<div>The slave just stood there a moment as she absorbed what had just happened to her. Purchased? Purchased and tempted with freedom almost at once? It was too good to be true. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>"I ..." as she spoke she started coughing, her throat dry and parched. "Forgive me," she said through cracked lips. "Of course I would listen to any honourable proposal should you break my chains and return my freedom. And, of course, be in your gratitude for releasing me from bondage." A small smile played at the corner of her lips as anticipation made her eyes glitter like precious lapis. Freedom so close she could taste it! </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Stepping toward her new "Master", the slave raised her bound wrists. The skin just underneath the medal flashed red and raw, chaffed from poor conditions and rough treatment. "Release me, please, and let us talk as free and equal individuals." It was, perhaps, a bold statement to imply that a dirty slave girl was anywhere near equal with those gathered 'round her - but something in their eyes suggested they understood her potential use to them. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>As she stood with arms still outstretched she heard the slavemaster bellow his displeasure at another one of his captives. It made the woman's eyes narrow with seething hate and she spun her head around to glare in his direction. "I beg you," she whispered darkly to her new Master. "Even if you do not release my chains, take me from this place else I cannot guarantee I won't seek to harm that bloated, festering excuse of a man..." </div>
<div> </div>
<div><br><br> </div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 9:23 AM, Loran <<a href="mailto:aillet_l@yahoo.fr">aillet_l@yahoo.fr</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">
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<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Azhur was a man of bold determination and with a sharp sense of justice. Equity requested the loskalmi to give a chance to the godlearner, after all the Luatha knew him better and recommended him…</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- "Very well Riku. In the past, the Luatha have shown themselves able to break the land I swore recently to protect and they appeared confident enough about your abilities. At least, I have to listen to their warnings and advices. It is then probably fair to let you exert your skills…"</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The nobleman looked at the chained woman and continued:</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- "For the moment, none joined our Fellowship by submission and I hope that everybody will agree that there should be no slave among us! She will decide her role herself!"</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">He then asked Othor to negotiate with the merchant:</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- "You! called the squire without hesitation, do you understand western languages? Yes? What will you demand for this ugly rebellious girl? I guess you can afford a good discount for such an… untamed… hum… product. She is probably knock-kneed and teeth-broken… and for such a nasty beast, I request with her at least one of your whips. You visibly missed your job and I will have to finish it myself!"</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Azhur stared astounded at his squire:</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- "Where did you learn to buy a slave?" he asked him in a schocked mutter.</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">- "Nowhere Master, Othor answered maliciously, I have just done exactly as if I was buying one of your horses."</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">After the payment, while the merchant was dressing the tough woman with her rags, Azhur addressed to her:</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><span> </span>- "If I break your chains and make you a free person again, will you swear to live honorably and then will you accept to listen to an honest proposal from the ones who delivered you from slavery?"</span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </span></p>
<p style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The question could seem quite naïve but in fact the idealistic loskalmi was appealing to the noblest part of the esrolian woman's soul, feeling that no material chain would force her tied, especially if Riku was right, except perhaps a bound of honor.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>[OOC]</p>
<p>Ok Rikku/Riku. It is easy to correct my archives, by the way, my PC's name is Azhur not Anzhur as Lev try to persuade us since one year and an half now :-D</p>
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<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Message d'origine ----<br>De : Damien Bosman <<a href="mailto:damien.bosman@gmail.com" target="_blank">damien.bosman@gmail.com</a>>
<div class="Ih2E3d"><br>À : HeroQuest Glorantha <<a href="mailto:ignorance@mimesisrpg.com" target="_blank">ignorance@mimesisrpg.com</a>><br></div>Envoyé le : Mercredi, 21 Mai 2008, 13h00mn 29s<br>Objet : Re: [HQ Ignorance] Re : Scene 65: The Free City of Khorst
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<div class="Wj3C7c"><br><br>
<div>Feeling no need to lie in this instance, Riku turned to the king, "My dear King Anzhur, I'm hurt that you find my actions suspicious. I sense incredible magics in this woman. She has the ability to breathe underwater and manipulate water the way you & I could move sand. She would be an incredible asset to us in our journey to Esrolia. Also, we would be doing a noble deed setting this woman free. If you are reluctant for her to associate with me, then perhaps she could be in your personal guard. I sense that she is not un-trained in the arts of warfare."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Many ideas raced through Riku's mind on the uses of this girl, but for now he was quite content to be honest and helpful in his dealings with the king......for now....</div>
<div> </div>
<div>[OOC]</div>
<div>No offense taken :) Hopefully you have a *slightly* better idea of his character now ;)</div>
<div>Also, just looking on my character sheet and there is only one 'k' in Riku. Sorry, for the confusion everyone.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br> </div>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, May 19, 2008 at 11:26 PM, Loran <<a href="mailto:aillet_l@yahoo.fr" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">aillet_l@yahoo.fr</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Azhur looked at Rikku, half surprised, half suspicious, as if he was considering some poisonous snake, just discovered sleeping in his right boot. Was the Godlearner waking up to male concupiscence after a long comatose sleep in the Luatha's prison ? Was he really trying to extort some money from him to exert his perverse lubricity on an helpless victim or, more probably, with this first contact with Civilization, was he naturally falling back into his inner vices and scheming again to realize some abhorrent experiment against the laws of the world?<br>
Reminding the advices of the wise crimson demigods of the twilight's horizon, Azhur answered to Rikku's demand with a quite reluctant voice and after a long hesitation:<br>- "Why would we spend our limited money to buy an unfortunate slave? Where I come from, slavery is an heavy sin and I have personally spent several years of my life pursuing and hanging slavers from the Kingdom of War… I will not try to convince you of the moral benefits of such civilized position, but we are here at the threshold of the Genertela's pagan lands and I suppose that we will find no charity or honor to change the barbarian ways of the local inhabitants… And for… hum!… uncontrollable urges, I guess there must be several specialized houses near the harbor… for a much more cheaper cost."<br>
This being said, Azhur felt tense, ready to defend himself against a violent reaction, having already experimented that sex-driven rapists could become ferocious as dangerous beasts when opposed.<br><br><br>[OOC]<br>Please see here no offence against the player, Damien. I'm just trying to play the sordid prejudices that the GM heavily tried to incultate us against the godlearners (babies-eaters and so on...).<br>
As a player, I know that the vast majority of them were faithful and honorable malkioni trying to improve the universe, based on the moral superiority given by the miracle of the Abiding Book.<br>You have now an occasion to show us what type of guy Rikku is...<br>
Personnally I always prefer cooperation among players and I will take any occasion to build this type of relation (within the limits of my PC's possibilities).<br>Loran<br><br>----- Message d'origine ----<br>De : Lev Lafayette <<a href="mailto:lev_lafayette@yahoo.com.au" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">lev_lafayette@yahoo.com.au</a>><br>
À : HeroQuest Glorantha <<a href="mailto:ignorance@mimesisrpg.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ignorance@mimesisrpg.com</a>><br>Envoyé le : Lundi, 19 Mai 2008, 13h59mn 32s<br>Objet : [HQ Ignorance] Scene 65: The Free City of Khorst<br>
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<div><br>Scene 65: The Free City of Khorst<br><br>Under the skillful direction of the Godlearner Rikku,<br>"The Acindina" hugs the coastline towards the beacon<br>that marks out the harbour city of Khorst. His mind is<br>
full of the knowledge that this region was once a<br>Godlearner stronghold in the second age which he<br>visited many times, with many great cities like<br>Eelnor, the great base of the Godlearner navy and the<br>island-city of Veakmal, a haven for sailors like<br>
himself and of course Thanor, the provincial capital,<br>famed for the Villbane College, dedicated in the<br>studies of the pagan deities even if they did call it<br>the "City of Tricksters". Ha! Even the most trivial<br>
mental gymnastics were beyond them!<br><br>It was also the lands where the Godlearner's engaged<br>in the disasterious 'Goddess switch', an example of<br>their ability, albeit with catastrophic effects. By<br>
HeroQuesting they first introduced the grain goddesses<br>of Wenelia and Slontos togther in the same story,<br>turning them into sisters, and then traded husbands.<br>First, the crops failed. Then in 930 ST, the Closing<br>
effected trade and travel. Finally, in 1050 ST the<br>regional Goddess Slontos rolled over, and much of the<br>landscape fell beneath the waves. Still, the knowledge<br>gained was still worth the results, Rikku mused. The<br>
Gods can be changed, and they can be manipulated by<br>human powers.<br><br>He looked around the rest of his party with only a<br>modicum of contempt. Icthya was playing with fishes<br>again, a rather charming and delightful act of<br>
child-like behaviour. The Mostal was with the<br>engineers down below. Well, at least they realised<br>they were machines, he mused. On board, Karala and<br>Knarl were in conversation about the latter's planned<br>departure, and the ever pious King Anzhur was engaged<br>
in a fine theological discussion with Jareena the<br>Healer.<br><br>Taking the boat within the harbour and finding portage<br>was simple enough. It was a fairly busy place, quite<br>clearly a popular trading location. The harbour and<br>
mooring fee was particularly exhorbitant, with only<br>King Anzhur and the Mostal Kalen carrying any<br>particular quantity of funds. Rikku couldn't resist<br>the opportunity to throw in a couple of golden<br>Godlearner coins from the second age into the mix.<br>
Apparently the fee also came with an armed escort out<br>beyond the reach of the pirates, although - according<br>to the harbourmaster - such activity had increased<br>significantly with the raids of the Wolf Pirates in<br>
recent years. Now apparently there were new forces;<br>waetargi and the mermen were systematically attacking<br>ships. The elder sea races were rising, and it seemed<br>that they wanted to remove land-based creatures from<br>
their territory.<br><br>Khorst was a friendly, surprisingly well-organised<br>city, operated by a syndicate of merchant guilds.<br>Whilst the holy mantra of supply and demand and free<br>trade were rich here, it did not necessarily apply<br>
this to human cargo. Whilst travelling among the main<br>market street as the various hawkers attempted to sell<br>their wares, the Fellowship could not help but notice<br>a slave auction, managed by a less than savoury<br>
character. Legitimate captives from pirate ships, the<br>slaveowner claimed. "They declared war on the fine<br>people of Khorst, and thus they pay the consequences".<br><br>Riku stopped suddenly and stared at an Esrolian woman.<br>
Her build was muscular, her skin olive and her<br>piercing blue eyes stood out from a mop of black hair.<br>But it was not the physical features that had<br>attracted Riku's attention. Through the Godlearner<br>secret of Runesight, he could see the Power within<br>
her. Water, Movement and Infinity! The signs of an a<br>person who has the magics to open sea! Not only that,<br>but Air *and* Water? This is a person who breathe<br>beneath the waves as well as she could above them.<br>Riku grabbed King Anzhur by the sleeve. "We must buy her!"<br>
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