At the Edge of Humanity {IC}

[~Corvus~]

As the evening waxes on, the conversation waxes and wanes.

For those of you that look around at the items, you see Mundane equipment of all kind. Even food with adventuring uses (like garlic), or rare Abolth Mucuous. In fact, everything from Shax's Haversack I is on display, with descriptions besides. In a less civilized age, perhaps you all would be adventurers and that garlic may be needed. Now? Who knows.

There is Armor, Barding and a few very expensive sets of magical armor. In fact, it seems as if the target Abdul is implicitly saying I want you to buy armor so then I can enchant it for you.

Among the weapons of all nonmagical types, many have beautiful designs. An elderly Azer is muttering into his beard about how dwarves here don't appreciate adamantine makings enough, but Abdul takes him aside and they have a lengthy conversation that goes on for several hours. It appears they are talking about another continent? Strange.

Abdul and the Azer wander over to the jewelry section, which is mostly made of functional magical equipment. Amulets of Natural Armor, Resistance cloaks, Nymph Cloaks (though not the blinding kind, sadly), and many more. The colors may be your first true encounters with a Bazaar, but all run by Abdul?

There are even Plants that grow well in many places of the world and Plant sculptures that make you wish you could have an Elven home.

Finally, soil samples and rocks that make great building materials. By the Azer's reconing, it's so incomplete that he furrows his brow and comments, only ninetypes of granite, is he insane?? There's fifty words for granite in dwarven. And then there's the soil, oh what a tragedy... But this time it seems Abdul is absent.

As the evening wears on, it appears the Reth's appearance is un-livening the conversation. The rat (dire rat, mind you) reads the following in neat Elven script:

Spoiler: If you speak Elven

Show

The Reth dekala are mystical outsiders native to the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron. They are skilled martial adepts and have innate abilities resembling those found in the Devoted Spirit, Iron Heart, and Tiger Claw disciplines of the Ninefold Path. The yellow-green mist that forms their lower bodies is due to a curse upon their race by a demon lord they rebelled against long ago.

The Reth are also resistant to acid, fire, are less prone to critical hits, or attacks that target anatomy. They are generally cruel and pitiless, but they abide by a strict code of honor and they never deviate from it. They seek out and kill mortals that have inherited their bloodline, apparently believing that their ancient curse will be lifted if they succeed in exterminating every last person who shares the old bloodline.

Long ago, the Reth destroyed the only being whom they might have considered a patron deity, and therefore are beyond the worship of gods. This uprising also led them to slay those few fellow clerics who were of their infernal master. Reth dekala clerics are rare, but would only be likely to venerate principles of law, tyrrany, and war.

The Reth have little use for wealth other than a status symbol. In their convoluted codes of honor and obedience (which we will not get far into, as it would likely make a Dwarf turn away in disgust), the right to levy tribute on one's inferiors is a key duty and privelege of those who hold power. Reth dekala abide by tribute arrangement scrupulously, and they do not harm those who have met their demands, although it should be noted that these demands are...ruinously high at times. The reth dekala highly value armor and weapons, and will wield the best they can find. Many rethi become sorcerors so they can make use of scrolls, wands and staves as well.

At some point one of Abdul's servants (this time a medium-sized treant) comes to you with a platter of what seems to be water and says Driiink, youuung saplings. Thisss fiiine waterrr saaatisfyy for a whiillee, soo driiink.

The many other patrons of Abdul's sanctum manage to purchase various items, and soon several of his rare items have been sold. It appears, however, that Jerid's companion even took the opportunity to take the wizened man aside and asked for a large package, handing over most of Jerid's gold in the process for what seems to be a beautifully-crafted haversack of magical origin.

While Tai is reading the Tome, Abdul sidles up and jokes Vutha, you must be so uncomfortable that the others are picking up on it! Chuckling, he continues, I hope any of you have talked to him. He doesn't seem to be an ordinary one of his kind. Then again, he says, looking to the group assembled before him, Neither do you. Shall we have a round of introductions?

I am honest Abdul, traveler, merchant and a man versed in many magics. He looks expectantly at the rest, and it almost seems as if his elegant blue silk robes show off the gold-colored trim--as if the robes themselves seem to be alive and proud to be robes.