Fazzur's Mission
- Location: Dunstop — Palace of provincial general Fazzur the Learned
- Date: 1611 — Sea Season — Harmony Week — Clay Day
The Audience with the General
Ikarnos
After 3 days of waiting in the city of Dunstop — so far from Raibanth, so different, so military — I was finally admitted to the palace to meet with Fazzur. He was aware of my arrival as the Emperor had informed him and he knew I would be at his service. So I left my writings in suspense and my study of the Rashoran path to arrive before Yelm's zenith.
The palace was not grand, nor ostentatious like imperial palaces, and resembled more of a barracks with its contingent of guards, checkpoints... I wondered where Fazzur got his nickname of "the Learned," for I could hardly see a library in such a place, unless the nickname came from an extensive network of informants. I prepared for the interview through meditation.
🎲 Marginal Defeat ➔ No increase
Fazzur received me standing in his office. A fine crafted table was covered with maps and tokens of all kinds, no doubt simulating future battles for this so talented general, with his hard and self-assured face. Beside him stood three other characters:
- A warrior woman with a shaved head and determined gaze.
- A lunarsed barbarian of sturdy build (perhaps a merchant).
- A nomad woman of proud bearing, but strongly smelling.
Strange assembly.
"Greetings to you Fazzur, the conqueror!" I saw the warrior woman smile. "May the Goddess be praised for allowing our earthly paths to cross."
He replied: "May we satisfy the Son of the Moon, and welcome to you in Dunstop." He paused and pointed at the map before him: "Here is Prax, the Empire's newest victory. An arid land populated by Nomads, like Peek-ee-Peek who belongs to the tribe devoted to our Goddess, but the other tribes are our enemies. We have vanquished them, but peace remains fragile and must be consolidated."
I looked at the nomad from head to toe and shuddered at the thought that it was people like her who, several times, put the Empire to fire and sword, even assassinating the Emperor.
"Even though it is difficult to win a war, it is equally difficult to maintain and impose peace," Fazzur continued. "War leaves scars, resentment among the vanquished and they always seek revenge. We will crush them if necessary, but we must be prepared. That is why I need you four to consolidate our positions, to be my eyes and ears. Snoop, investigate, represent our cause. You have free rein. Return in one year to make your report. You may leave."
"I accept willingly," I said.
"Here is my seal, Ikarnos. I do not know you but the Emperor trusts you, so that is enough for me. You will thus be able to act in my name. Do not disappoint me. Seek out the threats but also sources of alliance or magical resources. We will prevail."
"We will prevail and the Emperor will glorify your successes, Fazzur. Might I take some time to prepare our luminescent journey?"
Staring at Fazzur, I awaited his reaction for I had used a secret word. If the latter was connected, I would know immediately.
🎲 Marginal Victory
The Negotiations and the Agreement
My new companions were not to be outdone:
Jaridan launched into a diatribe about the dangers of being unprepared, making many hand gestures (I learned later these were gestures to establish a "win-win link" that initiates of his God Issaries learn).
Hanya adopted a grandiloquent tone to remind of her commitment to the Goddess and the cause. She approved with a pout, confirming that the barbarian was right: even though quick action is often the source of success, many expeditions had failed for lack of taking the necessary time.
The nomad observed and said nothing.
🎲 Confrontation outcome: major victory
Fazzur did not respond to the secret word, but he agreed to let me spend some time looking at the maps. He also allocated us a substantial purse intended to create fruitful connections or to corrupt weak souls.
I was discovering the resources of my new companions and was rather satisfied with their profile. They seemed committed to the lunar cause. So we took our leave of Fazzur, thanking him, assuring him we would be worthy of his trust. I announced I would return the next day to consult a few maps. We left the palace to go to a tavern on the square to get acquainted and plan a route.
Immersions & Preparations
At the inn, we got acquainted and each person shared a little about their life and their relationship with the Red Moon.
Hanya seemed a bit haughty and looked down on Jaridan and Peek-ee-Peek, but she seemed trustworthy.
Jaridan confessed that he wanted peace above all. I promised to do everything in that direction, but deep down, I knew that excesses were sometimes necessary to make the cause triumph.
Peek-ee-Peek spoke little. She did not master Pelorian well, but she spoke of a prophecy received by her people more than 50 rains ago, stating that the wind was rising.
The Choice of Route
According to Jaridan, the safest but longest route to reach Prax was to take a detour through the north to bypass the mountains and reach AldaChur.
Hanya, for her part, invoked the Conquering Daughter and seemed motivated to find another route, faster and more direct, through the south.
Peek-ee-Peek, true to herself, did not like roads. We finally decided to copy the necessary maps the next day at Fazzur's palace.
The afternoon was occupied preparing the expedition: provisions, mules, horses. I was not a good rider, but travel would be easier on horseback. Hanya and Peek-ee-Peek seemed more at ease with their mounts.
Note: Peek-ee-peek traveled mounted on her Antelope, which she watched constantly through the inn window. She declared that Fta-ah (her antelope) and she did not like horses, and that she would ride ahead, as a scout.
Jaridan shrugged and laughed. I understood that our companion was eager to get going.
The Departure
That evening, we slept at Fazzur's palace: our expedition was thus safe. The next morning, we went up to see Fazzur who gave us a list of potentially useful contacts.
I copied my two maps:
- One of the northern kingdom of Sartar
- One of Prax
We decided to depart at dawn the next day. Our group debated for quite some time over the direction to take, but we finally opted for the southern road.
In Jaridan's and my opinion, it seemed the route shortest in distance, but undoubtedly the longest in time and the most dangerous above all!