Abu`Sahir - Anurith's Golden Ram

[Ashari]

This tavern, located in the very center of Abu`Sahir, is patronized by the upper layer of commoners, merchants, as well as the lesser nobility of the city. Adorned with gold paint and alight with a thousand candles, it is usually near full, with servants hurrying to keep up with the crowd's demands. A band of regular musicians plays instruments specific to Amun Rah's culture; to these swaying tunes, girls that are perfectly formed dance in costumes that don't have enough fabric in them to qualify for the state of 'dressed' in any proper circles of nobility. Honeyed spirits, dried spiced meats, and fruit are the common courses here, although a more substancial meal is available when requested.

The tender is Yabal, a large man who keeps his head shaved. A polite smile is ever present on his lips, at least until some patron wears his patience to thin, in which case he demonstrates admirable skill in Amun Rah's very own Flowing Sand style of martial arts. None of his servants are female, except for the ones who dance. When approached about payment for some time with one of the girls, Yabal will happily offer his sheep instead, for half price. After which most drop off, confused or disgusted.

It was into this environment that you stumbled. "Hello, can I get ye a mead?" Yabal asked, his demeanor open and friendly. The sparkled gold sequins of the dancing girls reflects the candle light and the little dots of light race around the walls of the room, almost hypnotically.

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha Muk Sadyr had been wandering the streets for some time this evening, his records book under one arm and his items in a bag over his shoulder. He was dressed in the finery of Amun Rah as befitting a moderate merchant. His head was heavily tattoed and his beard had been recently combed so it resembled rumpled silk.

Alaha moved his considerable bulk through the door, immediately he was shrouded in light and in what he viewed as the nicest tavern he had been in thusfar. "Ah very nice, I feel that the gods shall be very kind to me here." Alaha said to himself. "Plenty of lovely, pretty things for me to play with and buy away." Alaha gently moved over to the bar and said to the tavernkeeper who greeted him warmly, "Greetings sir I am Allaha Muk Sadyr of noble House Sadyr favoured of this land, I am a perveyor of fine goods and services and will require a room in your tavern for a little time, oh and a mead would be most kind, I shall wait over at the table this ways." Alaha moved over to a table near the corner putting his bag on the table and his book down in front of him. This book contained all his bussiness deals and notes of various kinds.

Allaha now took the time to look around, his eyes searching the room for figures of interest or anyone that could be scammed out of something.

[Ashari]

The girl that danced upon the stage was redhaired and beautiful, but she was not the main act. There was to be another, who would appear soon enough, who would prove to be the star of the show, the one that everyone had come to watch. For now, however, they settled on the smooth skin of the dancer that appeared her, her body moving to the gentle drum beat provided by a bard in the corner.

Tending bars had introduced Yabal to many a man, but this fellow he did not recognize. He tried to think upon the name, to figure if he had heard it before, and then he finally thought of something. "Merchants, right? Or atleast you were. Your mead will be over in a flicker." He turned to the customer he had been speaking to prior to Alaha's arrival and started pouring beverages as they were requested.

A serving boy, wearing a red vest, picked up the mead that was heading to the large man's table. "Here ya are sir, can I get you anything else?" It was a thick brew, in a tall stone cup.

The room itself provided little in the way of people of interest. Several merchants had gathered together at one of the larger tables and were speaking of things that had come up as of late, one of the topics being the Merchant's United fronted by Ramsel-Ahn. A few nobleman's second sons were spread among the crowd, drinking their fill both with alcohol and the sights of the undulating form of the dancers. Other than that, it was evident that the entire clientel were men, there was not a woman to be found except for those upon the stage.

It would've been the case that prostitutes would find this the perfect place to get their marks, but Yabal had thrown one whore after the other out the door, and wouldn't even let them sully his establishment by standing outside it's door. Instead the working girls found their marks stumbling out of Anurith's from the end of the block, and had to await their arrival before they tried to offeir their wares.

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha gulped the mead down in one colossal gulp, tilting his head back, the liquid poured down his throat and his adams apple bobbed like a restless vessel in an alcoholic torrent. Alaha put the mug down on the table and cleared the liquid on his beard with a rag from his pack. "Ah sweet ambrosia, finest of all this kingdoms liquids." Alaha smiled to himself one of his primary needs was sated.

His eyes scanned about again and eventually rested on the beauty, his hands crossed and rested on his enormous girth as his eyed twinkled in the light. Gently he stood and wobbled over to the bar and said to the barkeep, one of his pudgy forearms resting on the bar, "Tell me master barkeep is there any juicy story or rumour you can give a merchant of fine wares and exotic delights?"

[Ashari]

"I'm afraid I do not deal in gossip, sir. If you look for that, you might be better off with a woman." Yabal hefted the stoneware and filled Alaha's mead once again. "A room in my tavern is not cheap, I hope you can afford the price. I heard your family has fallen from the grace of the Rafao." Though the barkeep might put himself above pointless gossip, he did know the price of a good bit of information, and many drunken merchants told the man many dark secrets. It was only a matter of what Alaha was willing to do to get such information.

Yabal, having all the money he wanted, usually dealt only in other information to satiate his curiousity of the island inhabitants. "But, do tell, what fine goods do you have for sale?" Busily he poured another drink for a local man who was at the bar. He was transfixed by the dancing woman and hadn't even noticed the arrival of the large merchant. His shaved scalp bobbed and nodded to the rhythm. Such was the way of this place, men stared enraptured by the earthly delights and wasted countless coins to Yabal's purse.

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha had many ticks, his favourite was his ability to focus on someone and calm them, get them to leak information and gently prod. He used a number of skills generally trying to gain the personality of a person and adapt his tactics, "Sir I am a travelling merchant, I pick up all sorts of curiosities on my travels, I am a man who you deal with over time, over time I might gain certain goods but I have an ever changing inventory."

Alaha looked about "You have a rather ingenious set up if I may say so, these men have more money than sense, and eyes that far outstrip their wallets. With me one may indulge on anything and everything as long as it is free." The second mead dissapeared in the same way of as the first.

"I merely wonder about bussiness opportunities that I may persue in this fine establishment, and naturally there will always be a fee, be it in goods or coin."

Alaha looked at the man, his tones had been measured, his voice rasping and smooth like honey and his eyes never flintching, he was the very definition of a rhetorical manipulator.

[Ashari]

Yabal was not one to be easily manipulated, and had thrown many a smooth-talker out of the door of his establishment for trying to do just that. His flowing sands style of martial arts was well known, and he could take down most anyone his sized and even larger. Perhaps Alaha had not heard the rumors, nor heard of how Yabal had been the day prior, during some kind of tantrum when he wouldn't let any patrons into his tavern.

"They pay, and they get to watch the dancers, it works out for everyone involved. Others have tried to steal my business, but their women are never as beautiful or their mead as strong." At this he topped off the merchant's stoneware. "As far as business oppertunities, there is always a job awaiting someone to do it, it's a matter of what exactly you are looking for."

He grinned. "By Uphuron's grace, I've even got a job as a dishboy if yer interested." He laughed outright. Everyone knew the god Uphuron to be a warrior testing his people, there was nothing that brought grace to him, it was a severe irony, but a common enough saying in the city to almost set up a sarcastic statement. "But I would doubt you would be much interested." He paused. "So what exactly is it you are looking for?"

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha pulled his fat mouth into a smile, he needed many things and now he was convinced that this man could give him information. "All men look for different tracks in the sand, I myself seek the tracks of greed, I am on earth to make my time in this city as passable as possible and to do that I need a number of things.

"For one I need money, for that I need wealthy benefactors and I would be much obliged if you could point some out for me, any that posess exotic rarities I might purchace." He paused briefly, "I also need to know people, you know my friend important people in this city that could help an ambitious man rise up a little, I should like to meet and possibly do a little work for some nobles or someone of equal standing. Might I rely on you to direct me in the correct direction?"

[Ashari]

"Money is as good a goal as any other." Yabal said. "But just like any other, it will consume you if you allow it to." He poured himself a drink from which he took a steady sip.

"You can rely on me for many things, and I think I might know just the man for you to get in touch with. He is not here, he is much to important to come to a place like this. He has his own tavern, of sorts, in his lair, and he gets whatever he pleases there. One such as he is always looking for a greedy merchant to peddle his goods, one that knows to keep his mouth shut..." He trailed of, leaving the interest piqued, wondering if this was the sort of thing Alaha was searching for, or if he was yearning for something more reputable.

"But, of course, there are also always the regulars." He looked over the crowd who were busily oogling the dancing girl. "The second sons of nobility always willing to lend a coin to someone who seems interesting and keeps them entertained... the well of merchants who want to strike trades... then there is the Merchant's Guild, aquiring new people all the time and helping their comrades." Yabal cited off these groups as he scanned the throng. It appeared as if atleast one of each category must be present.

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha looked at the man, stroking a hand through his beard. "By the great river I should like to meet this powerful friend of yours barkeep, I feel I could work well with him and better get to back to my families roots." Alaha Smiled gently, "I should like to see him as soon as possible, this very night in fact so I wonder if you could give me the location so I might pay a visit to this friend of yours?"

[Ashari]

"Tonight? I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible." Yabal said as he drank his own beverage. "However, I will pass along that you are looking to meet with him. When or if he is ready to meet with you, he will send a messenger to retrieve you and bring you to his place. He doesn't meet with anyone except at his convienence. Perhaps you could find something else to keep you busy this evening." The barkeep shrugged.

"There is always the Gravetide market, all sorts of people end up there, perhaps you could make a connection or two and get your name spread about, that will help you. Tedrin is pleased by those who already have connections, it makes them a more worthwhile investment."

[Gully Drervo]

Alaha nodded, "Thank you my friend, may the Highlord look down upon you and bless your kindness." Alaha finished his final drink and nodded. Gently he turned and fized his eyes on one of the dancing girls. For a few seconds he drooled gently before turning and leaving the tavern on his way to the square to shop and hopefully meet some important people.

[Ashari]

"May Anasis watch your feet." Yabal said in return before tending to another one of his patrons.

OOC: Have fun at the Market!

Skills:

Hypnotism: + *
Conversation: + *