham,"
I warned him. "If you keep wagging it about like that, someone's likely
to come along and cut it off."
"And curse the Senpet as well!"
he shouted, his words rattling against the windows and spilling out into
the street. "Things were just fine 'till they came along with their
'one hundred thousand gods' and their...drink and their...pretty women!"
I again ugred him to stay quiet,
but he continued.
"The Senpet buy up the shops and
khadi sit back and watch! The Senpet guard the streets, enforcing the
Sultan's laws, and khadi sit back and watch! They swallow moe of the
city every day, and all we do is watch!"
Just then, the door burst open and
three tall figures walked in.
The first I knew. His name
was al-Hazaad, and he wore the red and black robes of the khadi. Ah,
but you know him already. A thousand pardons, my lady.
The other two were thick and wide
and dark and wore the armor of the Senpet. As soon as they walked in
through the door, a hot wind swept through the room, killing every sound
it touched. As they looked through the dark room, I remained perfectly
still and quiet as my pounding heart would allow me to be. The three
men approached our table, thier eyes glaring in the darkeness.
Hisham looked up at them thorough
his glazed eyes and his lips curled into a frown. Then, as quick as
a cat, he pointed at me. "He said it! It was him!"
I almost laughed, but then I saw
the khadi and the Senpet turn to me.
Mother always said I was born under
a bad sign.
I leapt out of my chair and kicked
the table. I smelled a foul burning odor and felt a scorching heat
burn at my back, but I was already through the window and into the street.
With black smoke whirling behind me like a tail, I ran through the dark city
streets and into the Maze!
The Maze, my Lady? It is what
we call the tight and cramped poor quarters. Many khadi are either
too wise or too...well, just too wise to enter the Maze after dark.
I ran, I climbed, I leapt over rooftops,
ditched my smoldering shirt, grabbed a new one from a laundry line and finally
found a nice, cozy shadow to crawl into. I sat still and quiet until
I was sure that trio had lost my trail, then I took off again, back the way
I came.
As I walked down the quiet night-filled
streets, I saw just how much of it had really changed. I never noticed
it before, but it was just as Hisham and Wijdan had said. Nearly every
other shop bore the Seal of the Scarab. I shook my head and turned
a corner, and that was when I saw the leaping shadow.
She soared between the buildings,
over the alleyway and through a glass window just as the khadi that chased
her cursed her with foul words I would never repeat in the presence of the
great and wise Caliph. I heard a laughter then, a sweet high laughter
that I swore I had heard somewhere before. The khadi cursed again and
turned away, and just as they did, I saw a tall man with glowing tattoos
carrying another man through the alleyway, careful not to draw the notice
of the sahir high above them. He whispered softly to the man, who I
then saw as a Senpet, and they slipped into a dark portal that slid shut
behind them.
I waited for a moment there, then
moved closer. I knew that the door was there, and had no problem finding
the secret latch. It opened rather easily for me and I peered down
into the darkness. I could see the man's glowing tattoos and I knew
that he must be one of the Ashalan that I had seen wandering the desert under
sleeping Lord Moon. I stepped inside and let the door shut behind me
as I followed them down the stairway.
The robber paused and saw the Caliph
was leaning ever so slightly forward, her eyes intent upon him.
"And what happened next?" she asked,
half-heartedly hiding her interest.
"It is late, my Lady, and the day
is almost upon us. I am afraid I cannot finish my story before
daybreak."
The Caliph smiled. "It is
a seven day festival, little one. I need not make my decision until
the morning of the seventh day."
"Then perhaps I can return tomorrow
night and continue my tale?"
The Caliph was silent and the robber
watched her eyes carefully. After a long silence she nodded.
"Very well. Tomorrow you will finish the tale?"
"I will do my best."
"Make certain you do." She
motioned for the robber to be taken away and the two large men removed his
chain from the floor. "Your life depends on it."
The robber smiled. "Ah, but
my Caliph who is wise in all matters of the world," the robber said, allowing
himself a wicked smile. "So does yours!"
The doors closed behind him and
the Caliph looked out to the city, waking from its slumber, preparing to
meet the new day Lady Sun was generous to provide.
...to be
continued...
- From Legend of the Burning Sands Shadow of the Tyrant rulebook (pages 7 through 13).
Emerald Empire, Legend of the Burning Sands, the Legend of the Burning Sands logo, Shadow of the Tyrant, the Shadow of the Tyrant logo and all related marks, names and characters are tm and (C) 1995-1998 by Five Rings Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Card illustrations are (C) 1998 by the credited artists (Jewel of the Desert by Nicola Leonard, Library by Jennifer